Murthly - 15km
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Murthly - 15km

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Overview

Distance
14.8 km
Duration
1 - 2 hrs
Total Ascent
140 m
Difficulty
Easy

Route Details

Services: Murthly
OS Grid Ref: NO098384
Terrain: Quiet roads, cycle paths and well-maintained paths
Facilities: Murthly has a village shop and a restaurant – Uisge – which is very cyclist friendly. It is advisable to book in advance if you wish to eat there as it gets very busy. You can generally still get a coffee and scone without booking if you are happy to sit outside. The nearest publicly available toilets are in Dunkeld & Birnam at Birnam Arts.
Key Points:
  • You may be able to park at Uisge if you have a table booked before or after your cycle but would need to check with the restaurant before leaving your car there.
  • There is an A9 crossing that is currently being upgraded to a bridge. As of March 2020 this bridge is built but not yet in use so you have to dismount and cross the A9 at a dedicated pedestrian crossing in a 40mph zone.
  • The tracks vary between stone farm tracks and muddy/grass tracks. It is advisable to take the shortened route avoiding the river section during winter months if you wish to avoid mud. This will keep you on stone or tarmac all the way through Murthly Castle.
Route Architect

Route Description

The first track from Murthly towards the A9
The first track from Murthly towards the A9

With the village hall behind you set off left up the hill. Opposite the first road turning on the left is a drive/farm track on the right. Take this track and follow it in a straight line past all the houses on the right and continue straight onto a rougher farm track.

After 2.5km you come to the A9 crossing. This will soon be a bridge – but is currently a pedestrian crossing of a 40mph section of the A9, 300m after you cross the A9 turn right at the crossroads.

The track before the A9 crossing
The track before the A9 crossing

300m after this the road forks – take the rougher looking track on the right. Continue on this track for 1km until a T-Junction then turn left. Follow the drive past houses to big stone pillars then turn right onto the Pittensorn Road. Follow the road over the railway bridge and continue for 0.9km then turn left just after the A9 bridge.

Continue straight on this track (If you wish to avoid the mud/wet sections and/or cut the ride short then turn right at this point – going through the farm buildings. Follow this track down the hill and follow straight on to the main castle driveway to the end – this will cut out all the section alongside the river.) Continue down a muddy steep hill for 500m. Where the track splits bear left then continue on the muddy track for 1km.

The muddy track – avoidable if you stay on the main castle drive
The muddy track – avoidable if you stay on the main castle drive

At the bottom of the hill you meet a tarmaced track – turn sharp right onto this track. After 400m turn left onto a rough track. Contine downhill on this track for 600m until you are cycling next to the river. Stay with the river on your left on wide grass tracks for another 2.5km. The track will meet a (2nd) Ghillie’s Hut – take the track round to the right of the hut then turn right onto a rough vehicle track. Follow this under, then over a stone bridge and up a sharp hill to the main castle tarmaced drive. Turn left onto the drive and follow straight for 1.1km. Just after the stone gates, and before the road, turn right onto a rough track past parking spaces and up a small hill. Turn left onto the Pittensorn road.

Cycling beside the River Tay
Cycling beside the River Tay

Just before the road junction, turn right between two stone pillars onto a muddy track. (If you wish to avoid this then turn right at the road T-Junction and follow this road up the hill, past the shop, under the railway bridge and back to the Village Hall = approx 1.5km) Follow the muddy track up a hill and under the railway bridge for 800m. Go through the gate and turn left. Follow this track up through the farm for 600m until a crossroads where the main tarmacked road turns left – take this left. Continue on this driveway (this is the same driveway you started on) for 600m until you meet the road. Turn left onto the road then the Village Hall is on the right.

Route Map

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