(053) Scone-Murrayshall Hill Circular (Perthshire)

Route Summary
At just under 10 km, and 300 m overall ascent, this is an invigorating and enjoyable hike through a variety of rural environments, with impressive panoramic views from Murrayshall Hill rewarding the effort involved. There are interesting historical focal points along the way.

Duration: 3 hours.

Route Overview
Duration: 2.75 hours.
Transport/Parking: Frequent Stagecoach services from Perth (#7a/b). Check timetable. Park in the Scone Old Parish Church car-park at the start/end of walk.
Length: 9.560 km / 5.98 mi
Height Gain: 267 meter
Height Loss: 267 meter
Max Height: 267 meter
Min Height: 33 meter
Surface: Moderate. Paved surfaces, grassy paths, and rough roads.
Child Friendly: Yes, if used to walks of this distance and overall ascent.
Difficulty: Medium.
Dog Friendly: Yes, on lead on public roads and near farm animals.
Refreshments: Options in Scone and, of course, nearby Perth. We can recommend The Scone Arms.

Description
This is a fine low hill-walk in the area of Perthshire known as “The Gowrie”. The rural scene is dominated by woods and farmland, and the views from Murrayshall Hill itself are wide-ranging, with a particularly fine perspective on Perth, sitting in the valley of the River Tay. There are a number of points of historical interest along the route. In the Old Parish Church graveyard at the start/end of the walk there is an impressive memorial and information board for locally born David Douglas (1799-1834), a renowned botanist who brought the Douglas Fir and Sitka Spruce trees to northern Europe. On a flank of Murrayshall Hill, the route passes the MacDuff Monument, a notable landmark on the skyline. This now ruined folly was erected in the 18th C by the MacDuff family, landowners at nearby Bonhard House. Climbing higher, at the summit, is the impressive Lynedoch Obelisk, which commemorates the life of local landowner, General Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch (1748- 1843), who was an important military figure during the Napoleonic Wars. Descending to the Murrayshall golf courses, the route passes Murrayshall House. Originally built in 1664, it was initially owned by a Sir Andrew Murray. Murrays and Graham-Murrays (the Lord Lynedoch Obelisk connection) occupied the house for almost 300 years. The house was modernised in the 18th C and again in 1864. In 1927 the Murrayshall estate passed into the ownership of Francis Norrie-Millar, a local businessman who created the global insurance business of General Accident. The Scone area played a central role in the early history of Scotland: kings were crowned there; royal courts met, and parliaments were convened there. Around the royal site also developed the town of Perth. The medieval village of Scone, which grew up around a monastery and royal residence, was abandoned in the early 19th C when the residents were removed to “New Scone” as it was then called, and the current Scone Palace was built on the site. For more information, see: https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/perth/scone/index.html