Quarry Wood

The forest floor at Quarry Wood is thick with pine needles and moss, the kind of place where your footsteps go completely silent. Just outside Blairgowrie, this woodland sit tucked away from the main drag, offering proper forest walking without the crowds you'd find on more famous Perthshire trails.

It's straightforward stuff - paths wind through mature conifer plantations with occasional breaks where you can actually see where you're going. The quarry itself is long worked out, but the woodland that's grown back is the real draw here. You're looking at a solid couple of hours if you do the main loop properly, though you can easily duck out early if the weather turns or the kids get restless.

This works best for families who want a genuine forest experience without needing to trek for hours, and for walkers after something low-key between longer outings. Spring brings bluebells if you time it right, and autumn colours are decent enough. It's free, as far as local knowledge goes, with no formal facilities, so come prepared.

Stay at Corriefodly Holiday Park just down the road if you're basing yourselves nearby - it's barely over a mile away. Five Roads and Glenshee Glamping are within comfortable driving distance if you fancy exploring the wider area. Blairgowrie itself has decent cafes worth stopping at afterwards, which frankly improves any forest walk.