Perthshire - The Gateway to the Highlands
Perthshire - The Gateway to the Highlands
PERTHSHIRE FROM DUNGARTHILL
BOOK OUR PRIVATE VICTORIAN ESTATE AND VISIT DUNKELD
Staying at Dungarthill puts you in the middle of Perthshire, a county that mixes small towns, stunning wilderness, and easy access to the outdoors. Within half an hour you can be in Aberfeldy, or Pitlochry — each with its own character, shops, and places to eat. Perth itself is close by for larger services. Whisky is part of the area’s story, with Aberfeldy and Edradour among the distilleries open for visits, and there’s chocolate too: the Highland Chocolatier at Grandtully is well known across Scotland. Between the rivers, lochs, forests and hills, you’ll never be short of places to visit
Perth
Perth is about twenty minutes from the house and the place to go if you need supermarkets, shops, or a cinema. It was once the capital of Scotland, where early Stuart kings held court. The best reminder of that era is St John’s Kirk, a 15th-century church that hosted parliaments and sermons during the Reformation. The town’s old bridges across the Tay also show its historic role as a crossing point between Highlands and Lowlands. Today Perth feels more modern — galleries, a concert hall, and a lively events calendar — so it works for errands but also for find activities to suit your group.
Scone Palace
If you’re heading into Perth, Scone Palace is only a few minutes further on and well worth the detour. This is where Scotland’s kings were crowned on the Stone of Destiny, so it’s not just another stately home. The palace itself is 19th century, filled with portraits and stories from the families who lived there, but the grounds are what most people enjoy — long walks, a walled garden, a hedge maze for kids. It’s an easy half-day trip from the house and one of the few places where Scotland’s royal history feels very tangible.
Active Kids Adventure Park
If you’ve got younger children in your group, Active Kids near Stanley (about 25 minutes from the house) is an easy win. It’s 11 acres of play space with giant bouncing pillows, zip lines and climbing frames outside, plus friendly farm animals — donkeys, alpacas, pigs and rabbits — to meet along the way. Indoors there’s a big treehouse-themed play area that works well on wet days. Grown-ups can grab coffee or lunch in the café while the kids burn energy. A good option for a half-day out that keeps everyone happy.
Pitlochry & Aberfeldy
If you want to make a day of it beyond Dunkeld, Pitlochry and Aberfeldy are the two towns most guests head for. Pitlochry has a high street full of shops and cafés, the Festival Theatre on the river, and a mix of outdoor stops like the dam and fish ladder. Aberfeldy feels smaller but has strong links to the Dewar family who once owned Dungarthill — their distillery still runs tours, and the art deco Birks Cinema is a good stop for films or coffee. Between the two towns you’ll find galleries, bookshops, and plenty of walks, so it’s easy to fill a day without driving far.
Aberfeldy Distillery
Aberfeldy is the nearest working distillery to the house, about half an hour’s drive, and it has a direct link to Dungarthill’s own story. The Dewar family, who bought Dungarthill in 1947, built Aberfeldy in 1897 to supply the single malt for their blends. Touring the distillery is a chance to step into that history: warehouses stacked with casks, guided tastings, and an exhibition on how Scotch became a worldwide export. For guests at Dungarthill, it isn’t just another whisky tour — it’s visiting the place that shaped the family who once lived in the house.
Highland Chocolatier
For chocolate fans, the Highland Chocolatier at Grandtully makes an easy outing from the house — about 30 minutes by car. It’s a four-star visitor attraction built around the work of chocolatier Iain Burnett. You can browse the shop, sit down for award-winning hot chocolate or cake in the lounge, or book a tasting flight to learn how gourmet chocolate is made and judged. There’s also a small exhibition on cocoa and chocolate history, which only takes a few minutes to see. Plan for around an hour on site, then finish with a short walk by the River Tay before heading back.
Gleneagles
If anyone in your group fancies a bit of luxury, Gleneagles is about forty minutes from the house. Some guests go for the golf, others book into the spa for the day, and it works well if you’ve got a mixed party — a few hours of activity for some, a slower lunch or treatment for others. You don’t need to be staying at the hotel to enjoy it, and it can turn into a full day out if you want a change of pace from the villages nearby.
Uncover Scotland from Dungarthill
