Perth and Kinross

Perth and Kinross - interactive overview map

Wikipedia article about Perth and Kinross

 

Main attractions

The highlights of Perth and Kinross are:

• Castles. The diversity and number of castles is amazing, even more amazing is the fact that many castles still are owned by the families of original builders and are inhabited.
• Pictish picture stones and Celtic crosses - Perth and Kinross contain rich collection of these amazing stones, created at the dawn of Christianity.
• Trees - many of the largest trees in United Kingdom are located in Pert and Kinross.

Natural landmarks

• Falls of Bruar - falls which have formed on a mountain stream, falling down along mountainside. Total height – 60 m. At one place has formed natural arch.
• Giant sequoia of Cluny House Gardens - enormous Sequioadendron giganteum - 33.5 m tall and with a girth of 11 m. Possibly planted circa 1853.
• Hermitage Douglas Fir - one of the tallest trees in United Kingdom, 64.5 m tall Douglas fir.
• Praying Hands of Glen Lyon - unusual formation. Two huge standing stones are divided by a split and resemble two hands held together in prayer. It is possible that this stone setting is man made.
• The Fortingall Yew - the oldest known yew (Taxus baccata). In 18th century the tree had a girth of 17.2 m. Now two parts remain.

Man made landmarks

Megaliths

• Croft Moraig Stone Circle - stone circle, developed since 3000 BC. Several stones with cupmarks are aligned according to astronomical events.
• Tigh nan Cailleach (House of the Cailleach) - megalithic structure - a shrine to Celtic Mother Goddess. Most likely it is made after the coming of Christianity by the remaining pagans.
• Meikle Findowie Circle - double ring stone circle. Outer ring still has six stones of the original nine.
• The MacBeth Stone - nearly 4 m tall standing stone with cupmarks.

Other archaeological monuments

• Cleaven Dyke - enormous, 1.5 km long bank with flanking ditches. Made in Neolithic age in late 5th - mide 4th millenium BC.
• Crannogs of Loch Tay - more than 20 man-made defensible islands, now submerged in Loch Tay.

Pictish symbol stones and Celtic crosses

• Abernethy Stone - remarkable Pictish symbol stone, made circa 600 AD.
• Apostle's Stone in Dunkeld Cathedral - stone with many carved sculptures. It is considered that these carvings were created in 9th century AD and shows Apostles and other symbolics related to Christianity.
• Dunfallandy Cross Stone - magnificent Pictish symbol stone with Pictish symbols in one side and Celtic Cross in the other side.
• Dupplin Cross - fine, 2.5 m high Celtic cross from early 9th century AD.
• Fowlis Wester Stones - pair of Pictish symbol stones - a well made replica and original. Original stone is 3.15 m high, with Pictish symbols on one side and Celtic cross - on another.
• Meigle Sculpted Stone Museum - one of the richest collections of Pictish symbol stones, contains 27 such stones. Most of the stones come from Meigle town itself and point at a possiblility that in 8th - 10th century this was an important religious centre.
• Rossie Cross Slab - beautiful, intricately carved Pictish symbol stone.

Castles and tower houses

• Ardblair Castle - old, fortified family house, consists of several parts built in different periods.
• Ashintully Castle - fortified tower house, built in 1583. Site of numerous ghost stories.
• Balmanno Castle - L-shaped towerhouse, built circa 1580. Preserved in excellent condition.
• Balvaird Castle - fine and extremely well preserved example of late medieval Scottish tower house, built circa 1500. Gatehouse built in 1567. Adorned with sculptures.
• Blair Castle - well preserved castle. Construction started in 1269 and rebuilt since then several times. Collections of arms, hunting trophies.
• Castle Huntly - constructed circa 1452, now serves as a prison. Legends about haunting.
• Castle Menzies - well preserved, spectacular castle from 16th century, seat of Menzies Clan.
• Cleish Castle - L-spahed towerhouse from the 16th century. Restored circa 1840 and inhabited.
• Craighall Castle - fortified country house towering above the Ericht Gorge. Built in 1637.
• Drummond Castle - country house, consists of a fortified tower house from the late 15th century and 17th century mansion, both rebuilt in Victorian times.
• Elcho Castle - very well preserved Z-plan tower house, built circa 1560. Not inhabited for 200 years.
• Fingask Castle - manor house built in 1592. Beautiful park.
• Huntingtower Castle - free standing towerhouse – late medieval castle. Construction started in 15th century and rebuilt and extended over next centuries. Abandoned in 1767. Contains early 16th century Renaissance style paintings on walls and ceiling. Stories about haunting by Lady Greensleeves.
• Kinnaird Castle - well preserved tower house from circa 1450.
• Loch Leven Castle - castle ruins on a lake island. Built around 1300, fallen in ruins in 18th century. Consists of a keep and curtain wall with one round tower.
• Megginch Castle - 15th century castle, inhabited by the family of original owners. Four very old yew trees in the garden as well as very old and valuable fruit trees.
• Newton Castle - inhabited, well preserved castle from 14th century. Legends about haunting.

Country houses and palaces

• Dalnaglar Castle - elegant country house built in 19th century in the site of earlier hunting lodge.
• Kinross House - late 17th century country house, beautiful example of early Neo-Classical architecture.
• Pitfour Castle - large country house, built in 1784.
• Scone Palace - palace in late Georgian Gothic style, constructed in 1808, basing on earlier structure from 16th century. Built in the site of ancient gatherings of the Picts and possible site of early Christian church. Fine collection of interior items. Here was located Stone of Scone (now in Edinburgh Castle) – the crowning stone of early kings of Scotland.
• Taymouth Castle - large country house built in the site of earlier Balloch Castle. Present country house is built in early 19th century in Gothic Revival style. Sumptuous interiors with numerous valuable artworks.

Other landmarks

• Abernethy Round Tower - one of the best preserved freestanding circular towers in Scotland. Tower is 22.5 m tall, diameter at the base is 4.57 m. Built circa 1100 AD.
• Drummond Castle Gardens - formal terraced gardens, laid in 1832. Contains a collection of some 50 sculptures from 17th - 19th centuries.
• Dunkeld - picturesque, small town – one of the best preserved 18th century towns in Scotland. The history of town goes into early middle ages with remnants from 9th century.
• Dunkeld Cathedral - large church built in Norman and Gothic styles in 1260 - 1501. Partly in ruins.
• Meikleour Beech Hedges - tallest and longest hedge on earth. Consists of beech trees, planted in 1745. This fine pruned hedge is up to 30 m high and 530 m long, is trimmed once in ten years.
• Pitlochry - fine Victorian town with numerous beautiful buildings.
• The Kenmore Hotel - the oldest hotel in Scotland, built in early 16th century, rebuilt into hotel in 1572.
• Uamh Tom a'Mhor-fir - site of legends in Mount Schiehallion. According to local legends this is a cave where fairies used to live, there are many diverse stories about the interactions of local people and fairies.