After a couple weeks away from my Scotland Itinerary Ideas series, I’m back with suggestions and travel hooks for one of the most peaceful and calming regions in Scotland: Perthshire. I have largely focused on specific topics throughout the life of Traveling Savage, but now is the time to provide information at a higher level to help you in your Scotland trip-planning, idea-generation phase.

These Scotland Itinerary Ideas articles collect many of my previous posts on the selected region into one place, along with my assessment of their criticality for the visitor and a bevy of useful tidbits that might’ve gotten lost along the way. At the end of the day, these articles should be useful cheat sheets to refer to when you begin planning your next trip to Scotland.

As always, don’t hesitate to pepper me with questions.

Perthshire

Sunset on the River Tay

Perthshire is a place of beguiling beauty, its ancient forested vales, rolling foothills, and deep, stringy lochs forming a greater impression upon the heart than the sum of its parts. Once upon a time this region was the southern kingdom of Picts, its strategic positioning south of the mountains undeniable, but perhaps there were other reasons for its situation: Beauty, harmony, variety, and a primordial sense of right-ness. Here age old history and nature lend themselves to new age interpretations, for rare is the place elsewhere in Scotland that has vibrated with such a comforting and meditative air. I am drawn to Perthshire’s vibrant hamlets, Caledonian woodland, and the loch-speckled hills of its western reaches. There is a well of magic here that the Tay and the Forest of Atholl and Strathbraan have managed to preserve. It is a quiet, contemplative, satisfying draught, and once you drink of it you may find ever after that you seek another sip.

Above the Queen's View

Things You Can’t Miss

Dunkeld. Perhaps my favorite town in all of Scotland, Dunkeld is a tiny market town with deep history and a vibrant music scene. Just a quick 90-minute train ride north from Edinburgh, Dunkeld makes an excellent break from the city life with its gorgeous natural setting and proximity to scads of beautiful hikes in the Strathmore hills. Ancient Dunkeld Cathedral (see below) sits in partial ruin just off the main street, while on the other side, also tucked against the River Tay, stands the Taybank Hotel with its near-nightly trad sessions. Across the Tay sits Dunkeld’s sister town, Birnam (of Beatrix Potter fame), and together the two make for an unmatched base in the region.

Dunkeld town

The Pass of Killiecrankie and the Queen’s View. A few miles north of Pitlochry stands the forested Pass of Killiecrankie, which cuts between Ben Vrackie and Tenandry Hill on the River Garry. This tranquil spot is a beautiful place to do a bit of hiking and admire Perthshire’s scenery. Nearby at the head of Loch Tummel, along the B8019, is a stunning viewing platform known as The Queen’s View. With good weather, you can see clear across Rannoch Moor to Glen Coe! If you’ve got the legs, you could also hike up Craigower Hill above Pitlochry for a similar, perhaps better view.

The Queen's View

Edradour distillery. Edradour distillery might be the smallest distillery in Scotland, but it certainly punches above its weight. This beauty hides in the hills outside Pitlochry and puts on a great tour of how they make whisky the old way. Their dedicated whisky bar serves a huge array of Edradour whiskies and others under their Signatory label, all at extremely fair prices. It would be a travesty to miss Edradour – it is certainly the best distillery in the region (unless you love Bell’s or Famous Grouse) and one of my favorites in all of Scotland.

Edradour distillery

Things You Shouldn’t Miss

Dunkeld Cathedral. Construction on Dunkeld Cathedral began in 1260, and because it wasn’t finished until 1501 the final edifice is a jaw-dropping melange of Gothic and Norman architecture. The gray square-stone style cathedral was built on the site of an older monastery dating from the sixth or seventh century, so this site along the grassy banks of the River Tay has been a holy place for 1,500 years. You can feel it in the air. While part of the cathedral has fallen into ruins, another section is still used regularly to hold mass. Several bishops of Dunkeld and none other than Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenoch, are buried here.

Tayside flowers at Dunkeld Cathedral

Perthshire’s Dark Ages past. Perthshire is littered with the remnants of Scotland’s Pictish past. Worthy of special mention to those interested in exploring this mysterious people are the Meigle Museum in – you guessed it – Meigle and Moncreiffe Hill just south of Perth. The Meigle Museum contains 26 Pictish stones dating from the late eighth to the late tenth centuries while Moncrieffe Hill once held the ancient hillfort Moredun upon its crown. We have so little to help us piece together the story of the Picts, but in the absence of data there is wonder.

At Moncrieffe Hill

Perth and Scone Palace. The city of Perth gives its name to the region and possesses a pretty, compact city center. This is the place to go if you need a splash of city life in the region, though it is still quite small at 44,000 people. Nearby Scone Palace is a stunning red sandstone mansion house with a castellated roof built in the early 19th century. This was the ancient gathering place of the Picts and later the coronation site of the kings of Scotland upon the Stone of Scone.

Things to Do Off the Beaten Path

Hike through the Hermitage. The Hermitage just outside Dunkeld encompasses the Craigvinean Forest along the banks of the River Braan. Soaring pines thrust up from rocky gorges and amidst the hilly woodland hide several strange and interesting structures like Ossian’s Hall of Mirrors, Ossian’s Cave, and Georgian follies built by the Dukes of Atholl. The beauty of the place is the draw, and you can easily use Dunkeld as a base for hikes through the Hermitage and up into the hills beyond on several well-marked paths.

Walking the Hermitage Forest

Visit the Scottish Crannog Centre. Go back in time with a trip to the Scottish Crannog Centre at the head of Loch Tay. Crannogs are dwellings built partially or fully over bodies of water like rivers and lakes, and at the Centre you can view reconstructed crannogs to get a sense of life back in the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Building a dwelling over water seems both difficult and dangerous, so you have to wonder what was happening on land to make crannogs look like a sensible option.

Clamber up Schiehallion or Ben Lawers. For the hikers and munro-baggers out there, Schiehallion and Ben Lawers are a couple of Perthshire’s most famous peaks. Schiehallion, or the Fairy Hill of the Caledonians, is a popular munro due to its easy ascent and magnificent views across central Scotland. Ben Lawers is the highest mountain in the southern part of the Scottish Highlands with a beautiful situation between Aberfeldy and Killin.

Logistics and Salient Bits

Bases. I have always chosen to base myself in either Dunkeld or Pitlochry. They are similar in many ways – both at the top end of the region, both along the A9, both beautiful small towns with interesting wrinkles – though Pitlochry is generally considered to be more “touristy.” You can arrive to either town easily via train or car, and their situation makes exploring Perthshire very convenient. Pitlochry has more accommodation options, and I especially liked Torrdarach House and Beinn Bhracaigh. Alternatively, I would consider Blairgowrie and Aberfeldy if the thought of seeing any other visitors appalls you or if you’d just like to be a bit further out. To the east and west of the A9, respectively, these towns are more typical work-a-day places with their own understated charm. Perth is the place to stay if you’re more of a city person who wants a wider variety of facilities to choose from, and if transportation convenience isn’t an issue you could always consider staying out west near Crieff or Comrie.

Snowy Ben Vrackie over Pitlochry

Transportation. The most populated part of Perthshire is easily accessible by train from Edinburgh and Glasgow since the railroad mirrors the A9 as it snakes north toward Inverness. A car makes straying off the main drag very easy and convenient, though you could easily hike along paths further afield if that’s your sort of thing. Buses will certainly get you between the smaller towns east and west of the A9, but I must admit that building a trip around buses in this region, where there are so many beautiful out-of-the-way things to see, does not fill me with delight.

Following the path to Dunkeld

Food & Drink. When it comes to food and drink, I’m really just looking for a comfy pub with grub a cut above average, so I was happy to find several places in Perthshire that exceeded my modest expectations. The Taybank Hotel in Dunkeld is my favorite pub in the region. They pull great pints and the music is second to none (they also do a mean stovie). In Pitlochry you’ll find the Moulin Hotel, the Auld Smiddy Inn, and Fern Cottage – a trio of restaurants well worth your pounds. Just outside Pitlochry is the attractive Logierait Inn who do excellent fish and chips. In Perth, I’ve heard Twa Tams is a fantastic pub.

Fish and chips at the Logierait Inn

Another batch of itinerary ideas all wrapped up. Perthshire is a fantastic place to visit, and I hope you give it strong consideration as you plan your next trip to Scotland. Go! You will not be disappointed.

Article Comments

  1. Jen February 5, 2014 at 8:25 pm

    A very informative article on another absolutely stunning region of Scotland. I really think it is difficult to find anything in Scotland that isn’t this beautiful. Hope to make it back there one day.

    1. Keith Savage February 5, 2014 at 9:26 pm

      For the most part you are absolutely right, Jen. There are a few places in the central belt, particularly, that are face-meltingly drab and nightmare-inducing.

  2. Ken February 6, 2014 at 7:07 am

    Great post! It brings back memories of that beautiful area, especially Dunkeld and the Taybank Hotel. I remember their stovies with fondness, as well as the music and ales. A wonderful place to visit.

    1. Keith Savage February 7, 2014 at 7:59 am

      I stayed at the Taybank Hotel back in 2006 on my first visit to Dunkeld. They no longer do rooms, but perhaps that’s for the best because the noise from the rollicking bar below made it quite difficult to sleep.

  3. Shanna Schultz February 6, 2014 at 10:37 pm

    I would love to get back to Scotland and explore Perthshire in more depth. We did a whirlwind tour of Scotland a couple of years ago and passed through, but it looks like a lovely area to spend more time. We fell in love with the Edradour distillery and its whiskey on that trip (and those fish and chips are making my mouth water as I am sitting here!)

    1. Keith Savage February 7, 2014 at 7:57 am

      I think it’s an easy area to pass through for first-time visitors situated as it is between Edinburgh and the more classic Highlands. How sad to miss it, though. Edradour is such a fun distillery to visit!

  4. Nicole March 11, 2014 at 1:53 pm

    Last time I was in this area was 2009….need to come back, We are out of Edradour Scotch (his) and the Creme Liqour (mine)….and I’m in need of another great hiking vacation!

    1. Keith Savage March 11, 2014 at 4:01 pm

      Perthshire is a huge draw and hard place to ignore whenever I’m planning a trip. Doesn’t hurt to have marvelous Edradour tucked away in the woods there.

  5. pam hindman March 22, 2014 at 10:30 pm

    What do you think about a vacation package to scotland where everything is taken care of for you for a first timer, do you think they cover alittle bit of everything?im 52 my mom is 77, and my daughter is 24 and we would like to see a castle, go to a scottish festival or something with good music, scenery, people to visit and talk to but not have to worry about how to get where we need to go, sounds lazy huh? I could do alot of research and figure it out but I want something easy because my mom isgetting older and I dont know how many good years she has left , any suggestions?

    1. Keith Savage March 23, 2014 at 12:51 pm

      I think a vacation package like that is perfectly suitable for your requirements. As I haven’t ever taken one of these tour packages, I can’t recommend any specific company. However, if you search for Scotland tour packages you’ll find plenty of options for your perusal.

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  7. […] Dunkeld hides among the Perthshire hills just a 90-minute drive north of Edinburgh. Its handsome buildings and Telford Bridge huddle […]

  8. […] awesomely beautiful area of Scotland. And that’s saying a lot. Drive through the Cairngorms, Perthshire, Skye, or Lochaber and you might scoff at this claim. I was unable to scoff because on day one of […]

  9. […] Perthshire is dear to my heart, and it has been too long since I’ve spent dedicated time there. The fam trip lasts roughly a day, so I’ve tacked on additional time to explore Perthshire and neighboring Angus, which has been on my list for awhile now. In total, I will be enjoying Scotland for a week’s time, and based on what I’ve got planned it will be a busy week indeed. Expect hikes, distillery visits, ancient sites, crumbling castles, incredible accommodations, beautiful places, and maybe even a music festival. […]

  10. […] been to Perthshire (or Perth & Kinross, if you prefer) many times in the last ten years. I love its forested […]

  11. […] In the heart of Perthshire, directly in the center of a triangle formed by the wonderful towns of Dunkeld, Pitlochry, and Aberfeldy, stands one of the region’s finest accommodations. I had the chance spend a trio of nights at Cuil-an-Duin Country House at the beginning of this past November, and as you will see it’s hard to ask for a better base from which to explore the glory of forested Perthshire. […]

  12. […] for Distillery Month here on Traveling Savage. Last week I wrote about Strathearn Distillery in Perthshire and announced my impending return to work there for a week at the end of this month, but today is […]

  13. […] turned out to be a surprisingly nice little town in a beautiful part of Perthshire close to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Though we didn’t have the time to do […]

  14. […] been near and dear to my heart: Edradour Distillery. Nestled in the hills of above Pitlochry in Perthshire, Edradour is among the first distilleries I ever visited in Scotland. I was struck then by its […]

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