Things to Do in Pretty Perthshire, Scotland

Queens View in Scotland

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With fresh air, cute historic villages to visit, easy walking routes, and those golden autumn colours, Perthshire in Scotland is the New England of Caledonia! Anyone who loves the fall season as much as I do will fall hard for this region, but since there’s so much to do, you can visit all year round. 

This guide will detail the best things to do in Perthshire, where to eat, accommodation tips, and what to pack for a day trip or weekend break in the area Sir Walter Scott called “the fairest portion of the northern kingdom.” 

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Things to do in Perthshire 

Pitlochry 

The heart and busiest town in Perthshire is Pitlochry

Take a wee walk from the high street to the River Tummel and onto the dam on Loch Faskally. 

This is where you will find the world-famous salmon ladder and the Hydro Station. How many salmon do you spot swimming upstream?

If walking is your thing, there are 41 miles of tracked routes for you to enjoy in Pitlochry. 

Pitlochry-Dam-Visitors-Centre-Scotland trees

Grab breakfast at Garden Cafe, a cake and tea at Hetties (my fave), lunch at Escape Route or a heartier meal at one of the many restaurants, including The Old Mill Inn or Victoria’s Restaurant. 

The Old Mill Inn has crawling red ivy covering the building in autumn. One for the photographers!

The restaurant, East Haugh House, is a little out of town, but it is looked after by the award-winning chef Patron Neil McGown.

Pitlochry Old Mill Inn

Late September through the start of November is usually one of the best times to visit Pitlochry, as this is when the magical Enchanted Forest takes place.

Each year, Faskally Wood is transformed into a themed lit-up wonderland!

Buses leave from the centre of Pitlochry and depart throughout the night. 

This is a family-friendly event which kids will adore. 

Check for updates here.

Enchanted Forest Pitlochry

If you’re lucky, you might be in town just in time to participate in Scottish Country Dancing at the town hall.

Pitlochry is also where my brother-in-law proposed to my now sister-in-law! 

It is also worth mentioning that Pitlochry puts on a New Year’s Day street party, which is on my Scotland bucket list.

Pitlochry Outside Seating

Hotels in Pitlochry 

There is no shortage of Pitlochry accommodation, making it the perfect base for a Perthshire road trip.

We stayed at the Pitlochry Hydro Hotel, which was comfortable, but if you want to stay in a castle, check out the Fonab Hotel.

We stayed at Fonab Castle for my birthday and the service, views, and breakfast are something else!

Queen’s View 

Not far from Pitlochry, you’ll find the scenic Queen’s View. 

You need a car to get there, and the road is quite tight, so take your time!

The winding drive is worth it to see the panoramic views of Loch Tummel and, on a clear day, Glencoe. 

Royalty has walked here before you! Queen Victoria visited in 1866.

However, this isn’t who the viewing area is named after! 

Robert the Bruce’s wife, Queen Isabella, steals that crown.

Paid parking is available at the visitor centre, with facilities and a cafe onsite. 

Queens View Perthshire_

The House of Bruar and Falls of Bruar

A popular tourist stop in Perthshire is the House of Bruar. 

You’ll find clothes, homeware, a food hall, and a restaurant at this shopping precinct. 

Just behind the House of Bruar is the Falls of Bruar.

Considering the views you get in return, it’s a relatively easy 1.5 mile (2km) walk along a pathed route. 

When Robert Burns visited in 1787 and was inspired to write The Humble Petition of Bruar Water.

What creative output will your trip conjure up in you?!

Falls of Bruar Trees Perthshire

Killiecrankie 

Three miles from Pitlochry, you can throw yourself off a bridge and over the River Garry!

This is Britain’s first purpose-built bungee platform and very popular with daredevils like ourselves.

River Garry Perthshire_

Don’t want to bungee? There’s a cool swing option, too. 

Bungee Jump Scotland killiecrankie

Aberfeldy

A small market town, Aberfeldy has a handful of pubs, a restaurant, a Co-Op, and watersports activities.

Dine at Three Lemons for an upmarket meal and drinks, or enjoy a pub lunch at The Fountain for big, hearty potions.

Catch a movie at The Birks or pop into the independent shops along the high street.

If you’re feeling adventurous, consider a water rafting experience on the River Tay.

It’s very tame!

The Birks of Aberfeldy is my new favourite autumn walk.

The trail runs through woodlands and features a series of waterfalls!

Enjoy the nature walk to Dull (1 hour 15 minutes) to get the iconic “Welcome to Dull paired with Boring in Oregon” sign.

You might catch deer galloping and a Perthshire sunset.

Swing by the dog-friendly Ailean Craggan Hotel for coffee, food or drinks on the terrace.

The hotel dog is super cuddly!

Kenmore

Kenmore is a gorgeous village on the banks of the River Tay.

Here, you can grab tasty pastries and sit by the river.

I tried the cardomen bun, which is less sweet than a cinnamon bun.

It’s also close to The Scottish Crannog Centre.

Beautiful autumn day Loch Tay Kenmore Scotland

Dunkeld & Birnam

Dunkeld is a lovely wee town in Perthshire. 

Birnam and Dunkeld are joined by the Dunkeld Bridge, designed by famous Scottish architect Thomas Telford in 1809.

At the Birnam side of the bridge, you can see a spot for the old Toll House before you head down the stairs for a walk along the river.

Tollhouse Dunkeld

Birnam is home to the Beatrix Potter Garden, which is free to enter.

Beatrice Potter Gardens Dunkled Scotland_

In picturesque Dunkeld, you will find cafes, delis and hotels serving food on the high street, but don’t forget to visit Dunkeld Cathedral (1318) and its gardens. 

On the way, you will pass The Atholl Memorial Fountain. 

Dunkeld Atholl Memorial Fountain

Inside Dunkeld Cathedral lies the tomb of Scotland’s vilest man, the Wolf of Badenoch. 

Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, was known for wanting to destroy using fire as his weapon. 

The Dunkeld House Tree Trail is the perfect walk for those looking to mix a bit of history with fitness and scenery. 

Here, you can see The Birnam Oak, famously known as Macbeth’s Oak, as mentioned in William Shakespeare’s play.

Dunkeld oldest tree The Birnam Oak with blues skies and orange leaves

We dine at Palmerston and grab to-go cakes at Lilies when visiting Dunkeld.

I’ve not had any luck getting a pastry from ARAN; I will persevere, though!

Some folk love The Craft Diner for takeout burgers, but the owner was busy when we tried.

He doesn’t remove items from orders, which isn’t great when you have a plain-eating husband!

Hotels in Dunkeld

There are lots of lovely options for historic hotels in Dunkeld:

The Hermitage

One of my favourite days out in Perthshire is walking among the Douglas firs at The Hermitage.

This walk is a 10-minute drive from Dunkled, and there is a few small car parks with paid parking at the entrance. 

Falls of Bruar Perthshire Scotland

From the car park, head to the 1757 Ossian’s Hall viewing platform and keep your eyes peeled for salmon battling the noisy Black Linn Falls!

Please don’t leave your coffee cups in Ossian’s Hall; seeing visitors disrespect the area is disappointing. 

The Hermitage is a great example of why Perthshire gets called Big Tree Country!

The toilet facilities aren’t always open, so use the loos before you arrive.  

If you have time, you can combine this walk with a longer path to Pine Cone Point; this walk takes around two hours.

Blairgowrie 

Outdoors enthusiasts may be familiar with Blairgowrie, the gateway to Glenshee.

If Scotland gets a decent dump of snow, Glenshee is one of four ski centres in the country, making this town in Perthshire a possible winter holiday destination. 

The town is famous for its old Flax Mills buildings, seen during the Cargill’s Leap River Ericht walk from the Blairgowrie Riverside.

Blairgowrie riverside

We dined at the Dalmore Inn & Restaurant. The food was great, and the staff were super friendly.

The Dalmore In fish Blairgowrie

Alyth 

East of Blairgowrie, you’ll find the cute town of Alyth.

Alyth Burn runs through the town, and several bridges connect the streets, including the photogenic 17th-century packhorse bridge. 

Some other architectural points of interest include The Arches and the church designed by the Scot Thomas Hamilton in 1839.

A casual hike along the waters at Den of Alyth is recommended.

Alyth Den in Blairgowrie

Meikleour Beech Hedge

A unique thing to do in Perthshire is visit the longest hedge in Britain, The Meikleour Beech Hedge, which was planted in 1745.

Close to Blairgowrie, this stretch of hedge is featured in the Guinness Book of Records for its height of 100 ft (30 m) and length of 530 m.

Recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the highest hedge in the world, the Meikleour Beech Hedge was planted in 1745 and is one-third of a mile long (530 m) and 100 ft (30 m) high.

Meikleour Arms Hotel is a popular dining spot with locals. 

Perth 

One of Scotland’s smaller cities, Perth, is the biggest area in our Perthshire road trip itinerary. 

In ‘The Fair City,’ you will find shops and cafes, such as Hinterland, which serves very tasty soup, restaurants, pubs, and parks. 

While enjoying the city life, look out of the River Tay Public Art Trail, which includes giant thistles, torso and birds. 

Pop into Perth Museum and Art Gallery in the Marshall Museum.

An easy 40-minute Kinnoull Hill hike starts at Dundee Road and takes you up to a viewpoint.

Plant fans will want to check out the 2 acres of hillside gardens at Branklyn.

This NTS garden has an array of unique trees and plants, including one that smells like sugar in autumn! 

Several car parks in Perth offer paid parking options.

Perthshire Castles 

There are various castles near Pitlochry in Perthshire and Kinross, ranging from the Burleigh Castle ruins to the strong surviving Blair Castle.

Blair Castle 

Home to the Dukes and Earls of Atholl for 19 generations, Blair Castle’s doors will be open until winter, so you can see why this special estate withstood civil wars and the Jacobite era until mid-December. 

You can easily spend half a day here walking through the nine acres of grounds, including Diana’s Grove, following the sculpture trail, and then enjoying a snack or lunch at the cafe. 

Ensure you behave, though; Blair Castle is home to the last remaining private army, the Atholl Highlanders!

Check for updates on the official website.

Castle Menzies

I visited Castle Menzies at night to take the monthly ghost tour.

The tour takes you through the historic building, mostly in darkness!

It is the ancestral seat of the Clan Menzies and the Menzies Baronets.

Check for updates on the official website.

Drummond Castle

Since being featured in the 1995 Hollywood movie Rob Roy, Drummond Castle has been popular with visitors enjoying its incredible gardens. 

Check for updates on the official website

Scone Palace

If you are familiar with the Stone of Destiny, an important part of Scottish history and a pretty decent movie starring Robert Carlyle, you may visit Scone Palace.

The stately home is where Scottish kings were inaugurated, and today, visitors can tour the grounds.

Autumn Leaves

Getting to Perthshire

There are train and bus routes to parts of Perthshire, but this Scottish weekend trip is best done by car.

Perthshire Road Trip Map

Thinking of spending a few days in Perthshire?

Below is a screenshot of the locations and attractions discussed above. Click this link to access the free Perthshire map.

Perthshire Road Trip Map

Final Words 

As you can see, there are heaps of different activities to make up the perfect Perthshire weekend break. Since one of the main appeals of this region is its nature and landscape, you’ll experience a different vibe each season you visit! 

Please share your tips and tell us about your Perthshire experience below!

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Perthshire, Scotland is the best place to visit in Scotland in autumn! Golden tones of Queen’s View, earthy glens, easy walks among nature - there’s a reason this region is called Big Tree Country. Click to read about the best things to do in Perthshire and day trips from Pitlochry. Tips from a local.

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