📌 Ochil Hills, Perth & Kinross
★★★
Craig Rossie stands out from the other summits on the north side of the Ochils hill range. Instead of gentle grassy inclines, small crags and scree patches characterise its slopes, especially if you approach the walk’s start point from the eastern side. A beautiful path curves up the broad ridge for a direct ascent – Auchterarder, the A9 and a busy railway line laid out behind across fertile Strathearn. Descending to the south brings peace and quiet as well as views into the heart of the range, with a good track back to base once you’ve negotiated the odd swampy section before.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Craig Rossie from the start 
Pairney Farm from the ascent 
Climbing through the shade 
Looking back towards Auchterarder 
Upper slopes 
West top 
East (true) top from the west top 
Craig Rossie summit, looking northeast 
Looking northwest 
Steep ascent south from the summit 
View back to the summit 
Boggy area south of the summit 
Beldhill Burn 
Track along the Beldhill Burn 
Gradual descent around the western slopes 
Cows on the track 
Passing through the quarry near the finish
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at track junction on the B8062 just east of Pairney Farm, 2 mi east of Auchterarder town centre
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NN 979133
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.300890,-3.652374
🚌 Bus stops on A8062 just south of A824 junction (1 mi)
🚗 Limited parking – space for small cars only either at track junction (do not block access) or on the B8062 itself
📝 Key info
▶ 7 km / 4 mi | ▲ 360 m | ⌛ 2-2.5 hr
Features: △ Craig Rossie (410 m)
⬤ Moderate | Lovely grassy path to summit, though quite steep. Faint path / tracks to Beldhill Burn (with one or two boggy patches to cross) before a clear track is reached.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – Pairney Farm – gate at 🧭 NN 978125 – Craig Rossie – Beld Hill – Beldhill Burn – Heuch of Coul – old quarries – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Cows (including a Close Encounter of the herd kind on the track during descent), sheep, unidentified bird of prey circling high above.
Weather: Sunny with a few clouds; only just above freezing with a biting NW wind in exposure.
January 2017
