A circular walk around the lovely wooded hillside of Castle Law to the south of Abernethy. This walk takes in both the viewpoint at an iron-age fort site and the actual summit of the hill.

  • Distance: 6.1 km / 3.8 miles
  • Ascent: 250 m / 820 feet
  • Terrain: Mostly unsurfaced paths (steep in places)
  • Start / finish: Abernethy village centre. Small car park in the village.

Route Map

Route map for Castle Law Circular walk, Abernethy, Perthshire.

Starting from the centre of Abernethy village, walk through the village in a westerly direction. After crossing the Ballo Burn and before reaching the main road turn left following a signpost for the Rough Glen Path to Castle Law (this path was at one time the road across to Strathmiglo). About 150m up this road, a trodden path goes left over the burn (a private road sign nailed to a tree is a good landmark for finding the path). Once over the burn keep right following the burnside path. The path crosses the burn on a wooden bridge and then exits the woods via a wooden pedestrian gate. Continue on the path up the steps. When the path splits keep right to reach the public road.

Cross the road and pick up the path on the opposite side to the left of the wooden gate. The path now starts to gain height as it ascends the slopes of Castle Law. After approximately 500m a signpost for Castle Law points to the left. Follow this signpost uphill passing a viewpoint with benches and an information panel. Soon after the viewpoint there is a grass/trod path going steeply uphill to the left. Continuing straight on at this point will lead to the 250m summit of Castle Law but it is worth following the steep grass path up to the the iron-age fort site for the excellent views.

From the fort follow a trodden path south-east-ish alongside a fence. There is a bit of up and down on this path but it is easy walking. On reaching a pond / lochan / marshy area to the right (approximately 300m along the path) pick up a less obvious trodden path to the right heading clockwise around the lochan. (If you reach the point where the path veers away from the fence and the fence ends you have gone too far). The path round the lochan leads to a couple of benches at the north-west corner of the lochan. From here there is a more obvious path crossing the hill in an an easy-west direction (the continuation of the path used to reach the earlier viewpoint). Follow this path left (west-ish) and cross a broken fence. The path splits after the fence. Keep right at this point and continue roughly south-west through woodland for about 200m to reach the 250m high point of the hill. The summit is not marked in anyway.

Continue following the same trodden path for a further 270m until it meets with the main path across the hillside at a slab of rock. Go left here on to the main path walking in a roughly east direction for about 250m. At this point a trodden path branches off to the right down the hill. Follow this path keeping left when it splits so as not to go into the conifer forest. There is likely to be bracken on this section of the path in the Summer months. Follow the path alongside the forest to reach an obvious landrover track at a bend in the road which is sometimes used for parking. Turn left onto this track downhill and then left again on to another track. After 800m the track reaches the public road. Turn right on to the quiet road for just under 300m to reach the entrance to Craigden.

At this point follow a signpost to the left through a wooden gate to the left of the Craigden entrance. This pleasant Witches’ Path leads back to Abernethy. Convicted witches from the Abernethy coven may have walked this route on route to being burned on Castle Law (ref: ‘Feart Maidens’: the witches of Perthshire –
Irene Hallyburton and Katy Gordon). After 200m the path splits. Keep right going up the steps; do not go left across the burn as this leads back to the outward route. Keep on the Witches’ Path for another 750m until it exits the woods at the top of Kirk Wynd. From here is a downhill walk back to Abernethy village. Don’t forget the explore the village and visit the Round Tower and Kirk.

You might also like Pitcairlie and Lumbennie From Abernethy Glen.