Blairgowrie and Rattray and the River Ericht

The walk begins in Blairgowrie, a pleasant market town that retains a good deal of its agricultural character. You walk through ornamental gardens to follow a path upstream beside the river, which has carved a deep gorge through the old red sandstone. The banks are bordered with broadleaved woodland, and from its waters jump huge salmon, shining silver in the sunshine. Dippers run into the shallows after insects, then bob and curtsey on boulders, while grey wagtails chase across exposed plates of sandstone to snatch up unwary flies resting in the warm sun.

The Falls of Keith are the main falls in a series of drops. The river drops 16 feet through a narrow cleft into a deep pool which is known as Donald Cargill's Leap, after a local man who was a prominent opponent of the Restoration of the Stuarts in 1660. In the following year he leapt the chasm to escape arrest. Nearby, a stone cairn with simple granite dedication stone commemorates Donald Cargill who, after his leap to freedom, was later captured and executed.

Above the Falls of Keith is a defunct jute mill with a splendid waterwheel hidden deep in the vegetation close to the footpath. Once, twelve mills crowded the river bank, making use of the river's power to bring prosperity to Blairgowrie. The mills were forced to close when cheap imports destroyed the market.

Today it is fruit, not jute, that supports the town. In the fertile loam of the south-facing slopes above the river grow great areas of lush raspberries. In July, gangs of fruit pickers can be seen busily working their way along the rows. Blackcurrants and other soft fruit also flourish nearby.

From this site, the route leads back over The Knockie, and from a seat at the top there are lovely views over Blairgowrie and the valley of Strathmore. Tiny white pansies and downy red hemp grow nearby, and yellowhammers call continuously from the hundreds of blackcurrant bushes below.

As you walk back into the town, you pass the white painted Newton Castle, built in the 16th century with dramatic turrets. You continue through the streets of Blairgowrie, exploring as you go, all the way back to the start.