Monday 27 April 2026 - Branklyn Gardens and Kinnoull Hill

We've visited Branklyn Gardens in Perth before. They are a special place. Many of the plants originated in the Himalaya and the Alps, and were introduced here by the Renton family from the 1920s to their death in the 1960s. Now successfully managed by the National Trust, the gardens are thriving. Here are just a few of the photos from my camera. More will follow in due course. 

After an hour in the sunny garden, coffee and scones outside the café were most welcome. 

Just outside the garden, a sign advertising 'Kinnoull Hill 2.5km' couldn't be resisted, so we set off on a well maintained trail through sunlit woodland.

A tower came into view at the top of a cliff. We would reach that later.

Far below, the River Tay and the M90 motorway flowed side by side.

The summit of Kinnoull Hill tops out at a modest 222 metres, but is in such a position that many of the Scottish mountains can be seen.

The onward path to the tower passes through more woodland, fresh foliage glinting in the sunshine.

There are more good views from the tower. If you visit this page later you may discover some history...

The 'Red Trail' led us in a circuit back down to the gardens, via an unexpected swarm of Leopardsbane. 

Here's our route - 6.2 km with nearly 300 metres ascent, taking us 2¼ hours.

I had the Merlin bird calls App turned on today. Here's what it heard. (I wish I could actually see just a fraction of the birds on this list!)

Jackdaw

Carrion Crow 

Magpie

Willow Warbler

Garden Warbler

Chiffchaff

Bullfinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Chaffinch

Blue Tit 

Coal Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit 

Treecreeper

Goldcrest 

Song Thrush

Blackbird 

Blackcap

Dunnock

House Sparrow

Gadwall

Stock Dove

Collared Dove 

Wood Pigeon

Siskin

Wren

Robin

I also saw the following, as well as some of those above, in Glen Uig yesterday:

Oystercatchers

Pheasants

Partridge 

Grey Wagtail

Pied Wagtails (on the lawn outside)

Mallards

Others in our party have also heard cuckoos

Buzzards

Osprey

I wonder whether the latter two had a hand in the dead carcases I passed in the Glen?

Sunday 26 April 2026 - Cat Law

13 of us set off together at 9:30 for the best part of an hour's drive to Glen Uig (200m) and the relatively easy climb up Cat Law (671m).

I set off a bit before the rest. Here is my view back down the hill to Glen Uig.

Red deer were seen on the horizon as we ascended.

The summit cairn is a little away from the trig point.

Most people visited the true summit of Cat Law, including the Ruby Anniversary pair, Keith and Carol.

We enjoyed coffee and cake on the summit. 

After an overcast morning the skies cleared and suntan cream was required. 

Here's the view ahead - over Cormaud and Tarapetmile to Corwharm.

Lunch was taken on Corwharm.

After that we took an easy path to Tarapetmile, then a heathery descent led to the col between Glen Uig and Glen Quharity.

I took one look at the climb ahead and decided to return to the car via Glen Uig.

Leaving the others to toil up to Corwharm and along the broad summit ridge, I chose the scenic route down Glen Uig.

Whilst no other walkers were seen today, the Glen was quite noisy, with skylarks, pheasants, partridge, grouse, crows, wagtails, song thrushes and more competing for airspace in the Glen, where an osprey may have been responsible for the high level of mortalities. Butterflies (mainly Red Admirals) and lizards were also active today.

Soon after passing a deer stalkers' bridge, I missed a couple of tricks. First, when chatting to folk who were clearly enjoying the antics of their pet lamb: I should have first taken a picture and then pointed out that "my wife on the ridge has our flask". Then a few minutes later a resident in her garden started chatting about Corbetts, Cat Law and more. There must have been a kettle in the house, so i really should have pointed out that "my wife on the ridge has our flask."

Never mind  at least I found a picture for AlanR.

I was back at the cars after my 5 hour walk that covered 14km with 580 metres ascent, the route pictured below. Then I lazed first in the sunshine, then when I got too hot, in the shade, for an hour during which the others had  covered an extra 3km and 250 metres ascent on their ridge route.

Saturday 25 April 2026 - Falkland Palace

After a two hour journey, we rolled up at Penrith parkrun in plenty of time for the 9am start. 

Sue managed a creditable 25:04, and I took 33:10. Afterwards we noticed Lindsay Harrod who told us of her change of career. After an intensive two year course she has now qualified as a vicar and has a position in Carlisle.

I started at the back as usual, eventually finishing in position 258 out of 341 participants.

Then we visited Falkland Palace, where Scottish history has taken place over the centuries. The trees were in blossom. 

Inside the palace, a domain of kings. The house is now in the hands of the National Trust, and is still occupied by family members.

Here's a taste of what it looks like.

Outside, the garden was lovely and my 'Merlin' App recorded about 20 bird calls in the space of half an hour. Swallows had arrived.

Here's a view from Falkland village, before we continued our journey.

After another hour in the car we arrived at Persie House, where 24 of us will spend a week with Keith and Carol in celebration of their Ruby wedding anniversary. Here's the entrance hall. More pictures will follow. 

So, another week in Scotland with a large group - I'll illustrate our activities but like today I'll only have time for brief diary entries.