Lady Mary's Walk – a Riverside Dog Walk and a Pub Lunch
About 3 miles on foot.
Lady Mary's Walk follows the River Earn out of Crieff under avenues of tall old beeches, and it's one of the town's favourite dog walks, level and easy underfoot.
Walk the riverside path out and back, then have lunch at the Tower, a family-run pub in the town where dogs are welcome in the bar.
- Time
- About an hour and a quarter on foot: 800 metres from the car park to the start, 1.8 km along the river to where the path climbs, and back the same way.
- The path
- Perth and Kinross Council calls the riverside path level, well surfaced and accessible to all; the whole waymarked route beyond it has a few steep slopes.
- Where to start
- The free car park off Turretbank Road beside MacRosty Park, which the council calls Taylor Park, 800 metres' walk from where the riverside path begins.
- When to go
- The riverside path is open all year; the Tower opens every day from noon.
- Dogs
- A favourite Crieff dog walk; keep dogs under close control by the river and pick up after them.
- Children
- The river runs close beside the path.
- Toilets
- An automated toilet in MacRosty Park, open from 9am to 7pm all year; and at the Tower for customers.
- Before you set out
- The council's path closures page for Strathearn listed nothing at Crieff when 6.29 read it.
The walk
Park in the free car park off Turretbank Road in Crieff, beside MacRosty Park, which the council calls Taylor Park. Then cross the Bridge of Turret and follow the path 800 metres down the Turret Burn to where Lady Mary's Walk begins at the lower end of the park. The path runs west along the north bank of the River Earn under tall beeches, and Perth and Kinross Council calls it level and well surfaced.
It was opened to the public in 1825 and named for Lady Mary Murray of Ochtertyre. This walk keeps to the river for 1.8 km, to where the path starts to climb towards Laggan Hill, and comes back the same way, about three miles in all. The river runs close beside the path, so keep the dog under close control near the water.
There's an automated public toilet in MacRosty Park, open 9am to 7pm.
If it rains
The path is under trees most of the way and level, so a shower does little harm; in heavy rain keep the walk short and let lunch at the Tower run long, with the dog by you in the bar.
Afterwards
3 min by car
The Tower
Lunch
Drive 3 minutes into the town to the Tower at 81 East High Street, a family-run pub that opens at noon every day, so an early walk fits before lunch. Dogs are more than welcome in the bar, where the full menu is served. The south-facing garden is dog friendly too, with water bowls, a heated covered area and a play frame for children. Ask ahead about step-free access.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is The Old Farmhouse, 8 miles away. Sleeps 8.
Then Cromlix, 11 miles away.
For further reading, before you go.