Kinnoull Hill and Tower from Perth
Perthshire
Kinnoull Hill rises on the east bank of the River Tay above Perth, its woodland ending in a dramatic escarpment that drops towards the river and the A90. There is no livestock in the woodland park, so a dog can enjoy real freedom among the trees, though a lead is needed on the city streets and the clifftop path. This 6.5km circuit starts from the South Inch in the city centre, follows the riverside upstream and crosses the Tay on the walkway beside the railway bridge, high above Moncrieffe Island. Quiet lanes then climb steeply past Barnhill into Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park, where orange waymarkers lead up through the trees with fine views back over Perth. The summit has an old stone table, a trig point and indicators looking up the Tay valley. The path then follows the escarpment, with glimpses down to the river and across to the Lomond Hills and Fife, to Kinnoull Tower, an eighteenth-century folly inspired by castles on the Rhine, perched on the cliff edge. The return drops through the woods and a housing estate and recrosses the Tay on Queen's Bridge. There is 290 metres of climbing on roads and woodland paths.
This dog friendly walk gives city dogs a proper hill. The woodland paths are shaded and a dog with good recall can have freedom there, but the escarpment path runs close to a high, dangerous cliff partly hidden by trees, so keep your dog on a lead near the tower. The start and finish are on city streets and busy roads.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 6.5 km (4.0 miles)
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Duration
- 2 hr 30 min
- Walk Type
- Woodland, Historic, Peak
- Route Type
- Circular
- Off Lead Potential
- Moderate
- Livestock Risk
- Low
- Facilities
- Cafes, shops and pubs in Perth city centre; picnic tables in Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park; none on the hill itself.
- Parking
- South Inch car park, Perth city centre, pay; a parking area beside the road at the woodland park gives a shorter hill-only start.
Dog Friendly Stays Nearby
Make a weekend of it. These are the closest dog friendly places to stay to Kinnoull Hill and Tower from Perth, each one checked for its dog policy before we listed it.
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All dog friendly stays in PerthshireFrequently Asked Questions
Is Kinnoull Hill and Tower from Perth dog friendly?
Kinnoull Hill scores 7 out of 10 for dog friendliness, and it's a genuinely rewarding outing for dogs who enjoy woodland. The woodland park itself has no livestock, giving dogs real freedom among the trees, though the route does include city streets, busy roads and a clifftop path where leads are essential.
Can dogs be off lead at Kinnoull Hill and Tower from Perth?
Dogs with good recall can enjoy off-lead time on the woodland paths within Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park, where there's no livestock to worry about. However, leads are needed on the city streets at the start and finish, and especially on the escarpment path near Kinnoull Tower, where a high cliff drops sharply and is partly hidden by trees.
What should I know before visiting Kinnoull Hill and Tower from Perth with my dog?
This is a 6.5km circuit with 290 metres of climbing on a mix of roads, quiet lanes and woodland paths, so it's best suited to reasonably fit dogs. The route starts and ends in Perth city centre near the South Inch, and facilities like cafes, shops and pubs are available there, though there's nothing on the hill itself beyond picnic tables in the woodland park. The clifftop section near the tower is the one area to be careful — keep your dog on a lead as the drop is steep and the edge isn't always clearly visible through the trees.
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