The Central Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 138

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION DUNKELD

By train The nearest train station is in nearby Birnam.
By bus Buses travelling to and from Perth stop opposite
the Royal Dunkeld Hotel on Atholl St, Dunkeld.
Destinations Inverness (5 daily; 2hr 30min); Perth (every
30min; 40min).

Tourist o ce The Visit Scotland information centre is
on The Cross, in the middle of Dunkeld (April-June, Sept &
Oct Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, Sun 11am-4pm; July & Aug
Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm, Sun 10.30am-5pm; Nov-
March Fri-Sun 11am-4pm; T 01350 727688).

ACCOMMODATION
Hilton Dunkeld House Blairgowrie Rd T 01350
727771, W hilton.co.uk/dunkeld. Pricy and a little corpo-
rate but undeniably luxurious, this vast country estate
house on the banks of the Tay has a spa, swimm ing pool
and excellent facilities for outdoor pursuits. £169
The Pend 5 Brae St T 01350 727586, W thepend.com.
An elegantly furnished B&B just off the main street in
Dunkeld, with three large rooms that share a couple of

2

bathrooms. Dinner is also available for residents. £76
Wester Caputh Independent Hostel Manse Rd,
Caputh T 01738 710449, W westercaputh.co.uk. Four
miles downstream along the Tay from Dunkeld, this hostel
offers small dorm rooms and there's also a self-catering
house for rent. The convenient location and rela xing,
welcoming atmosphere make this a great base. Dorms £18

EATING AND DRINKING
The Scottish Deli 1 Atholl St T 01350 728028, W scottish
-deli.com. Fill up on gourmet delights at this well-stocked
deli, which also has its own wine room. There's also a counter
selling eat-in salads for £4.50. Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm,
Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun 10.30am-4.30pm.

Ì The Taybank Tay Terrace T 01350 727340, W the
taybank.co.uk. A raggedy beacon for music fans, who come
for the regular live sessions in the convivial bar. Fancy joining
in? Wednesday night is open-mike night. Mon-Thurs 11am-
11pm, Fri & Sat 11am-midnight, Sun noon-11pm.

Birnam
Dunkeld is linked to its sister community, BIRNAM , by Thomas Telford's seven-arched
bridge of 1809. This little village has a place in history thanks to Shakespeare, for it was
on Dunsinane Hill, to the southeast of the village, that Macbeth declared: “I will not
be afraid of death and bane/Till Birnam Forest come to Dunsinane.” The Birnam Oak ,
a gnarly old character propped up by crutches which can be seen on the waymarked
riverside walk, is inevitably claimed to be a survivor of the infamous mobile forest.

Birnam Institute
Station Rd • Daily 10am-4.30pm • £3 • W birnaminstitute.com
Just like Shakespeare, children's author Beatrix Potter drew inspiration from the Birnam
area, recalling her childhood holidays here when penning the Peter Rabbit stories. A
Potter-themed exhibition and garden can be found in the impressive barrel-fronted
Birnam Institute , a lively theatre, arts and community centre.

The Hermitage
Dunkeld and Birnam are surrounded by some lovely countryside, both along the banks
of the Tay and in the deep surrounding forest. One of the most rewarding walks is the
mile and a half from Birnam to The Hermitage , set in a grandly wooded gorge of the
plunging River Braan. Here you'll find a pretty eighteenth-century folly, also known as
Ossian's Hall, which was once mirrored to reflect the water - the mirrors were smashed
by Victorian vandals and the folly was more tamely restored. The hall, appealing yet
incongruous in its splendid setting, neatly frames a dramatic waterfall.

Loch of the Lowes
Just off the A923 • Visitor centre: March-Oct daily 10am-5pm; Nov-Feb Fri-Sun 10.30am-4pm • £4 • T 01350 727337
Two miles east of Dunkeld, the Loch of the Lowes is a nature reserve that offers a rare
chance to see breeding ospreys and other wildfowl; the visitor centre has video-relay
screens and will point you in the direction of the best vantage points.