Dogging in Tayside and Stirling: area guide

The lie of the land in Tayside and Stirling

Stirling guards the old crossing of the River Forth and opens onto the Trossachs. Perth sits on the Tay, with Dundee on the broad Firth of Tay to the east. Further north and east you reach Angus, with Forfar and Brechin inland and Arbroath and Montrose on the coast. In Perthshire, Crieff, Pitlochry, Blairgowrie and Aberfeldy lie close to the hills.

The Highland Boundary Fault runs through the area, and you can feel it on the road. Lowland farmland and the fertile Carse of Gowrie give way to glens, lochs and high ground. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park covers the west, and the Cairngorms National Park reaches the northern edge. The Sidlaw Hills lie behind Dundee.

The cities are compact, so many people drive from Dundee, Perth or Stirling out into the countryside. Quiet farm roads and forest edges can see more traffic than you would guess, and that is one reason we do not name places.

Getting about safely

The M9 links Edinburgh, Stirling and Dunblane, and the A9 carries on north from Dunblane through Perth towards Inverness. The M90 runs from the Forth into Perth. The A90 joins Perth and Dundee, then carries on inland past Forfar and Brechin to Aberdeen. Dundee also has the Tay Road Bridge to Fife.

Trains run from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Stirling, Perth and Dundee, with the Aberdeen line stopping at Arbroath and Montrose. The Highland Main Line heads north from Perth through Pitlochry. Last trains in the evening are earlier than most people expect, so check your last train or arrange a taxi.

Winter matters here. High roads such as the A93 over Glenshee and the A9 through the Pass of Drumochter can close in snow, and the A84 and A85 around Callander and Loch Earn can ice over. Fog sits in the Tay estuary and in glens. Signal fails in many valleys, and some single-track lanes have no lighting. Carry warm clothing, keep fuel in the tank and share your plans with a friend.