The Den of Alyth
The Den of Alyth is a wooded gorge cut into sandstone rock to the west of Alyth. The Alyth Burn is part of the River Tay Special Area of Conservation and part of the Den is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The burn is home to a variety of wildlife including brown trout, and the Den is a SSSI for the woodland mix and a variety of rarer shade tolerant plants that live on the damp and shaded cliffs above the burn.
There are several miles of path through the Den, some paths are surfaced to a high standard and others, particularly on the south side of the Burn, are less formal tracks criss-crossing the woodland. The path at the east end of the Den is accessible for wheelchair users. A second loop of path stretches north from the Tullyfergus Road.
The Burn was once damned to create a public swimming pool, the remains of which can be seen today. The beech woodland canopy creates dappled sunlight and magical autumn colours, and remnant old plantings can be seen evident in old coniferous trees that reach to the sky.
There are two car parks, a small car park on the Tullyfergus Road and the larger car park which is adjacent to a picnic area, play equipment as well as an open area of green space that plays host to the annual Jam in the Den as well as other community events from time to time.
A leaflet (PDF, 1.3MB) is available and is also available from Perth and Kinross Council
The Den of Alyth is managed by Perth and Kinross Council who have a management plan for the site.
