Perthshire Guide

Situated in the very heart of Scotland, Perthshire represents the perfect place to find all that you expect of a great Scottish holiday. Most of Perthshire is little more than one hour by road or rail from Glasgow or Edinburgh, but a world apart.

Towns and places to visit in Perthshire include Aberfeldy, Loch Tay and Glen Lyon, Auchterarder, Gleneagles and the Ochils, Blairgowrie and East Perthshire, Crieff, Comrie and Strathearn, Dunkeld and Birnam, Kinross-shire and Loch Leven, the Fair City of Perth, Pitlochry and Highland Perthshire, and some of the most scenic Scottish glens.

Here are some facts about Perthshire:

• Many say that Perthshire is the centre of Scotland, but during the days of the British Empire, sons of Perthshire exerted their influence all the way across the world.

• Perthshire, or 'the County of Perth', was abolished in 1975 and split between the Central and Tayside Regions. However, Perthshire continues to exist as a 'registration county'. This means that while it isn't a local government county, it is considered a county for the purposes of census taking.

• Perthshire's county capital Perth was once the site of one of the biggest duels in British history. In 1396, 30 members of the Clan Chattan and 30 members of the Mackays fought a huge duel in front of Robert III. 29 Mackays were killed but 10 Chattans survived.

• For centuries, Scottish kings were crowned at Scone, on the 'Stone of Destiny'. Edward I stole the stone in 1296 and while the English agreed to return the stone under the terms of the 1328 Treaty of Northumberland, the stone would have to wait nearly 700 years before returning to Scotland.

Ewan McGregor, famed for his role in 'Trainspotting' and his portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the 'Star Wars' prequels, comes from the small Perthshire town of Crieff.

The Gleneagles Hotel near Auchterarder was opened by the Caledonian Railway in 1924. The name Gleneagles has become synonymous with golf, thanks to the hotel's world-class golf course, which includes the PGA Centenary Course that was designed by Jack Nicklaus.

The Perthshire town of Birnham is said to be the location of Birnham Wood, the wood where Malcolm Cranmore hid his army before the battle at Dunsinane ended Macbeth's reign and life.

According to local legend, King Arthur's queen Guinevere was imprisoned in a fort to the north-east of the town of Altyth. Historians believe the hill fort known locally as Barry Hill dates back to Pictish times.

The Duke of Atholl is permitted to garrison his private army, the Atholl Highlanders, in his ancestral home, Blair Castle. The regiment has never seen action and is used primarily for ceremonial duties. However, many of its number served with Perthshire yeomanry regiments during World War 1 and World War 2.

Here are just some places to visit in and around Perthshire: