Page 242 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Great Britain

240 BACK ROADS GREAT BRITAIN

VISITING PERTH
1 Perth
Parking Perthshire; PH1
Long-stay parking by the railway station, The “Fair City”, as Sir Walter Scott
on the High Street and on South Street.
dubbed Perth, sits on the banks of the
Tourist Information River Tay – Scotland’s longest river. It’s
45 High Street, PH1 5TJ; 01738 450 600; a lovely green city: Branklyn Gardens
www.perthshire.co.uk
(Dundee Road; open daily) are famed for
VISITING DUNKELD their brilliant blue Himalayan poppies;
and Cherrybank Gardens (Glasgow
Parking Road; open daily) contain the National
There is a large car park in the town
centre, behind the High Street. Collection of heathers. The Museum
Tourist Information and Art Gallery (closed Sun) contains Above The wonderful Italian Garden at Glamis
The Cross, PH8 OAN; 01350 727 688 water colours by Beatrix Potter, creator Castle, laid out in 1910
of Peter Rabbit (see opposite).
Just north of the city, off the A93, 3 Glamis Castle
WHERE TO STAY
stands Scone (pronounced “scoon”) Glamis, Angus; DD8 1RJ
PERTH Palace (Apr–Oct; open daily; www.scone- With its grand towers, turrets and tiny
Ardfern House moderate palace.co.uk). In the grounds lies Moot windows, Glamis Castle (Apr–Oct: open
Enjoy pretty rooms at this comfortable Hill where ancient Scottish kings such daily; guided tours only; www.glamis-
Victorian house. There’s a fire in the as Macbeth and Robert the Bruce were castle.co.uk) looks like a French château
lounge and many options for breakfast.
15 Pitcullen Crescent, PH2 7HT; 01738 crowned. The Stone of Destiny stood or something out of a fairytale. The
637 031; www.ardfernperth.co.uk here until Edward I took it to London in seat of the Earls of Strathmore since
1296: it sat under the Coronation Chair 1372, it was the childhood home of
Beechgrove Guest House moderate
Attractive B&B overlooking the Tay, just until 1996. It’s now in Edinburgh Castle. the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen
outside the centre, offers traditional ª Continue on the A93, past the 30-m Mother: visitors can see her sitting
en-suite rooms and has its own grounds. (100-ft) high Meiklour beech hedge, room and bedroom. The castle is said
Dundee Road, PH2 7AQ; 01738 636 planted in 1745. Soon after, turn right to be the most haunted building in
147; www.beechgroveperth.co.uk
onto the A984 signed Coupar Angus Scotland and the creepy crypt
Salutation Hotel moderate and at crossroads go right on the A923. contains a secret room: according to
Reputed to be one of Scotland’s oldest At Coupar Angus take the A94 to Meigle. legend, it was where one of the lords
hotels, the Salutation has 84 rooms, a
bar and a restaurant. of Glamis played cards with the Devil.
34 South Street, PH2 8PH; 01738 630 2 Meigle Museum The room was later sealed up. In
066; www.strathmorehotels.com Meigle, Perthshire; PH12 8SB summer, the Strathmore Highland
Meigle Museum (Apr–Sept: open daily) Games are held in the grounds.
AROUND DUNKELD
Dunkeld House Hotel expensive contains a superb collection of Pictish ª Take A928 north and park in centre.
Lodge as the nobility did in this country stones, dating back to the 8th century.
house hotel with four-poster beds, Amongst the images carved on these 4 Kirriemuir
suites, fireplaces, pool, spa and tennis mysterious stones by the Picts are a Angus; DD8
courts, and fine-dining restaurant.
Blairgowrie Road, Dunkeld, camel, a bear and mythical beasts. Known in the19th century for its
PH8 0HX; 01350 727 771; ª From Meigle, continue on the A94, jute factories, Kirriemuir is now more
www.dunkeldhousehotel.co.uk turning left to reach Glamis Castle. famous as J M Barrie’s Birthplace
(Easter–Oct: open Sat–Wed; Jul, Aug: open
daily; www.nts.org.uk). The museum is
signposted, just off the central square.
The creator of Peter Pan was the 9th
of 10 children and it’s hard to imagine
how they all squeezed into the tiny
upper rooms. Barrie’s father, a weaver,
worked downstairs. Outside is the
little wash house, in which the 7-year-
old author acted out his first plays – it
inspired Wendy’s House in Peter Pan.
ª Pick up A926 towards Blairgowrie,
then take A923 past the Loch of the
Lowes Visitor Centre (ospreys can be
seen in late spring) and into Dunkeld.
Far left The compact and pretty city of Perth, set
beside the River Tay Left The elegant tea garden
and peacock at 14th-century Scone Palace, Perth

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