The best MTB trails around Kindrogan Forest

To really see the castle properly, you'll have to pay to visit. From the surrounding roads and paths, you'll only see parts of it, but the white building is immediately noticeable.

Curling, known as "The Roaring Game" due to the rumbling sound of the stones on ice, originated in Scotland around 500 years ago and became the country’s most popular winter sport by the 19th century. Early curling stones were simple, flat-bottomed rocks without handles, making the game more reliant on luck than skill. One historic site, the Old Curling Pond at Wester Tullochcurran, dates back to the early 19th century and provided a space for local enthusiasts to play during cold winters. Tho

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.

There is not much to see here, and overgrowth makes viewing any cascade or torrent harder. The Leap is easy enough to find following the signs from the visitor centre above. There is a steep path down to here.

A must for any railway fan.