Dog-Friendly Perthshire (2026)

The Hermitage, Killiecrankie, the Birks of Aberfeldy and Loch Tay - the best dog-friendly walks and towns in Perthshire.

A wooded river gorge in Perthshire, classic dog-friendly Big Tree Country walking
Updated
By Rob Griffiths18 June 2026 · 9 min read

Perthshire calls itself Big Tree Country, and it is one of the most rewarding corners of Scotland for a dog: a green heartland of broad rivers, ancient woodland and Highland glens where the Lowlands rise into the southern Cairngorms. You can walk beneath towering Douglas firs to a thundering waterfall in the morning, follow the River Tay through a cathedral village in the afternoon, and finish in a dog-welcoming Highland-resort pub. It is farming and sporting-estate country, so the lead comes out near livestock and on the open hill, but the welcome for dogs is warm throughout. Here is where to go.

Is Perthshire dog-friendly?

Yes, and it is one of the easiest parts of Highland Scotland to enjoy with a dog. The famous woodland and waterfall walks at The Hermitage and Killiecrankie are short, well-made and dog-friendly, the resort towns of Pitlochry and Aberfeldy are full of dog-welcoming cafes and pubs, and the rivers and lochs give miles of gentle walking. For a bigger day, the glens and hills around Loch Tay climb into proper mountain country.

The things to plan around are livestock, deer and the sporting calendar. This is sheep and grouse-and-deer estate country, so keep your dog on a lead near stock, on the open hill, and during the late-summer-to-autumn stalking season. The woodland and riverside trails are the most relaxed options if your dog is still learning its recall.

What are the best dog-friendly places in Perthshire?

Perthshire dog-friendly highlights

HIGHLAND PERTHSHIRE · TOWN & GORGE

Pitlochry & the Pass of Killiecrankie Editor's pick

A resort town and a dramatic wooded gorge

  • Gorge woodland walks
  • Riverside town
  • Loch and dam paths
  • Type Town & river gorge
  • Dog access Welcome on trails, lead near stock
  • Terrain Gorge path, riverside, town
  • Highlight The Soldier's Leap at Killiecrankie
Pitlochry is the gateway to Highland Perthshire, a lively Victorian resort town on the River Tummel with dog-friendly cafes, a famous salmon ladder and easy loch-side walks around Loch Faskally. Just north, the Pass of Killiecrankie (a steep wooded gorge cared for by the National Trust for Scotland) has a short, dramatic walk past the Soldier's Leap, where a fleeing soldier is said to have jumped the river in 1689. The paths are well-made and shady, perfect for a dog, with a visitor centre and car park.

DUNKELD · WOODLAND

Dunkeld & The Hermitage

Towering firs and a thundering waterfall

  • Waterfall walk
  • Giant trees
  • Riverside paths
  • Type Woodland & cathedral village
  • Dog access Welcome on trails, lead near stock
  • Terrain Forest path, riverbank
  • Highlight Black Linn Falls at The Hermitage
The Hermitage, a National Trust for Scotland woodland just west of Dunkeld, is one of the best short dog walks in Scotland: a path through some of Britain's tallest Douglas firs leads to a folly overlooking the Black Linn Falls, where the River Braan crashes through a rocky gorge. The cathedral village of Dunkeld itself is a pretty base with riverside walks along the Tay and dog-friendly cafes. The Hermitage paths are firm and family-friendly; keep your dog under control near the steep, unfenced falls viewpoint.

ABERFELDY · TOWN & FALLS

Aberfeldy & the Birks

A market town and Burns's woodland falls

  • Woodland falls walk
  • Riverside town
  • Easy circuits
  • Type Town & wooded gorge
  • Dog access Welcome on trails, lead near stock
  • Terrain Gorge path, riverside, town
  • Highlight The Falls of Moness
Aberfeldy is a handsome small town on the Tay, and the walk that draws people is the Birks of Aberfeldy, a wooded circular trail up a gorge to the Falls of Moness that so inspired Robert Burns he wrote a song about it. The path climbs through birch (the local 'birks') and is a lovely, shady dog walk of an hour or two. The town has dog-friendly cafes and the elegant Wade's Bridge over the Tay, and it makes a quieter base than Pitlochry for exploring the heart of Perthshire.

BREADALBANE · LOCH

Loch Tay & Killin

A long Highland loch under Ben Lawers

  • Loch-side walks
  • Waterfall village
  • Mountain scenery
  • Type Loch & village
  • Dog access On-lead near stock, riverside
  • Terrain Loch shore, river rapids, hill
  • Highlight The Falls of Dochart
Loch Tay stretches for 14 miles below Ben Lawers, the highest mountain in the southern Highlands, and its scenery is some of the grandest in Perthshire. At the western end the village of Killin sits astride the tumbling Falls of Dochart, a wonderful spot for a riverside dog walk and a dog-friendly pub. The loch shore and the quiet roads around it give scenic walking, and for the fit and well-prepared, the Ben Lawers range rises behind. Keep your dog on a lead near the hill sheep and the fragile mountain habitat.

HIGHLAND · GLEN

Glen Lyon & Fortingall

Scotland's longest and loneliest glen

  • Remote glen walks
  • Ancient yew tree
  • Quiet road walking
  • Type Highland glen
  • Dog access On-lead near stock & deer
  • Terrain Glen road, riverside, hill
  • Highlight The Fortingall Yew
Glen Lyon, often called the longest, loneliest and loveliest glen in Scotland, winds for over 30 miles into the hills west of Aberfeldy, a deeply peaceful place of river pools, old stone bridges and scattered farms. At its mouth, the tiny village of Fortingall is home to the Fortingall Yew, reckoned to be one of the oldest living things in Europe. The single-track glen road and riverside spots give quiet lead walks with constant scenery. This is remote deer and sheep country, so keep your dog close and carry everything you need.

PERTH · CITY & HILL

Perth & Kinnoull Hill

A city with a clifftop woodland park

  • City woodland walks
  • Clifftop views
  • Riverside paths
  • Type City & woodland hill
  • Dog access Welcome on trails, lead near edges
  • Terrain Woodland path, clifftop, riverside
  • Highlight The Tower on Kinnoull Hill
Perth, the historic county town on the Tay, has on its doorstep one of the best urban dog walks in Scotland: Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park, where wooded paths climb to a clifftop folly tower with a dramatic view down the Tay valley. There is a choice of waymarked trails of different lengths, and the city's riverside and the North and South Inch parks give easy level walking too. Keep your dog under control near the steep, unfenced cliff edges on Kinnoull. Perth has plenty of dog-friendly cafes for afterwards.

Can you walk dogs at The Hermitage near Dunkeld?

Yes. The Hermitage is a National Trust for Scotland woodland and one of the most popular short dog walks in Perthshire, with firm, well-made paths through giant Douglas firs to the Black Linn Falls. Dogs are welcome; keep yours under close control near the steep, unfenced falls viewpoint and on a lead near any grazing stock on the wider trails. It gets busy at weekends and in autumn colour season, so an early start gives you the quietest walk. There is a car park and seasonal facilities.

Tips for visiting Perthshire with a dog

Lead up for deer, sheep and the stalking season

Perthshire is sporting-estate country. Keep your dog on a lead near livestock and deer, on the open hill, and especially during the late-summer-to-autumn stalking season.

Pick the woodland walks for easy days

The Hermitage, Killiecrankie and the Birks of Aberfeldy are short, shady and well-made, perfect for a relaxed dog walk with a waterfall reward.

Base yourself in Pitlochry or Aberfeldy

Pitlochry is the lively Highland-resort base with the most dog-friendly cafes; Aberfeldy is quieter and central. Both have dog-welcoming places to eat.

Mind the unfenced falls and cliffs

The viewpoints at The Hermitage and on Kinnoull Hill are steep and unfenced. Keep an excitable dog on a lead near the edges.

Go early for the honeypots

The Hermitage and Killiecrankie get busy at weekends and in autumn. An early start means a calmer walk and easier parking.

Frequently asked questions

Q01Are dogs allowed at the Pass of Killiecrankie?
Yes. The Pass of Killiecrankie, a National Trust for Scotland wooded gorge near Pitlochry, has a short, dramatic dog-friendly walk past the Soldier's Leap. Keep your dog under control on the steep gorge paths and on a lead near any grazing stock. There is a visitor centre and car park at the site.
Q02Where are the best dog walks in Perthshire?
The standout short walks are The Hermitage near Dunkeld (giant firs and the Black Linn Falls), the Birks of Aberfeldy (a wooded gorge and the Falls of Moness), and the Pass of Killiecrankie near Pitlochry. For bigger days, head to Loch Tay and Killin or the remote length of Glen Lyon.
Q03Is Pitlochry a good base for visiting Perthshire with a dog?
Yes. Pitlochry is the main Highland-resort town, with dog-friendly cafes and pubs, easy loch-side walks around Loch Faskally, and the Killiecrankie gorge and The Hermitage close by. It is the most convenient base for exploring Highland Perthshire with a dog.
Q04Do I need to keep my dog on a lead in Perthshire?
On the open hills and sporting estates, yes, especially near deer, sheep and ground-nesting birds and during the autumn stalking season. The woodland and riverside walks at The Hermitage, Aberfeldy and Pitlochry are more relaxed, but always keep your dog under close control near livestock and steep falls.

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