Meall Nan Oighreag lead mine

The ruins of this 18th-century lead mine sit high on the moorland above Crieff, and honestly, it's a proper scramble to reach them. You're looking at abandoned workings, old stone structures, and the raw landscape where miners once hauled ore out of the hillside - it's not pretty in a postcard sense, but there's something quite moving about standing where people laboured in genuinely harsh conditions.

Walkers will get the most from this one. It's not a casual stroll - expect rough terrain, boggy patches, and a real climb if you're coming from the lower approach. The mine itself rewards those who make the effort with a sense of genuine industrial heritage, the kind you don't get from a visitor centre. You can poke around the ruins, spot old stone channels, and piece together how the operation functioned. Allow a couple of hours if you're doing this properly, longer if you want to explore the wider hillside.

It's free to visit and open to the elements year-round, which means weather matters here. Spring or early autumn work best - midwinter the moors get properly bleak, and summer midges can be tiresome. This suits anyone interested in industrial archaeology or Scottish history rather than families after an easy afternoon out.

If you're based at Loch Tay Highland Lodges nearby, this makes a solid addition to a walking holiday in the area. It's not a destination in itself, but it's the sort of unusual detour that makes a Perthshire trip memorable.