Heritage Path of the month
Coronation Road (Scone to Abernethy) is our very appropriate Heritage Path of the month for May 2023, click here to view the details
More about Coronation Road (Scone to Abernethy)
Travelling the Coronation Road today is difficult, due to the lack of ferries over the Rivers Tay and Earn, but the sections which lie between Scone and Abernethy are described below. A further section of the Coronation Road heads from near Carpow to Macduff’s Cross.
From the A94 at the southwest edge of New Scone, a minor road climbs steeply to the ESE, up the side of the cemetery and continuing beyond along a mud and grass tractor-track. At a minor road at NO138252, a green-and-white Perth & Kinross Council sign on the far/south side indicates ‘Coronation Road’. The next 1.5km consists of a grassy path, wet in places, climbing steadily all the way, following a fenced/dyked defined route, with flanking bushes and trees and fields beyond. At the forest edge at NO149246 make a loop to the east through a grazing field (faint path-line only). On entering the forest at NO152244, there is a further green-and-white sign. Continue through the forest on a grassy forest track to the edge of the forest, where a self closing gate takesyou onto a recently upgraded path through land belonging to Northlees farm. Follow the fenced path downhill, past a small pond and through a gate. Continue along the path to another gate which brings you out onto a farm track, next to some houses. Turn right and follow this track to the public road at NO160230, near The Binn. Turn left and follow the road east for about 500m before turning right to pick up the path to Kinfauns Church, and then on down the hill to the A90 at NO165220.
On the far side of the River Tay, the route can be picked again. From Elcho Castle follow the minor public roads in a generally southeast direction past Elcho, Balhepburn and Easter Rhynd farms to the River Earn.
On the farside of the River Earn, head from Ferryfield of Carpow along the minor road for 100m. The traditional route of the Coronation Road may have continued southwest towards the A913 in order to link up with the route towards Macduff’s Cross. However to reach Abernethy, turn right onto a grassy track for 200m. Cross the burn by the footbridge, turn south (left) and in roughly 200m turn right onto a field track, just two muddy ruts, between two unfenced fields for 400m to the junction with a farm track. Turn left and follow this track (initially a rough tractor track), taking the right hand fork, continuing through houses in the village of Abernethy to the A913.
More about Heritage Paths
Learn about the history of some of the oldest transport routes in Scotland. Heritage Paths records the history of over 400 routes that criss-cross the Scottish landscape. From Roman Roads to Military Roads, find out how the route you are following came into being.
As well as historical information, you’ll find a modern-day route description along with start and finish details. Change the background mapping in our interactive viewer and time travel along your favourite Heritage Path from 1843 to today.