Turretbank Wood in Crieff, home to part of the iconic Lady Mary’s Walk, is receiving an accessibility upgrade with the construction of a new all abilities path linking to MacRosty Park.

The Oakbank to MacRosty Park Link path project, due for completion in early 2026, will see a new path climb gradually from the Turretbank end of Lady Mary’s Walk up onto the disused Crieff Comrie railway line, where it will follow the disused embankment before joining up with the existing path network.

A long-term ambition from Crieff Community Trust (CCT), the newly surfaced path will not only improve accessibility of Turretbank Wood for wheelchairs, prams, and cyclists, but also mark a milestone in the Crieff Community Trust’s ambition to establish and upgrade the offroad active travel links between Crieff and Comrie.

Speaking about the project, and the need for the new path, Jim Anderson (Crieff Community Trust) said:

“We’re delighted that work is underway on the construction of the new path. The gradual gradient and smooth surface will open up this beautiful section of our great outdoors to a wider group of people, as well make use of part of the dismantled railway

The new path will avoid the steep slope beside the Turret Burn and the eroded, often flooded section along the River Earn, creating a safe, accessible route from the MacRosty Park car park to Lady Mary’s Walk and the wider path network. It will also provide improved wellbeing and recreation opportunities and a stronger draw for visitors and tourists.

This project was made possible thanks to the support and generosity of Sir Brian and Lady Elizabeth Souter for allowing Crieff Community Trust to make use of the route of the former railway through Turretbank Wood and also to Perth & Kinross Council for permitting the route to cross their land to link to the path from Laggan Road.

We are also grateful for the expertise, support, and management from our partners at Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT), and Transport Planning and Engineering (TP&E).”

The work on the new path is being funded primarily by the Scottish Government via an award from Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s (formerly Sustrans) Network Development programme. Additional funding has also been provided by The Gannochy Trust, Hugh Fraser Foundation, The Mushroom Trust, The Barrack Charitable Trust & Perth and Kinross Council’s Community Environment Challenge Fund.

Chris Brace, Principal Network Development Manager at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, said:

"We are delighted to be involved in this project, which will create more options for local people and visitors alike to walk, wheel and cycle.

This new link improves accessibility for all path users, meaning everyone can benefit from Crieff’s stunning green spaces.

This work is part of our wider ambition to extend the National Cycle Network, creating a safe and accessible walking, wheeling and cycling route all the way from Crieff to Comrie, and onward to Lochearnhead.”

Referring to the project, Bid Strachan (PKCT) who is managing the construction on behalf of Crieff Community Trust said:

"Lady Mary’s Walk is a stunning route that’s already popular with many users. It is fantastic to be able to build infrastructure that will allow people of all ages and abilities to enjoy this part of Perthshire’s Big Tree Country.

While we are thrilled that construction is underway, there will be some disruption for those looking to access Lady Mary’s Walk from the MacRosty car park. For public and contractor safety, The Turretbank section of the path will be closed to path users from 07:30 to 17:00 during the working week. However, rest of Lady Mary’s Walk remains accessible by following the existing core path down Laggan Road before turning south to join Turretbank Wood at the wooden footbridge."

While the MacRosty Park car park will be open as usual throughout the works, the parking spaces on Turretbank Road may be unavailable due to the presence of works vehicles.

For further information, see the Crieff Community Trust website - www.crieffcommunitytrust.org or click HERE