The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Blackcraig Forest

Wee shop at the post office.

Kindrogan Wood, near Enochdhu in Strathardle, has a rich history, once owned by the Robertson, Reid, Small Keir, and Balfour families before becoming the Kindrogan Field Centre in the 1960s and later The Chiron Hub, a therapeutic outreach service. The area is steeped in local legends, including the tale of Donal Mor and a visit from Queen Victoria. Now part of a 1,137-hectare estate managed by Forestry and Land Scotland, the woodlands host diverse wildlife, mature trees, and historical sites like an old curling pond and Bronze Age roundhouse remnants.

Alexander Duff, born in Moulin in 1806, was educated in the Kirkmichael Session House before attending Perth Grammar School and St. Andrews University, where he studied theology. He became the Church of Scotland's first missionary to India, playing a crucial role in modernizing India's education system and helping establish the University of Calcutta. In his honor, the Duff Memorial Free Church was built in 1890 by L & J G Falconer, though it now stands disused and in disrepair.

In 1715, the Earl of Mar raised the Jacobite standard at Kirkmichael to rally support for the exiled Stuart King James, the Old Pretender, in an attempt to restore the Catholic Stuart dynasty after its overthrow in 1688-89. Mar’s army of over 7,000 men advanced into Perth but faced a smaller, well-led government force under the Duke of Argyll. The Battle of Sheriffmuir on 13 November ended inconclusively, while English Jacobites suffered defeat at Preston. With dwindling support, James Francis arrived too late to salvage the rebellion, and by February 1716, he and Mar had fled to France. The uprising collapsed, leading to imprisonment, transportation, or execution for many captured Jacobites.

Kirkmichael, the largest community in Strathardle Glen, has been inhabited since the Iron Age, with ancient huts, standing stones, and battle sites marking its long history. Named after Prince Ardle, who died in 903 AD fighting Danish invaders, the glen features his burial mound, the "Giant’s Grave," as a local landmark. The village’s first church was built in 1184 on land granted by Coupar Angus Abbey, and today an 18th-century Kirk stands in an ancient graveyard containing a mass burial plot for Black Death victims. Once a royal hunting ground, Kirkmichael became a key cattle market and witnessed historic events like the 1715 Jacobite uprising. Queen Victoria’s visit later helped establish the area as a holiday destination. Today, Strathardle remains known for its natural beauty, wildlife, and a balance of agriculture, tourism, and small businesses along the River Ardle.

The Perth and Kinross area has been farmed since the early Bronze Age, featuring one of Scotland’s densest concentrations of settlements. People lived in roundhouses with low stone walls and thatched roofs, leaving behind subtle raised circular mounds as evidence. Warmer summers enabled the cultivation of early barley and wheat, alongside cattle and sheep farming, with wild berries supplementing their diet. Many dwellings likely served as byre-houses, where people and animals coexisted, reflecting the dual domestic and agricultural nature of these early settlements.

Bridge of Cally is a small village north of Blairgowrie, historically serving as a gateway to the Highland Glens. Situated at the junction of Glenshee and Strathardle, it centers around an ancient bridge over the River Ardle. The village lies along the A93, also known as the Snow Roads Scenic Route, which follows an 18th-century military road that once facilitated troop movements, highlighting the area’s strategic significance. Notable landmarks include the Bridge of Cally Hotel, formerly the Invercauld Arms, which operated as a temperance establishment until the 1960s. While now a key stop for visitors en route to Glenshee Ski Centre, the village maintains its historical charm and continues to serve as a vital local hub.

Little path from holiday park to the bridge