13The Scotsman Saturday 2 February 2008Pe r t h s h i re8216The little
village of
Fortingall is
reputed to be
the place
wh e re
Pontius Pilate
was born8217SERENE
(Clockwise
from main): the city of
Perth, the Crannog
Centre in Kenmore
and Blair CastleMain picture: Craig StephenDelve into the heart of a nationWith fascinating history and a wealth of natural
beauty, the Big County is the ideal location for a
short break in Scotland, finds
Angela DewarIF YOUwant toget tothe veryheart
of Scotland, it hasto be Perthshire.
The city of Perthis the former capi-
taland Aberfeldy,atone timethe
home of the Stone of Destiny, sits at the
very centre of the country.
Easy accessto itsrolling hillsand
sparklinglochs makesit ahassle-free
short-break destination, packed with
historical mystery and intrigue.
Take LochLeven castle,sitting onan
island in the middleof the loch. Once
used asa fortressand prison,this is
where Mary, Queen of Scots was held for
almost ayear beforeshe escapedacross
the water in a rowing boat.
In Perth, onceyou8217ve wandered the
Georgian streets andstrolled along the
banks ofthe River Tay, headto Scone
Palace. It8217spacked withfine Frenchfur-
niture, antiqueChinese vases,portraits
andporcelain. Peacockspatrol theex-
tensive grounds which contain a wild
garden and cricket pitch.
Visit the Tullibardinedistillery near
the pretty little of town of Auchterarder
for a wee dram. If you can8217t afford a room
at thenearby GleneaglesHotel, dropin
forafternoontea. Furtheron,the
carefully-restored 16th-century Castle
Menzies sits just outside Aberfeldy.
Munro-baggerswill wanttoclaim
Ben Lawers, the 1,214-metre peak loom-
ing overLoch Tay.For theless energetic,
there are nature trails to follow from the
visitor centre and trips on the loch
aboard the MV Glen Lyon.
Findout aboutScotland8217s uniquede-
fensive measuresat theCrannog Centre
in Kenmore,with areconstruction ofan
Iron Age island house and exhibits from
archaeological dives.
Thelittle villageof Fortingallis
packedwithhistory. Rowsof19th-
centurythatchedcottages leadtothe
churchyard, where a 5,000-year-old yew
tree stands. It has seen the Romans camp
nearby andis reputed to bethe place
where Pontius Pilate was born.
The great outdoorsdoesn8217t get much
better than nearby scenic Glen Lyon. The
longest enclosedglen inthe country,it
snakeswest towardsLochLyon,
carpeted in Caledonian pine forest.
The TayForest Park offers hillsof an-
cient birch and forests of spruce, pine
and larch which tumble down to meet
Loch Tummel and Loch Rannoch. Stop at
the Queen8217s View visitor centre for views
acrossto Shiehallion,Perthshire8217sfairy
mountain often surrounded in swirling
mist. Thenfollow theClan Trailaround
Loch Rannoch.
Just off the A9 is Dunkeld, with its
cathedral overlookingthe RiverTay and
rollingPerthshirehills. Furtheronis
magnificent whitewashed Blair Castle,
the seat of the Dukeof Atholl. Go inside
tosee whatlifewaslike forwell-heeled
membersof thegentry inyears goneby,
ogle atthe impressiveballroom andif
you8217re therein May, watch theparade of
the Atholl Highlanders, the only private
army in Europe.
Don8217t forget to visit Pitlochry, home of
the Scottish Plant Collector8217s Garden,
paying tribute tolocal botanists who
travelled theworld searchingfor new
plantspecies. Andthe salmonladder,
where the fish make their way upstream
to spawn.Then go fora pub lunchat the
award-winningMoulinInn, justamile
out oftown, witha roaringfire towarm
in frontof andales todrink fromthe
brewery next door.
When itcomes toaccommodation,
five-star lodges can8217tcome with better
views thanthose onoffer atPortnellan.
Looking out over Loch Dochart and the
hills beyond, it8217s a struggle to pull
yourself away.
Withinthe estatethere8217scycling,
canoeing, fishing, clay-pigeon shooting
and walking. If you want to go further
afield, book a seat on the Jacobite steam
train, crossing theGlenfinnan viaduct
on the way to the road to the isles.
Take the kids to the Landmark Forest
HeritagePark inCarrbridge ortry
off-road driving and panning for gold at
Highland Adventure Safaris in
A b e r f e l d y.
Theestateoncesat attheferrypoint
for the castle on the island of Loch
Dochart. Portnellan Housewas built in
the 19th century as a shooting lodge for
the Marquis ofBreadalbane. It later
became a farm and then a guest house.
The first lodge was builton the estate in
1980and sincethentheestate hasbeen
run as a family business.
There are 19 lodges and cottages from
which to choose,including refurbished
17th-century cottages and modern
lodges with LCD TVs and Wi-Fi access.
Whenitcomesto hotels,it8217shardto
beat theKenmore Hotelfor stunning
surroundings. Sitting on the banks of
theTay, itwas herethat RobertBurns
wroteapoemabout thescenery.Readit
yourself inthe hotel8217sPoet8217s bar.Then
splash outon dinnerat theTaymouth
restaurant,witha menupackedwith
fresh local produce.
To reallypush theboat out,the five-
star KinnairdEstate isunmissable. Set
wthiin aprivate 7,000-acresporting
estate, it offers complete privacy for
guests with nine, individually styled
rooms in the main house, two courtyard
cottages and additional accommoda-
tion in the estate cottages.
Fish on private beats of the Tay, or try
stalking and shooting. Alternatively,
book aspot ata GourmetExperience
weekend, featuring finefoods and
complimentary wines, chosen and
advised by an expert host. General man-
agerJamesPayne, votedUKSommelier
of theYear, is alsoon hand withtips and
advice. Nowthat8217s ashort breakworth
raising a glass to.
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