Walk: Blairgowrie – Cargill, Covenanters & Caterans

📌 Blairgowrie, Perth & Kinross
★★

Above Blairgowrie the River Ericht passes through a shallow, wooded gorge. Scenery and history have colluded to create a charming stretch of riverside path. The fast-flowing burn allowed a chain of mills to develop along its banks, now either derelict (but attractive) shells or stylish residential properties. The most dramatic section of rapids is Cargill’s Leap, where local covenanter and minister Donald Cargill apparently jumped across the foaming waters to escape government troops. In the 1960s, foolhardy souls attempting the same feat led to the council blowing up the rocks around the narrowest part to make it more obviously impossible; nevertheless, it’s still a dramatic spot. Later on the route uses the Cateran Trail to climb The Knockie for excellent views. This long distance footpath is named after Highland raiders who used to wreak havoc in the area; on our trip the only marauding party was a noisy flock of migrating geese.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on Perth Street (A93) at junction with Newton Street, Blairgowrie town centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NO 177451

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.590160,-3.341757

🚌 Bus to Blairgowrie

🚗 Street parking on Newton Street

📝 Key info

▶ 6 km / 4 mi | ▲ 190 m | ⌛ 1.5-2 hr

Features: 🏠 Blairgowrie; 💧 River Ericht; 🌊 Cargill’s Leap; △ The Knockie (210 m)

⬤ Easy | Leafy woodland path along the river, then minor road and tracks across farmland.

➡️ Anticlockwise circuit: start & Blairgowrie – River Ericht west bank – Cargill’s Leap – track junction just before Lornty Bridge – top of The Knockie via Cateran Trail – Maryfield – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Huge flock of geese above The Knockie; thrushes, robins and other small birds.

Weather: 0°C, frosty in the shade. Sunny with light winds.

November 2016