Perth Lade

Perth Lade
The lade near St. Catherine's Retail Park in Perth city centre
Location of Perth Lade
Location
Country	Scotland
County	Perth and Kinross
Towns	Huntingtower and Ruthvenfield Tulloch Perth
Physical characteristics
Source	Low's Work (River Almond)
• coordinates	56°24′50″N 3°30′32″W / 56.4139557°N 3.50878°W / 56.4139557; -3.50878
• elevation	52.5 m (172 ft)
Mouth	River Tay
• location	Perth
• coordinates	56°23′54″N 3°25′36″W / 56.398323°N 3.426616°W / 56.398323; -3.426616Coordinates: 56°23′54″N 3°25′36″W / 56.398323°N 3.426616°W / 56.398323; -3.426616
• elevation	14.0 m (45.9 ft)
Length	4.5 mi (7.2 km)
Basin features
River system	River Almond

Perth Lade is an historic 4.5 mi (7.2 km)-long^[1] watercourse (colloquially known as a mill race) in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Created in the 11th century or earlier,^[1] it has been used to power several watermills,^[2] such as those that functioned at Perth's Lower City Mills, that have existed since the 18th century.^[3] Over its course, at least nineteen industrial sites existed; today, the remains of nine of these can be seen, the rest lost to inner-city development and housing schemes of the 20th and 21st centuries.^[2] A footpath follows the majority of the lade's course.^[3]

Course[]

Perth Lade begins, with an elevation of 52.5 m (172 ft)^[4] at a weir, known as Low's Work (or Wark),^[1] on the River Almond, just to the west of Huntingtower, itself northwest of Perth city centre.

After travelling northeast for 750 feet, it turns southeast, at which point is passes beneath Bleachers Way in Huntingtower. After passing beneath three more streets in quick succession, it turns northeast again at Castle Brae. Another turn, to the southeast, occurs about 700 feet later as it enters Ruthvenfield. As it runs parallel to Castle Brae it flows beneath Ruthvenfield Road.

A short distance later, it goes underground for 500 feet, reemerging just after a street named Ruthven Lade.

After continuing southeast for about 450 feet, it turns due east as it approaches the link road between the A85 Crieff Road and the A9 northbound. It passes under both, as well as the southbound link road between the A9 and the A85, before running to the north of McDiarmid Park and Perth Crematorium. Walkers will traverse the Inveralmond Skywalk Footbridge around this point.^[3]

It continues due east for around 1,500 feet, into Tulloch, where it loops around the northern curve of Primrose Crescent and continues behind Tulloch Primary School.

After passing through the area of the former J. Pullar and Sons dyeworks, to the north of Sandeman Court and Bracken Brae, its course turns due south as it meets the railway.^[3] It loops to the west, around the railway sidings and crosses the edge of Kinnoull F.C.'s Tulloch Park property.

As the Lade approaches Crieff Road, it turns to the east again and passes beneath the railway line (where a footbridge crosses the line)^[3] and loops around the former location of Jeanfield Swifts F.C.'s Simpson Park home.

It passes beneath Crieff Road just east of Collinson View and continues for 2,600 feet into Perth city centre, passing under Caledonian Road and St. Catherine's Retail Park,^[3] before finishing its journey below Mill Street, from Lower City Mills to Tay Street, where it discharges into the River Tay, Scotland's longest river, from its western banks near Smeaton's Bridge at an elevation of 14.0 m (45.9 ft).^[4][3]

Gallery[]

• 

  Perth Lade running beneath Lower City Mills, looking west (upstream), before it continues under Mill Street for the remaining 0.3 miles of its journey

References[]

External link[]

• The Lade Lower City Mills Perth Perthshire Scotland – tourscotland, YouTube, 4 April, 2018