Places to visit

There a multitude of places to visit and things to do and see in Scotland, but before you make your decision, you should know about the discount tickets available as well as the information you can obtain before you leave home.

Scottish Explorer Ticket - Holders get unlimited entry to over 60 of Scotland's top heritage visitor attractions including Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart Castles. You can purchase a 3-day, 7-day or 14-day pass, or a family ticket. Telephone booking 0131 668 8664.

Great Houses of Scotland - This group offers a good deal with at least 4 of the visits within easy reach for visitors to the Perthshire area. For only £20 for an adult ticket, £55.00 for a family ticket, OAP/Children at £12.00 per ticket entry to the following may be made: Scone Palace, Blair Castle, Glamis Castle, Thirlstane Castle, Traquair, Ballindalloch Castle, Dunrobin Castle, Glenturret Distillery and Dewar's World of Whisky. Tickets may be purchased at any one of the attractions.

Perthshire Gardens Collection - A season ticket at offers entry to 9 unique gardens - tickets may be purchased at any of the gardens in the scheme, which include Bell's Cherrybank, Drummond Castle, Scottish Plant Collectors Garden, Branklyn Garden (NTS Members will have free entry here), Blair Castle, Scone Palace and Glendoick Garden Centre.

Scotland's Garden Scheme - Each year some 350 Scottish gardens, most of them privately owned, open their gates to the public under the banner of Scotland's Gardens Scheme. Founded in 1931, it is an independent charity and the money raised from garden visitors supports two main beneficiaries - the Queen's Nursing Institute (Scotland) and the Gardens Fund of NTS. Information form Scotland's Gardens Scheme, 22 Rutland Square, Edinburgh, EH1 2BB Tel: 0131 229 1870

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) - Consider membership which will give you access to some of Scotland's greatest country houses and fortified castles, along with many of the nation's finest gardens, the battle sites of Bannockburn and Culloden with this excellent interpretative centres, and conservation sites such as Ben Lawers, Ben Lomond, Cairngorms and Glencoe. Contact -131 243 9555 for details, or write to NTS, Wemyss House, 28 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, EH2 4ET

Scotland's Churches Scheme - Many of Scotland's most important buildings re abbeys and churches - not just the great and expansive, but also the small and humble which are often found in the most beautiful and tranquil of settings. They all represent the rich cultural background of Scotland and the diversity of the nation. Further information form Scotland's Churches Scheme, Dunedin, Holehouse Road, Eaglesham, Glasgow, G76 0JF Tel: 01355 302416.

Here are some ideas in Perthshire:

Perthshire Visitor Centre - Tel : 01738-787696 Incorporating the Macbeth Experience, restaurant and shops.
Castle Menzies - Aberfeldy. 16th century fortified tower house.
Fowlis Wester - St Bean's Church 13thC. 8thC Pictish carved stones.
Blair Castle - Turreted baronial castle dating from 1269. Home to the Duke of Atholl and the Atholl Highlanders.
The Bruar Falls - 3 miles to the west of Blair Atholl River Bruar cascades down through rocky chasms and over great gleaming slabs of granite (visited by Robert Burns).
House of Bruar Whether you're looking for the elegant country look or just a great family day out, House of Bruar has something for you. If you ever get past the food hall! ...
The Pass of Killiecrankie and the Soldier's Leap - Splended wooded gorge with the famous Soldier's Leap - a 54ft jump made by one of Mackay's soldiers to escape from the Highlanders
Comrie Earthquake House - Built in 1874 to house one of the earliest seismometers in the world - still has a modern working instrument.
>Scottish Tartan Museum - Over 1300 tartans. Look up your name and discover which tartan you are eligible to wear.
Drummond Trout Farm & Fishery - Tel : 01764-670500 Feed the fish, enjoy the views and wildlife or catch your supper.
Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre - Tel : 01764-679469 Lovely wildlife centre set in 100 acres of beautiful Perthshire hills.
Abernethy Round Tower - Slender tapering tower, 74ft high, dates from the 9th century.
Crieff Visitor Centre - Tel : 01764-654014 Craft centre well known for its paperweights and pottery.Drummond Castle Gardens - Tel : 01764-681550 One of the finest formal gardens in Europe. Created in the early 17th century.
The Famous Grouse Distillery - Tel : 01764-656565 Scotland's Oldest Distillery. Home of The Glenturret single malt.
Innerpeffray Library The oldest public library in Scotland, founded in 1690.
Macrosty Park - Crieff's Oasis. For all the family.
Stuart Crystal - Tel : 01764-654004 Crystal and china emporium on the outskirts of Crieff
The Hermitage at Dunkeld - Mixed conifer and deciduous woodlands with folly built in 1758. Lovely walks - near Dunkeld
Loch of the Lowes - Nature Reserve where ospreys can be seen from a hide.
Dunkeld - National Trust Houses & Ell Shop 20 Houses in Dunkeld dating from 1689.
Balvaird Castle - Castle ruins used in the filming of Macbeth.
Kenmore - The Scottish Crannog Centre Tel : 01887-830583 Travel back in time 2,500 years to see how crannog dwellers lived.
Killin - Ben Lawers Perthshire's highest mountain (3984ft) with views from the Atlantic to the North Sea.
Kinross - RSPB Vane Farm On the southern shores of Loch Leven discover the many variety of migratory birds.
Loch Leven Castle - Castle ruins where Mary, Queen of Scotswas imprisoned in 1567.
Muthill - Folk Museum Museum depicting life in the village from by gone days. Perth - North Inch "The playground of Perth" - recreation area.
Moncrieffe Hill Wood - Two miles south of Perth. 333 acre wood with magnificent views and plenty of wildlife wildlife.
Perth Leisure Pool - Fun and excitement for everyone - two giant flumes, wild water channel, whirlpools, waterfalls etc.
Fergusson Gallery - Converted former waterworks (1832) containing the most extensive collection of J.D.Fergusson's paintings.
The Black Watch Regimental Museum - Tel : 01738-621281 Housed in Balhousie Castle, Perth.
Perth Mart Visitors Centre - Tel : 01738-474170 Highland Farm Life Show and Animal Farm adjacent to the famous Perth Auction Market.
Cluny House Gardens - Cluny House, Aberfeldy. Woodland garden with many specimen trees, shrubs and rhododendrons.
Caithness Glass - Tel : 01738-637373 Watch skilled glassmakers turn molten glass into handcrafted paperweights.
Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park - Woodland walks and views across Perth to the Tay and beyond.
Norie Miller Riverside Walk - Walk along the banks of the Tay through landscaped gardens.
Perth Museum and Art Gallery - Ideal for a wet day, includes Scottish colourists.
Rodney Gardens - Pleasant formal garden in the grounds of the Rodney Pavilion and close to the Norie Miller Riverside Walk.
Perth Theatre - Perth's Repertory Theatre with restaurant and bar.
Bell's Cherrybank Garden - Garden devoted to Scotland's ubiquitous shrub.
Branklyn Garden - Wonderfull two acres of garden in the country.
The Fair Maid's House - Home of the Catharine Glover, the Fair Maid of Perth.
Perth Race Course - Tel: +44(0)1738 551597 at Scone Palace Park.
Blair Athol Distillery - Tel : 01796-472234 Founded in 1798 distilling the malt whisky that goes into Bell's scotch whisky.
Edradour Distillery - Tel : 01796-472095 Scotland's smallest distillery and last one to produce a handcrafted malt.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre - Drama, concerts and foyer events.
Scone Palace - 19th century restoration of 16th century and earlier buildings - the home of the Stone of Destiny now housed in Edinburgh Castle.