A Base for Scotland’s Big Days Out
A Base for Scotland’s Big Days Out
SEE SCOTLAND FROM DUNGARTHILL
BOOK OUR PRVATE VICTORIAN ESTATE AND VISIT DUNKELD
While most guests find plenty to do close to the house, it’s worth knowing that Scotland’s bigger cities and landmarks are still within easy reach. From Dungarthill, you can reach Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee or St Andrews in under an hour — and be in Inverness in just under two. That means you don’t need to pack up and move hotels to dip into the capital’s museums, a day of golf on the east coast, or a gallery trip in Dundee. It’s one of the perks of this location — quiet countryside when you’re home, but the major centres close enough for a day out.
Stirling
Stirling is just under an hour from the house and works well as a shorter day out. The castle is the an obvious starting point for many guest — it played a key role in Scotland’s royal history and gives wide views across the Forth Valley. A few minutes’ drive from there is the Wallace Monument, which you can climb for a look over the city and the area famous for the Battle of Stirling Bridge. If you’ve have kids in the group, the Old Town Jail runs tours with excellent guides and interactive exhibits — curious enough to keep everyone entertained on a rainy day.
Edinburgh
If you want a city day while you’re here, Edinburgh is about an hour and a half from the house. Most guests start at the castle — it’s busy, but the views are worth it — then follow the Royal Mile through closes, shops and cafés. In August the whole city changes with the Festival and Fringe, and at night the Military Tattoo plays out on the castle esplanade with music, pipes and fireworks. It’s common for people to travel in from well beyond Edinburgh just for these events, so the drive from Dungarthill isn’t unusual. It makes a long day, but you’ll see the capital at its best.
Glasgow
Glasgow is just over an hour from the house and makes a good contrast to Edinburgh. The city grew on shipbuilding and heavy industry, and you still feel that scale in the streets, but these days people go for its museums and the West End. Kelvingrove and the Riverside are both free and big enough to fill an afternoon. If you head up to the University you’ll see the gothic spires and cloisters that gave Hogwarts its look. Around there, Byres Road and Ashton Lane are full of cafés, bars and small shops — a good place to end the day before heading back.
Dundee
If you fancy a shorter city trip, Dundee is under an hour from the house. Most guests go straight to the waterfront for the V&A Museum of Design — it’s the only one outside London and easy to get round in a morning. Right next to it is the Discovery, the ship that took Scott and Shackleton south, which you can climb aboard. The city itself is compact and easy to walk. A good choice if you don’t want a late night back, and it ties neatly to the house too — Dungarthill was built with the fortune made in Dundee’s jute mills.
St Andrews
St Andrews is about an hour and a quarter from the house. For golfers it hardly needs an introduction — the Old Course is world-famous and tournaments draw crowds from around the world. But the town has just as much to offer if you’re not there for golf. The ruins of the medieval cathedral and castle sit right on the edge of the sea, reminders that this was once the religious centre of Scotland. Around them are narrow streets, shops, cafés and the university that gave the town its student character. It’s busy in summer, but between golf, history and the beach, there’s something for everyone.
Inverness
Okay, technically it’s just over to two hours from the house — but leave after breakfast and you’ll be in Inverness in time for brunch. The city is small enough to get your bearings quickly, with the river, shops and plenty of cafés at its centre. Just outside town is Culloden Battlefield, where the Jacobite rising ended in 1746. The visitor centre sets the scene well before you walk the field itself, marked with clan stones and memorials. It makes a long day, but for anyone interested in Scotland’s story, combining Culloden with a wander round Inverness is worth the drive.
Uncover Scotland from Dungarthill
