(A) You may like to take a look at the David Douglas Memorial in the churchyard before setting out. As the information board beside the Memorial reveals, David Douglas, after whom the Douglas Fir is named, was born in Scone in 1799 and became a renowned plant and seed collector.
[1] Exit from the car park through a gap at the far end and turn right along the tree-lined path beside the Annaty Burn, quite soon crossing a footbridge where you enter the Quarrymill Woodland Park, and continue with the watercourse now on your right.
(B) The Quarrymill Woodland Park is managed by the Gannochy Trust – see further information below. It is known that there was a mill here at least as early as the 14th century.
Pass another footbridge on the right as you make for the end of the grass field on the left, where you cross a track and soon find an attractive tree-fringed pool on the left. Carry on with the burn and fence on your right until, just before another footbridge, you reach a flight of steps leading up the bank on the left marked by a sign which reads `Public Footpath to Gannochy’.
[2] Once through the gate at the top you turn left to follow a grass path up the left edge of a field.
There are good views of Perth to the right and of Kinnoull Hill on the skyline ahead. Kinnoull Hill is a delightful wooded `park’ which belongs to the city of Perth and has many paths offering splendid views.
On reaching the main road at the end turn left along the nearside pavement until you are opposite a bus stop and shelter. Here you should cross the busy road with caution, there is a 40 mph speed limit and the visibility is good, so be patient. Now go straight ahead along a hedge-lined tarmac path to and across a quiet road between well-spaced bungalows and continue to railings where you come to the next road.
(C) The Gannochy Housing Estate was built between 1925 and 1932 to provide good quality rented accommodation for the people of Perth.
Here you turn left and quickly right up Gannochy Walk, using the left-hand path to head up past a parking area and more bungalows to a further car park.
[3] On your left is a field gate accompanied by a sign which announces that this is the start of the `Milkboys Walk’ which leads to the Coronation Road. From the gate a very straight path takes you beside a hedge down the right side of a sloping cultivated field to cross a footbridge at the bottom and then continue up the side of the next field. On reaching the minor road at the top, you immediately fork right onto the narrow track called the Coronation Road, soon leaving behind the small cottage and paddock on the left.
(D) The kings of Scotland were reputed to have used the Coronation Road when travelling to Scone to be crowned from their palace at Falkland.
When you come to a junction at the end of the adjoining fields, turn left into a tree and hedge-shaded grass track and follow that past an isolated house, from where the surface is wider and firmer, to its end beside the access to Parkfield House Farm.
[4] Now turn slightly right along a minor road, but only as far as the end of the left-hand field, where a sign and gate on that side mark the start of a 'Path to Scone' which quickly crosses a footbridge and then becomes a narrow (and sometimes muddy one), leading through a belt of trees. This swings right to avoid a watercourse and passes through two gates to reach the next road beside the entrance to Bonnard House, where a sign pointing left tells you that Scone lies ¾ of a mile in that direction. Only a short distance down the road, at the next bend, you should use the pedestrian gate on the right to join the path which winds down through Scone Den, with a burn on your left at first. When you come to a footbridge, turn left over that, from where the path snakes on through woodland and crosses a further bridge, bringing you up to a rough track.
[5] Turn left along the track and continue past well-spaced houses of varying age. Look out for a modern one which bears its name, `Westwind’, high up on its wall, and there turn left over a footbridge into a grassy play area. Follow a tarmac path up a slope past swings to a junction by a seat, where you turn right with the play park on your right. Exit soon into a residential road. Keep ahead along that, past the turning left called Goshen Terrace, to come to the T junction at the end. A few paces down to the right brings you to the A94 at the point where it arrives at Scone. Go straight over the road with caution and then left along the opposite pavement as far as the end of a bungalow garden, then turn right along a tarmac path which soon takes you over a footbridge into the little road called Burnside. From there your starting point in the car park can be seen just along to the left.