Walking

Situated in Strathardle, Bolt Hole Cottage gives walkers options of walking in Angus, Perthshire or Cairngorm. We provide a small selection of maps and walking leaflets etc. The Cottage has two areas where waterproofs and boots can be dried overnight either in the rear hallway or in the front porch where the wall heater can provide extra warmth if required. Boot trays are provided in both areas. USB ports on some wall sockets and some of the usual usb cables will help with GPS re-charging.

For the more strenuous days out there are many Munros within striking distance of the Cottage  https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/munros/ .

For something less challenging, we are fortunate that the Cottage sits right on the Cateran Trail, a long distance circular route through Angus and Perthshire. More info and downloadable route guide available at https://www.pkct.org/cateran-trail. In additon some further established routes exist in an around Kirkmichael which is approx 3 miles west. The Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust have information https://www.pkct.org/kirkmichael-walk as does the Walk Highlands site mentioned above. The WalkScotland site www.walkscotland.com/area7.htm also provides routes in Perthshire or the Angus Glens for example

Lastly, a lovely short walk we'd thoroughly recommend is along the river into Blairgowrie. As you head into the town by way of A93, park in the car park on the right before you hit the town centre itself. Some steps take you down to the riverbank and once across the footbridge, a very pleasant riverside walk takes you right into the shops and cafes. You'll get a sense of the significance the river had via the many former jute mills in the short 1.25m route there and back. Look out for "Cargills Leap" where you'll be amazed at the power of the water over many centuries. Additional walking routes in and around the town can be found at https://www.pkct.org/blairgowrie-walks & https://www.pkc.gov.uk/media/25245/Blairgowrie-pat...

   Cycling

Strathardle and Glenshee have a number of minor roads and off-road tracks which are well suited to cycle touring.

The fairly quiet A924 leads out of Strathardle and over the hill to Pitlochry and the A9 corridor, while the unclassified roads to the east of the A93 provide relatively car-free access to Glenisla and Strathmore.

For those who are interested in off-road track cycling, there are a number of routes in the Forestry Commission managed Blackcraig and Kindrogan Forests. Blackcraig Forest, which is accessed from Bridge of Cally, provides 26 miles of trails on the western slopes of Strathardle and the plateau beyond. Kindrogan Forest, which is accessed from Enochdhu, offers a shorter but nevertheless aerobic and exhilarating round route.

Although sections of the Cateran Trail (e.g. Bridge of Cally to Blackcraig, Kirkmichael to Enochdhu) are accessible on bike, a number of sections are not suitable for cycle access.

There are a range of GPS and Route planning apps that will assist cyclists and some examples are below:

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/741774

http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/Routes...

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-cateran-trail/

The garage at the Cottage provides lockable storage and a bucket, sponges, cleaning brushes and the hose are available if an overnight clean is required.

The Cottage has two areas where jackets and clothes can be dried overnight either in the rear hallway or in the front porch where the wall heater can provide extra warmth if required. Boot trays are provided in both areas. USB ports on some wall sockets and some of the usual usb cables will help with GPS/bike light re-charging.