Dunkeld (Craig a Barns)

QuartziteFaces SWtradsportDiff to E5 / f8a

The schist crags of Craig a Barns rise through the pines above Dunkeld, giving Perthshire's best roadside climbing. Polney Crag offers friendly slabs and grooves, while the steep Upper Cave Crag holds classic hard trad and Scotland's first generation of sport routes. A sheltered, quick-drying inland venue that works when the Highlands are wet.

Dunkeld (Craig a Barns), Quartzite — Perth and Kinross Dunkeld Cathedral 1 · PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Conditions right now

Classics

Route	Grade
Kestrel Crack	S 4a
Coffin Corner	HVS 5a
Rat Race	E4 6a
In Loving Memory	E4 6a

Access & approach

Park in the lay-by on the A923 below Polney Crag; short walks through the woods. NTS/estate woodland - keep to paths.

Always check the BMC Regional Access Database (RAD)for current restrictions and seasonal bird bans before visiting. County: Perth and Kinross. View on OpenStreetMap ↗

Photos

Freely-licensed photographs taken at or near the crag. Rock changes less than websites do, but check the date — an approach can silt up or a path can be diverted.

Perth and Kinross Dunkeld Cathedral 5 · PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Perth and Kinross Dunkeld Cathedral 6 · PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Perth and Kinross Dunkeld Cathedral 7 · PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Perth and Kinross Dunkeld Cathedral Alexander Stewart 2 · PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Perth and Kinross Dunkeld Cathedral 9 · PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Where this entry comes from

This is one of our editorial seed entries — written to get the conditions engine working, not sourced from a guidebook or an open database. Treat the details as a starting point and check them yourself.