Ballo Woods

The woodland track into Ballo Woods starts innocuously enough from the Perth side, but within ten minutes you're properly immersed in mature beech and oak with barely a soul about. It's the kind of place where you actually hear birds instead of just assuming they're there. The woods roll across undulating terrain, offering decent glimpses across the Tay Valley if you know where to look - though I'd be honest, the views aren't dramatic enough to trek here solely for the vista.

What makes it work is the simplicity of it. There are no visitor facilities, no interpretation boards, no crowds fighting for Instagram angles. Just well-maintained paths threading through genuine old-growth woodland. It's ideal for families wanting a proper walk without the climbing involved at other Perthshire spots, and walkers after a quiet couple of hours away from the main tourist drag. Allow a couple of hours if you're taking the longer circuit, forty minutes if you're just after a quick breath of fresh air.

If you're basing yourself at Beech Hedge or one of the other nearby caravan parks, this works perfectly as a morning outing before hitting more celebrated attractions around Perth. The free access and low-key nature mean you can come back if you fancy it, which is more than can be said for some honeypot destinations. Go when it's not raining - the paths get properly boggy otherwise, and there's not much shelter once you're in among the trees.