Quarrymill Woodland Park

An old quarry turned woodland sanctuary on the outskirts of Perth sounds like the sort of place you'd walk past without a second glance. You'd be wrong. What's happened here is genuinely clever - they've taken a worked-out stone pit and let nature reclaim it, then added proper walking trails that loop through the site without feeling manufactured.

The woodland itself is thick enough to feel like a proper escape from Perth proper, even though you're only a couple of miles out. There are ponds formed in the old quarry workings, which attract all sorts of bird life. On a quiet morning you'll hear far more than you'll see - woodpeckers, warblers, the usual woodland chorus. The trails are well-marked and manageable for families with kids, though nothing too demanding. Give it an hour and a half if you're moving at a normal pace and stopping to look about.

It works brilliantly as a break in a camping holiday at Scone Camping and Caravanning Club Site, which is barely fifteen minutes' drive away. Not somewhere you'd plan a day around, but absolutely worth a wander if you're based nearby. The free admission is the real selling point - no hassle, just show up and walk about. Best visited spring or early summer when the bird activity is highest and the woodland hasn't yet turned dry and dusty. Winter's manageable too if you're after solitude.