Camping in Perth

Perth itself has little spare ground for campsites - the old town is tightly built and the two Inches are protected public parkland - so camping near the city means choosing one of a small number of established sites within about fifteen miles and driving or cycling in. That is not much of a hardship: the roads out of Perth are quick, and several of the nearest sites sit close enough to the ring road that you can be at the museum or the concert hall within twenty minutes of striking camp.

The terrain around Perth changes quickly from the flat haugh land beside the Tay to rolling farmland and, within a few miles, the first rise of the Highland foothills. Most of the established sites sit on the gentler ground close to the river or just north towards Scone and Bankfoot, on well-drained grass or gravel that copes reasonably well with wet weather. Further out towards Blairgowrie and Highland Perthshire proper, the ground begins to feel more like the edge of the Highlands, with hills rising close behind the pitches.

Perthshire's weather is milder than its Highland reputation might suggest, sheltered as it is from the worst of the west coast rain by the mountains further north and west, but it is still Scotland: expect changeable conditions in any season and pack for rain even in July. Average summer highs sit in the high teens, dropping quickly once the sun goes down, and midges can be troublesome on still evenings from June to August, particularly near water and woodland.

Wild camping has a different legal status here than in England: under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, camping in small numbers on unenclosed land is generally permitted with responsible behaviour, though a byelaw restricting camping without a permit applies to parts of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, which lies to the west of Perth. Around Perth itself, most accessible land is farmed or estate ground close to roads and villages, so a proper site remains the practical choice for most visitors, with wild camping better suited to the hills and lochs further into Highland Perthshire.

The camping season here runs roughly from April to October, with the sites generally closing over winter. May and June offer long daylight and drier ground before the summer holiday crowds arrive, while September brings quieter sites and the first hint of the autumn colour that Highland Perthshire is known for.