Highland Perthshire
Dunkeld makes a perfect, and beautiful, location for a tour of Highland Perthshire. Apart from the many attractions available locally, the Dunkeld area is well placed for day trips to other holiday destinations in all of Perthshire or north to Aviemore and the Cairngorms. Here are some ideas for days out in and around Dunkeld and the surrounding area.
Aberfeldy
General Wade's fine five-arched bridge, built 1733,
still spans River Tay, overlooked by kilted figure on monument commemorating
Black Watch regiment. Dewar family's distillery open to visitors.
Ben
Lawers
Rising 3984 feet over Loch Tay's north shore, entire
mountain is national nature reserve. Visitor centre, 1,400 feet up southern
slope, is start of a nature trail.
Birks
of Aberfeldy
Network of burns cascades over stepped rocks, below
Falls of Moness. Footpaths weave their way through birch-clad sides of
ravine, and nature trail leads to footbridge above falls.
Blair
Atholl
Pepper-pot turrets and castellated towers adorn
granite buildings of village, which stands at meeting point of several
highland glens. Mill dating from 17th century is still in operation on
River Carry, its products can be sampled.
Blair
Castle
Turreted baronial
castle, home to Dukes of Atholl. Restored to Gothic style in 1868. Rooms
filled with fine furniture, paintings, tapestries, arms, clothes telling
story of Highland life from 1500.
Braes
of Balquhidder
Steep glens and windswept hills, framed by mountain
peaks to north-west. Outlaw Rob Roy lived his last years here; he and
other MacGregors are buried in Balquhidder churchyard, his grave marked
by slate slab carved with kilted figure.
Castle
Menzies
Castle built 1488 with later additions, seat of
Clan Menzies chief. Two towers and central block with four storeys. Copper
cast of Bonnie Prince Charlie's death mask on display. Castle also houses
Clan Menzies museum.
Comrie
Resort town at meeting point of two glens. Museum
of Scottish Tartans includes reconstructed weaver's cottage and plant
dyes. Path up Glen Lednock leads to Deil's Caldron, where river disappears
through hole in rock.
Craigower
Marked trail, north of Pitlochry, leads through
woods to 1,300ft summit of beacon hill. Views from summit across water
meadows to Schiehallion's peak.
Crieff
Visitor's centre has two walk-around craft factories,
allowing visitors to see pottery and paper-weights being made. Octagonal
mercat cross stands within iron railing. Old stocks stand near the seventeenth
century tolbooth.
Dalwhinnie Distillery, near Newtonmore, home of the famous Dalwhinnie single malt whisky.
Drummond
Castle Gardens
Originally laid out in 1600s the gardens were Italianised
about 1830. Terraces with geometrically shaped beds, lawns and hedges
slope away from medieval keep. John Mylne, Charles I's master mason, created
obelisk sundial furnished with 50 different faces.
The Falls of Bruar. The woodland surrounding the Bruar gorge is a living memorial to the poet Robert Burns, who came here in 1787 to admire the waterfalls.
Fortingall village is located in Perthshire, a few miles west of Aberfeldy. There is a very ancient yew tree in the churchyard.
Glengoulandie
Deer Park
Red deer, Highland cattle and rare breeds of sheep
roam free at foot of Schiehallion peak.
Glen
Lyon
Castle ruins and standing stones dot steep slopes
of Scotland's longest glen. MacGregor's Leap marks spot where ancestor
of Rob Roy bounded to safety across ravine. Fortingall is legendary birthplace
of Pontius Pilate.
Glenturret
Distillery
The Famous Grouse Experience. Whisky distillery,
established 1775, where traditional methods are on display. Samplings
of whiskies up to 21 years old are offered. Restaurant and audio-visual
theatre.
Innerpeffray
Scotland's first public library still exists. Founded
1691, library now housed in 18th century building. Rare Scottish books
displayed, including pocket Bible taken into battle by Montrose, general
who won brilliant victories in Scotland for Charles I. Church nearby dates
from 1508.
Kenmore
Village on eastern shore of Loch Tay, noted for
salmon fishing. Bridge over River Tay here was built by Earl of Breadalbane
in 1774. In 1787, Robert Burns wrote verse about view from bridge, copy
in Kenmore Hotel.
Killin
Fishing resort on Loch Tay with walking, climbing,
skiing and motoring in surrounding mountains. Finlarig Castle, former
Campbell seat built 1609, has beheading pit where crude guillotine, The
Maiden, was used. Falls of Dochart rush through town.
Kingussie
Winter sports resort in Spey Valley. Highland Folk
Museum complex has Hebridean black-house, water-powered clack mill, and
18th century shooting lodge. Inside are objects of everyday Highland life.
Free tours of nearby china factory.
Kinloch
Rannoch
Village at eastern end of Loch Rannoch. Car parks
around loch provide views of 3554 feet Schiehallion peak. Stone cottages,
baronial-style hotel, forge and shops.
Loch
Faskally
Reservoir created when Tummel was dammed in 1950;
breeding site for greylag geese. At southern end, salmon leap up fish
pass in season. Forest trails along east and north shores of loch.
Logierait
Tummel flows into Tay here in narrow gorge of historic
military importance. In local churchyard are three mortsafes (metal frames
padlocked round coffins to deter body snatchers).
Melville
Monument
Short detour off Glen Lednock. Circular Walk leads
to Dunmore Hill, 840ft, with obelisk in memory of Lord Melville. Fine
views of Highlands.
Moulin
In churchyard opposite the Moulin Inn are remains
of the Old Judging Tree, under which local justice was dispensed until
1746. Churchyard has two medieval warrior graves. An Caisteal Dubh (black
castle) of 1320, now in ruins, was inhabited until 1500 when plague wiped
out garrison.
Muthill
Village has 15th-century church with 12th-century
tower. Local folk museum housed in c. 1760 Georgian cottage.
Newtonmore
Centre for walking, pony trekking at foot of Monadhliath
Mountains and head of Spey Valley. Clan Macpherson Museum displays historical
relics including 15th century bagpipes. Path leads to Loch Dubh by 3087ft
Carn Ban.
Pass
of Killiecrankie
River Garry gorge is where the English were defeated
by Jacobites under Bonnie Dundee in 1689. Visitor centre explains battle's
history. Soldiers Leap is where English soldier sprang 18ft across ravine
to escape his pursuers.
Pitlochry
Summer festival at hillside theatre above River
Tummel. Pitlochry Highland Games take place each September. Scotland's
smallest distillery, Edradour, lies north-east of town. Viewing chamber
allows public to watch salmon struggling upstream at southern end of Loch
Faskally.
Queen's
View
Viewpoint of Loch Tummel's wooded valley, with Schiehallion's
peak in distance. Named after Queen Victoria's 1866 visit. Four way marked
paths through woodland; picnic spot with loch views. Steep trail to loch
shore.
Rannoch
Forest
Old and new woodlands south of Loch Rannoch. To
west are Scots pines, remnant of ancient Cale-donian Forest. To east are
stands of recently planted larch, pine and spruce. Three marked trails
from Cane car park.
Rannoch
Moor
About 60 square miles of peat bog with pools, lochs
and burns. Haven for wetland birds; treacherous for walkers in places.
Surrounded by mountains.
Ruthven
Barracks
Roadside ruins of English barracks built 1718. Built
for troops brought in to control Highlanders after 1715 rebellion, Highlanders
captured it 1746 and later blew it up to stop English using it again.
St
Mary's
Church dating from 16th century contains notable
17th-century wooden ceiling. Its 29 painted panels portray Biblical scenes
and coats of arms. Panels separated by paintings of fruit, vases of flowers
and birds. Now restored.
Weem
Village has late 15th-century church housing Menzies
family memorials and two crosses from 8th-century monastery.
The
Atholl Arms Hotel,
Bridgehead, Dunkeld, Perthshire, PH8 OAQ
Telephone: +44 (0) 1350 727 219
Fax: +44 (0) 1350 727 991
E-Mail The Atholl Arms
Hotel