Summary
The ancient heart of Strathardle.
Kirkmichael village dates back over 1,000 years and was once an important market in the cattle trade between the Highlands and Lowlands, with various drove roads converging on the village.
The points of interest in this itinerary can be visited in three parts. A walk around the village will take you around an hour. You can enjoy Dirnanean Garden in around 1-1.5 hours and a hike from Enochdhu up to the Lunch Hut and back will take you around 3 - 5 hours.
Scottish Outdoor Access Code: Know the code before you go
You can download our booklet, From Deep Time To Our Time, Walking Across The Cateran Ecomuseum here.
You can also listen to an audio version of each Point of Interest, spoken by Kirkmichael resident, Angela Souter.
Please use the arrows on left/right side to go to previous/next route
More information
The James Small Monument and Ballintuim Church lie on the road to Bridge of Cally.
You can read an introduction to the Village here and find out more about each point of interest below.
You can download a copy of the leaflet that accompanies this itinerary here.
You can also enjoy a 5 mile audio walk along the Cateran Trail from Ballintuim to Kirkmichael, listening to autobiographical interviews of people baptised there, created by the artist Liz Crichton – details here.
With thanks to the Mount Blair Community Archive for help in putting together the content for this itinerary.
For information on local accommodation & services click here
Find out more about some of the key Points of Interest below.
Route GPX
Points to visit
Along the way you will find these points of interest:
Kirkmichael Village
The ancient heart of Strathardle Glen. Located in Strathardle, 13 miles north-west of Blairgowrie, Kirkmichael village dates back over 1,000 years and was once an important market in the cattle trade between the Highlands and Lowlands, with various...
Read moreKirkmichael Kirk
A forgotten corner linked to the Black Death. There is a corner of Kirkmichael Parish churchyard where, despite the lack of space, there are no marked graves. This is because in 1350 AD, a terrible plague, the Galor Mor, better known as the Black...
Read moreThe Bannerfield
An important site in the 1715 Jacobite Rising. A large area of open ground on the west bank of the River Ardle, just south of the Kirkmichael village, is known as the Bannerfield. It was here in September 1715 that John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar...
Read moreThe Minister’s Well
An ancient well. The old roadside water well opposite the church is fed by an underground spring which never runs dry. The ice cold water has an excellent clean sharp taste and is completely drinkable.
Read moreDuff Memorial Church
A memorial to Scotland’s first missionary to India. Born in the parish of Moulin in 1806, Alexander Duff was first educated in what is now the Kirkmichael Session House. He boarded with the brilliant teacher Mr Macdougall, returning home to...
Read moreJames Small Monument
Memorial to a prominent local man. James Small was an important 19th century Scottish Laird from Kirkmichael. As well as the local estate of Dirnanean, Mr Small owned as much as 20,000 acres of land in the surrounding area and played a prominent...
Read moreDirnanean Garden
A Highland garden managed to encourage wildlife and wild flowers. The garden around the house is a traditional arrangement of lawn, shrubbery and walled garden. The garden is undergoing long term restoration and rediscovery. The tour of the garden...
Read moreThe Lunch Hut, Dirnanean
A shelter for walkers with an intriguing connection to Queen Victoria. The Lunch hut was built about 1950; it was built for driven grouse shooting with two compartments; one for the guns and one for the beaters. More recently it has been made...
Read moreBallintuim Church
An important community Church. Dedicated in 1899, St Michael and All Angels’ Episcopal Church is a simple but picturesque building designed by the Rev William Sugden. On the roof sits an iron clad flèche containing a fine bell, the maker...
Read moreThe Caterans
The story behind the word Cateran. ‘Cateran’ derives from the Gaelic word ceatharn meaning ‘warrior’, but usually one that is lightly armed. The term was originally given to a band of fighting men of a Scottish Highland clan but in the...
Read more
