Central Scotland

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Why Go? STIRLING REGION .....181 The country’s historic roots are deeply embedded in Central Stirling ...... 181 Scotland. Signifi cant ruins and castles from the region’s history pepper the landscape; key battles around Stirling The Trossachs ...... 190 shaped Scotland’s fortunes; and Perth, the former capital, is FIFE...... 195 where kings were crowned on the Stone of Destiny. St Andrews ...... 197 Arriving from Glasgow and Edinburgh, visitors begin to East Neuk ...... 204 get a sense of the country further north as the lowland belt gives way to Highland splendour. It is here that the majesty PERTHSHIRE & of Scotland’s landscape unfolds in deep, dark, steely-blue KINROSS ...... 207 lochs that refl ect the silhouettes of soaring, sentinel-like Perth ...... 208 craggy peaks on still days. West Perthshire ...... 213 W hether in the big-tree country of Perthshire, the bare Perth to Blair Castle ...217 landscapes of Glenshee, or the green Fife coastline dotted with fi shing villages, opportunities to enjoy the landscape abound: walking, cycling, and mountaineering are all easy possibilities. The region also has some of the country’s best Best Places to pubs and eateries, which greet weary visitors at day’s end. Stay » Monachyle Mhor (p193 ) When to Go » M i l t o n E o n a n ( p 2 1 6 ) » Moor of Rannoch Hotel Stirling Te m p Rainfall (p 217 ) °C/°F Inches/mm 40/104 10/250 » Roman Camp Hotel (p191 ) 30/86 8/200 » Spindrift (p 205 ) 20/68 6/150 » Dalmunzie House (p 222 ) 10/50 4/100 Best Places to Eat 0/32 2/50 -10/14 0 & Drink J FDNOSAJJMAM » Peat Inn (p202 ) May If the weath- August Summer Winter Hit the » Moulin Hotel (p220 ) er’s kind, it’s a in Fife is a top slopes at Glen- » Breizh (p210 ) magical time for time for coastal shee for the sight » Seafood Restaurant exploring before walks and crusta- of Scottish crags summer crowds cean feasts. blanketed with (p 203 ) arrive. snow. Sights STIRLING REGION 1 181 Stirling Castle CASTLE Covering Scotland’s wasplike waist, this (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk; h9.30am- region has always been a crucial strate- 6pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Mar) Hold Stirling gic point dividing the Lowlands from the and you control Scotland. This maxim has Highlands. For this reason, Scotland’s two ensured that a fortress of some kind has most important independence battles were existed here since prehistoric times. Com- fought here, within sight of Stirling’s hill- manding superb views, you cannot help top stronghold. Separated by 17 years, Wil- drawing parallels with Edinburgh castle – liam Wallace’s victory over the English at but many fi nd Stirling’s fortress more at- Stirling Bridge, followed by Robert Bruce’s mospheric; the location, architecture and triumph at Bannockburn, established Scot- historical signifi cance combine to make it a tish nationhood. The region remains a grand and memorable sight. This means it source of much national pride. draws plenty of visitors, so it’s advisable to Stirling’s Old Town perches on a spec- visit in the afternoon; many tourists come tacular crag, and the castle is among Brit- on day-trips from Edinburgh or Glasgow, ain’s most fascinating. Within easy reach, so you may have the castle to yourself by the dreamy Trossachs, home to Rob Roy about 4pm. and inspiration to Walter Scott, off er great Admission costs for the castle will rise walking and cycling in the eastern half of once the Royal Palace opens. The mooted Scotland’s fi rst national park (p261 ). price at time of research was £14 for adults, SCOTLAND CENTRAL STIRLING REGION 8 Getting Around which would include an audioguide. By the castle car park, the Stirling tourist Trains service Stirling but not the rest of the h region, so you’ll be relying on buses if you don’t office (admission free; 9.30am-6pm Apr-Sep, to have your own transport. First (%01324- 5pm Oct-Mar) has an audiovisual presentation 602200; www.fi rstgroup.com) is the main and exhibition about Stirling, including the operator. The Central Scotland Rover rail ticket history and architecture of the castle. (£33), valid for three days out of seven, allows Great Hall, Gatehouse, Royal Palace & SIGHTS unlimited train travel between Edinburgh,

Chapel SIGHTS STIRLING Glasgow, Falkirk and Stirling. The current castle dates from the late 14th to the 16th century, when it was a residence of the Stuart monarchs. The Great Hall Stirling and Gatehouse were built by James IV; ob- POP 32,673 serve the hammer-beam roof and huge fi re- With an utterly impregnable position atop a places in the largest medieval hall in Scot- mighty wooded crag (the plug of an extinct land − the result of 35 years of restoration. volcano), Stirling’s beautifully preserved After a long restoration project, the Roy- Old Town is a treasure trove of noble build- al Palace is scheduled to reopen as this ings and cobbled streets winding up to the book hits the shelves. It’ll be a sumptuous ramparts of its dominant castle, which of- recreation of how this luxurious Renais- fer views for miles around. Clearly visible is sance palace would have looked when it the brooding Wallace Monument, a strange was constructed by French masons under Victorian Gothic creation honouring the the orders of James V (in the early 16th cen- legendary freedom fi ghter of Braveheart tury) to impress his (also French) bride and fame. Nearby is Bannockburn, scene of other crowned heads of Europe. Perhaps Robert the Bruce’s major triumph over the the most spectacular is the series of tap- English. estries that have been painstakingly wo- The castle makes a fascinating visit, but ven. Based on originals in New York’s Met- make sure you also spend time exploring ropolitan Museum, they depict the hunting the Old Town and the picturesque path that of a unicorn – an event ripe with Christian encircles it. Near the castle are a couple of metaphor – and are utterly beautiful. Until snug pubs in which you can raise a dram the last one is complete (probably in 2013) to toast Scotland’s hoary heroes. Below the you can watch the weavers at work in the Old Town, retail-minded modern Stirling Tapestry Studio: it’s fascinating to see. doesn’t off er the same appeal; stick to the James VI (r 1567–1625) remodelled the high ground as much as possible and you’ll Chapel Royal and was the last King of love the place. Scots to live at Stirling. 182 Central Scotland HIGHLAND Highlights 1 Opening your Grampian Mountains jaw in amazement at the epic splendour of Loch Garry G Loch arry Glen Lyon (p 215 ) Ericht

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#\ Rosyth #\ Falkirk 56°N EAST LOTHIAN FALKIRK /·M9 e Ty n WEST #_ 3°W LOTHIAN Edinburgh Museum of the Argyll & Sutherland and updates on current archaeological 184 Highlanders, Great Kitchens & Castle investigations Exhibition Argyll’s Lodging In the King’s Old Building is the Museum Admission to the castle also includes a of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders guided tour of Argyll’s Lodging, at the top (donations encouraged), which traces the his- of Castle Wynd near the bastion itself. Com- tory of this famous regiment from 1794 to plete with turrets, this spectacular lodge is the present day. It has a great collection of the most impressive 17th-century town house ornately decorated dirks (daggers). In an- in Scotland. It’s the former home of William other part of the castle, the Great Kitch- Alexander, Earl of Stirling and noted liter- ens are especially interesting, bringing to ary ﬁ gure. It has been tastefully restored life the bustle and scale of the enterprise and gives an insight into lavish, 17th-century of cooking for the King. Near the entrance, aristocratic life. There are four or ﬁ ve guided the Castle Exhibition gives good back- tours daily (you can’t enter by other means). ground information on the Stuart kings

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66A B C D Old Town HISTORIC DISTRICT (check out the Star Pyramid, an outsized af- Below the castle, the steep Old Town has a fi rmation of Reformation values dating from 185 remarkably diff erent feel to modern Stir- 1863), then the path continues around the ling, its cobblestone streets packed with back of the castle to Gowan Hill where you 15th- to 17th-century architectural gems. Its can see the Beheading Stone, now encased growth began when Stirling became a royal in iron bars to prevent contemporary use. burgh (about 1124), and in the 15th and 16th Mar’s Wark, on Castle Wynd at the head centuries rich merchants built their houses of the Old Town, is the ornate facade of here. what was once a Renaissance-style town house commissioned in 1569 by the wealthy Town Wall, Back Walk & Mar’s Wark Earl of Mar, regent of Scotland during Stirling has the best surviving town wall in Scotland. It was built around 1547 when James VI’s minority. Henry VIII of England began the ‘Rough Church of the Holy Rude & Cowane’s Wooing’ – attacking the town in order to Hospital force Mary, Queen of Scots to marry his son The Church of the Holy Rude (www.holy so that the two kingdoms could be united. rude.org; St John St; admission free; h11am-4pm The wall can be explored on the Back Walk, May-Sep) has been the town’s parish church which follows the line of the wall from for 600 years and James VI was crowned Dumbarton Rd (near the tourist offi ce) to here in 1567. The nave and tower date from the castle. You pass the town cemeteries 1456, and the church has one of the few sur- SCOTLAND CENTRAL STIRLING REGION viving medieval open-timber roofs. Stun- Stirling ning stained-glass windows and huge stone pillars create a powerful eff ect. æ Top Sights Behind the church is Cowane’s Hospi- Stirling Castle...... A2 tal (49 St John St; admission free; h9am-5pm æ Sights Apr-Sep, 10am-4pm Oct-Mar), built as an alms- 1 Argyll's Lodging ...... B3 house in 1637 by the merchant John Cow-

2 Beheading Stone ...... B1 ane. There’s a family-tree database here, SIGHTS where you can search for your ancestors if 3 Church of the Holy Rude...... B3 SIGHTS STIRLING 4 Cowane's Hospital...... B3 they were born around this area. 5 Mar's Wark ...... B3 Mercat Cross, Tolbooth & Old Town Jail 6 Mercat Cross ...... B3 The Mercat Cross, in Broad St, is topped 7 Museum of Argyll & Sutherland with a unicorn (known as ‘The Puggie’), Highlanders...... A2 and was once surrounded by a bustling 8 Old Town Jail...... B3 market. Nearby is the Tolbooth, built in 9 Tolbooth...... B3 1705 as the town’s administrative centre and renovated in 2001 to become the city’s ÿ Sleeping premier arts and music venue. Cairns ...... (see 14) The Old Town Jail (www.oldtownjail.com; St 10 Colessio Hotel...... C4 John St; adult/child/family £6.50/4/17; h10am- 11 Forth Guest House ...... D2 5pm Apr-Oct, 10.30am-4pm Nov-Mar) is a great 12 Garfield Guesthouse ...... B4 one for kids, as actors take you through the 13 Sruighlea ...... C4 complex, portraying a cast of characters 14 Munro Guesthouse...... C3 that illustrate the hardships of Victorian 15 Stirling Highland Hotel...... B4 prison life in innovative, entertaining style. 16 Stirling SYHA ...... B3 17 Willy Wallace Backpackers National Wallace Monument MONUMENT Hostel ...... C4 (www.nationalwallacemonument.com; adult/child £7.50/4.50; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct, to 6pm Jul & ú Eating Aug, 10.30am-4pm Nov-Mar) Towering over 18 Darnley Coffee House ...... C3 Scotland’s narrow waist, this nationalist 19 East India Company ...... C3 memorial is so Victorian Gothic it deserves 20 Hermann's...... B3 circling bats and ravens. It commemorates the bid for Scottish independence depicted û Drinking in the fi lm Braveheart. From the tourist of- 21 Portcullis ...... B3 fi ce, walk or shuttle-bus up the hill to the 22 Settle Inn ...... C2 building itself. Once there, break the climb up the narrow staircase inside to admire convenient central hostel is friendly, roomy 186 Wallace’s 66 inches of broadsword and see and sociable. The colourful, spacious dor- the man himself re-created in a 3-D au- mitories are clean and light, there’s free tea diovisual display. More staid is the marble and coff ee, a good kitchen, and a laissez- pantheon of lugubrious Scottish heroes, but faire atmosphere. Other amenities include a the view from the top over the fl at, green laundry service and free internet and wi-fi . gorgeousness of the Forth Valley, includ- Sruighlea B&B ££ ing the site of Wallace’s 1297 victory over ( %01786-471082; www.sruighlea.com; 27 King St; the English at Stirling Bridge, justifi es the s/d £40/60; W) This place feels like a secret steep entry fee. hideaway – there’s no sign – but it’s conve- Buses 62 and 63 run from Murray Pl niently located smack-bang in the centre of in Stirling to the tourist offi ce, otherwise town. You’ll feel like a local staying here, it’s a half-hour walk from central Stirling. and there are eating and drinking places There’s a cafe here, too. practically on the doorstep. It’s a B&B that Bannockburn BATTLEFIELD welcomes guests with the kind of warmth Though Wallace’s heroics were signifi cant, that keeps them returning. it was Robert the Bruce’s defeat of the Eng- Stirling SYHA HOSTEL £ lish on 24 June 1314 at Bannockburn, just ( %01786-473442; www.syha.org.uk; St John St; outside Stirling, that eventually established dm/tw £17.25/45; piW) Right in the Old

CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL lasting Scottish nationhood. Exploiting the Town, this hostel has an unbeatable loca- marshy ground, Bruce won a great tactical tion and great facilities. Though its facade victory against a much larger and better- is that of a former church, the interior is equipped force, and sent Edward II ‘home- modern and effi cient. The dorms are com- ward, tae think again’, as the song ‘Flower pact but comfortable with lockers and en of Scotland’ commemorates. suite bathrooms; other highlights include At Bannockburn Heritage Centre (NTS; a pool table, bike shed and, at busy times, www.nts.org.uk; adult/child £5.50/4.50; h10am- cheap meals on off er. Lack of atmosphere the history 5pm Mar-Oct, to 5.30pm Apr-Sep) can be the only problem. pre- and post-battle is lucidly explained. STIRLING REGION The audiovisual could do with a remake, Garfield Guesthouse B&B ££ but there’s lots to do for kids, and an in- ( %01786-473730; www.garfi eldgh.com; 12 Victo- triguing recreation of Bruce’s face which ria Sq; small/large d £60/65) Though close to suggests that he may have suff ered from the centre of town, Victoria Sq is a quiet leprosy in later life. oasis, with noble Victorian buildings sur- The battlefi eld itself (which never closes) rounding a verdant swathe of lawn. The is harder to appreciate; apart from a statue Garfi eld’s huge rooms, bay windows, ceiling of the victor astride his horse and a mis- roses and other period features make it a begotten fl ag memorial, there’s nothing to winner. There’s a great family room, and see. Bannockburn is 2 miles south of Stir- some rooms have views to the castle tower- ling; you can reach it on bus 51 from Mur- ing above. ray Pl in the centre. Forth Guest House B&B ££ ( %01786-471020; www.forthguesthouse.co.uk; Sleeping 4 23 Forth Pl; s/d £45/55; W) Just a couple of Castlecroft Guest House B&B ££ minutes’ walk from town on the other side % ( 01786-474933; www.castlecroft-uk.com; Bal- of the railway, this noble Georgian terrace piW Nestling into lengeich Rd; s/d £45/60; ) off ers attractive and stylish accommoda- the hillside under the back of the castle, tion at a fair price. The rooms are very com- this great hideaway feels like a rural retreat modious, particularly the cute garret rooms but is a short, spectacular walk from the with their coomed ceilings and good mod- heart of historic Stirling. The lounge boasts ern bathrooms. Credit cards not accepted. 180-degree views over green fi elds to the hills that gird the town, and the compact Linden Guest House B&B ££ rooms are appealing and well maintained. ( %01786-448850; www.lindenguesthouse.co.uk; 22 Linden Ave; s/d £50/72; pi) Handy if ar- Willy Wallace Backpackers Hostel riving by car from the south, this guest- HOSTEL £ house’s warm welcome and easy parking % ( 01786-446773; www.willywallacehostel.com; off er understandable appeal. The rooms, 77 Murray Pl; dm/tw £17/36; iW) This highly WILLIAM WALLACE, SCOTTISH PATRIOT 187

William Wallace is one of Scotland’s greatest heroes: a patriot whose exploits helped revive interest in Scottish history. Born in 1270, he was catapulted into fame and a place in history as a highly successful guerrilla commander who harassed the English invaders for many years. In the wake of his victory over the English at Stirling Bridge in 1297, Wallace was knighted by Robert the Bruce and proclaimed Guardian of Scotland. However, it was only a short time before English military superiority and the fi ckle nature of the nobility’s loyalties would turn against the defender of Scottish independence. Disaster struck in July 1298 when King Edward’s force defeated the Scots at the Battle of Falkirk. Wallace went into hiding and travelled throughout Europe to drum up support for the Scottish cause. Many of the Scottish nobility were prepared to side with Edward, and Wallace was betrayed after his return to Scotland in 1305, tried for trea- son at Westminster, and hanged, beheaded and disembowelled at Smithfi eld, London. two of which are suitable for families, have central guesthouse that just has singles fridges, and the gleaming bathrooms could and twins. Rooms come with or without feature in ads for cleaning products. Break- breakfast. SCOTLAND CENTRAL STIRLING REGION fast features fresh fruit and kippers, among Neidpath B&B ££ other choices. (%01786-469017; www.neidpath-stirling.co.uk; Stirling Highland Hotel HOTEL £££ 24 Linden Ave; d £58; pW) Spotless rooms ( %01786-272727; www.barcelo-hotels.co.uk; and a filling breakfast. Spittal St; s/d £105/134; piWs) The smart- Witches Craig Caravan Park CAMPSITE £ est hotel in town, Stirling Highland Hotel (%01786-474947; www.witchescraig.co.uk; is a sympathetic refurbishment of the old Blairlogie; tent site for 1/2/2 plus car £9/11/17; EATING & DRINKING high school. This curious place still feels hApr-Oct; p) In a brilliant spot right at institutional in parts, but has great facili- the foot of the Ochil Hills, which are just EATING & DRINKING STIRLING ties that include pool, spa, gym, sauna and begging to be walked, Witches Craig is squash courts. It’s very convenient for the 3 miles east of Stirling by the A91. castle and Old Town, and the rooms have been recently refi tted, though they vary 5 Eating & Drinking widely in size. Prices are fl exible: those Stirling isn’t blessed with lots of excellent listed above are a guide. restaurants. Baker St is the main eating- Munro Guesthouse B&B ££ and-drinking zone. % ( 01786-472685; www.munroguesthouse.co.uk; Portcullis PUB £ 14 Princes St; s/d/f £42/65/85; W) Cosy and ( %01786-472290; www.theportcullishotel.com; cheery, Munro Guesthouse is right in the Castle Wynd; bar meals £8-12; hlunch & dinner) centre of town, but locatd on a quiet side Built in stone as solid as the castle that it street. Things are done with a smile here, stands below, this former school is just the and the smallish rooms are most inviting, spot for a pint and a pub lunch after your vis- particularly the cute attic ones. The break- it. With bar meals that would have had even fast is also better than the norm, with fruit William Wallace loosening his belt a couple salad on hand. There’s easy (pay) parking of notches, a little beer garden, and a cosy opposite. buzz indoors, it’s well worth a visit; there are Colessio Hotel HOTEL £££ also rooms here (single/double £67/87). (%01786-448880; www.hotelcolessio.com; 33 Spittal St) This new luxury hotel and spa East India Company INDIAN £ occupies an old hospital in the heart of the (7 Viewfi eld Pl; mains £6-11; hdinner) This Old Town. It was still being built at time basement Indian restaurant is one of the of research, but should be worth a look. best spots in Central Scotland for a curry. Sumptuously decorated to resemble a ship’s Cairns B&B ££ stateroom, with portraits of tea barons on (%01786-479228; 12 Princes St; s/tw incl the wall to conjure images of the days of the breakfast £30/54) Friendly, good-value, clippers, it off ers exquisite dishes from all Tourist office (%01786-475019; www.visitscott 188 WANT MORE? ishheartlands.com; 41 Dumbarton Rd; h10am- 5pm Mon-Sat year-round, plus Sun Jun–mid- Head to Lonely Planet (www Sep; i) .lonelyplanet.com/scotland/central- scotland/stirling) for planning advice, 8 Getting There & Away author recommendations, traveller BUS The bus station (%01786-446474) is on reviews and insider tips. Goosecroft Rd. Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) off ers a number of services to/from Stirling: Dundee £12.50, 1½ hours, hourly parts of India. There’s a buff et dinner avail- Edinburgh £6.70, one hour, hourly able Monday to Thursday (£8.95), but go à la carte and savour the toothsome fl avours. Glasgow £6.60, 45 minutes, hourly Perth £7.70, 50 minutes, at least hourly Hermann’s RESTAURANT £££ Some buses continue to Aberdeen, Inverness, ( %01786-450632; www.hermanns.co.uk; 58 and Fort William; more frequently a change will Broad St; 2-course lunch/3-course dinner £13/20, be required. mains £16-20; hlunch & dinner) Solidly set on TRAIN First ScotRail (www.scotrail.co.uk) a corner above the Mercat Cross and below has services to/from a number of destinations, the castle, this elegant Scottish-Austrian including these: restaurant is a reliable and popular choice.

CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL Aberdeen £38.60, 2¼ hours, regular services The solid, conservative decor is weirdly oﬀ - set by magazine-style skiing photos, but the Dundee £15.80, one hour, regular services food doesn’t miss a beat and ranges from Edinburgh £6.90, 55 minutes, twice hourly Scottish favourites to gourmet schnitzel Monday to Saturday, hourly Sunday and spätzle noodles. Vegetarian options are Glasgow £7.10, 40 minutes, twice hourly Mon- good, and quality Austrian wines provide day to Saturday, hourly Sunday an out-of-the-ordinary accompaniment. Perth £10.40, 35 minutes, regular services

Darnley Coffee House CAFE £

STIRLING REGION (www.darnley.connectfree.co.uk; 18 Bow St; Around Stirling snacks £3.50-5; hbreakfast & lunch) Just down the hill from the castle, beyond the end of BRIDGE OF ALLAN POP 5046 Broad St, Darnley Coff ee House is a good This upbeat former spa town, just 2.5 miles pit stop for home baking and speciality cof- north of Stirling, has an open street plan, fees during a walk around the Old Town. giving it a laid-back sense of space. It’s a The building is a historic 16th-century good alternative to staying in Stirling. house where Darnley, lover and later hus- At the Bridge of Allan Brewery (www. band of Mary, Queen of Scots, once stayed bridgeofallan.co.uk; Queen’s Lane; admission while visiting her. free; hdaily Jul-Sep, Sat & Sun Oct-Jun), just off Settle Inn PUB Henderson St, you can learn about the mi- (91 St Mary’s Wynd) A warm welcome is guar- crobrewing techniques behind traditional anteed at Stirling’s oldest pub (1733), a spot Scottish ales. This is a great spot to taste lo- redolent with atmosphere, what with its cal beers – it’s very friendly and the quality log fi re, vaulted back room, and low-slung microbrews are recommended. ceilings. Guest ales, atmospheric nooks for settling in for the night, and a blend of local 4 Sleeping & Eating characters make it a classic of its kind. Adamo Hotel HOTEL £££ ( %01786-833268; www.adamohotels.com; 24 Henderson St; small s £60, s/d £100/140, 2-course Information 8 lunch/dinner £10.50/20; pW) The gorgeous, Library (Corn Exchange Rd; hMon-Sat; i) modern, plush rooms here have a dark and Free internet access. fuzzy decor that makes you want to get na- Stirling Royal Infirmary (%01786-434000; ked and have a good roll around. All rooms Livilands Rd) Hospital; south of the town have car-wash showers, but only some come centre. with a bath. The rooms are diff erent sizes, Stirling Visitor Centre (%01786-450000; so ask to see a selection. Ask about weekend h9.30am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Mar) Near specials, too, and even if you’re not staying, the castle entrance. drop in for lunch or dinner. Anam Cara B&B ££ mission free; h9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat & ( %01786-832030; [email protected]; 2-5.30pm Sun Apr-Sep, 9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat 189 107 Henderson St; s/d £35/50; p) A simple & 2-4.30pm Sun Oct-Mar) is well worth a de- B&B with a double and a twin room. The at- tour. It’s a superb, elegant sandstone build- traction here is your host – she’s a laughter ing – a fi ne example of Gothic style. The therapist! If everything is a bit grey outside lower parts of the walls date from Nor- and your time in Scotland is getting you man times, the rest mainly from the 13th down, this may be just the place for you. to 15th centuries. A 10th-century carved Celtic stone is at the nave’s head, and a Clive Ramsay Café CAFE, DELI £ standing stone commemorates the town’s (www.cliveramsay.com; Henderson St; mains slain children. £8-10; hbreakfast & lunch) With a claim to The musty old ‘sexy food’, this little show-pony also has a Leighton Library (61 High wonderful deli next door selling fresh local St; admission free; h11am-1pm Mon-Sat May- , dating from 1684, is the oldest private produce. The cafe has a very trendy vibe Sep) library in Scotland. There are 4500 books and seems to be the centre of the town’s in 90 languages. universe. Scrumptious treats drawing from You can walk to Bridge of Allan from several world cuisines won’t break your Dunblane along Darn Rd in about an hour − budget. it’s an ancient path once used by monks. 8 Getting There & Away There are also frequent buses and trains You can walk to Bridge of Allan from Stirling in from Stirling to Dunblane. SCOTLAND CENTRAL STIRLING REGION an hour. Frequent local buses from Stirling stop in Henderson St. Trains to Dunblane, Stirling, DOUNE Glasgow and Edinburgh depart frequently from POP 1635 the station at the western end of Henderson St. Doune is not far beyond Dunblane, on the road to Callander. Stop here to visit mag- DUNBLANE nifi cent Doune Castle (HS; www.historic-scot POP 7911 land.gov.uk; adult/child £4.20/2.50; h9.30am-

Dunblane, 5 miles northwest of Stirling, is 5.30pm Apr-Sep, to 4.30pm Sat-Wed Oct-Mar), one EATING & DRINKING a pretty town with a notable cathedral. It’s of the best-preserved 14th-century castles EATING & DRINKING AROUND STIRLING diﬃ cult not to remember the horriﬁ c mas- in Scotland, having remained largely un- sacre that took place in the primary school changed since it was built for the Duke of Al- in 1996, but happier headlines have come bany. It was a favourite royal hunting lodge, the town’s way more recently with the rise but was also of great strategic importance of local tennis star Andy Murray. because it controlled the route between Fabulous Dunblane Cathedral (HS; www. the Lowlands and Highlands. Mary, Queen dunblanecathedral.org.uk; Cathedral Sq; ad- of Scots stayed here, as did Bonnie Prince

THE FALKIRK WHEEL

Scotland’s canals were once vital avenues for goods transportation, but the railway age left them to fall into dereliction. A millennium project restored two of Scotland’s major canals, the Union and the Forth & Clyde. With a diff erence in level of 115ft, the two were once linked by an arduous series of 11 locks, but the construction of the unique Falkirk Wheel (www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk; adult/child £7.95/4.95; h10am-5.30pm daily Mar-Oct, 11am-4pm Wed-Sun Nov-Feb) changed all that. Its rotating arms literally scoop boats up and lift them to the higher waterway − it’s an engineering marvel that makes a compelling visit. Boat trips leave every half-hour (hourly in winter) from the nearby tourist offi ce and travel into the wheel, which delivers you to the Union Canal high above. Boats then go through Roughcastle Tunnel before the return descent on the wheel. Anyone with an interest in engineering should not miss this boat ride – it’s great for kids, too. The tourist offi ce explains the workings of the mighty wheel – it only takes the power of about eight toasters for a full rotation! There’s also a cafe here. The Wheel is in Falkirk, a large town about 10 miles southeast of Stirling. Regular buses and trains link the two, and also connect Falkirk with Glasgow and Edinburgh. Charlie, who used it to imprison govern- ABERFOYLE & AROUND 190 ment troops. There are great views from POP 576 the castle walls, and the lofty gatehouse is Crawling with visitors on most weekends very impressive, rising nearly 30m. Monty and dominated by a huge car park, little Python fans may recognise the castle from Aberfoyle is a fairly uninteresting place, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. easily overwhelmed by day-trippers. In- Doune is 8 miles northwest of Stirling. stead of staying here, we recommend Cal- First (www.fi rstgroup.com) buses run every lander or other Trossachs towns. hour or two (30 minutes), less frequently on Half a mile north of Aberfoyle on the Sunday. A821 is the David Marshall Lodge tourist office (www.forestry.gov.uk/qefp; admission DOLLAR free, car park £2; h10am-4pm Nov-Mar, 10am- POP 2877 5pm Apr-Oct, to 6pm Jul & Aug) in the Queen Charming Dollar is about 11 miles east of Elizabeth Forest Park, which has info Stirling in the lower Ochil Hills. Castle about the many walks and cycle routes in Campbell (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk; and around the park (many departing from adult/child £4.70/2.80; h9.30am-5.30pm Apr- the tourist offi ce). The Royal Society for the Sep, to 4.30pm Sat-Wed Oct-Mar) is a 20-minute Protection of Birds (RSPB) has a display walk up Dollar Glen, into the wooded hills here on local bird life, the highlight being a above the town. It’s a spooky old stronghold live video link to the resident osprey family.

CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL of the Dukes of Argyll and stands between The centre is worth visiting solely for the two ravines; you can clearly see why it was views. known as ‘Castle Gloom’. There’s been a Three miles east is the Lake of Menteith fortress of some kind on this site from (called lake not loch due to a mistranslation the 11th century, but the present structure from Gaelic). A ferry takes visitors to the dates from the 15th century. The castle was substantial ruins of Inchmahome Priory sacked by Cromwell in 1654, but the tower (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk; adult/child is well preserved. From the little car park incl ferry £4.70/2.80; h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep, near the castle there’s a great ramble with last return ferry 4.30pm). Mary, Queen of Scots sweeping views over Castle Campbell and STIRLING REGION was kept safe here as a child during Henry the surrounding country. VIII’s ‘Rough Wooing’. Henry attacked Stir- Regular buses run to Dollar from Stirling. ling trying to force Mary to marry his son in order to unite the kingdoms (p446 ). The Trossachs 2 Activities Several picturesque but busy waymarked The Trossachs region has long been a favou- trails start from the David Marshall Lodge rite weekend getaway, off ering outstand- tourist offi ce centre in the forest park. These ing natural beauty and excellent walking range from a light 20-minute stroll to a near- and cycling routes within easy reach of the by waterfall to a hilly 4-mile circuit. Also southern population centres. With thickly here, Go Ape! (www.goape.co.uk; adult/child forested hills, romantic lochs and an increas- £30/20; hdaily Apr-Oct, Sat & Sun Mar & Nov) will ingly interesting selection of places to stay bring out the monkey in you on its exhilarat- and eat, its popularity is sure to continue, ing adventure course of long ziplines, swings protected by its national-park status (p261 ). and rope bridges through the forest. The Trossachs fi rst gained popularity An excellent 20-mile circular cycle as a tourist destination in the early 19th route links with the boat at Loch Katrine. century, when curious visitors came from From Aberfoyle, join the Lochs & Glens all over Britain drawn by the romantic lan- Cycle Way on the forest trail, or take the guage of Walter Scott’s poem Lady of the A821 over Duke’s Pass. Following the south- Lake, inspired by Loch Katrine, and Rob ern shore of Loch Achray, you reach the pier Roy, about the derring-do of the region’s on Loch Katrine. The ferry can take you to most famous son. Stronachlachar (one way with bike £14) on In summer the Trossachs can be overbur- the western shore, from where you can fol- dened with coach tours, but many of these low the beautiful B829 via Loch Ard back are day-trippers − peaceful, long evenings to Aberfoyle. gazing at the refl ections in the nearest loch are still possible. It’s worth timing your visit not to coincide with a weekend. 4 Sleeping & Eating 1 Sights & Activities Lake of Menteith Hotel The Hamilton Toy Collection (www.theham 191 HOTEL, RESTAURANT £££ iltontoycollection.co.uk; 111 Main St; adult/child ( %01877-385258; www.lake-hotel.com; Port of £2/50p; h10am-4.30pm Apr-Oct) is a power- Menteith; d £130-190; pW) Soothingly situ- house of 20th-century juvenile memorabil- ated on a lake (yes, it’s the only non-loch ia, chock-full of dolls houses, puppets and in Scotland) 3 miles east of Aberfoyle, this toy soldiers. It’s a guaranteed nostalgia trip. makes a great romantic getaway. Rooms The impressive Bracklinn Falls are vary substantially in size, and are being reached by track and footpath from Brack- upgraded, so it’s worth shelling out a little linn Rd (30 minutes each way from the car extra for views and modernity. The restau- park). Also off Bracklinn Rd, a woodland rant serves sumptuous dinners (£40) with trail leads up to Callander Crags, with great excellent service. Check the website for views over the surroundings; a return trip is packages. about 4 miles from the car park. The Trossachs is a lovely area to cycle Mayfield Guest House B&B ££ around. On a cycle route and based at Tros- ( %01877-382962; www.mayfi eld-aberfoyle.co. sachs Tryst hostel (see p192 ), the excellent uk; Main St; s/d £35/55; p) Nothing is too % much trouble for the friendly hosts at this Wheels Cycling Centre ( 01877-331100; has a wide guesthouse. It has a double and two twin www.wheelscyclingcentre.com) range of hire bikes starting from £10/15 per

rooms, all very well kept, and a garage at SCOTLAND CENTRAL STIRLING REGION half-/full day. the back for bikes. Pets welcome. Sleeping Forth Inn PUB £ 4 ( %01877-382372; www.forthinn.com; Main St; oRoman Camp Hotel HOTEL £££ mains £6-9; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner; c) In ( %01877-330003; www.roman-camp-hot the middle of the village, the solid Forth el.co.uk; s/d/superior d £95/145/185; pW) Cal- Inn seems to be the lifeblood of the town, lander’s best hotel. It’s centrally located with locals and visitors alike queuing up but feels rural, set by the river in its own for good, honest pub fare. The tasty bar beautiful grounds with birdsong the only EATING & DRINKING meals are the best in town. It also pro- sound. Its endearing features include EATING & DRINKING a THE TROSSACHS vides accommodation and beer, with lounge with blazing fi re and a library with drinkers spilling outside into the sunny a tiny secret chapel. There are three grades courtyard. Single/double rooms are avail- of room; the standards are certainly luxuri- able for £50/80, but they can be noisy at ous, but the superior ones are even more weekends. appealing, with period furniture, armchairs and a fi replace. The upmarket res- 8 Information taurant is open to the public. Reassuringly, The tourist offi ce (%01877-382352; aberfoyle@ the name refers not to toga parties but to a visitscotland.com; Main St; h10am-5pm Apr- ruin in the adjacent fi elds. Oct, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun Nov-Mar; i) details a history of the Trossachs and provides currency exchange and a soft play area. TROSSACHS 8 Getting There & Away TRANSPORT First (www.fi rstgroup.com) has up to four daily buses from Stirling (40 minutes); you’ll have to In a bid to cut public transport costs, connect at Balfron on Sundays. See the Tros- ‘Demand Responsive Transport’ sachs Transport boxed text for transport around (DRT) was being brought to the the region. Trossachs when we researched this guide. Sounds complex, but basically CALLANDER it means you get a taxi to where you POP 2754 Callander has been pulling in the tourists want to go, for the price of a bus (eg for over 150 years, and has a laid-back ambi- 10 miles for £3.30). Taxis run Monday ence along its main thoroughfare. It’s a far to Saturday and need to be booked better place than Aberfoyle to spend time in advance; call or text %0844-567 in, quickly lulling visitors into lazy potter- 5670 between 7am and 7pm Monday ing. There’s also an excellent array of ac- to Saturday, or book online at www. commodation options here. aberfoylecoaches.com. Trossachs Tryst HOSTEL £ Linley Guest House B&B ££ 192 ( %01877-331200; www.scottish-hostel.co.uk; In- (%01877-330087; www.linleyguesthouse.co. vertrossachs Rd; dm/tw £17.50/45; piW) Set uk; 139 Main St; s/d incl breakfast £36/52) A up to be the perfect hostel for outdoorsy spick-and-span B&B with bright rooms people, this cracking spot is in fresh-aired and helpful owners. The double en suite surroundings a mile from Callander. Facili- is worth the extra: it’s beautifully ap- ties and accommodation are excellent, with pointed with a large window drawing dorms off ering acres of space and their in lots of natural light. Room-only rate own bathrooms, and cycle hire with plenty available. of route advice. Help yourself to a continen- tal breakfast in the morning, and enjoy the 5 Eating & Drinking great feel that pervades this helpful place. Mhor Fish BISTRO, TAKEAWAY ££ To get there, take Bridge St off Main St, o( %01877-330213; www.mhor.net; 75 then turn right onto Invertrossachs Rd and Main St; fi sh supper £5.50, mains £8-12; hlunch continue for a mile. & dinner Tue-Sun) Both chip shop and fi sh restaurant, but wholly diff erent, this endear- Abbotsford Lodge B&B ££ ing black-and-white-tiled cafe displays the ( %01877-330066; www.abbotsfordlodge.com; day’s fresh catch. You can choose how you Stirling Rd; s/d £50/75; pi) This friendly Vic- want it cooked, whether pan-seared and ac- torian house off ers something diff erent to companied by one of many good wines, or the norm, with tartan and fl orals consigned CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL fried and wrapped in paper with chips to to the bonfi re, replaced by stylish comfort- take away. The fi sh and seafood comes from able contemporary design that enhances the sustainable stock, and includes oysters and building’s original features. Ruffl ed fabrics other goodies. If they run out of fresh fi sh, and ceramic vases with fl ower arrangements they shut, so opening hours can be a bit characterise the renovated rooms. The top- variable. fl oor ones share a bathroom (doubles £55), but the off beat under-roof shapes are lovable. Callander Meadows RESTAURANT ££ It’s on the main road on the eastern side of ( %01877-330181; www.callandermeadows.co.uk; town; look for the monkey puzzle tree. 24 Main St; lunch £7.95, mains £11-17; hlunch & STIRLING REGION dinner Thu-Sun) Informal but smart, this well- Arden House B&B ££ loved restaurant in the centre of Callander ( %01877-330235; www.ardenhouse.org.uk; occupies the two front rooms of a house on Bracklinn Rd; s/d £35/70; hApr-Oct; pW) A the main street. There’s a contemporary redoubt of peaceful good taste, this elegant fl air for presentation and unusual fl avour home features faultlessly welcoming hospi- combinations, but a solidly British base un- tality and a woodsy, hillside location close derpins the cuisine, with things like mack- to the centre but far from the crowds. The erel, red cabbage, salmon and duck making commodious rooms have fl atscreen TV regular and welcome appearances. It’s also and plenty of little extras, including a suite open on Mondays from April to September, (£80) with great views. Homebaked banana and Wednesdays too in high summer. bread and a rotating dish-of-the-day keep breakfast well ahead of the competition. Lade Inn PUB £ (www.theladeinn.com; Kilmahog; bar meals £8-11; Callander Meadows B&B ££ h c Callander’s best pub isn’t (%01877-330181; www.callandermeadows.co. lunch & dinner; ) uk; 24 Main St; s £45, d £70-80) Upstairs at in Callander − it’s a mile north of town. It this restaurant are three very appealing does decent, large and popular bar meals, rooms, elegantly kitted-out with dark- doesn’t mind kids, and pulls a good pint varnished furnishings and striped wallpa- (the real ales here are brewed to a house per (one has a four-poster bed). recipe). Next door, the owners run a shop with a dazzling selection of Scottish beers. White Shutters B&B £ There’s low-key live music here at weekends (%01877-330442; 6 South Church St; s/d too, but it shuts early if it’s quiet midweek. £22/39) A cute little house just off the main street, White Sutters offers pleas- 8 Information ing rooms with shared bathroom and a Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National friendly welcome. The mattresses aren’t Park tourist office (%01389-722600; exactly new, but it’s comfortable and of- ww.lochlomond-trossachs.org; 52 Main St; fers great value for this part of the world. h9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-12.30pm Sat) This place is a useful centre for specific BALQUHIDDER & AROUND information on the park. Steeped in clan history, this mountainous 193 Rob Roy & Trossachs tourist office and sparsely populated area is the wild- (%01877-330342; callander@visitscotland. est part of the Trossachs; get off the busy com; Ancaster Sq; h10am-5pm daily Apr-Oct, A84 for some tranquil lochscapes and great 10am-4pm Mon-Sat Nov-Mar; i) This centre walking. North of Callander, you’ll skirt has heaps of info on the area. past the shores of gorgeous Loch Lubnaig. Not as famous as some of its cousins, it’s 8 Getting There & Away still well worth a stop for its sublime views First (www.fi rstgroup.com) operates buses from of forested hills. In the small village of Stirling (45 minutes, hourly Monday to Satur- day), while Kingshouse (www.kingshousetravel. Balquhidder (ball-whidder), 9 miles north co.uk) buses run from Killin (45 minutes, three of Callander off the A84, there’s a church- to six daily Monday to Saturday). There are yard with Rob Roy’s grave. It’s an appro- also Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) buses from priately beautiful spot in a deep, winding Edinburgh to Oban or Fort William via Callander glen in big-sky country. Rob Roy’s wife and (£15.10, 1¾ hours, daily). two of his sons are also interred here. In the Aberfoyle Coaches (www.aberfoylecoaches. church is the 8th-century St Angus’ stone, com) runs between Callander and Aberfoyle (30 probably a marker to the original tomb of St minutes, four times daily Monday to Saturday). Angus, an 8th-century monk who built the See the boxed text on p 191 for other transport fi rst church here. around the region. oMonachyle Mhor (%01877-384622; SCOTLAND CENTRAL STIRLING REGION www.mhor.net; dinner, bed & breakfast s/d from LOCHS KATRINE & ACHRAY £166/220; pWic), 4 miles on, is a luxury This rugged area, 6 miles north of Aberfoyle hideaway with a fantastically peaceful loca- and 10 miles west of Callander, is the heart tion overlooking two lochs. It’s a great fu- of the Trossachs. From April to October two sion of country Scotland and contemporary boats (%01877-332000; www.lochkatrine.com; attitudes to design and food. The rooms 1hr cruise adult/child £10/7) run cruises from and suites are superb and feature quirk- Trossachs Pier at the eastern tip of Loch ily original decor. The restaurant off ers EATING & DRINKING

Katrine. At 10.30am there’s a departure to set lunch (£20 for two courses) and din- EATING & DRINKING THE TROSSACHS Stronachlachar at the other end of the loch ner (£46) menus which are high in quality, before returning (single/return adult £12/14, sustainably sourced, and deliciously inno- child £8/9). From Stronachlachar (also acces- vative. Enchantment lies in its successful sible by car via Aberfoyle), you can reach the combination of top-class hospitality with eastern shore of Loch Lomond at isolated In- a relaxed rural atmosphere; dogs and kids versnaid. A tarmac path links Trossachs Pier happily romp on the lawns, and no-one with Stronachlachar, so you can also take the looks askance if you come in fl ushed and boat out and walk/cycle back (12 miles). At muddy after a day’s fi shing or walking. Trossachs Pier, you can hire good bikes from At the A84 junction, Kings House Hotel Katrinewheelz (www.wheelscyclingcentre.com; (%01877-384646; www.kingshouse-scotland. hire per half-/full day from £10/15; hdaily Apr-Oct). co.uk; s/d £45/70; c) is a classic inn built in It even has electric buggies for the less mobile 1779 for £40 at the request of passing drov- or inclined (£40 for two hours). ers. Nowadays it off ers B&B in more salu- There are two good walks starting from brious surroundings. The upstairs rooms nearby Loch Achray. The path to the rocky are lovely, with fi ne views, and there’s an cone called Ben A’an (460m) begins at a car ancient, narrow, sloping passageway that park near the old Trossachs Hotel. It’s easy reminds visitors they’re treading in the to follow, and the return trip is just under 200-year-old-plus footsteps of many a pass- 4 miles (allow 2½ hours). A tougher walk ing traveller. The cosy bar provides food is up rugged Ben Venue (727m) – there and shelter from the elements. is a path all the way to the summit. Start The minor road at the A84 junction walking from Loch Achray Hotel, follow the continues along pretty Loch Voil to Inver- Achray Water westwards to Loch Katrine, lochlarig, where you can climb Stob Bin- then turn left and ascend the steep fl anks nein (1165m) by its southern ridge. Stob of Ben Venue. There are great views of the Binnein is one of the highest mountains in Highlands and the Lowlands from the top. the area, and it has a most unusual shape, The return trip is about 5.5 miles – allow like a cone with its top chopped off . around four to fi ve hours. 194 ROB ROY

Nicknamed ‘Red’ (‘ruadh’ in Gaelic, anglicised to ‘roy’) for his ginger locks, Robert MacGregor (1671−1734) was the wild leader of the wildest of Scotland’s clans. Al- though they had rights to the lands the clan occupied, these estates stood between powerful neighbours who had the MacGregors outlawed, hence their sobriquet ‘Children of the Mist’. Incognito, Rob became a prosperous livestock trader, before a dodgy deal led to a warrant for his arrest. A legendary swordsman, the fugitive from justice then became notorious for his daring raids into the Lowlands to carry off cattle and sheep. He was forever hiding from potential captors; he was twice imprisoned, but escaped dramatically on both occasions. He fi nally turned himself in, and received his liberty and a pardon from the King. He lies buried in the churchyard at Balquhidder (p 193); his uncompromising epitaph reads ‘MacGregor despite them’. His life has been glorifi ed over the years due to Walter Scott’s novel and the 1995 fi lm. Many Scots see his life as a symbol of the struggle of the common folk against the inequitable ownership of vast tracts of the country by landed aristocrats.

CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL Local buses between Callander and Kil- forest south of town, emerging above the lin stop at the Kings House Hotel, as do tree line to great views of Loch Tay and Ben daily Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) buses be- Lawers. The tourist offi ce has walking leaf- tween Edinburgh and Oban/Fort William. lets and maps covering the area. Glen Lochay runs westwards from Killin KILLIN into the hills of Mamlorn. You can take a POP 666 mountain bike for about 11 miles up the A fi ne base for the Trossachs or Perthshire, glen to just beyond Batavaime. The scenery this lovely village sits at the western end of is impressive and the hills aren’t too diffi - Loch Tay (see also p215 ) and has a spread-

STIRLING REGION cult to climb. It’s possible, on a nice summer out, relaxed sort of a feel, particularly day, to climb over the top of Ben Challum around the scenic Falls of Dochart which (1025m) and descend to Crianlarich, but it’s tumble through the centre. On a sunny day hard work. A potholed road also connects people sprawl over the rocks by the bridge, this glen with Glen Lyon (p215 ). pint or picnic in hand. Killin off ers some Killin is on the Lochs & Glens Cycle Way fi ne walking around the town, and mighty from Glasgow to Inverness. Hire bikes at mountains and glens close at hand. Killin Outdoor Centre (%01567-820652; The helpful, informative tourist office www.killinoutdoor.co.uk; Main St; hdaily). It also (%01567-820254; [email protected]) hires out canoes and kayaks. is in the Breadalbane Folklore Centre (www.breadalbanefolklorecentre.com; adult/ 4 Sleeping & Eating child £2.95/1.95; h10am-4pm Wed-Mon Apr- There are numerous good guesthouses Oct), in an old water mill overlooking the strung along the road through town, and falls. There is an audiovisual presentation a couple of supermarkets for trail supplies. about St Fillan, a local saint whose religious teachings are said to have helped unite the Falls of Dochart Inn PUB ££ % ancient kingdoms of the Scots and the Picts ( 01567-820270; www.falls-of-dochart-inn.co.uk; pW In a prime position in the 8th century. There are displays about s/d from £60/80; ) overlooking the falls, this is an excellent local and clan history, including the Mac- place to stay and eat. Handsome renovated Gregors and MacNabs. The Clan MacNab rooms are comfortable, with slate bath- burial ground lies on an island in the river rooms; it’s worth the investment for one by the falls; ask at the tourist offi ce for the overlooking the falls themselves (double gate key. £95), but readers warn they can be chilly 2 Activities in winter. Downstairs is a very snug, atmo- Five miles northeast of Killin, Ben Lawers spheric space with a roaring fi re, personable (see the boxed text, p216 ) rises above Loch service and really satisfying pub food, ran- Tay. Other routes abound; one rewarding ging from light meals to tasty, tender steaks circular walk heads up into the Acharn and a couple of more advanced creations. High Creagan CAMPSITE £ Activities 2 195 ( %01567-820449; Aberfeldy Rd; sites per person The Fife Coastal Path (www.fi fecoastalpath. £6; hMar-Oct) This place has a well-kept, co.uk) runs more than 80 miles following sheltered campsite with plenty of grass set the entire Fife coastline from the Forth high on the slopes overlooking sparkling Road Bridge to the Tay Bridge and beyond. Loch Tay, just outside Killin. Kids under It’s well waymarked, picturesque and not fi ve aren’t allowed in the tent area as there’s too rigorous, though winds can buff et. It’s a stream running through it. easily accessed for shorter sections or day Braveheart Backpackers HOSTEL £ walks, and long stretches of it can be tack- ( %07796-886899; [email protected]; led on a mountain bike too. dm/s/d £17.50/20/40) Tucked away alongside the Killin Hotel (on the main road through 8 Getting Around town), these two adjoining cottages off er The main bus operator here is Stagecoach Fife several types of room, all wood-clad with (%0871-2002233; www.stagecoachbus.com). comfortable beds and bunks including For £6.80 you can buy a Fife Dayrider ticket, sheets. The comfy kitchen and lounge area which gives unlimited travel around Fife on won’t appeal to hygiene nuts, but make the Stagecoach buses. place feel like a home rather than a hostel. If you are driving from the Forth Road Bridge There’s a rather negotiable attitude to pri- to St Andrews, a slower but much more scenic ces and bookings: in short, it’s not for every- route than the M90/A91 is along the signposted Fife Coastal Tourist Route. SCOTLAND CENTRAL FIFE one, but we like it.

8 Getting There & Away ACTIVITIES Two daily Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) buses Culross between Edinburgh and Oban/Fort William stop POP 500 here. There’s also a postbus (www.royalmail. An enchanting little town, Culross (koo- com) to Crianlarich and Tyndrum twice on week- ross) is Scotland’s best-preserved example days and once on Saturday. Kingshouse Travel of a 17th-century Scottish burgh: the Na- (www.kingshousetravel.co.uk) runs buses to tional Trust for Scotland owns 20 of the

Callander, where you can change to a Stirling town’s buildings, including the palace. ACTIVITIESCULROSS service. Small, red-tiled, whitewashed buildings line the cobbled streets, and the winding Back Causeway to the abbey is embellished FIFE with whimsical stone cottages. As birthplace of St Mungo, Glasgow’s Protruding like a serpent’s head from Scot- patron saint, Culross was an important land’s east coast, Fife (www.visitfi fe.com) is religious centre from the 6th century. a tongue of land between the Firths of Forth The burgh developed, under laird George and Tay. A royal history an atmosphere dis- Bruce, by mining coal through extraordi- tinct from the rest of Scotland leads it to nary underwater tunnels. Vigorous trade style itself as ‘The Kingdom of Fife’. resulted, enabling Bruce to build and com- Though overdeveloped southern Fife is plete the palace by 1611. When mining was commuter-belt territory, the eastern re- ended by fl ooding of the tunnels, the town gion’s rolling green farmland and quaint switched to making linen and shoes. fi shing villages are prime turf for explo- Culross Palace (NTS; www.nts.org.uk; adult/ ration and crab-crunching, and the fresh child £8/5; hnoon-5pm Thu-Mon Apr-May & Sep, sea air feels like it’s doing a power of good. noon-5pm daily Jun-Aug, noon-4pm Thu-Mon Oct) Elsewhere in the county, little Falkland is more a large house than a palace, and makes a great stop, and dignifi ed Cul- features extraordinary decorative painted ross is a superbly preserved 17th-century woodwork, barrel-vaulted ceilings and an burgh. interior largely unchanged since the early Fife’s biggest attraction, St Andrews, has 17th century. It’s dark and spooky inside on Scotland’s most venerable university and an overcast day. The Town House (tourist a wealth of historic buildings. It’s also, of offi ce downstairs) and the Study, also com- course, the headquarters of golf and draws pleted in the early 17th century, are open professionals and keen slashers alike to to the public (via guided tour included in take on the Old Course − the classic links palace admission), but the other NTS prop- experience. erties can only be viewed from the outside. Ruined Culross Abbey (HS; www.historic 15th century. History buff s could get lost for 196 -scotland.gov.uk; admission free; h9.30am-7pm hours among the absorbing displays about Mon-Sat & 2-7pm Sun Apr-Sep, 9.30am-4pm the history of Scotland, the abbey and Dun- Mon-Sat & 2-4pm Sun Oct-Mar), founded by the fermline. Entry includes a guided tour. Cistercians in 1217, is on the hill in a lovely Dunfermline is a culinary desert, but the peaceful spot with vistas of the fi rth. The good folk at Fresh (2 Kirkgate; light meals £4- choir of the abbey church is now the parish 7; hbreakfast & lunch daily, dinner Sat & Sun; i), church. just up from the abbey, do decent sandwich- Above a pottery workshop near the pal- es and coff ee, as well as tasty daily specials ace, Biscuit Café (www.culrosspottery.com; light based on deli produce. There’s also wine, in- meals £4-7; hbreakfast & lunch) has a tranquil ternet access, a gallery and book exchange. little garden and sells coff ee, tempting organ- There are frequent buses between Dun- ic cakes and scones, and tasty light meals. fermline and Edinburgh (40 minutes), Culross is 12 miles west of the Forth Stirling (1¼ hours) and St Andrews (1¼ Road Bridge. Stagecoach (www.stagecoach hours), and trains to/from Edinburgh (30 bus.com) bus 78 runs to Culross from Dun- minutes). fermline (25 minutes, hourly). A b e r d o u r Dunfermline POP 1690 CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL POP 39,229 It’s worth stopping in this popular seaside Historic, monastic Dunfermline is Fife’s town to ramble around impressive Aber- largest population centre, sprawling east- dour Castle (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov. wards through once-distinct villages. Its uk; adult/child £4.20/2.50; h9.30am-5.30pm noble history is centred on evocative Dun- daily Apr-Sep, 9.30am-4.30pm Sat-Wed Oct-Mar). fermline Abbey (HS; www.historic-scotland. Long a residence of the Douglases of Mor- gov.uk; St Margaret St; adult/child £3.70/2.20; ton, the stately structure exhibits several h9.30am-5.30pm daily Apr-Sep, 9.30am-4.30pm architectural phases; it’s worth purchas- Mon-Wed & Sat, 9.30am-12.30pm Thu & 2-4.30pm ing the guidebook to better comprehend FIFE Sun Oct-Mar), founded by David I in the 12th what you see. Most charming of all is the century as a Benedictine monastery. Dun- elaborate doocot (dovecote) at the bottom of fermline was already favoured by religious the garden. Be sure to pop into the beauti- royals; Malcolm III married the exiled ful Romanesque church of St Fillan’s, next Saxon princess Margaret here in the 11th door to the castle. century, and both chose to be interred here. With real ales and good vegetarian choic- There were many more royal burials, none es on the menu, the family-run Aberdour more notable than Robert the Bruce, whose Hotel (%01383-860325; www.aberdourhotel. remains were discovered here in 1818. co.uk; 38 High St; s/d £60/85; pW) is not only What’s left of the abbey are the ruins a good place to stay, but also a tummy- of the impressive three-tiered refectory warming meal stop (mains are £8 to £11), building, and the atmosphere-laden nave and there’s an emphasis on hearty, home- of the church, endowed with geometrically cooked food. patterned columns and fi ne Romanesque There are regular trains to Edinburgh and Gothic windows. It adjoins the 19th- (40 minutes) and Dundee (one hour) from century church (hMay-Sep) where Robert Aberdour, as well as buses to nearby Dun- the Bruce now lies under the ornate pulpit. fermline (40 minutes). Next to the refectory (and included in your abbey admission price) is Dunferm- line Palace. Once the abbey guest house, it Kirkcaldy was converted for James VI, whose son, the POP 46,912 ill-fated Charles I, was born here in 1600. Kirkcaldy (ker-caw-dee) sprawls along the Below stretches the bosky, strollable Pit- edge of the sea for several miles and has a tencrieff Park. rather shabby promenade with spectacular The award-winning Abbot House Herit- pounding surf on windy days. It’s worth age Centre (www.abbothouse.co.uk; Maygate; stopping in town to visit the excellent mu- adult/child £4/free; h10am-5pm Mar-Nov, 10am- seum. Kirkcaldy is famous as the birthplace 4pm Dec-Feb), near the abbey, dates from the of 18th-century Enlightenment philosopher and economist Adam Smith, the man who features on the English £20 note. 197 A short walk east from the train and bus DEEP SEA WORLD stations, you’ll fi nd the Kirkcaldy Museum If the kids are tiring of historic build- & Art Gallery (War Memorial Gardens; admis- ings, a trip to Deep Sea World (www sion free; h10.30am-5pm Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun), .deepseaworld.com; North Queensferry; which combines historical accounts with adult/child/family £12/8.50/38.50; contemporary exhibits. The kids will have a h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat ball as there are plenty of hands-on attrac- & Sun) might make them feel more tions. There’s also an impressive collection kindly towards Fife. Situated at of Scottish paintings from the 18th to the North Queensferry, just by the Forth 20th century, including work from the Scot- bridges, it’s a blockbuster aquarium tish Colourists and the Glasgow Boys. with all those ‘respect’ species like You’re better off staying in Edinburgh, sharks and piranhas, as well as seals East Neuk or St Andrews than Kirkcaldy, and touch pools with rays and other but you’ll be comfortable at Ashgrove B&B sea creatures. You can even arrange (%01592-561354; www.ashgrovebnb.co.uk; 213 guided dives with sharks. It’s a little Nicol St; s/tw/f £40/60/80; pW). The bus- cheaper if you pre-purchase tickets tling, likeable Scot who runs this joint is as online. quirky as the rabbit-warren layout inside. Rooms are smallish but well set up, and ex- SCOTLAND CENTRAL FIFE ude a comforting homely warmth. Book in still exists: the oldest royal tennis court in advance over summer. Britain, built in 1539 for James V. It’s in the ACTIVITIES The tourist office (%01592-267775; www. grounds and still in use. visitfi fe.com; 339 High St; h9.30am-5pm Mon- oLuigino’s (Covenanter Hotel; %01337- Sat Apr-Sep, 10am-4pm Mon-Sat Oct-Mar) is at 857224; www.luiginos.co.uk; s/d/f £56/80/89; the eastern end of the waterfront strip. W), oppsite the church, is an old coaching Frequent buses run to St Andrews (one inn that’s a joyful marriage of wonderful hour), Anstruther (1¼ hours) and Edin- traditional architecture and exuberant Ital- burgh (one hour). Two to four trains an ian gastronomy. Rooms have been made ACTIVITIESFALKLAND hour run to Edinburgh (£6.30, 45 minutes) over with smart black slate and wallpaper, and Dundee (£10.60, 40 minutes). and the quality restaurant, Luigino’s (mains £9-13, hlunch and dinner), serves authentic and tasty saltimbocca (Italian veal-and-ham Falkland dish), pasta that you can watch being made POP 1183 fresh, and wood-fi red pizza. The enthusiasm Below the soft ridges of the Lomond Hills and cheeriness of the owners and staff is a in the centre of Fife is the charming vil- high point. lage of Falkland. Rising majestically out of Falkland is 11 miles north of Kirkcaldy. the town centre and dominating the sky- Bus 36 travels between Glenrothes and line is the outstanding 16th-century Falk- Auchtermuchty via Falkland. From either land Palace (NTS; www.nts.org.uk; adult/child of those two places there are regular con- £10.20/7.10; h11am-5pm Mon-Sat, 1-5pm Sun nections to St Andrews and other Fife des- Mar-Oct), a country residence of the Stuart tinations. Buses continue on to Perth (one monarchs. Mary, Queen of Scots is said to hour) more or less hourly. have spent the happiest days of her life ‘playing the country girl in the woods and parks’ at Falkland. 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To Old Course Hotel (450m); Leuchars Train Station (5mi); Dundee (13mi) ‚ To New Hall (250m) ‚ 1 2 St Andrews 3 4 66666666666 66666666666 66666666666 66666666666 66 66666666666 66 66666666666 66 ruins, stately university buildings, idyllic 1 Sights white sands and excellent accommodation St Andrews Cathedral CATHEDRAL RUINS 199 and eating options. (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk; The Pends; The Old Course, the world’s most famous, adult/child £4.20/2.50, incl castle £7.20/4.30; has a striking seaside location at the west- h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep, to 4.30pm Oct-Mar) ern end of town. Although it’s diffi cult to The ruins of this cathedral are all that’s left get a game (see the boxed text, p201 ), it’s of one of Britain’s most magnifi cent medi- still a thrilling experience to stroll the hal- eval buildings. You can appreciate the scale lowed turf. Between the students and golf- and majesty of the edifi ce from the small ers, St Andrews can feel like the least Scot- sections that remain standing. Although tish of places as, although technically a city, founded in 1160, it was not consecrated un- it’s not very large. til 1318, but stood as the focus of this important pilgrimage centre until 1559 when History it was pillaged during the Reformation. St Andrews is said to have been founded St Andrew’s supposed bones lie under by St Regulus, who arrived from Greece in the altar; until the cathedral was built, they the 4th century bringing the bones of St had been enshrined in the nearby Church Andrew, Scotland’s patron saint. The town of St Regulus (Rule). All that remains of this soon grew into a major pilgrimage centre church is St Rule’s Tower, worth the climb and St Andrews developed into the ecclesi- for the view across St Andrews. The tourist astical capital of the country. The universi- offi ce includes a museum with a collection SCOTLAND CENTRAL FIFE ty was founded in 1410, the fi rst in Scotland. of Celtic crosses and gravestones found on

Golf has been played here for more than the site. The entrance fee only applies for SIGHTS 600 years; the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, the tower and museum; you can wander the game’s governing body, was founded in freely around the atmospheric ruins. 1754 and the imposing clubhouse was built a hundred years later. The British Open St Andrews Castle CASTLE Championship takes place here every few (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk; The Scores; years in July. adult/child £5.20/3.10, with cathedral £7.20/4.30; SIGHTS ST ANDREWS St Andrews æ Top Sights 16 Old Fishergate House ...... F3 Old Course...... B1 17 St Andrews Tourist Hostel ...... C3 St Andrews Castle ...... F2 St Andrews Cathedral ...... F3 ú Eating 18 Andrew Keracher ...... E3 æ Sights 19 B Jannetta...... E3 1 British Golf Museum...... B1 20 Balaka ...... B3 2 Royal & Ancient Golf Club...... B1 Byre Theatre Bistro...... (see 31) 3 St Andrews Aquarium...... C1 21 Doll's House...... D3 4 St Andrews Cathedral Grill House ...... (see 17) Tourist Office & 22 IJ Mellis ...... C4 Museum...... F3 23 Seafood Restaurant...... C1 5 St Andrews Museum...... A3 24 Tailend ...... C3 6 St Rule's Tower...... G3 25 Vine Leaf ...... D4 26 Zest ...... D4 ÿ Sleeping 27 Zizzi ...... E3 7 Aslar House...... D3 8 Burness House ...... C2 û Drinking 9 Cameron House...... C2 28 Central Bar...... D3 10 Five Pilmour Place...... B2 29 Victoria...... C3 11 Hazelbank Hotel ...... C2 30 West Port...... B4 12 Ogstons on North Street...... C2 13 Lorimer House...... C2 ý Entertainment 14 McIntosh Hall...... B2 31 Byre Theatre...... E4 15 Meade B&B ...... C2 32 New Picture House ...... D2 h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep, to 4.30pm Oct-Mar) 2 Activities 200 Not far from the cathedral and with dra- Apart from the obvious one – golf (see the matic coastline views, the castle is mainly boxed text, p201) – the tourist offi ce has a in ruins, but the site itself is evocative. It list of local walks and also sells OS maps. was founded around 1200 as the bishop’s The Fife Coastal Path (www.fi fecoastalpath. fortifi ed home. After the execution of Prot- co.uk) stretches 78 miles from the Forth Road estant reformers in 1545, other reformers Bridge to beyond the Tay Bridge (Dundee), retaliated by murdering Cardinal Beaton a wonderful long-distance walk. The section and taking over the castle. They spent al- between St Andrews and East Neuk is fun most a year holed up, during which they either on foot or on a mountain bike. Parts of and their attackers dug a complex of siege the track can be covered by the tide, so check tunnels, said to be the best surviving ex- tide times before you go. The tourist offi ce ample of castle-siege engineering in Eu- has a detailed map. rope; you can walk (or stoop) along their All the East Neuk (p204 ) attractions are damp mossy lengths. A tourist offi ce gives within easy cycling distance. You can also a good audiovisual introduction and has a cycle north to the forest, beach and nature small collection of Pictish stones. trail at Tentsmuirs Sands (10 miles).

The Scores SIGNIFICANT AREA Tours From the castle, the Scores follows the coast T There is a Witches Tour (%01334-655057;

CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL west down to the fi rst tee at the Old Course. adult/child £7/5; h7.30pm Thu & Fri) that re- Family-friendly St Andrews Aquarium (www. counts the history and folklore of St An- standrewsaquarium.co.uk; adult/child £6.50/4.60; drews in an unusual fashion, with tales of h10am-6pm Mar-Oct, 10am-4.30pm Nov-Feb, last ghosts and witches enlivened by theatrical entry 1hr before closing) has a seal pool, rays stunts. It starts outside Greyfriars Hotel on and sharks from Scottish waters and exotic North St. tropical favourites. Once introduced to our fi nny friends, you can snack on them with Festivals & Events chips in the cafe. z Open Championship GOLF Nearby, the British Golf Museum (www. FIFE (www.opengolf.com) One of international britishgolfmuseum.co.uk; Bruce Embankment; golf’s four ‘majors’, takes place in July. adult/child £6/3; h9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat & 10am- However, the tournament venue changes 5pm Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm daily Nov-Mar) has from year to year, and the Open only an extraordinarily comprehensive overview comes to St Andrews itself every five of the history and development of the game years – check the website for future venues. and the role of St Andrews in it. Favourite fact: bad players were formerly known as St Andrews Highland Games ‘foozlers’. Interactive panels allow you to TRADTIONAL SPORTS Held on the North relive former British Opens (watch Paul (www.albagames.co.uk) Haugh on the last Sunday in July. Azinger snapping his putter in frustration), and there’s a large collection of memorabilia St Andrews Festival ARTS, CULTURE from Open winners both male and female. (www.standrewsfestival.co.uk) Five days of Opposite the museum is the Royal & An- festivities leading up to St Andrews Day cient Golf Club, which stands proudly at (30 November), the feast day of Scot- the head of the Old Course, which you can land’s patron saint. Celebrations include stroll on once play is fi nished for the day, a festival of Scottish food and drink, and and all day on Sundays. Beside it stretches various arts events. magnifi cent West Sands beach, made famous by the fi lm Chariots of Fire. 4 Sleeping St Andrews accommodation is often heav- FSt Andrews Museum MUSEUM ily booked (especially in summer), so you’re (www. fi fedirect.org.uk/museums; Dou- well advised to book in advance. Almost bledykes Rd; h10am-5pm Apr-Sep, 10.30am-4pm every house on Murray Park and Murray Pl Oct-Mar) Near the bus station, St Andrews is a guesthouse: this area couldn’t be more Museum has interesting displays that chart convenient, but prices are on the high side. the history of the town from its founding by St Regulus to its growth as an ecclesias- Abbey Cottage B&B ££ tical, academic and sporting centre. Local o( %01334-473727; www.abbeycottage.co. preservation work is a focal point. uk; Abbey Walk; s £40, d £59-64; p) You know PLAYING THE OLD COURSE 201

Golf has been played at St Andrews since the 15th century. By 1457 was so popular that James II placed a ban on it because it interfered with his troops’ archery practice. Al- though it lies beside the exclusive, all-male (female bartenders, unsurprisingly, allowed) Royal & Ancient Golf Club, the Old Course is public. You’ll need to book in advance to play via St Andrews Links Trust (%01334-466666; www.standrews.org.uk). You must reserve on or after the fi rst Wednesday in September the year before you wish to play. No bookings are taken for Saturdays or the month of September. Unless you’ve booked months in advance, getting a tee-off time is literally a lot- tery; enter the ballot at the caddie office (%01334-466666) before 2pm on the day before you wish to play (there’s no Sunday play). Be warned that applications by ballot are normally heavily oversubscribed, and green fees are £130 in summer. Singles are not accepted in the ballot and should start queuing as early as possible – 5.30am is good – in the hope of joining a group. You’ll need a handicap certifi cate (24/36 for men/women). If your number doesn’t come up, there are six other public courses in the area, including the prestigious, recently opened Castle Course (£120). Other summer green fees: New £65, Jubilee £65, Eden £40, Strathtyrum £25 and Balgove

(nine-holer for beginners and kids) £12. There are various multiple-day tickets avail- SCOTLAND CENTRAL FIFE able. If you play on a windy day expect those scores to balloon: Nick Faldo famously

stated, ‘When it blows here, even the seagulls walk.’ SLEEPING Guided walks (£2.50) of the Old Course run at weekends in June and daily in July and August, and hit famous landmarks such as the Swilcan Bridge and the Road Hole bunker. They run from outside the shop roughly hourly from 11am to 4pm and last 50 minutes. On Sundays, a three-hour walk (£5) takes you around the whole course.

you’ve strayed from B&B mainstream when as well as modern conveniences such as SLEEPING ST ANDREWS your charming host’s hobby is photograph- fl atscreen TV and DVD player. The king- ing tigers in the wild – don’t leave without size beds are especially comfortable, and browsing her albums. This engaging spot the lounge area is a stylish treat. sits below the town, surrounded by stone Meade B&B B&B ££ walls which enclose a rambling garden; it ( %01334-477350; [email protected]; feels like you are staying in the country. 5 Albany Pl; s with/without bathroom £55/30, d There are three excellent rooms, all diff er- £60/40; c) It’s always sweet relief to fi nd ent, with patchwork quilts, sheepskins, and a B&B unconcerned with VisitScotland’s antique furniture. fussy regulations. This economical gem Hazelbank Hotel HOTEL £££ is run by a friendly family and their pets, ( %01334-472466; www.hazelbank.com; 28 The including a portly marmalade cat and af- Scores; s/d £90/151; iW) Off ering a genuine fectionate black lab. The two comfortable welcome, the family-run Hazelbank is the rooms are colour-coded and have readable most likeable of the hotels along the Scores. novels, photo albums and fi lms on DVD. The front rooms have marvellous views The B&B might have moved to a new lo- along the beach and out to sea; those at the cation by the time you read this, but the back are somewhat cheaper and more spa- phone number will be the same. cious. Prices drop signifi cantly outside the Old Fishergate House B&B ££ height of summer. There are good portents ( %01334-470874; www.oldfi shergatehouse.co.uk; if you are playing a round – Bobby Locke North Castle St; s/d £75/100; W) This historic won the Open in 1957 while staying here. 17th-century town house, furnished with Five Pilmour Place B&B ££ period pieces, is in a great location – the old- ( %01334-478665; www.5pilmourplace.com; 5 est part of town, close to the cathedral and Pilmour Pl; s £75, d £105-130; iW) Just around castle. The two twin rooms are very spa- the corner from the Old Course, this luxu- cious and even have their own sitting room rious and intimate spot off ers stylish, com- and cushioned ledges on their window sills. pact rooms with an eclectic range of styles On a scale of one to 10 for quaintness, we’d rate it about a 9½. Cracking breakfasts fea- this hotel is right alongside the famous 202 ture fresh fi sh and pancakes. 17th and has huge rooms, excellent service and a raft of facilities. Fork out the St Andrews Tourist Hostel HOSTEL £ extra £50 or so for a view over the Old ( %01334-479911; www.standrewshostel.com; St Course. Marys Pl; dm £13-14; W) Laid-back and central, this hostel down the side of the Grill Aslar House B&B ££ House restaurant is a little bit hard to spot. (%01334-473460; www.aslar.com; 120 North Occupying a stately old building, it has St; s/d £48/96; W) Mod-cons in the rooms high corniced ceilings, especially in the at this upmarket pad include iPod docks, huge lounge, and a laissez-faire approach. DVD players and silent fridges, but they The dorms could use new mattresses, but don’t detract from the house’s historical are clean and bright. There’s a supermarket features, including a whimsical turret close by. room. University of St Andrews Cairnsmill Caravan Park CAMPSITE £ S (%01334-473604; [email protected]; Largo UNIVERSITY ACCOMODATION ££ (www.discoverstandrews.com; hmid-Jun–mid- Rd; sites for 2 people £15-16; hApr-Oct; ps) Sep; piW) When the university is out of About a mile west of St Andrews on the session, three student residences open up as A915, this camping ground has brilliant visitor accommodation. There’s the hotel- views over the town. There’s not much CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL style New Hall (%01334-467000; North Haugh; space between sites, though – they pack s/d £56/83); self-catering rooms at David ’em in. Russell Hall (%01334-467100; Buchanan Lorimer House B&B ££ Gdns; apt for 3/7 days £290/560); and budget (%01334-476599; www.lorimerhouse.com; 19 single rooms in the central McIntosh Hall Murray Park; d £90-110; W) Smallish, spark- (%01334-467035; Abbotsford Cres; s/d £34/60). lingly clean rooms with extra-comfy These prices are all good value for the stan- beds and a fab deluxe double on the top dard of accommodation on off er. floor.

Cameron House B&B ££ Burness House B&B ££ FIFE ( %01334-472306; www.cameronhouse-sta.co. (%01334-474314; www.burnesshouse.com; uk; 11 Murray Park; s/d £45/90; W) Beautifully 1 Murray Park; d per person £36-46; hMar- decorated rooms and warm, cheerful hosts Nov; W) Rich, Asian-inspired fabrics, golf make this a real home-away-from-home on pictures and shiny new bathrooms. this guesthouse-fi lled street. The two single rooms share a bathroom. Prices drop £10 5 Eating per person outside peak season. St Andrews has a great range of eating options. Places compete heavily on price for Ogstons on North Street HOTEL £££ the student custom, so there are good deals ( %01334-473387; www.ogstonsonnorthst.com; to be had everywhere. Two great options 127 North St; s/d £100-120, d £120-160; Wc) If for self-catering or picnic fare are the fi ne you want to eat, drink and sleep in the same fi shmonger Andrew Keracher (www.kerach stylish place then this classy inn could be er.co.uk; 73 South St), and IJ Mellis (www.mel for you. Smartened-up rooms feature ele- lischeese.co.uk; 149 South St), with a wealth gant contemporary styling and coolly beau- of cheeses you can smell halfway down the tiful bathrooms, some with jacuzzi. There street. are also DVD players, iPod docks, crisp white linen and large windows that give the Peat Inn RESTAURANT £££ rooms an airy feel. The Oak Rooms (serving o( %01334-840206; www.thepeatinn.co.uk; lunch and dinner) is the place for meals and 3-course lunch/dinner £16/32; hlunch & din- a read of the paper. The bar is perfect for a ner Tue-Sat) The Peat Inn is one of the snug tipple, and the Lizard Lounge in the best restaurants in Scotland, housed in a basement is a late-night bar that cranks up rustic country inn about 6 miles west of with live gigs and regular DJs. St Andrews. Its award-winning French- Old Course Hotel HOTEL £££ infl uenced menu is culinary heaven. To (%01334-474371; www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk; get there, head west on the A915 then turn d with/without view £410/360, ste £680; right on the B940. piWs) A byword for golfing luxury, Vine Leaf RESTAURANT ££ Tailend BISTRO £ ( %01334-477497; www.vineleafstandrews.co.uk; (130 Market St; mains £6-10; hbreakfast, lunch & 203 131 South St; 2-course dinner £23.50; hdinner dinner) Delicious fresh fi sh sourced from Ar- Tue-Sat) Classy, comfortable, and well- broath just up the coast put this new St An- established, the friendly Vine Leaf off ers a drews arrival a class above most chippies. changing menu of sumptuous Scottish sea- The array of exquisite smoked delicacies at food, game and vegetarian dishes. It’s down the counter will have you planning a picnic a close off South St. or fi ghting for a table out the back.

Seafood Restaurant RESTAURANT £££ B Jannetta ICE CREAM £ S( %01334-479475; www.theseafoodrestaur (www.jannettas.co.uk; 31 South St; 2-dip cone ant.com; The Scores; lunch/dinner £22/45; £2.40; hbreakfast & lunch Mon-Sat) B Jannetta hlunch & dinner) The Seafood Restaurant is a St Andrews institution, oﬀ ering 52 va- occupies a stylish glass-walled room, built rieties of ice-cream from the weird (Irn-Bru out over the sea, with plush navy carpet, sorbet) to the decadent (strawberries-and- crisp white linen, an open kitchen and pan- champagne). There’s also a decent cafe next oramic views of St Andrews Bay. It oﬀ ers door. top seafood and an excellent wine list, and Balaka BANGLADESHI ££ has won a clutch of awards. Look out for its S(www.balaka.com; 3 Alexandra Pl; mains £10- special winter deal – three-course lunch for 12; hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat, dinner Sun) Long- £15, or dinner for £20. established Bangladeshi restaurant with SCOTLAND CENTRAL FIFE Doll’s House RESTAURANT ££ both standard choices and more inspiring

( %01334-477422; www.dolls-house.co.uk; 3 discoveries − all delicious and seasoned DRINKING Church Sq; mains £10-15; hlunch & dinner) with herbs the owners grow themselves. With its high-backed chairs, bright colours The £6.95 lunch deal is a bargain. and creaky wooden fl oor, the Doll’s House Grill House BISTRO £ blends a Victorian child’s bedroom with (www.grillhouserestaurant.co.uk; St Mary’s Pl; modern stylings. The result is a surpris- mains £6-15; hlunch & dinner) This cheerful, ing warmth and no pretensions. The menu sometimes boisterous restaurant off ers makes the most of local fi sh and other Scot- DRINKINGST ANDREWS something for every taste and bank bal- tish produce, and the two-course lunch ance, with a big selection ranging from for £6.95 is unbeatable value. The early- Mexican, pizza and pasta to char-grilled evening two-course deal for £12.95 isn’t salmon and quality steaks. The upbeat at- bad either. mosphere and service are pluses, as is the Zest CAFE £ £5 lunchtime deal. (www.zestjuicing.co.uk; 95 South St; juices £2-4; Zizzi BISTRO £ hbreakfast & lunch) Serving toasties, paninis (www.zizzi.co.uk; 87 South St; pasta £7-10; hlunch and fi lled rolls along with a good coff ee se- & dinner) Beloved of local students, this Ital- lection, this slick place is popular with stu- ian eatery has atmosphere without the dents. French doors opening onto the street tack. Rather than Mona Lisas, moribund make it a great spot for people-watching love songs and phallic pepper grinders, it’s on a breezy summer day. The juices and got contemporary decor, an open kitchen, a smoothies here are great, and priced very chatty buzz and fast service. The food won’t fairly. wow but it will satisfy. Byre Theatre Bistro BISTRO ££ (www.byretheatre.com; Abbey St; mains £9-15; 6 Drinking hbreakfast, lunch & dinner Tue-Sat; Wc) A hap- Central Bar PUB py, buzzy spot with comfy couches, works of (77 Market St) Rather staid compared to art on the wall and a well-developed menu some of the wilder student-driven drinking that encompasses some delicious fusion options, this likeable pub keeps it real with cooking. Lunchtime sandwiches come with traditional features, an island bar, lots of interesting fi llings, such as hummus and Scottish beers, decent service and fi lling (if red pepper. Dinner gets more sophisticated, uninspiring) pub grub. featuring dishes such as seared tuna steak West Port PUB on sultana-and-nutmeg couscous with (www.maclay.com; 170 South St; W) Just by the smoked-tomato dressing. gateway of the same name, this sleek, mod- ernised pub has several levels, and a great riage for great fi rth views) to Leuchars, 5 miles 204 beer garden out the back. Cheap cocktails to the northwest (£11.20, one hour, hourly). rock the uni crowd, mixed drinks are above From here, buses leave regularly for St Andrews. average, and there’s some OK bar food. 8 Getting Around Victoria PUB (1 St Mary’s Pl) Upstairs at the Victoria is pop- To order a cab, call Golf City Taxis (%01334- ular with all types of students and serves 477788). A taxi between Leuchars train station and the town centre costs around £10. good bar meals. There’s a grungy cafe-bar here with plenty of natural light or a class- Spokes (%01334-477835; www.spokes cycles.com; 37 South St; hire per half-/full day ier lounge bar where you can sink into a £8.50/13; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat) hires out sofa. Check out the jazz on Sunday nights. mountain bikes. 3 Entertainment There’s always something on in the pubs East Neuk around town during term-time. This charming stretch of coast runs south Byre Theatre THEATRE from St Andrews to the point at Fife Ness, (%01334-475000; www.byretheatre.com; Abbey then west to Leven. Neuk is an old Scots St) This theatre company started life in a word for corner, and it’s certainly an ap- converted cow byre in the 1930s, and now pealing nook of the country to investigate,

CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL occupies a flashy premises making clever with picturesque fi shing villages, some use of light and space. great restaurants and pretty coastal walks; New Picture House CINEMA the Fife Coastal Path’s most scenic stretches (www.nphcinema.co.uk; North St) Two-screen are in this area. It’s easily visited from St cinema showing current films. Andrews, but also makes a very pleasant place to stay. 8 Information J&G Innes (107 South St) Plenty of local- CRAIL interest books, such as Fife’s history of burning POP 1695 FIFE witches. Pretty and peaceful, little Crail has a much- photographed stone-sheltered harbour Library (Church Sq; h9.30am-5pm Mon, Fri & surrounded by wee cottages with red-tiled Sat, to 7pm Tue-Thu; i) Free internet access – drop-in only; no bookings. roofs. You can buy lobster and crab from a kiosk (hlunch Sat & Sun) there. The benches St Andrews Memorial Hospital (%01334- in the nearby grassed area are perfectly 472327; Abbey Walk) Located south of Abbey St. placed for munching your alfresco crusta- Tourist office (%01334-472021; www.visit-st ceans while admiring the view across to the andrews.co.uk; 70 Market St; h9.15am- Isle of May. 6.30pm Mon-Sat & 9.30am-5pm Sun Jul-Sep, 9.15am-5pm Mon-Sat mid-Oct–Jun, 11am-4pm The village’s history and involvement Sun Apr-Jun; i) Helpful staff with good knowl- with the fi shing industry is outlined in the edge of St Andrews and Fife. Crail Museum (www.crailmuseum.org.uk; 62 Marketgate; admission free; h10am-1pm & 2-5pm 8 Getting There & Away Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun Jun-Sep, 2-5pm Sat & Sun BUS All buses leave from the bus station on Apr & May), which also off ers tourist infor- Station Rd. There are frequent services to the mation. following: Eighteenth-century Selcraig House Anstruther, 40 minutes, regularly (%01333-450697; www.selcraighouse.co.uk; 47 Nethergate; s/d from £50/70; W) is a character- Crail, 30 minutes, regularly ful, well-run place with a variety of rooms. Dundee, 30 minutes, half-hourly Curiously shaped top-fl oor chambers will Edinburgh via Kirkcaldy, £9.40, two hours, appeal to the quirky, while the fantastic hourly four-poster room on the 1st fl oor (£80) will Glasgow, £9.40, 2 ½ hours, hourly charm those with a taste for luxury and Stirling, £7.30, two hours, six to seven Monday beautiful furnishings. to Saturday Hazelton Guest House (%01333-450250; TRAIN There is no train station in St Andrews www.thehazelton.co.uk; 29 Marketgate North; d/ itself, but you can take a train from Edinburgh superior d £70/80; hMar-Oct; W) is a welcom- (grab a seat on the right-hand side of the car- ing, walker-friendly guest house across the road from the museum, while Caiplie phone or via the website. There’s also a fast- House (%01333-450564; www.caipliehouse. er boat, the 12-seater rigid-hull infl atable 205 co.uk; 53 High St N; s/d £39/64; hApr-Nov; W) Osprey, which makes non-landing circuits has large rooms with lots of lights, and big of the island (adult/child £20/12.50) and soft beds perfect for fl opping at the end longer visits (£25/15). of the day. The top room here has views across to East Lothian. It also does reader- 4 Sleeping & Eating recommended evening meals. oSpindrift B&B ££ Crail is 10 miles southeast of St Andrews. ( %01333-310573; www.thespindrift.co. Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) bus uk; Pittenweem Rd; s/d £55/80; pW) Arriv- 95 between Leven, Anstruther, Crail and St ing from the west, there’s no need to go Andrews passes through Crail hourly every further than Anstruther’s fi rst house on day (30 minutes to St Andrews). the left, a redoubt of Scottish cheer and warm hospitality. The rooms are elegant, ANSTRUTHER classy and extremely comfortable – some POP 3442 have views across to Edinburgh and one Once among Scotland’s busiest ports, is like a ship’s cabin, courtesy of the sea- cheery Anstruther has ridden the tribula- captain who once owned the house. There tions of the fi shing industry better than are DVD players and teddies for company, some, and now has a very pleasant mixture an honesty-bar with characterful ales and

of bobbing boats, historic streets, and visi- malts and ﬁ ne company from your hosts. SCOTLAND CENTRAL FIFE tors ambling around the harbour grazing Breakfast includes porridge once voted the

on fi sh and chips or contemplating a trip to best in the kingdom. Dinner (from £22) is ENTERTAINMENT the Isle of May. also available. 1 Sights Crichton House B&B ££ The displays at the excellent Scottish ( %01333-310219; www.crichtonhouse.com; High Fisheries Museum (www.scotfi shmuseum. St W; d £70; p) You’ll spot this B&B on the org; adult/child £6/free; h10am-5.30pm Mon- right as you approach the centre of town Sat & 11am-5pm Sun Apr-Sep, 10am-4.30pm from the west. Sparklingly clean rooms Mon-Sat & noon-4.30pm Sun Oct-Mar) include with fresh fruit and slate-fl oored bath- ENTERTAINMENTEAST NEUK the Zulu Gallery, which houses the huge, rooms are complemented by a cheery host partly restored hull of a traditional Zulu- and plenty of breakfast options. The door is class fi shing boat, redolent with the scent a little bit further along the street than you of tar and timber. Afl oat in the harbour think it’ll be. outside the museum lies the Reaper, a fully Sheiling B&B ££ restored Fifi e-class fi shing boat built in ( %01333-310697; 32 Glenogil Gardens; r per per- 1902. son £25-30; p) Sheiling off ers two genteel, The mile-long Isle of May, 6 miles elegantly furnished rooms with shared southeast of Anstruther, is a stunning na- bathroom and a homespun vibe. It also has ture reserve. Between April and July the an excellent breakfast menu. Good for solo intimidating cliff s are packed with breed- travellers. ing kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots, shags and around 40,000 puffi ns. Minke whales Dreel Tavern PUB £ have also been spotted around the island (16 High St W; mains £8-12; hlunch & dinner; c) in early summer. Inland are the remains of This charming old pub on the banks of the the 12th-century St Adrian’s Chapel, dedi- Dreel Burn has bucket-loads of character cated to a monk who was murdered on the and serves reliably tasty bar meals, with island by the Danes in 875. excellent handwritten daily specials. Chow The fi ve-hour trip to the island on the down in the outdoor beer garden in sum- May Princess (%01333-310054; www.isleof mer. There are also some top-quality cask mayferry.com; adult/child £19/9.50), includ- ales here. ing two to three hours ashore, sails almost Wee Chippie TAKEAWAY £ daily from May to September. Make reser- S(4 Shore St; fi sh supper £5; hlunch & dinner) vations and buy tickets at the harbour kiosk The Anstruther Fish Bar is one of Britain’s near the museum at least an hour before best chippies, but we – and plenty of locals – departure. Departure times vary depend- reckon this one is even better. The fi sh is of ing on the tide – check upcoming times by a very high quality, portions are larger and there’s less of a queue too. Eat your catch facts from the period, which make for an 206 by the water. absorbing exploration. The Scottish Cam- paign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) has Cellar Restaurant RESTAURANT £££ an exhibit, bringing home the realities of ( %01333-310378; www.cellaranstruther.co.uk; Britain’s current nuclear Trident policy. The 24 East Green; 2/3-course set dinner £35/40; bunker is a gripping experience and highly hlunch Fri & Sat, dinner Tue-Sat) Tucked away recommended. in an alley behind the museum, the Cellar To get to the bunker, book a is famous for its seafood and fi ne wines. Try Go-Flexi % ‘taxi- the local crab, lobster or whatever delica- ( 01334-840340; www.go-fl exi.org; £2) bus’ from Anstruther, or it’s a £15 stan- cies they’ve brought in that day. Inside it’s dard taxi from St Andrews. Alternatively, elegant and upmarket. Advance bookings jump off an X26 bus from Anstruther to are essential. St Andrews at the Drumrack crossroads 8 Information and walk east for about 1.5 miles along the Tourist offi ce (%01333-311073; anstruther@ B940. visitscotland.com; Harbourhead; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 11am-4pm Sun Apr-Oct) The best tour- PITTENWEEM ist offi ce in East Neuk. POP 1747 Just a short stroll from Anstruther, Pitten- 8 Getting There & Away weem is now the main fi shing port on the

CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) bus 95 East Neuk coast, and there are lively fi sh runs daily from Leven (more departures from St sales at the harbour from 8am. On a sunny Monans) to Anstruther and on to St Andrews (40 day, buy an ice cream and stroll the short, minutes, hourly) via Crail. breezy promenade, admiring the picturesque waterfront. The village name means AROUND ANSTRUTHER ‘place of the cave’, referring to St Fillan’s A magnifi cent example of Lowland Scot- Cave (adult/child £1/free) in Cove Wynd, tish domestic architecture, Kellie Cas- which was used as a chapel by a 7th-century tle (NTS; www.nts.org.uk; adult/child/parking missionary. The saint reputedly possessed £8.50/5.50/3; hcastle 1-5pm Thu-Mon Apr-Oct, miraculous powers – apparently, when he FIFE garden 10am-5pm daily Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm Mon- wrote his sermons in the dark cave, his arm Fri Nov-Mar) has creaky fl oors, crooked little would throw light on his work by emitting doorways and some marvellous works of a luminous glow. The cave is protected by art, giving it an air of authenticity. It’s set a locked gate, but a key is available from a in a beautiful garden, and many rooms nearby house (see the sign on the gate). contain superb plasterwork, the Vine room Drop into Heron Bistro (www.herongal being the most exquisite. The original part lery.co.uk; 15a High St; mains £5-8; hbreakfast of the building dates from 1360; it was en- & lunch) for a snack or meal. Dressed crab larged to its present dimensions around and homemade smoked mackerel pâté fea- 1606. ture on the menu, and you dine among lo- The castle is 3 miles northwest of Pitten- cal works of art that inject some real colour weem on the B9171. Bus 95 from St Andrews into this pretty harbour town – good for a gets you closest − about 1.5 miles away. You browse, and everything is for sale. can get straight to the castle by booking a Bus details for Pittenweem are as for Go-Flexi (%01334-840340; www.go-fl exi.org; Anstruther. £2) ‘taxibus’ from Anstruther. Three miles north of Anstruther, off the ST MONANS B9131 to St Andrews, is Scotland’s Secret POP 1450 Bunker (www.secretbunker.co.uk; adult/child/ This ancient fi shing village is just over a family £9.50/6.50/27; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct; i). mile west of Pittenweem and is named af- This fascinating Cold War relic was to be ter another cave-dwelling saint who was one of Britain’s underground command probably killed by pirates. Apart from a pic- centres and a home for Scots leaders in the turesque historic windmill overlooking the event of nuclear war. Hidden 30m under- sea, its main sight is the parish church, at ground and surrounded by nearly 5m of the western end of the village. The church reinforced concrete are the austere opera- was built in 1362 on the orders of a grateful tion rooms, communication centre and dor- King David II, who was rescued by villag- mitories. It’s very authentic and uses arte- ers from a shipwreck in the Firth of Forth. A model of a full-rigged ship, dating from PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS 1800, hangs above the altar. The church 207 commands sweeping views of the fi rth, and For sheer scenic variety, Perthshire is the the past echoes inside its cold, whitewashed pick of Scotland’s regions and a place where walls. everyone will fi nd a special, personal spot − St Monans Heritage Collection (5 West whether it’s a bleak moor, snaking loch, Shore; admission free; h11am-1pm & 2-4pm Tue, postcard-perfect village or magnifi cent for- Thu, Sat & Sun May-Oct), on the harbour, is est. Highlights are many: the enchanting a wonderful small gallery devoted to the valley of Glen Lyon strikes visitors dumb history of the St Monans’ fi shing industry with its wild and remote beauty; stunning through a collection of 20th-century black- Loch Tay is nearby (the base for ascending and-white photos and several artefacts. Ben Lawers); and the River Tay runs east Most of the photos were taken by a local from here towards Dunkeld, whose cathe- photographer and the collection changes dral is among the most beautifully situated regularly. in the country. There are a couple of B&Bs in St Monans, Things begin sedately in the southeast but more options in nearby Anstruther. corner with Perth itself, a fi ne country town Harbour Howff Café (6 Station Rd; light with a fabulous attraction in lavish Scone meals £3-5; hbreakfast & lunch Wed-Sun) is a Palace, and get gradually wilder as you community-run cafe promoting healthy move northwards and westwards, moving eating and serving excellent sandwiches through wooded slopes and river-blessed & KINROSS SCOTLAND CENTRAL PERTHSHIRE and fresh cakes. valleys and culminating in the bleak ex- oSeafood Restaurant (%01333- panse of Rannoch Moor. 730327; www.theseafoodrestaurant.com; 16 West 8 Getting Around End; 2-course lunch/dinner £22/40; hlunch & dinner Wed-Sun Apr-May, daily Jun-Aug) is a The A9 cuts across the region through Perth and comfortable, but classy, fi shy stalwart on Pitlochry. It’s the fast route into the Highlands and to Inverness, and very busy. the harbour. The menu changes – bouilla- baisse, Dover sole, scallops – but just swim The council produces a useful public transport map available at tourist offi ces. Stagecoach with the tide. The menu details the prov- LEVEN & LOCH ENTERTAINMENTKINROSS (%01382-227201; www.stagecoachbus.com) enance of these sustainable morsels.

runs local services. ENTERTAINMENT Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) Trains run alongside the A9, destined for Inver- bus 95 runs daily from St Monans to St ness. Another line connects Perth with Stirling Andrews (50 minutes, at least hourly), via (in the south) and Dundee (in the east). Anstruther.

ELIE & EARLSFERRY POP 1500 Kinross & Loch Leven These two attractive villages mark the POP 4681 southwestern end of East Neuk. There are Kinross, just off the M90, sits on the banks great sandy beaches and good walks along of pretty Loch Leven. Stretch your legs or the coast, and there’s nothing better than a take a bike on the Loch Leven Heritage lazy summer Sunday in Elie, watching the Trail (www.lochlevenheritagetrail.co.uk), which local team play cricket on the strand below. runs 8 miles around three-quarters of the Elie Watersports (%01333-330962; www. loch, or head across to the island in its eliewatersports.com; hdaily), on the harbour centre to visit evocative Loch Leven Castle at Elie, hires out windsurfers (per two (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk; adult/child hours £30), sailing dinghies (Lasers/Way- incl Kinross ferry £4.70/2.80; h9.30am-5.30pm farers per hour £18/22), canoes (per hour Apr-Sep, last sailing 4pm), which served as a £10) and mountain bikes (per day £12), and fortress and prison from the late 14th cen- provides instruction as well. tury. Its most famous captive was Mary, Ship Inn (www.ship-elie.com; Elie; mains Queen of Scots, who was incarcerated here £8-11; hlunch & dinner; c), down by Elie har- in 1567. Her famous charms bewitched Wil- bour, is a pleasant and popular place for a lie Douglas, who managed to get hold of bar lunch. Seafood and Asian dishes feature the cell keys to release her, then rowed her on the menu and, on a sunny day, you can across to the shore. The castle is now roof- tuck-in at an outside table overlooking the less but basically intact and makes an at- wide sweep of the bay. mospheric visit. A bistro by the ferry dock, near the centre of Kinross, serves decent centre. On its outskirts lies Scone Palace, 208 light meals. a country house of staggering luxury built Nearby, on the main street, Roxburghe alongside the mound that was the crowning Guest House (%01577-862498; www.roxbur place of Scotland’s kings. It’s really a must- gheguesthouse.co.uk; 126 High St, Kinross; r per see, but the town itself, ennobled by stately person £25-35; pW) is a lovely guesthouse architecture, fi ne galleries and a few excel- with cool, tastefully furnished rooms and lent restaurants, merits exploration, and is a fabulous garden. Roxburghe feels like a within easy striking distance of both Edin- home-away-from-home, and the owner is a burgh and Glasgow. professional masseuse and acupuncturist if you need any creases ironed out. 1 Sights Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) runs bus ser- Scone Palace PALACE vices between Perth (30 minutes, hourly) (www.scone-palace.co.uk; adult/child/family £9/ and Kinross. In the other direction buses go 6/26; h9.30am-5pm Apr-Oct) ‘So thanks to all to Edinburgh (1½ hours, hourly). at once and to each one, whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone.’ This line from Macbeth indicates the importance of this Perth place (pronounced ‘skoon’), 2 miles north POP 43,450 of Perth. The palace itself was built in 1580 Sedately arranged along the banks of the on a site intrinsic to Scottish history. Here CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL Tay, this former capital of Scotland is a most in 838, Kenneth MacAlpin became the fi rst liveable place with large tracts of enticing king of a united Scotland and brought the parkland surrounding an easily managed Stone of Destiny (see the boxed text, p51 ),

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S t r T 4 P 4 #£ 5 #ÿ #â JD Fergusson #ÿ Marshall Pl Gallery 6 66South6 Inch A 66B 6C D on which Scottish kings were ceremonially invested, to Moot Hill. In 1296 Edward I of 209 England carted the talisman off to West- T TIME minster Abbey, where it remained for 700 Scotland’s biggest music festival, T in years before being returned to Scotland. the Park (www.tinthepark.com) rocks These days, however, Scone doesn’t re- this nook of the country over the sec- ally conjure up ye olden days of bearded ond weekend in July. A major event, warrior-kings swearing oaths in the mist with six stages and top-name acts, since the palace, rebuilt in the early 19th it takes place on the former Balado century, is a Georgian mansion of extreme airfi eld near Kinross. It’s a three-day elegance and luxury. aff air, with camping available from the The visit takes you through a succession night before. The park is off the A91 of sumptuous rooms fi lled with fi ne French just west of junction 7 of the M90. furniture and noble artworks. There’s an astonishing collection of porcelain and fi ne portraits here, as well as a series of exqui- Ancient kings were crowned atop Moot site Vernis Martin papier-mâché. Scone has Hill, topped by a chapel, next to the palace. belonged for centuries to the Murray family, It’s said that the hill was created by boot- Earls of Mansfi eld, and many of the objects fuls of earth, brought by nobles attending have fascinating history attached to them the coronations as an acknowledgement of PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS & KINROSS SCOTLAND CENTRAL PERTHSHIRE (friendly guides are on hand). Each room the king’s rights over their lands, although has comprehensive multilingual informa- it’s more likely the site of an ancient motte- tion; there are also panels relating histories and-bailey castle. of some of the Scottish kings crowned at From Perth’s centre, cross the bridge, turn Scone over the centuries. left, and keep bearing left until you reach Outside, peacocks – all named after a the gates of the estate (15 to 20 minutes). monarch – strut around the magnifi cent From here, it’s a half-mile to the palace. grounds, which incorporate woods, a but- Various buses from town stop here roughly terfl y garden, and a maze. hourly; the tourist offi ce has a printout. There’s a good cafe at the palace, too. SIGHTS PERTH

St John’s Kirk CHURCH SIGHTS Perth F(www.st-johns-kirk.co.uk; St John St; h10am-4pm Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm Sun May-Sep) æ Top Sights Daunting St John’s Kirk, founded in 1126, JD Fergusson Gallery...... C4 is surrounded by cobbled streets and is still St John's Kirk ...... C3 the centrepiece of the town. In 1559 John æ Sights Knox preached a powerful sermon here 1 Black Watch Museum ...... B1 that helped begin the Reformation, inci- 2 Perth Museum ...... C2 ting a frenzied destruction of Scone abbey and other religious sites. Perth used to be ÿ Sleeping known as St John’s Town after this church; 3 Comely Bank Cottage ...... D1 the football team here is still called St John- 4 Heidl Guest House...... A3 stone. 5 Kinnaird Guest House ...... C4 JD Fergusson Gallery GALLERY 6 Parklands ...... B4 F(www.pkc.gov.uk; cnr Marshall Pl & Tay St; 7 Pitcullen Guest House...... D1 h10am-5pm Mon-Sat) Beautifully set in the ú Eating round waterworks building, this gallery 8 63 Tay St ...... C4 exhibits much of the work of the Scottish 9 Breizh ...... C3 Colourist JD Fergusson in a most impres- 10 Glassrooms...... C2 sive display. Fergusson spent time in Paris, 11 Kerachers...... B3 and the infl uence of artists like Matisse on 12 Dean@Let's Eat ...... C2 his work is evident; his voluptuous female 13 Paco's ...... C3 portraits against a tropical-looking Riviera background are memorable, as is the story û Drinking of his lifelong relationship with noted Scot- 14 Twa Tams...... B4 tish dancer Margaret Morris. Perth Museum MUSEUM Pitcullen Guest House B&B ££ 210 F(www.pkc.gov.uk; cnr George & Charlotte ( %01738-626506; www.pitcullen.co.uk; 17 Pitcul- Sts; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat) The city’s main len Cres; d £68; piW) Readers rave about museum is worth wandering through for this place, and rightly so. Good B&B de- the elegant neoclassical interior alone. pends on the host, and this one gets it spot- There’s a varied shower of exhibits, ranging on, with helpful tips to guide your stay in from portraits of dour lairds to interesting Perth and numerous small, thoughtful ex- local social history. A geological room pro- tras that make this more than the sum of vides more entertainment for the young, its parts. while there are often excellent temporary Kinnaird Guest House B&B ££ exhibitions. ( %01738-628021; www.kinnaird-guesthouse.co. Black Watch Museum MUSEUM uk; 5 Marshall Pl; s/d £45/75; pW) The best (www.theblackwatch.co.uk; Hay St; adult/child of the handful of guesthouses enjoying a £4/2; h9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat, also 10am-4pm privileged position across the road from Sun Apr-Oct) Housed in a mansion on the the lovely South Inch parkland, this elegant edge of North Inch, this museum honours old house has noble original features and what was once Scotland’s foremost regi- boasts appealing, bright rooms with big ment. Formed in 1725 to combat rural ban- beds. The owners are engaging and ex- ditry, the Black Watch fought in numerous tremely helpful; they are justifi ably proud campaigns, re-created here with paintings, of what Perth has to off er. The back rooms CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL memorabilia and anecdotes. Little attempt do receive occasional train noise. at perspective is evident: there’s justifi able Heidl Guest House B&B ££ pride in the regiment’s role in the gruelling ( %01738-635031; www.heidl.co.uk; 43 York Pl; trench warfare of WWI, where it suff ered s/d £28/58; pW) Though it lacks a little nearly 30,000 casualties, but no sheepish- character from outside, the Heidl is a very ness about less glorious colonial engage- reliable place off ering plenty of staunch ments, such as against the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzies’ hospitality allied with bright, light rooms, of Sudan. In 2006 the Black Watch was with cheery bedspreads in marine colours. subsumed into the new Royal Regiment of PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS Most rooms come with excellent en suite Scotland bathrooms; those that don’t have good private exterior bathrooms. Writer John Bu- Sleeping 4 chan (of Thirty-Nine Steps fame) was born Someone should open a hostel in Perth. in the house opposite. Parklands HOTEL ££ ( %01738-622451; www.theparklandshotel.com; 5 Eating & Drinking 2 St Leonard’s Bank; s/d £89/129; piW) Perth has an exceptionally good dining Tucked away near the train station, this scene and a strong cafe and outside-dining relaxing hotel sits amidst a lush hillside culture. garden overlooking the parklands of South Breizh BISTRO ££ Inch. While the rooms – which vary in size o( %01738-444427; www.cafebreizh.co. and shape – conserve the character of this uk; 28 High St; mains £7-14; hbreakfast Mon-Sat, beautiful building, formerly the residence lunch & dinner daily) This warmly decorated of the town’s mayors, they also off er mod- bistro – the place could defi ne the word – ern conveniences such as fl atscreen TVs is a treat. Dishes are served with real pa- and CD/DVD players. The restaurant has a nache, and the salads, featuring all sorts of fi ne reputation and a terrace to lap up the delicious ingredients, are a feast of colour, Perthshire sun. texture and subtle fl avours. The black- Comely Bank Cottage B&B ££ board meat and fi sh specials off er great ( %01738-631118; www.comelybankcottage.co.uk; value and a real taste of northwest France: 19 Pitcullen Cres; s/d £48/55; pW) Pitcullen breakfasts, galettes (Breton buckwheat Cres is bristling with upmarket, fl owery crêpes), tasty wines... If you like quality B&Bs. This is one of our favourites, a per- food served in an unpretentious way, you’ll fectly maintained family home off ering love it here. large and commodious rooms with spacious 63 Tay Street RESTAURANT ££ bathrooms, and a solicitous owner who ( %01738-441451; www.63taystreet.com; 63 Tay doesn’t disappoint come breakfast time. St; mains £13-18; hlunch & dinner Tue-Sat) Classy and warmly welcoming, this understated restaurant is Perth’s best, featuring a lightly PERTH FESTIVAL OF 211 decorated dining area, excellent service and THE ARTS quality food. In a culinary Auld Alliance, French infl uence is applied to the best of If you’re in Perth in the last two weeks Scottish produce to produce memorable of May, you’ll come across this low- game, seafood, beef and vegetarian plates. profi le but high-quality arts festival (www.perthfestival.co.uk). Various ven- Deans@Let’s Eat RESTAURANT ££ ues around town host a diverse range ( %01738-643377; www.letseatperth.co.uk; 77 of cultural events; don’t be surprised Kinnoull St; mains £14-19; hlunch & dinner Tue- to see some big-name band of yester- Sat) Noted for its excellent service, this year or quality ballet troupe appearing award-winning bistro is the best place in at very reasonable prices. town for splashing out on a special meal. Outstanding cuisine comes in the form of creative dishes on a short menu listed by 8 Information main ingredient: halibut, lamb and beef AK Bell Library (York Pl; h9.30am-5pm Mon, reliably feature, but the manner of their Wed & Fri, to 8pm Tue & Thu, to 4pm Sat; i) cooking will change. Enjoy an aperitif on Free internet; lots of terminals. the comfy couches before indulging your Perth Royal Infirmary (%01738-623311; Tay- mount Tce) Hospital; west of the town centre.

palate. & KINROSS SCOTLAND CENTRAL PERTHSHIRE Tourist office (%01738-450600; www. Kerachers SEAFOOD ££ perthshire.co.uk; West Mill St; h9.30am-5pm ( %01738-449777; www.kerachers-restaurant.co. Mon-Sat & 10.30am-3.30pm Sun Apr-Oct, uk; 168 South St; 2-course dinner £22.50; hdin- 10am-4pm Mon-Sat Nov-Mar) Efficiently run ner Tue-Sat) This classic seafood restaurant tourist office. Closes an hour later in summer. keeps things simple, combining fresh seafood with ingredients that add hints of ﬂ a- 8 Getting There & Away vour to complement but not overpower the Bus dishes − a recipe for success! From the bus station, Citylink (www.citylink. EATING & DRINKING PERTH Glassrooms CAFE £ co.uk) operates buses to/from these cities:

(www.horsecross.co.uk; Mill St; light meals £5-8; Dundee £6.70, 40 minutes, hourly EATING & DRINKING hbreakfast & lunch Mon-Sat) Occupying part Edinburgh £10.30, 1½ hours, hourly of the foyer of the ambitious, inspiring Glasgow £10.70, 1½ hours, hourly Perth Concert Hall, this open-plan cafe offers an eclectic range of daytime dishes. Ex- Inverness £18.80, 2½ hours, at least five daily pect several healthy and vegetarian choices as well as sandwiches and breakfasts. Further buses run from the Broxden Park & Ride on Glasgow Rd; this is connected regularly with Paco’s BISTRO ££ the bus station by shuttle bus. These include (www.pacos.co.uk; 3 Mill St; mains £7-13; hlunch Megabus (www.megabus.com) discount ser- Sat, dinner daily; c) Something of an institu- vices to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, tion, Paco’s keeps Perthers coming back and Inverness. over and over, perhaps because it would take Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) dozens of visits to even try half of the menu. buses serve Perthshire destinations regularly, There’s something for everyone: steaks, sea- with reduced Sunday service. food, pizza, pasta and Mexican, all served in Train generous portions. The fountain-tinkled ter- Trains run between Perth and various destina- race is the place for a sunny day. tions, including the following: Twa Tams PUB Edinburgh £12.90, 1¼ hours, at least hourly (www.myspace.com/thetwatams; 79 Scott St) Monday to Saturday Perth’s best pub has a strange outdoor Glasgow £12.90, one hour, at least hourly space with windows peering out onto the Monday to Saturday, every two hours Sunday, street, an ornate entrance gate and large, from Queen St cosy interior. There are regular events, Pitlochry £11, 30 minutes, two hourly, fewer including live music every Friday and Sat- on Sunday urday night; it has a sound reputation for Stirling £10.40, 30 minutes, one or two per attracting talented young bands. hour Strathearn places, and you’ll walk out of there feeling 212 like you’ve learned something new. West of Perth, the wide strath (valley) of the Opposite is the wonderful Kirkstyle River Earn was once a great forest where Inn (www.kirkstyle-dunning.co.uk; mains £7-11; medieval kings hunted. The whole area hlunch & dinner), an eccentric little nook- is known as Strathearn, a very attractive and-cranny pub with a warm glow and a lo- region of undulating farmland, hills and cal touch (and the food’s not half bad either). lochs. The Highlands begin in the western It closes mid-afternoon during the week. section of Strathearn. Dunning is about 8 miles southwest of DUNNING Perth. Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) POP 900 bus 17 runs from Perth (40 minutes, at least If you think you’ve entered spooky country hourly Monday to Saturday). around here, you may just be right. On the way into Dunning, about a mile west of the CRIEFF town by the B8062, there’s a strange POP 6579 cross Scraping the edge of the Highlands, elegant on a pile of stones, etched with the words Crieff is an old resort-style town, as popular ‘Maggie Wall burnt here 1657 as a witch.’ with tourists today as it was in Victorian The village is dominated by the 12th- times. It sits in a valley amid some glorious century Norman tower of St Serfs Church Perthshire countryside. (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk; admission by CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL donation; h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep), but most 1 Sights of the building dates from 1810. The main In the basement at the tourist offi ce is a reason to come is the magnifi cent 9th- small but interesting free exhibition of the century Dupplin Cross, the fi nest Pic- town stocks, the Drummond Cross (1400– tish cross known. Originally located near 1600) and a formidable 9th-century Pictish Forteviot (3 miles from Dunning), it’s now cross slab. the regal centrepiece here. The fascinating At the noble old Glenturret Distillery symbolism and artistic infl uences will be 1 mile north of town, the highly rated Fa- explained in superb detail by the warden. mous Grouse Experience (www.thefamous PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS It’s rare to get such detailed insight at these grouse.com; tours from £8.50; h9am-6pm) has a better-than-average tour that details the making of malt whisky and the blending GLENEAGLES process to create Famous Grouse whisky. Deep in rural Perthshire near the town There’s also a high-tech bonanza that in- of Auchterarder, one of Scotland’s cludes a giant virtual jigsaw and ‘fl ying most famous lodgings can be found: with the grouse’ audiovisual. the Gleneagles Hotel (%01764- About 5 miles southeast of Crieff on the 662231; www.gleneagles.com; d from B8062, Innerpeffray Library (www.inner £410; piWsc). Not your typical peff raylibrary.co.uk; Innerpeff ray; adult/child incl bed-and-breakfast, this is a no-holds- tour £5/free; h10am-12.45pm & 2-4.45pm Wed- barred luxury spot with three champi- Sat, 2-4pm Sun Mar-Oct, by appointment only onship golf courses, Andrew Fairlie at Nov-Feb), is Scotland’s fi rst lending library Gleneagles − often referred to as Scot- (founded in 1680). There’s a huge collection land’s best restaurant (open dinner of rare, interesting and ancient books here, Tuesday to Saturday) − and a variety some of them 500 years old. of extravagantly elegant rooms and 4 Sleeping & Eating suites designed to cope with anything Comrie Croft HOSTEL £ from a serious romantic splash-out o( %01764-670140; www.comriecroft.com; to a royal family in exile. Despite the camping per person £7-9, dm/s/d £16/22/38; impo sing building and kilted staff snap- piWc) A rustic, hospitable place to stay ping to attention, it’s welcoming to with great facilities, Comrie Croft has a bit non-VIPs, and family-friendly to boot, of everything, with camping; a pleasant, airy with lots of activities available. There’s hostel with plenty of bedspace; and Sami- Gleneagles train station to arrive sus- style tepees with woodstove that sleep up tainably; if not, limousine transfers are to four (£52). Activities include mountain- available. Check the website for deals. biking (bike hire available), fi shing, walking, lots of games for the kids and plenty of places to just laze about. The Croft is 4 miles square on the main street. It off ers some- out of Crieff on the A85 towards Comrie. thing for everyone, from Crieff ladies-who- 213 lunch to a traveller looking for a light bite. Yann’s B&B, RESTAURANT ££ An extensive selection of antipasti allows ( %01764-650111; www.yannsatglenearnhouse. you to graze several fl avours at a time, com; d £80, mains £11-15; hdinner Wed-Sun, while delicious bruschettas and pizzas, ac- lunch Sat & Sun; pW) On the main road head- companied by a glass of Italian red, make ing east out of town, this most welcoming this central Crieff ’s best lunch option. establishment off ers commodious rooms done out in light shades with understated 8 Information style. The excellent restaurant here serves Tourist offi ce (%01764-652578; crieff @visit French comfort food classics like crêpes scotland.com; hdaily Apr-Oct, Mon-Sat Nov-Mar) and coq au vin, with a contemporary fl air. Most helpful. In a clocktower on the main street. Comely Bank Guest House B&B ££ 8 Getting There & Away ( %01764-653409; www.comelybank.demon.co. Hourly Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus. uk; 32 Burrell St; s with/without bathroom £38/30, com) buses link Crieff with Perth (45 minutes), d £60; iW) A top Scottish guesthouse just less frequently on Sunday. Other buses run to down from the main street, Comely Bank is Comrie (20 minutes, roughly hourly Monday to homelike and neat as a pin. The downstairs Saturday, every two hours Sunday), St Fillans double is huge and could accommodate (35 minutes, fi ve daily Monday to Saturday) and four at a pinch, while upstairs rooms are Stirling (50 minutes, four to eight daily). & KINROSS SCOTLAND CENTRAL PERTHSHIRE equally appealing and are still a good size. Laundry service is available and a genuine UPPER STRATHEARN welcome guaranteed. The Highland villages of Comrie and St Fillans in upper Strathearn are surrounded Crieff Hydro HOTEL ££ by forests and craggy, bare hilltops where ( %01764-655555; www.crieff hydro.com; Fern- deer and mountain hares both live in abun- tower Rd; d £148; piWsc) This enormous dance. St Fillans enjoys an excellent loca- spa hotel is nearly 150 years old, but apart tion at the eastern end of Loch Earn, which from its monumental exterior it looks very

reﬂ ects the silhouettes of distant, towering EATING & DRINKING WEST PERTHSHIRE diﬀ erent from its mannered Victorian past. peaks in its glittering waters.

It’s attractively functional and really does The Four Seasons Hotel (%01765- EATING & DRINKING have everything for a family holiday, from 685333; www.thefourseasonshotel.co.uk; St Fil- a cinema and gym to restaurants, activities lans; standard/superior d £110/130; hMar-Dec; and pools. It’s exceptionally child-friendly, pWc) is a refi ned hotel with a touch of with free daily childcare. Room rates vary elegance, with two beautifully appointed sit- substantially, so check the website: the ting rooms and a small bar with loch views – above prices (for dinner, bed and breakfast) great places to relax. There are boundless are a guide only. Its sister hotel, Murray- activities to choose from here, including park (double £93), is just around the corner, water-skiing, quad-biking and pony trek- and off ers a quieter, cheaper stay in a small- king. There are also six secluded chalets er, more couple-focused establishment (and nestled in the slopes behind the hotel and a you can still access all the leisure facilities good restaurant. at the Hydro). Comrie is 24 miles west of Perth, and Gallery RESTAURANT ££ St Fillans is about 5 miles further west. ( %01764-653249; 13 Hill St; mains £10-14; hdin- Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) oper- ner Tue-Sat) The classy mains are backed up ates daily buses from Perth, via Crieff , to by satisfying warm salads and pastas at this Comrie and St Fillans (one hour). cosy (too cosy if your neighbours are loud) restaurant just uphill from the main street. Helpful staff add to the satisfying dining West Perthshire experience, as does a short but thoughtfully The jewel in central Scotland’s crown, West chosen wine selection. Perthshire achieves a Scottish ideal with rugged, noble hills refl ected in some of the Delivino CAFE £ (www.delivino.net; 6 King St; light meals £5-8; nation’s most beautiful lochs. Bring your hbreakfast & lunch daily, dinner Fri & Sat) Deli- hiking boots and camera and prepare to vino is an elegant cafe just down from the stay a few days. ABERFELDY another £15 they’ll drive you up the top of 214 POP 1895 the hill and you make your own way down Aberfeldy is the gateway to west Perthshire, (a good option for walkers too). Wildlife you and a good base: adventure sports, art and may spot include golden eagles, osprey and castles all feature on the menu here. It’s a red deer. There’s also gold-panning for kids. peaceful, pretty place on the banks of the In Aberfeldy, Splash (%01887-829706; Tay, but if it’s moody lochs and glens that www.rafting.co.uk; Dunkeld Rd; h9am-9pm) of- steal your heart, you may want to push a fers family-friendly whitewater rafting on little further on into the region. the River Tay (per adult/child £25/40) and 1 Sights & Activities more advanced adult trips on the Tummel The Watermill (www.aberfeldywatermill.com; and the Orchy. It also runs canyoning trips and hires mountain bikes (per half-/full day Mill St; admission free; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun) is an unusual attraction in £10/20). the centre of town, incorporating a book- 4 Sleeping shop with a great Scottish collection, a gal- Guinach House B&B ££ lery with contemporary works of art and a ( %01887-820251; www.guinachhouse.co.uk; Ur- coff ee shop. You could while away several lar Rd; d £95-125; pW) More like a boutique hours in this old mill. hotel, Guinach House has modish rooms Dewar’s World of Whisky (www.dewars and a casual, relaxed ambience. Rooms worldofwhisky.com; tour £6.50; h10am-6pm CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL have privacy from the rest of the house and Mon-Sat & noon-4pm Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm are individually styled – our favourite is the Mon-Sat Nov-Mar) is on the eastern outskirts zebra room, although the red room, with of Aberfeldy. The tour is a good one, fully freestanding bathtub, runs a close second. 90 minutes long; after the usual overblown The whole place is set on a large estate, so fi lm, there’s a very entertaining interactive there are plenty of rambling options just be- blending session as well as the tour of the yond the front doorstep. whisky-making process. About 1½ miles west of town by the Tigh’n Eilean Guest House B&B ££ B846, Castle Menzies (www.menzies.org; ( %01887-820109; www.tighneilean.com; Tay- PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS Weem; adult/child £6/2.50 h10.30am-5pm bridge Dr; s/d £52/66; pW) Everything about Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun Apr–mid-Oct) is the im- this property screams comfort. It’s a gor- pressive restored 16th-century seat of the geous place overlooking the Tay, with in- chief of the clan Menzies (ming-iss). The dividually designed rooms all creating a Z-plan tower house is magnifi cently lo- unique sense of space. For couples our fave cated against a backdrop of Scottish forest. is the jacuzzi room − it’s huge, and the And inside it doesn’t disappoint: the place same price as the others. The Tay riverbank smells just like a castle should – musty and here is delightful, with birdsong above and lived in. It reeks of authenticity despite ex- ducks paddling below. tensive restoration work and is a highly rec- Balnearn Guest House B&B ££ ommended ramble. Check out the fi replace ( %01887-820431; www.balnearnhouse.com; in the dungeon-like kitchens and the gaudy Crieff Rd; s/d/f £40/65/95; pW) Balnearn is great hall upstairs, with windows unfurling a sedate, refi ned and quite luxurious man- a ribbon of lush, green countryside extend- sion near the centre of town. Most rooms ing into wooded hills beyond the estate. have great natural light, and there’s a par- You’ll get in for free if you share a surname ticularly good family room downstairs. with the castle. Doubles with private but exterior bathroom Just past here, Highland Safaris (%01887- are cheaper (£58). The hosts are attentive 820071; www.highlandsafaris.net; h9am-5pm) and cordial. off ers an ideal way to spot some wildlife or simply enjoy Perthshire’s magnifi cent 8 Information countryside. Standard trips include the Tourist offi ce (%01887-820276; The Square; 2½-hour Mountain Safari (per adult/child hMon-Sat Nov-Mar, daily Apr-Oct) In an old £37.50/15), which includes a dram in the church on the central square. wilderness; and the Safari Trek (adult/ 8 Getting There & Away child £60/30), which includes a walk in the mountains and a picnic. You can hire Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) runs buses from Aberfeldy to Pitlochry (45 minutes, mountain bikes here (per day £15), and for hourly Monday to Saturday, fewer on Sunday), Blairgowrie (1¼ hours, two daily Monday to The main access point for the ascent of Friday) and Perth (1¼ hours, 10 daily Monday to Ben Lawers (see the boxed text, p 216) is 215 Saturday). the now-defunct tourist offi ce, a mile off Local buses run a circular route from Aber- the A827 fi ve miles east of Killin. There’s feldy through Kenmore, Fortingall and back to also an easier nature trail leaving from Aberfeldy up to fi ve times daily Monday to Fri- here. day. There’s also a service through to Killin (one There’s good accommodation in Ken- hour, up to fi ve times daily Monday to Saturday, more and Killin (p194 ), as well as Cul- Saturday only June to September), connecting dees Bunkhouse (%01887-830519; www. with an Oban service. culdeesbunkhouse.co.uk; dm/tw/f £17/44/66; KENMORE piWc), a wonderfully off beat hostel Pretty Kenmore lies at Loch Tay’s east- with utterly majestic vistas: the whole of ern end, 6 miles west of Aberfeldy, and is the loch stretches out before and below dominated by church, clock tower, and you. It’s a quirky place you could get lost in, the striking archway of privately owned with compact, spotless dorms, lovable fam- Taymouth Castle. Just outside town on ily rooms with the best views in Perthshire, the loch is the fascinating Scottish Cran- and a range of cluttered, homelike lounging nog Centre (www.crannog.co.uk; tours adult/ areas. It’s a top spot to relax but also a fi ne child £6.50/4.50; h10am-5.30pm mid-Mar−Oct, base for hill walking or for mucking-in with 10am-4pm Sat & Sun Nov). A crannog, perched the volunteers who help run the sustainable on stilts in the water, was a favoured form farm here. It’s half a mile above the village & KINROSS SCOTLAND CENTRAL PERTHSHIRE of defence-minded dwelling in Scotland of Fearnan, 4 miles west of Kenmore. from the 3rd millennium BC onwards. This one has been superbly reconstructed, and FORTINGALL the guided tour includes an impressive Fortingall is one of the prettiest villages in demonstration of fi remaking. It’s an excel- Scotland, with 19th-century thatched cot- lent attraction. tages in a very tranquil setting. The church Kenmore is a good activity base, and has impressive wooden beams and a 7th- century monk’s bell. In the churchyard, Loch Tay Boating Centre (%01887-830291;

there’s a 2000-year-old yew, probably the EATING & DRINKING WEST PERTHSHIRE www.loch-tay.co.uk; hdaily) can have you oldest tree in Europe. This tree was around

speeding off on a mountain bike (per half-/ EATING & DRINKING full day £12/20) or out on the loch itself, in when the Romans camped in the meadows anything from a canoe to a cabin cruiser by the River Lyon: popular if unlikely tradi- that’ll sleep a whole family. tion says that Pontius Pilate was born here. Today the tree is a shell of its former self – at The heart of the village, Kenmore Ho- its zenith it had a girth of over 17m! But sou- tel (%01887-830205, www.kenmorehotel.com; venir hunters have reduced it to two much s/d £85/140; piW) has a bar with a roaring fi re and some verses scribbled on the smaller trunks. chimneypiece by Robert Burns in 1787, S Fortingall Hotel (%01887-830367; www. when the inn was already a couple of cen- fortingallhotel.com; s/d £110/160; pW), nearby, turies old. There’s also a riverbank beer is a peaceful, old-fashioned country ho- garden and a wide variety of rooms, some tel with polite service and furnished with across the road. They sport modern conve- quiet good taste. The bedrooms are spot- niences; the nicest have bay windows and less with huge beds, modern bathrooms, river views. Prices plummet off -season and and little extras like bathrobes, whisky midweek. and DVD players. They look out over green Regular buses link Aberfeldy with Ken- meadows; in all a perfect spot for doing more, some continuing to Killin via the very little except enjoying the clean air and turnoff to the trailhead for Ben Lawers. excellent dinners. GLEN LYON LOCH TAY Serpentine and picturesque, long Loch Tay This remote and stunningly beautiful glen refl ects the powerful forests and mountains runs for some 34 unforgettable miles of rick- ety stone bridges, Caledonian pine forest around it. The bulk of mighty Ben Law- and sheer heather-splashed peaks poking ers (1214m) looms above and is part of a National Nature Reserve that includes the through swirling clouds. It becomes wilder and more uninhabited as it snakes its way nearby Tarmachan Range. west, and is proof that hidden treasures still 216 BAG A MUNRO: BEN LAWERS

The trip to the top of Ben Lawers and back can take up to ﬁ ve hours: pack wet-weather gear, water and food. From the now-closed tourist oﬃ ce, take the nature trail that heads northeast. After the boardwalk protecting a bog, cross a stile then fork left and ascend along the Edramucky burn (to the right). At the next rise, fork right and cross the burn. A few minutes later ignore the nature trail’s right turn and continue ascending parallel to the burn’s left bank for just over half a mile. Leave the protected zone by another stile and steeply ascend Beinn Ghlas’s shoulder. Reaching a couple of large rocks, ignore a northbound footpath and continue zigzagging uphill. The rest of the ascent is a straightforward succession of three false summits. The last and steepest section alternates between erosion-sculpted rock and a meticulously crafted cobbled trail. Long views of majestic hillscapes, and even the North Sea and Atlantic, are your reward on a clear day.

exist in Scotland. The ancients believed it bb.co.uk; s/tw/d £24/48/60; pW) oﬀ ers cosy, to be a gateway to Faerieland, and even the good-value B&B; there’s an en suite dou- most sceptical of people will be entranced ble room and a twin with bunks. Evening

CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL by the valley’s magic. meals (BYO bottle) are £15 a head. From Fortingall, a narrow road winds There is no public transport in the glen. up the glen – another road from Loch Tay crosses the hills and reaches the glen LOCHS TUMMEL & RANNOCH halfway in, at Bridge of Balgie. The glen The route along Lochs Tummel and Ran- continues up to a dam (past a memorial to noch is worth doing any way you can – by explorer Robert Campbell); bearing left foot, bicycle or car – just don’t miss it! Hills here you can actually continue over a wild of ancient birch and forests of spruce, pine and remote road (unmarked on maps) to and larch make up the Tay Forest Park – the king of Scotland’s forests. It’s the prod-

PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS isolated Glen Lochay and down to Killin. Cycling through Glen Lyon is a wonderful uct of a brilliant bit of forward thinking: way to experience this special place. the replanting of Tay Forest 300 years ago. There’s little in the way of attractions in These wooded hills roll into the glittering the valley – the majestic and lonely scenery waters of the lochs; a visit in autumn is is the reason to be here – but at Glenlyon recommended, when the birch trees are at Gallery (www.glenlyongallery.co.uk; Bridge of their fi nest. Balgie; admission free; h10am-5pm Thu-Tue), Queen’s View Centre (www.forestry.gov. next to the Bridge of Balgie post offi ce uk; Strathtummel; h10am-6pm late-Mar–mid- (which does more-than-decent lunches), a Nov) is at the eastern end of Loch Tum- selection of fi ne handmade pieces are for mel. Despite the signage, the shop here is sale. a shop and not an exhibition, so if you pay oMilton Eonan (%01887-866318; www. the parking fee (£2) it’s for the magnifi - miltoneonan.com; Bridge of Balgie; d £70; pW) is cent viewpoint over the water and towards a must for those seeking utter tranquillity Schiehallion (1083m). in a glorious natural setting. On an eff er- Waterfalls, towering mountains and a vescent stream where a historic watermill shimmering loch greet visitors to the hid- once stood, it’s a working croft that off ers den treasure of Kinloch Rannoch. It’s a a romantic one-bedroom cottage (break- great base for cycle trips around Loch Ran- fast available for a little extra) at the bot- noch and local walks, including the hike tom of the garden. It can sleep three at a up Schiehallion, a relatively easy climb re- pinch. The lively owners do packed lunches warded by spectacular views unobstructed and evening meals (£18.50) using local and by other hills, from Braes of Foss. See www homegrown produce. After crossing the .jmt.org/east-schiehallion-estate.asp for bridge at Bridge of Balgie, you’ll see Milton more information. Eonan signposted to the right. Far beyond, the road ends at romantic, Between Fortingall and Bridge of Balgie isolated Rannoch train station, which is about 8½ miles up the glen, Wester Ca- on the Glasgow–Fort William line. Beyond musvrachan (%01887-866320; www.glenlyon is desolate, intriguing Rannoch Moor, a winding, vaguely threatening peat bog 8 Getting There & Away stretching as far as the A82 and Glen Coe. Broons Buses (%01882-632331) operates a 217 There’s a tearoom on the platform, and a service between Kinloch Rannoch and Pitlochry welcoming small hotel situated alongside (50 minutes, up to fi ve a day Monday to Satur- the station. day) via Queen’s View and Loch Tummel Inn. The Pitlochry–Rannoch Station postbus (www. 4 Sleeping & Eating royalmail.com) has a once-daily service (Monday Moor of Rannoch Hotel HOTEL ££ to Saturday) via Kinloch Rannoch and both sides o( %01882-633238; www.moorofrannoch. of the loch. co.uk; Rannoch Station; s/d £56/96; hmid-Feb− ScotRail (www.scotrail.co.uk) runs two to four Oct) At the end of the road by the Rannoch trains daily from Rannoch station north to Fort station, it’s just about you and the moor- William (£8.40, one hour) and Mallaig, and south land. This is one of Scotland’s most isolated to Glasgow (£19.30, 2¾ hours). places, but luckily this friendly hotel is here to keep your spirits up if the solitude gets too much. Great food, cosy rooms and great Perth to Blair Castle walks right from the doorstep − a magical There are a number of major sights strung getaway. along the busy but scenic A9, the main route north to the Cairngorms (p327 ) and Bunrannoch House B&B ££ Inverness (p314 ). ( %01882-632407; www.bunrannoch.co.uk; Kin- PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS & KINROSS SCOTLAND CENTRAL PERTHSHIRE loch Rannoch; s/d £40/80, with dinner £65/130; DUNKELD & BIRNAM pW) This historic former shooting lodge POP 1005 is a short way from town but feels utterly Ever been to a feel-good town? Well, Dun- isolated and makes a great away-from-it-all keld and Birnam, with their enviable lo- destination. There’s an ongoing renovation cation nestled in the heart of Perthshire’s process and a friendly, ‘can-do’ attitude big-tree country, await. The River Tay runs that’s missing from other such country like a storybook river between the two. As places. Walkers are most welcome, and well as Dunkeld’s lovely cathedral, there’s there’s a variety of rooms (including some much walking to be done in this area of great family ones upstairs). Excellent meals magnifi cent forested hills. These same EATING & DRINKING CASTLE TO BLAIR PERTH (vegan/vegetarian diets catered for) feature

walks inspired Beatrix Potter to create her EATING & DRINKING the likes of pike fi shed from Loch Rannoch children’s tales. or locally stalked venison. Dinner for non- guests is £30. 1 Sights & Activities Situated between open grassland and the Gardens B&B B&B ££ River Tay on one side and rolling hills on ( %01882-632434; www.thegardensdunalastair. the other, Dunkeld Cathedral (HS; www. co.uk; Kinloch Rannoch; s/d £40/70; p) Right historic-scotland.gov.uk; High St; admission free; off the beaten track between Kinloch Ran- h9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat & 2-6.30pm Sun noch and Tummel Bridge, this place has Apr-Sep, 9.30am-4pm Mon-Sat & 2-4pm Sun just two rooms – a double and a twin. But Oct-Mar) is one of the most beautifully sited what rooms they are: eff ectively suites, each cathedrals in Scotland. Don’t miss it on a with their own bathroom and sitting room. sunny day, as there are few lovelier places The conservatory space is great for soaking to be. Half the cathedral is still in use as up the sun and contemplating the stunning a church; the rest is in ruins, and you can view of Schiehallion. If you’re looking for explore it all. It partly dates from the 14th solitude and a touch of eccentricity, this is century; the cathedral was damaged dur- the place. ing the Reformation and burnt in the bat- Loch Tummel Inn PUB ££ tle of Dunkeld (Jacobites vs Government) ( %01882-634272; Strathtummel; bar meals £6- in 1689. The Wolf of Badenoch (p 253) is 10, restaurant mains £10-14; hlunch & dinner) buried – undeservedly – here in a fi ne me- This old coaching inn is a snug spot for a dieval tomb behind the wooden screen in decent feed from a menu featuring seafood. the church. The bar is open all day for a leisurely pint If you’re looking to entertain the kids for in the beer garden overlooking Loch Tum- a few hours, drop by Going Pottie (www. mel. The inn is about 3 miles from Queen’s goingpottie.com; Cathedral St; activities from £5; View. h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 11am-4pm Sun) where kids can get a paintbrush in their hand and on Sunday), Glasgow (£12.90, 1½ hours, roughly 218 create colourful ceramics – and mayhem. hourly Monday to Saturday, four on Sunday) and Across the bridge is Birnam, made famous Inverness (£21.50, two hours, eight daily Mon- by Macbeth. There’s not much left of Birnam day to Saturday, fi ve on Sunday). Wood, but there is a small, leafy Beatrix Pot- (the children’s author, who wrote PITLOCHRY ter Park POP 2564 the evergreen story of Peter Rabbit, spent Pitlochry, with its air already smelling of childhood holidays in the area). Next to the the Highlands, is a popular stop on the way park, in the Birnam Arts Centre, is a small north and a convenient base for exploring exhibition (Station Rd, Birnam; admission £1; northern Central Scotland. On a quiet spring h10am-4.30pm) on Potter and her characters. evening it’s a pretty place with salmon jump- Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Centre ing in the Tummel and good things brewing (www.swt.org.uk; adult/child £4/50p; h10am- at the Moulin Hotel. In summer the main 5pm Apr-Sep), 2 miles east of Dunkeld off the street can be a conga-line of tour groups, but A923, has wildlife displays mostly devoted get away from that and it’ll still charm you. to the majestic osprey. There’s also an excellent birdwatching hide (with binoculars 1 Sights provided), where you can see the birds nest- One of Pitlochry’s attractions is its beau- ing during breeding season. tiful riverside; the River Tummel is dammed here, and you can watch salmon CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL 4 Sleeping & Eating swimming (not jumping) up a fish ladder Birnam Hotel HOTEL ££ to the loch above. ( %01350-728030; www.birnamhotel.com; Perth Rd, Birnam; s/d/f £79/98/135; pW) This grand- Bell’s Blair Athol Distillery DISTILLERY looking place with crow-stepped gables has ( %01796-482003; www.discovering-distilleries. tastefully fi tted rooms opposite the Beatrix com; Atholl Rd; tour £5; hMon-Fri winter, plus Sat Potter park. Superior rooms (double £130) Apr-Oct, plus Sun Jun-Oct) One of two distill- are substantially larger than the standards. eries around Pitlochry, this is at the south- Service is very welcoming, and there’s a fair- ern end of town. Tours focus on whisky making and the blending of this well-

PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS ly formal restaurant as well as a livelier pub alongside serving creative bar meals. known drop. The tour price is discountable off a bottle purchase. Taybank PUB £ o Edradour Distillery DISTILLERY (www.thetaybank.com; Tay Tce, Dunkeld; F bar mains £5-8) Top choice for a sun-kissed ( %01796-472095; www.edradour.co.uk; pub lunch by the river is the Taybank, a reg- hdaily) This is proudly Scotland’s smallest ular meeting place and performance space distillery and a great one to visit: you can for musicians of all creeds and a wonder- see the whole process easily-explained in one fully open and welcoming bar. The menu room. It’s 2.5 miles east of Pitlochry along includes a tasty selection of traditional and the Moulin road, and a pleasant walk there. off beat stews. Explorers Garden GARDEN 8 Information (www.explorersgarden.com; adult/child £3/1; Foss Rd; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct) At the Pitlochry Dunkeld’s tourist office (%01350-727688; Festival Theatre, this excellent garden com- [email protected]; The Cross; hdaily Apr-Oct, Fri-Sun Nov-Mar) has information on memorates 300 years of plant collecting and local trails and paths. those who hunted down ‘new’ species. The whole collection is based on plants brought 8 Getting There & Away back to Scotland by Scottish explorers. Dunkeld is 15 miles north of Perth. Citylink Heathergems CRAFTS (www.citylink.co.uk) buses between Glasgow/ Edinburgh and Inverness stop at Birnam House (www.heathergems.com; 22 Atholl Rd; h9am- Hotel. Birnam to Perth (£7.90) or Pitlochry 5.30pm May-Sep, 9am-5pm Mon-Sat Oct-Apr) (£7.60) takes 20 minutes. Just behind the tourist offi ce is Heather- Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) has gems, the factory outlet of a most unusual a bus between Blairgowrie (30 minutes) and and beautiful form of Scottish jewellery. Aberfeldy (40 minutes), via Dunkeld, twice daily The jewellery is made from natural heather Monday to Friday only. stems, which are dyed and pressed to cre- Trains run to Edinburgh (£12.90, 1½ hours, ate colourful, original pieces. You can actu- approximately hourly Monday to Saturday, four ally view the jewellery being made through e# 0200m

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æ Top Sights EATING & DRINKING CASTLE TO BLAIR PERTH z Festivals and Events Bell's Blair Athol Distillery ...... D3 EATING & DRINKING Pitlochry Festival Theatre THEATRE Heathergems...... C2 (%01796-484626; www.pitlochry.org.uk; Foss Explorers Garden ...... B3 This well-known theatre Rd; tickets £14-25) æ stages a different mainstream play for Sights six nights out of seven during its season 1 Fish Ladder ...... A3 from May to mid-October. ÿ Sleeping Étape CYCLE RACE 2 Ashleigh...... B1 (www.etapecaledonia.co.uk) Étape, an 81-mile 3 Knockendarroch House ...... C1 charity cycling event, brings competitors 4 Pitlochry Backpackers Hotel ...... A1 of all standards onto the beautiful high- 5 Pitlochry SYHA ...... C1 land roads around Pitlochry in mid-May. 6 Strathgarry...... A1 It’s become a big deal; you’ll have to 7 Tir Aluinn ...... C1 prebook accommodation. ú Eating Enchanted Forest LIGHT SHOW 8 Port-na-Craig-Inn ...... B3 (www.enchantedforest.org.uk; adults £11-14, children £6) This spectacular sound-and-light û Drinking show in a forest near Pitlochry is a major 9 McKay's Hotel...... A1 family hit in the last week of October and ý first week of November. Entertainment 10 Pitlochry Festival Theatre...... B3 4 Sleeping Craigatin House B&B ££ ( %01796-472478; www.craigatinhouse.co.uk; 165 garden is set back from the main road at Atholl Rd; d standard/deluxe £78/88; pW) Sev- the western end of town. Chic contempo- eral times more tasteful than the average rary fabrics covering expansive beds off er a Pitlochry lodging, this noble house and standard of comfort above and beyond the reasonable price; the rooms in the convert- Pitlochry SYHA HOSTEL £ 220 ed stable block are particularly inviting. (%01796-472308; www.syha.org.uk; Knockard Breakfast choices include whisky-laced Rd; dm £17.25; hFeb-Oct; piW) Great loca- porridge, smoked-fi sh omelettes, and apple tion overlooking the town centre. Popular pancakes. with families and walkers. Pitlochry Backpackers Hotel HOSTEL £ 5 Eating & Drinking % ( 01796-470044; www.scotlands-top-hostels. Moulin Hotel PUB, HOTEL £ com; 134 Atholl Rd; dm/tw/d £15/38/40; piW) o( %01796-472196; www.moulinhotel.co. Friendly, laid-back and very comfortable, uk; Moulin; bar mains £7-11; hlunch & dinner) A this is a cracking hostel smack-bang in the mile away but a world apart, this atmo- middle of town, with three- to eight-bed spheric hotel was trading centuries before dorms that are in mint condition. There are the tartan tack came to Pitlochry. With its also good-value en suite twins and doubles, romantic low ceilings, ageing wood and with beds, not bunks. Cheap breakfast and booth seating, the inn is a wonderfully at- a pool table add to the convivial party atmospheric spot for a house-brewed ale or a mosphere. No extra charge for linen. portion of Highland comfort food: try the Ashleigh B&B £ fi lling haggis or venison stew. A more for- ( %01796-470316; [email protected]; mal restaurant (mains £13 to £16) serves 120 Atholl Rd; s/d £25/50; p) Genuine wel- equally delicious fare, and the hotel has CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL comes don’t come much better than Nan- a variety of rooms (single/double £60/75) cy’s, and her place on the main street makes as well as a self-catering annexe. The best a top Pitlochry pitstop. Three comfortable way to get here from Pitlochry is walking: rooms share an excellent bathroom, and it’s a pretty uphill stroll through green there’s an open kitchen stocked with good- fi elds, and an easy roll down the slope ies where you make your own breakfast in afterwards.

the morning. A home-away-from-home and Port-na-Craig Inn RESTAURANT, PUB ££ standout budget choice. ( %01796-472777; www.portnacraig.com; Port Knockendarroch House HOTEL ££ Na Craig; mains £13-17; hlunch & dinner) Right PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS ( %01796-473473; www.knockendarroch.co.uk; on the river, this top little spot sits in what Higher Oakfi eld; dinner, bed & breakfast s/d was once a separate hamlet. Delicious main £120/170; pW) Top of the town and boasting meals are prepared with confi dence and the best views, this genteel, well-run hotel panache – scrumptious scallops or lamb has a range of luxurious rooms with huge steak bursting with fl avour might appeal, windows that take advantage of the High- but simpler sandwiches, kids’ meals and land light. The standard rooms actually have light lunches also tempt. Or you could just better views than the larger, slightly pricier sit out by the river with a pint and watch superior ones. A couple of rooms have great the anglers whisking away

little balconies, perfect for a sundowner. McKay’s Hotel PUB £ Meals are highly commended here too. (www.mckayshotel.co.uk; 138 Atholl Rd; mains £9; Strathgarry HOTEL ££ hlunch & dinner) While the Moulin and the ( %01796-472469; www.strathgarryhotel.co.uk; Port-na-Craig are perfect for a quiet beer in 113 Atholl Rd; s/d £40/60, deluxe s/d £60/80; W) the Highland air, this is the place to go to With a top main-street location, Strathgar- meet locals and have a big night out. Live ry is a hotel-bar-cafe-restaurant that’s all music at weekends, weekly karaoke and done pretty well. En suite rooms are very DJs make this Pitlochry’s most popular. snug and have some luxurious touches – we The action moves from the spacious front lost a researcher who sunk into one of the bar (which serves food) to the boisterous beds and was never seen again. dancefl oor out the back. Tir Aluinn B&B ££ 8 Information (%01796-473811; www.tiraluinn.co.uk; 10 Higher Computer Services Centre (%473711; 67 Oakfield Rd; s/d £32/64; p) Tucked away Atholl Rd; per hr £3; h9.30am-5.30pm Mon- above the main street, this is a little gem Fri, to 12.30pm Sat; i) Internet access. of a place with bright rooms with easy- Tourist office (%01796-472215; pitlochry@ on-the-eye furniture, and an excellent visitscotland.com; 22 Atholl Rd; h8.30am-7pm personal welcome. Mon-Sat & 9.30am-5.30pm Sun Easter-Oct, 10am-4pm Mon-Sat Nov-Mar; i) Good infor- The original tower was built in 1269, but mation on local walks. the castle has undergone signifi cant remod- 221 elling since. Thirty rooms are open to the Getting There & Away 8 public and they present a wonderful picture Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) buses run roughly of upper-class Highland life from the 16th hourly to Inverness (£15.10, two hours), Perth century on. The dining room is sumptu- (£9.40, 40 minutes), Edinburgh (£14.40, two ous – check out the 9-pint wine glasses – hours) and Glasgow (£14.40, 2¼ hours). Mega- bus (www.megabus.com) discount services also and the ballroom is a vaulted chamber run these routes. that’s a virtual stag cemetery. Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) runs The current duke visits the castle every to Aberfeldy (30 minutes, hourly Monday to Sat- May to review the Atholl Highlanders, Brit- urday, three Sunday), Dunkeld (25 minutes, up ain’s only private army. to 10 daily Monday to Saturday) and Perth (one For a great cycle, walk or drive, take the hour, up to 10 daily Monday to Saturday). stunning road to Glenfender from Blair Pitlochry is on the main railway from Perth Atholl village. It’s about 3 miles on a long, (£11, 30 minutes, nine daily Monday to Saturday, winding uphill track to a farmhouse; the fi ve on Sunday) to Inverness. views of snowcapped peaks along the way are spectacular. 8 Getting Around Gothic Atholl Arms Hotel (%01796- Escape Route (%01796-473859; www.escape 481205; www.athollarms.co.uk; Blair Atholl; s/d

-route.biz; 3 Atholl Rd; bike hire per half-/full day & KINROSS SCOTLAND CENTRAL PERTHSHIRE from £65/80; pW), a pub near the train from £10/18; hdaily) rents out bikes; it’s worth station, is convenient for the castle and booking ahead at weekends. For a taxi, call sometimes does special deals. The fussy Broons (%01882-632331); a taxi to Blair Castle will cost you £15. rooms are of a high standard; book ahead on weekends. The Bothy Bar here is the sib- PASS OF KILLIECRANKIE ling pub of the Moulin Hotel in Pitlochry, Drop into the Killiecrankie tourist of- snug with booth seating, low-slung roof, fice (NTS; www.nts.org.uk; %01796-473233; bucket-loads of character and an enormous Killiecrankie; admission free, parking £2; h10am- ﬁ replace. There’s no better place to be when

5.30pm Apr-Oct) in this beautiful, rugged the rain is lashing outside. EATING & DRINKING & GLENSHEE BLAIRGOWRIE gorge, 3.5 miles north of Pitlochry. It has Blair Atholl is 6 miles northwest of Pit- EATING & DRINKING great interactive displays on the Jacobite lochry, and the castle a further mile beyond rebellion and local fl ora and fauna. There’s it. Local buses run a service between Pit- plenty to touch, pull and open – great for lochry and Blair Atholl (25 minutes, three kids. There are some stunning walks into to seven daily). Four buses a day (Monday to the wooded gorge, too; keep an eye out for Saturday) go directly to the castle. There’s a red squirrels. train station in the village, but not all trains Almost halfway between Pitlochry and stop here. Blair Atholl, Killiecrankie House Hotel For a continuation of this route north up (%01796-473220; www.killiecrankiehotel.co.uk; the A9, see the Cairngorms (p327 ). Killiecrankie; d standard/superior £230/250; pW) is brilliant for treating that someone special. Rates listed here are for dinner, bed Blairgowrie & Glenshee and breakfast; bed-and-breakfast rate also The route along the A93 through Glenshee available. is one of the most spectacular drives in the Local buses run between Pitlochry and country. Meandering burns and soaring Blair Atholl via Killiecrankie (10 minutes, peaks splotched with blinding-white snow three to seven daily). dwarf open-mouthed drivers – it’s surpris- ing that there aren’t more accidents! It’s BLAIR CASTLE & BLAIR ATHOLL fantastic walking country in summer, and One of the most popular tourist attractions there’s skiing in winter. Blairgowrie and- in Scotland, magnifi cent Blair Castle (www. Braemar (see p248 ) are the main accom- blair-castle.co.uk; Blair Atholl; adult/child/family modation centres for the Glenshee resort, h and £8.75/5.25/24; 9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Oct) although there is a small settlement 5 miles the 108 square miles it sits on, is the seat of south of the ski runs at Spittal of Glenshee the Duke of Atholl, head of the Murray clan. with a couple of good sleeping options. It’s an impressive white building set be- neath forested slopes above the River Garry. 2 Activities 8 Information 222 Glenshee Ski Resort SKIING Tourist offi ce (%01250-872960; blairgowrie@ ( %01339-741320; www.ski-glenshee.co.uk; half-/ visitscotland.com; 26 Wellmeadow; hdaily full-day lift pass £20/25) This resort has 38 Apr-Oct & Dec, Mon-Sat Nov & Jan-Mar) On the pistes and is one of Scotland’s largest ski- central square in Blairgowrie with plenty of walking areas. After a good fall of snow and ing and skiing information. when the sun burns through the clouds, you will be in a unique position to drink in 8 Getting There & Away the beauty of this country; the skiing isn’t Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com) oper- half bad either. The chairlift can whisk you ates from Perth to Blairgowrie (50 minutes, up to 910m, near the top of the Cairnwell three to seven daily). Buses also run from (933m). Whenever there’s enough snow in Dundee to Blairgowrie (50 minutes, hourly, less winter it opens daily. Prices are cheaper for frequent on Sunday). beginners. The only service from Blairgowrie to the Glen- shee area, about 30 miles away, is Stagecoach 4 Sleeping & Eating bus 71 which runs twice on Wednesday and four Dalmunzie House HOTEL £££ times on Saturday to Spittal of Glenshee. o( %01250-885224; www.dalmunzie.com; Glenshee; s £105-145, d £170-230, dinner £45; piW) A noble estate with a dash of an- Around Blairgowrie CENTRAL SCOTLAND CENTRAL tipodean hospitality thrown into the mix, About 5 miles east of Blairgowrie, Alyth this classy retreat lives up to the best High- is a charming little historic village with land stereotypes: roaring fi res, leather a small canal and some exquisite stone armchairs, antlers and decanters of malt. bridges. Ask at Blairgowrie’s tourist offi ce There are four classes of room, off ering for the Walk Old Alyth leafl et. If you’re much comfort (some with four-poster looking to escape the rain, perusing the beds). There’s a beautiful library, set up to displays on local history at Alyth Museum help research into Scottish forebears, and a (www.pkc.gov.uk; Commercial St; admission free; restaurant: dinners are opulent aff airs with h1-5pm Wed-Sun May-Sep) is a fi ne way to

PERTHSHIRE & KINROSS three courses broken by a cleansing sorbet. pass an hour or so. As well as wonderful walks hereabouts, the Alyth Hotel (%01828-632447; www.alyth property off ers golf, tennis, fi shing and oth- hotel.com; 6 Commercial St, Alyth; s/d £50/75, er activities; bikes can also be hired. mains £8-11; p) is a classic town pub that has had an excellent refurbishment. The Spittal of Glenshee Hotel HOTEL, HOSTEL ££ old-style rooms upstairs are better than ( %01250-885215; www.spittalofglenshee.co.uk; the renovated ones though, with a lot Spittal of Glenshee; dm/s/d £16/55/65; pW) This hotel is a very ‘Scottish experience’ – more space and a user-friendly design. it’s a great old country lodge that has burnt Either way, try and get a room overlooking down numerous times, but don’t worry: the the Square; Room 1 is a good choice. The insurers have calculated that it is likely the downstairs bar and restaurant is infi nitely next fi re won’t be until 2029. There’s a good cosy with low-slung roof, stone walls and bar, and a bunkhouse too (without cooking all manner of clutter giving it a homely facilities). feel. Off the A94 and 8 miles east of Blairgow- Rosebank House B&B ££ rie, Meigle is worth the trip for those with a ( %01250-872912; [email protected]. fascination for Pictish stones. The tiny Mei- co.uk; Balmoral Rd, Blairgowrie; s/d £28/56; gle Museum (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov. hJan-Nov; p) This fi ne Georgian property is uk; adult/child £3.20/1.90; h9.30am-5.30pm a great deal. Good-sized rooms upstairs are Apr-Sep) has 26 such carved stones from the well kept and have small but clean en suites, 7th to the 10th century, all found in the lo- and there’s a large front garden. The friend- cal area. The pieces range from the Nordic ly owners take good care of guests, and no to the exotic – they include a Viking head- surcharge is levied on solo travellers. Try to stone and, bizarrely, a carving of a camel. get a room overlooking the garden. © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’