A Five Minute Tour of Perth:
… Yeah that’s Perth – Scotland, not the somewhat warmer one in the southern hemisphere. Scotland’s Perth is damper, greyer, and a lot colder, but might be able to give the Australian version a run for its money in terms of beauty….
Perth spans the River Tay. Fortunately, there are a few bridges.
Image: ClemencePARNEIX/Shutterstock.com
Perth is a lower landed Highland City. This just means that you can get to it without having to climb any mountains. It’s up there in the north. The real north… Imagine George RR Martin and guys with silver eyes. It’s on the banks of the River Tay and nestled to the north of some of the most earth-changing, astonishing mountains you will ever see in your life.
If you happen to be in this area, make sure you pop south to the Ochil Hills and make a point of visiting Ben Lawers and/or Ben Vorlich. If you want stunning geology and a safe-but-great hike then these are two Munros (that’s any Scottish mountain over the 3000ft mark) that need to be bagged.
Perth and Kinross is home to Killin, another town you should make a point of visiting. The area is rich in gold and known for its smoky quartz. Everywhere you look is beautiful up there. If you are not in Perth then go book your trip now. We will wait…
Perth and All its Glory!
Perth and Kinross have some of the best scenery in the country. Better yet; there are vast areas of the Highlands that you just can’t see or reach without walking. In Perthshire, most things are low down enough to still have some form of access road!
There are actually attractions all over the area. That being said, if you wanted to spend a day in Perth and had only a limited budget; these are the attractions we suggest you try to see.
The Black Watch Castle and Museum
The Black Watch are a source of eternal national pride for any Highland Scot and are one of the oldest regiments in Scotland. They were formed to be a Highland regiment specifically, founded as The Royal Highland Regiment of Foot. Before this, the Scots still fought regimented in their clans. The Black Watch was the regiment that united Fifeshire, Forfarshire and Perthshire, and one of the three Highland Regiments which fought in America during the French & Indian War of 1754.
The Black Watch is still going strong now known as Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland an active as part of the British Army. You can visit their museum, learn about their history and their many, many achievements, and read the testaments of those that have come before. It has a long and colourful history where you are sure to find a few stories.
Huntingtower Castle or Elcho Castle (or Scone Palace… You have your pick in Perth)
Huntingtower Castle is a preserved and restored former Royal residence. In fact, Mary Queen of Scots (yes, the one that got her head chopped off) stayed here while she and Lord Darnley suppressed a rebellion known as the Chaseabout Raid…. Well. The royals get the credit but we suspect the soldiers did most of the hard work…
On the other hand, Elcho Castle was built in 1560 and is one of the best-preserved fortified mansions in Scotland. They have beautiful gardens, stunning architecture, and if the sun is shining this is where you will get the Instagram pic you are looking for.
Scone Palace – Coronation place of Scottish Kings in years gone by. A replica of the stone of Destiny is currently displayed in the Duke of Lennox’s Room.
Image: chbaum/Shutterstock
If you have ever heard of the Stone of Scone then you can guess what Scone Palace is in terms of significance. This stately home is iconic as a symbol of Perth. In truth, it isn’t a place that many of us locals have been. Excepting, perhaps, to attend the odd wedding. It’s a hotel now, but browsing their 100 acres of grounds is still free. Just don’t poach or the gamekeepers may shoot you.
Not many people realise this, but this particular area of Scotland is situated on the edge of the Cairngorm mountain range. Now; this particular area is very, very high up in those mountains, resulting in some alpine type plant species growing wild in those mountains.
In 1920 some scientists realised this, and they went about collecting Alpine seeds and plant-hunted specimens to create this marvellous, 2-acre hillside garden, in the heart of Perth. You should go and see it. The air feels fresher in the Branklyn Garden. Head out to one of the Munros and you get the same effect with a bit more exercise…
The Perth Museum and Art Gallery
Those that are interested in finding out more about the local area can visit the museum. The attached art gallery has regular exhibits from local artists and shows more well-known painters, too.
Other Notable Attractions in Perth
There just isn’t enough space for us to list all of the Perth based attractions – so we added a few more here to try and cram as much in as we could!
Things to do in (Scottish) Perth include:
- Perth Cathedral – dedicated to St Ninian… who brought Christianity to Scotland. Is it the same one the schoolgirls made famous? Very likely…
- The Murrayshell and the Lynedoch Golf Courses – take your pick.
- The Fair Maid’s House – nobody really knows what this is… it’s some kind of educational, science-type exhibit? Seriously… Someone needs to report back on this.
- Go and watch St Johnstone FC play. Their home ground is McDiarmid Park, and at the time of writing, they are in the Scottish Premiership and have won the Scottish Cup as recently as 2014.
St Johnstone won the Scottish Cup for the only time in their history in 2014
Things to do in (Scottish) Perth with kids:
- Perth Leisure Pool is awfully named but great fun. It has flumes!
- Dewars Centre – has the best in ice skating goodness.
- Noah’s Ark has both a golf course and a bowling alley. They have a few other facilities that should ensure you have a fun day out with the little ones in Perth. Hey have a soft play area for the really little ones, too.
So as you can see, there is always something to do in Perth. If you are still stuck try grabbing a local and asking them for some old stories… We Scots love to blether!
Got Five More Minutes?
If you still have some time to kill, you can browse all of our travel destinations for some more five minute guides. Thinking of paying a city a visit? Check with us first to see if it is worth the trip!
