Tay Forest Park is not a single wood. It is a network of forests managed by Forestry and Land Scotland across the Highland part of Perthshire, covering about 194 square kilometres in scattered blocks between Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Aberfeldy and Loch Tay.
The blocks are managed together, with an emphasis on recreation rather than pure timber production, and between them they hold the trees that make Perthshire Big Tree Country.
Craigvinean, above Dunkeld, one of the oldest managed forests in Scotland — planting recorded from the 1750s — with steep tracks and the viewpoint at Pine Cone Point looking down the Tay valley.
The Hermitage, on the River Braan at Dunkeld — Ossian’s Hall above the Black Linn falls, and Douglas firs among the tallest trees in Britain. National Trust for Scotland, within the wider park.
Faskally, at Pitlochry — the Victorian model woodland, Loch Dunmore, and the autumn colour.
Allean Forest, above Loch Tummel, with a restored ring fort and a clachan (an eighteenth-century farming settlement), and the Queen’s View — one of the most famous viewpoints in Scotland, looking west along Loch Tummel to Schiehallion.
Drummond Hill, above Kenmore and Loch Tay, which claims to be the first managed forest in Scotland, planted by the Campbells of Breadalbane from the early seventeenth century.
Tummel Forest and the shores of Loch Tummel and Loch Rannoch.
Perthshire’s trees are its distinction, and the reasons are historical.
The Dukes of Atholl were prodigious planters — the 4th Duke is credited with something in the order of fourteen million trees, largely larch, and with effectively founding Highland commercial forestry.
David Douglas, born at Scone in 1799, sent home the first seed of the Douglas fir from North America, and the earliest British specimens were planted here. Several are now among the tallest trees in Britain, exceeding 60 metres, and the record has been held in this area repeatedly.
The Fortingall Yew, in a churchyard at the head of Glen Lyon within the park’s country, is one of the oldest living things in Europe — estimates run from two to five thousand years.
The Birnam Oak at Dunkeld is claimed as a survivor of the wood in Macbeth.
Waymarked trails in every block, graded from surfaced accessible routes to long hill circuits.
Mountain biking on the forest road network, particularly around Craigvinean and Drummond Hill.
Wildlife: red squirrels — Perthshire is a stronghold — pine martens, red and roe deer, capercaillie in a few places, crossbills, ospreys at Loch of the Lowes and Loch Tummel.
Fishing and watersports on the lochs.
Free to walk; car parks are charged at the main sites, generally a few pounds, often through the RingGo app or by machine.
Facilities vary by block. The Hermitage and Queen’s View have toilets and, at Queen’s View, a café. Most car parks have nothing.
Access: each block has at least one surfaced accessible trail; the longer routes vary greatly.
Season: open year-round. Mid-October is the peak for autumn colour and is the busiest time.
Getting there: the blocks lie along the A9 and the roads west from it. Dunkeld & Birnam and Pitlochry stations both put several blocks within reach on foot or by short bus.
No — it is a network of separate woods across Highland Perthshire, managed together, covering about 194 square kilometres.
The Hermitage at Dunkeld for the falls and tall trees; Faskally at Pitlochry for the loch and autumn colour; Allean for the Queen’s View and the ring fort.
Some of them — the Douglas firs planted from David Douglas’s original seed exceed 60 metres, and the British height record has been held in this area more than once.
Walking is free; the main car parks charge a few pounds.
Mid-October, which is also when it is busiest.