8 Activities
Scotland in Miniature: A Trip into Perthshire
Starts from
Edinburgh
Transportation
By Car
Guidance
Self-Guided
Activities
8
Duration
10 hrs 10 min
Length
107 mi
Route details
Starts from
Edinburgh
Transportation
By Car
Guidance
Self-Guided
Duration
10 hrs 10 min
Length
107 mi
Suzy Pope
Travel Expert
- Drive past lochs and rugged mountains in the unspoilt Perthshire countryside.
- Discover a secret cave by a waterfall that inspired many local myths and legends.
- Stop at a single malt distillery for a tour and a taste.
You don't have to travel as far as you think to reach the empty wilderness and rugged mountain scenery the Scottish Highlands are famous for. This day trip takes you to the Perthshire and Fife countryside, just across the Firth of Forth from the capital. You'll stop at lochsides to take in typically Scottish scenes, visit an ancient castle and even visit a single malt whisky distillery. Finishing with dinner of locally-sourced produce and Scottish dishes, this route distills the essence of Scotland into a single day.
Categories
You don't have to travel as far as you think to reach the empty wilderness and rugged mountain scenery the Scottish Highlands are famous for. This day trip takes you to the Perthshire and Fife countryside, just across the Firth of Forth from the capital. You'll stop at lochsides to take in typically Scottish scenes, visit an ancient castle and even visit a single malt whisky distillery. Finishing with dinner of locally-sourced produce and Scottish dishes, this route distills the essence of Scotland into a single day.
Suzy Pope
Travel Expert
- Drive past lochs and rugged mountains in the unspoilt Perthshire countryside.
- Discover a secret cave by a waterfall that inspired many local myths and legends.
- Stop at a single malt distillery for a tour and a taste.
Day Itinerary
8 Activities
Day 1
107 mi0.4 mi
Perthshire's Castles, Lochs and Distilleries from Edinburgh
The Scottish Highlands are famous for their Speyside distilleries, rugged scenery at every turn and castles perched dramatically on lochsides. But, you don't have to make the five-hour drive to the Highlands to experience all of this. You'll cross Fife to the beautiful region of Perthshire, where you'll find castles, lochs and distilleries to rival the Highlands.
Loch Leven National Nature Reserve
Nature Preserve
Open Details
Forget Loch Ness, Loch Leven is just as impressive, flanked by mountains and stretching like a glass surface across the landscape. Pause to admire this typically Scottish scene from the pier and stroll along the lochside to spot Leven Castle, stranded out in the water like a painting.
20.4 mi
30 min
Scone Palace
Palace
Open Details
Once the crowning place of Scottish kings, Scone Palace has a history spanning over 1000 years and was the original home of the Stone of Destiny. The ancient walls of this stunning castle have seen the coronations of Macbeth and Robert the Bruce and, wandering the sprawling grounds, you'll find a replica of the mysterious Stone of Scone.
You can tour the resplendent rooms and the acres of gardens of Scone Palace. At the moment, booking in advance online is recommended and you can choose a flexible timeslot to match your arrival time.
You can tour the resplendent rooms and the acres of gardens of Scone Palace. At the moment, booking in advance online is recommended and you can choose a flexible timeslot to match your arrival time.
16.3 mi
30 min
The Clootie Dumpling
Coffee Shop
Open Details
Sample a traditional Scottish recipe dating back hundreds of years for your lunch stop in Dunkeld. Clootie dumplings are a dried fruit-filled loaf cake, a staple food of Perthshire for centuries. The Clootie Dumpling Café also offers a range of other home-baking and big slabs of quiche and sandwiches served with crispy salad.
The Clootie Dumpling Café is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but you can stop for lunch at one of Dunkeld's other cafés like Palmerston's on these days instead.
The Clootie Dumpling Café is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but you can stop for lunch at one of Dunkeld's other cafés like Palmerston's on these days instead.
0.4 mi
10 min
The Hermitage
Forest
Open Details
A babbling river surrounded by woodland glades, thundering waterfalls and a cave and hall shrouded in mystery await at Dunkeld's Hermitage park. Make the short, easy walk to Black Linn Falls and admire this tumbling cascade from the viewpoint at Ossian's Hall. In the autumn, you might even catch a glimpse of salmon leaping upstream. In the 18th century, the Dukes of Atholl constructed Ossian's Cave and Ossian's Hall to complement the landscape.
24.2 mi
50 min
The Glenturret Distillery
Liquor Store
Open Details
Peaty whiskies and smokey single malts aren't just reserved for the famous Speyside region of the Highlands. Perthshire has its fair share of distilleries making aqua-vitae, and The Glenturret is one of the best examples. Tour the distillery and admire the stills, learn how this distinctive single malt is made and sample it for yourself. Take-aways are available for the designated driver.
Four distillery tours run each day, and this road trip itinerary has been designed to make the 4:30 p.m. tour. Booking in advance can be done on The Glenturret's website and is essential.
Four distillery tours run each day, and this road trip itinerary has been designed to make the 4:30 p.m. tour. Booking in advance can be done on The Glenturret's website and is essential.
26.9 mi
50 min
Alva Glen
Park
Open Details
If you're making this trip in the summer months, when the days are long and the sun doesn't set until after 7pm, stop at Alva Glen for a short walk along the marked trail. It's your chance to experience a Scottish glen – a narrow valley often carved out by a river and an ethereal spot for a hike.
In the autumn and winter months, when the sun sets before 7pm, skip this stop and head straight to dinner a little early as the path is not suitable for a post-sunset walk.
In the autumn and winter months, when the sun sets before 7pm, skip this stop and head straight to dinner a little early as the path is not suitable for a post-sunset walk.
18.1 mi
40 min
Jack 'O' Bryan's
Restaurant
Open Details
This spot in Dunfermline has all the cosiness of a country pub, but with a few velvety touches reminiscent of a fine-dining establishment. The menu uses Scotland's diverse larder to create a fusion of Scottish cuisine and international spice. Dishes change seasonally. So cross your fingers for the tarragon-scented lamb and dumplings laced with Isle of Mull cheddar, or the lobster mac and cheese pie. Reservations are essential.
This place is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and closes at 7:00 p.m. on Sundays. On these days you could stop for dinner at the cosy Ship Inn at Limekilns instead, or opt for an excellent curry at Khushi's.
This place is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and closes at 7:00 p.m. on Sundays. On these days you could stop for dinner at the cosy Ship Inn at Limekilns instead, or opt for an excellent curry at Khushi's.