The best walks and hikes around Tealing

The trails around Tealing cater to a range of fitness levels. The area features over 300 routes, with the majority being easy or moderate. You'll find gentle paths through community woodlands as well as more challenging ascents in the Sidlaw Hills. There are only a handful of trails rated as difficult, so most hikers with a reasonable level of fitness will find plenty of suitable options.

Yes, circular routes are very common in the Sidlaw Hills. Many trails are designed as loops that take you up to a viewpoint and back to your starting point. A great example is the View of Strathmore Valley loop from Kirkton of Auchterhouse, which offers a moderate walk with rewarding scenery.

Dogs are generally welcome on the trails around Tealing. The open hills and woodland paths are great for exercising a dog. However, this is an area with active farming and wildlife, including ground-nesting birds. Please keep your dog under close control at all times, and on a lead where livestock is present.

Definitely. For a shorter, easier walk that's suitable for families, consider the View from Auchterhouse Hill – View of Strathmore Valley loop from Balluderon Stone. It's under 6 km and provides fantastic views without being overly strenuous, making it a good option for an outing with children.

For an official overview of the main paths, Angus Council provides a helpful leaflet. You can download the Sidlaw path network leaflet for details on the core routes in the area.

Yes, you can combine hiking with a trip into Scotland's ancient past. The Tealing area is home to the Tealing Earth House, a fascinating Iron Age souterrain. Nearby, you can also see the 16th-century Tealing Dovecot. You can easily incorporate a visit to these sites into a local walk.

Many of the popular trailheads, such as those near Kirkton of Auchterhouse or at the Balkello Community Woodland, have small, free car parks. These can fill up quickly, especially on weekends. It's best to arrive early or have an alternative route in mind if your planned starting point is busy.

The hiking routes around Tealing are well-regarded by the komoot community, with over 3,000 visitors exploring the area. Reviewers often praise the fantastic, far-reaching views from the hilltops and the variety of trails available through the rolling, volcanic landscape of the Sidlaw Hills.

Accessing the main trailheads in the Sidlaw Hills directly via public transport can be challenging as they are in rural locations. Most visitors arrive by car. However, bus services run to nearby villages like Tealing and Auchterhouse from Dundee, from which you can walk to the trail network.

The trailheads themselves are typically in natural, rural settings without immediate facilities. However, the nearby villages of Tealing and Auchterhouse, as well as the surrounding area, have pubs and cafes where you can get refreshments after your hike. It's best to plan for a short drive from the car park.

The summits in the Sidlaw Hills offer spectacular panoramic views. On a clear day, you can see across the Carse of Gowrie, the Dighty Valley, and towards the River Tay. In the distance, you may even spot the Lomond Hills in Fife. The landscape is a mix of open moorland and rolling green hills.