Perth And Kinross: Experience History, Nature and Trails

Perth And Kinross offers plenty of opportunities to visit museums, observe nature, and explore on foot or by bike. When planning your trip, it’s worth first organising the places you want to visit: a day at a museum calls for different priorities than a stay at Loch Leven or a longer route. Choose your hotel based on the places that are actually on your itinerary.

Museums, castles and living history

At Perth Museum, the Stone of Destiny is presented as an ancient symbol of the Scottish monarchy and kingdom. From Perth railway station, you can reach the museum on foot in just under 15 minutes—a useful point of reference for a visit to the city.

Lochleven Castle also tells a story of Scottish history: the 14th-century tower house is where Mary Queen of Scots was held captive. Visitors reach the island of Lochleven Castle by boat across Loch Leven; the crossing depends on operating conditions. Take this into account when planning your visit.

Innerpeffray Library was Scotland’s first free public lending library. David Drummond, the 3rd Lord Madertie, founded it in 1680. The Innerpeffray Heritage Trail is open year-round and uses trail markers to tell the story of the area from the Ice Age to the present day. Check current conditions before setting out.

On the shores of Loch Tay, the Scottish Crannog Centre offers guided museum tours with interactive demonstrations in the Iron Age Village. The programme also includes hands-on activities led by interpreters: cooking, gathering, storytelling, pottery, spinning, weaving and woodworking. Activities available may vary by date.

Nature and distinctive landscapes

Scone Palace combines a historic role with nature and garden highlights. The ancient Scottish building was once the crowning place of the Scottish kings; its grounds provide a habitat for red squirrels, deer and rare hawfinches. A maze was planted with 2,000 beech trees in 1991. Its paths are more than 800 metres long in total.

Loch Leven is designated a National Nature Reserve. Its natural world includes rare plants and insects as well as large numbers of breeding and overwintering birds. The 21-kilometre Loch Leven Heritage Trail is a circular route around the loch and is mostly flat and accessible.

The grounds of Blair Castle include a nine-acre walled garden, extensive woodland, a ruined church, a red deer park and a Gothic Revival folly. Those interested in woodland trails and wildlife can find waymarked paths, bluebells and red squirrels at Quarrymill Woodland Park.

Planning hikes and cycling trips

The Cateran Trail is a fully waymarked circular route through Perthshire and the Angus glens. It is 64 miles (103 kilometres) long and divided into five stages. There is no official start or finish point; you can begin at any stage. Before hiking, check the latest route information and any possible closures or diversions.

If you’d rather explore by bike, the Beyond Perth City route by Perthshire Gravel combines segregated cycle paths, quiet roads and gravel roads. Check the route conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Bridge Of Cally, Blairgowrie and Rattray, Aberargie, Luncarty, Comrie, Braco, Glendevon, Perth, Kinloch Rannoch, Ardeonaig, St David's, Crieff, Aberfeldy, St Fillans, Morenish, Glencarse, Stanley, Dull, Pitlochry, Auchterarder, Ochtertyre, Grandtully, Kinfauns, Scone, Kinross, Inchture, Dunkeld, Blair Atholl, Kenmore, Invergowrie, Coupar Angus, Glenalmond, Acharn, Dunning, Fowlis Wester.

For the main travel overview: Scotland.