Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
9
Perthshire
Genteel, attractive Perthshire is, in many ways, the epitome of well-groomed
rural Scotland. An area of gentle glens, mature woodland, rushing rivers and
peaceful lochs, it's the long-established domain of Scotland's well-to-do
country set. First settled over eight thousand years ago, it was ruled by the
Romans and then the Picts before Celtic missionaries established themselves
here, enjoying the amenable climate, fertile soil, and ideal location for
defence and trade.
Occupying a strategic position at the mouth of the River Tay, the ancient town of
Perth
has as much claim as Stirling to be the gateway to the Highlands. Salmon, wool and, by
the nineteenth century, whisky - Bell's, Dewar's and the Famous Grouse brands all hail
from this area - were all exported from here. At nearby
Scone
, Kenneth MacAlpine
established the capital of the kingdom of the Scots and the Picts in 846. When this
settlement was washed away by floods in 1210, William the Lion founded Perth as a royal
burgh and it stood as Scotland's capital until the mid-fifteenth century.
Rural Perthshire is dominated by the gathering mountains of the Highlands,
topography that tolerates little development. here's plenty of good agricultural land,
however, and the area is dotted with neat, confident towns and villages like
Crieff
, at the
heart of the rolling Strathearn Valley,
Dunkeld
, with its independent cafés and craft shops,
and lovely ruined cathedral, and
Aberfeldy
, set deep amid farmland east of Loch Tay.
Among the wealth of historical sites in Perthshire are splendid Baronial
Blair Castle,
north
of Pitlochry, and the impressive Italianate gardens at
Drummond Castle
near Crieff.
North and west of Perth,
Highland Perthshire
begins to weave its charms: mighty
woodlands blend with glassy waterways, most notably the River Tay, overlooked by
Ben Lawers
, the area's tallest peak. Further north, the countryside becomes more sparsely
populated and ever more spectacular, and there is some wonderful walking country
around
Pitlochry
,
Blair Atholl
and the wild expanses of
Rannoch Moor
to the west.
GETTING AROUND
PERTHSHIRE
By train
The Perth to Inverness train line hugs the A9 road.
There are also train services connecting Perth with Dundee
and, in the south, Stirling.
By bus
Direct, long-distance buses link Perthshire with
Dundee, Inverness and Aberdeen. Local buses - albeit
often infrequent - connect towns like Perth with more
remote areas.
By car
Perthshire's most useful road is the A9, which
cuts a line north from Perth to Inverness, passing
Dunkeld and Pitlochry.
Perth and around
Surrounded by fertile agricultural land and beautiful scenery, the bustling market town
of
PERTH
was Scotland's capital
for several centuries. It has a long history of
livestock
trading
, a tradition continued throughout the year, with regular Aberdeen Angus shows
and sales from June to September, while its position at the heart of one of Scotland's
richest food-production areas encouraged a regular
farmers' market
(see p.326).
Out and about in Perthshire
p.323
Gleneagles
p.327
Walks around Pitlochry
p.334
Rannoch Moor
p.337
