Things To Do

The Hermitage is a folly created by the Dukes of Atholl in the 18th century, dedicated to the semi-mythical poet Ossian - who is supposed to have lived and written his heroic verse around the 3rd century, built at the side of a superb waterfall on the River Braan near Dunkeld. Around the hermitage are some of the tallest trees in Britain and a beautiful walk up the riverside through woodlands.

Dunkeld became the main centre for christianity when Columba came over from Iona. In the 9th Century, Kenneth MacAlpin, the first King of Scots in 843, made Dunkeld head of the Celtic Church and capital of the newly-formed nation created by the union of the Scots and the Picts. The Cathedral, started in 1325, was extremely important in ecclesiastical terms until the Reformation in the 16th Century, when it was destroyed. The Choir of the Cathedral was re- roofed in 1600, and there was relative peace until 1689, when there was a short, but extremely violent Battle between the Jacobites and the Cameronians and most of Dunkeld was burned to the ground.

Scottish Wildlife Trust's interests are spread across Scotland and their headquarters are in Edinburgh. Through the support provided by their members, they are able to offer practical conservation solutions through habitat management. Loch of the Lowes covers 98 hectares and from early April to late August the star attraction is a pair of breeding ospreys. Their nest is situated within 150 metres of our observation hide, allowing osprey family life to be observed through binoculars, telescopes and closed-circuit television.

Scone is a place that breathes history like nowhere else in Scotland. Today, in the 21st century, it is the home of the Earls of Mansfield, and a major attraction to visitors from all over the world. Fifteen hundred years ago, it was the capital of the Pictish kingdom and the centre of the ancient Celtic church. In the intervening centuries, it has been the seat of parliaments and the crowning place of Kings. Scone Palace has housed the Stone of Destiny and been immortalised in Shakespeare's Macbeth.

The earliest loch-dwelling in Scotland is some 5,000 years old but people built, modified, and re-used crannogs in Scotland up until the 17th century AD. Throughout their long history crannogs served as farmers' homesteads, status symbols, refuges in times of trouble, hunting and fishing stations, and even holiday residences. Here in Highland Perthshire, the prehistoric crannogs were originally timber-built roundhouses supported on piles or stilts driven into the lochbed.

This is said to be one of the most famous and most photographed views in Scotland. Anyone who has been there can understand why this is so. It was named after Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Victoria, both of whom stopped to admire the stunning panorama of mountain and loch. Situated on the outskirts of Pitlochry, the geographic centre of Scotland, Queens View overlooks Loch Tummel, Schiehallion on the western horizon and on a clear day the mountain scenery extends as far as Glencoe. There is a visitor centre, shop and tearoom here.

There are multiple walks around Birnam and throughout Highland Perthshire, ranging from gentle rambles to mountains with a large number of Munros for the mid-range walker. The Munros are the highest of Scotland's mountains, 283 mountain tops named after the man who first catalogued them, Sir Hugh Munro. The Munros are among the finest mountains in Scotland. You can almost be guaranteed beautiful scenery with stunning lochs and rivers, waterfalls, forests and glens.

Perthshire is extremely well known throughout the world for salmon fishing although trout fishing is widely available. Coarse fishing is becoming more popular in Perthshire and permits are readily available. The Tay is one of the premier salmon rivers of Europe. It boasts the UK record - a fish of 64lb caught by Miss Ballantyne in 1922. Today salmon over 30lbs can be caught on Scotland's Rivers. With easy access to the upper River Tay, Loch Tay, River Lyon and hill lochs there must be few areas with so much fishing to offer.

Highland Perthshire is a fantastic area to cycle in with such a variance of scenery and multiple cycle tracks, forest tracks and quiet roads. Cycle as a family, a group on your own or with just a few friends. Here you'll find some of the best cycle routes in the UK if not in Europe! The magnificent panoramic views, diverse wildlife and miles upon miles of little used routes throughout the area’s 2,000 square miles are invigorating and a real tonic for the senses. You can choose between routes which roll gently over rural south Perthshire and onto the Fife Millennium cycleways, or rugged Highland tracks and quiet roads in the north and west of the area.

A mountain bike holiday in Scotland is a great way to see and enjoy the beautiful countryside of Scotland. Some of the best mountain biking in Europe can be found in the mountains and forest tracks of Scotland. Scotland was voted a 'Global Superstar' by the IMBA in 2005 for its 'outstanding mountain biking'. If you want to do some downhill racing, coast to coast touring or have an easy family cycling holiday then Highland Perthshire has everything you need.

Perthshire has some of the best sites in Scotland for canoeing and other watersports. You can have anything from calm, placid lochs to smooth flowing rivers to raging rapids. There are a large number of businesses that cater for individual and family needs for canoeing, white water rafting, buggies, canyoning, kayaking to name but a few. There is no better way to see the magnificent scenery than from a raft or canoe in one of Perthshire's many rivers or lochs.

For a superb golfing holiday you need not look any further than Perthshire. Perthshire has 40 golf courses all set amongst terrific scenery. Almost every town has at least one course nearby. For a serious golfer the Perthshire Green card offers discounted golf on 19 of Perthshire's 18-hole venues and is available at £99 for 5 rounds and £65 for 3 rounds. The local Dunkeld and Birnam Golf Club has an excellent course on which the card can be used but it is advisable to book in advance. The cards are valid for play in the season of purchase.

Previously owned by local singer songwriter and composer, the internationally acclaimed Dougie MacLean and his wife Jennifer, The Taybank is now owned by Nigel and Beverley Large. Described as 'Scotland's Musical Meeting Place' it is a centre for Scottish Music and Culture with instrumental classes, concerts and spontaneous music sessions. Almost every evening there is music to get your feet tapping, from organised gigs to spontaneous sessions.