North- east Perthshire is full of interesting and stimulating places to visit, whatever your taste. Below are links to some of the more populr vistor attractions close to The Steadings. Lorraine & Tom will be happy to advise you on other places of interest in the area.

Balmoral Castle website »	Balmoral Castle Scottish home of the Royal Family since 1852 when Prince Albert bought the castle for Queen Victoria. He then deemed it to be too small so ordered a new castle to be built, which was completed in 1856. It was built using the local granite from nearby quarries.
Glamis Castle website »	Glamis Castle For many centuries home to the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne and lived in and visited by many members of the Scottish and British Royal Family. Glamis was the childhood home to HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and also the birthplace of the late Princess Margaret in 1930. It still remains the home of the Strathmore family and was used as a setting in Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Macbeth.
Blair Castle website »	Blair Castle A beautiful castle set amid stunning scenery, a short drive north of Pitlochry at Blair Atholl. It is steeped in history through the eras of Mary Queen of Scots, the English Civil War, Jacobite Cause, the Battle of Culloden to the more recent Dukes of Atholl. Blair Castle also has the only remaining Private Army in Europe, The Atholl Highlanders. Blair Castle is also home to the Bowmore International Horse Trials and Country Fair, held every August within the spectacular grounds and backdrop of the castle itself. 2003 saw the premier of the only three star event in Scotland. Together with the new country fair, a renowned Hunter Show and three days of BSJA show jumping, this is an action packed event well worth a visit. Pony Trekking can also be arranged through the estate office on native Highland ponies owned by the Estate itself. Treks take you through the wonderful manicured grounds of the castle up into the spectacular heather clad hills beyond where exhilarating views can be had of the local area.
The House of Bruar website »	The House of Bruar Established in 1993 The House of Bruar is a shopper's paradise set in the midst of the beautiful scenery of Highland Perthshire away from the hustle and bustle of the town. Here you will find an extensive clothing store, including a recently opened Cashmere and Knitwear hall. In the food hall choose from a selection of fine Scottish produce such as Aberdeen Angus Beef, shellfish, smoked foods, cheese, wine, liqueurs and whiskies. As well as all this there is a country house style restaurant offering good home cooked food and a garden shop selling an array of gifts, card, ceramics and a large selection of wildflowers, Scottish trees and shrubs, alpine heathers and herbs. There is also a children's playground.
Scone Palace website »	Scone Palace Another great attraction steeped in Scottish history. It is the current home of the Earl of Mansfield, although in times gone by was the seat of many early Scottish Parliaments and crowning place of the early Scottish Kings. Scone Palace was the original home of the Stone of Destiny before it was seized by King Edward I in the 13th Century, ending up in Westminster Abbey in London, where it was placed beneath the Coronation Chair. It was later stolen and brought back to Scotland in 1950 where it eventually ended up at Arbroath Abbey then later placed on display at Edinburgh castle in 1996, where it can still be seen now.
Edradour Distillery website »	Edradour Distillery The smallest distillery in Scotland, located near Pitlochry, remains unchanged from the day it opened. With only three staff and all the original equipment still used, it only produces about 12 casks of whisky per week. The whisky is then laid down for 10 years to mature, making it a rare delicacy for the lucky few! Tours of the distillery are free of charge. You will be welcomed with a "wee dram" of Edradour and given a talk on the history of the distillery and the art of whisky making, before being taken on a guided tour, where you will see the whisky making process just as it was in Victorian times.
Discovery Point website »	Discovery Point One of Scotland's premier tourist attractions is Discovery Point in Dundee. Docked at the visitor centre is the superbly restored RRS Discovery, the ship on which Captain Scott sailed to Antartica on his polar exploration. A spectacular array of exhibits and special effects recreate the voyages of this ship, originally built in Dundee.
Dunkeld The Cathedral town of Dunkeld is one of Perthshire's gems, hiding amongst densely wooded hills, alongside the River Tay. The Cathedral, which is the oldest part of Dunkeld, dates back to the 13th Century, although before this there was a monastery founded by St Columba in 600. The Cathedral was attacked in 903 by Vikings and later attacked again in 1689 by the victorious Jacobites following the Battle of Killiecrankie, when most of Dunkeld was destroyed. The buildings you see today were those built after the battle. A short walk across the Thomas Telford Bridge, takes you into the village of Birnam which features in Shakespeare's Macbeth, when King Malcolm used the woods to advance upon Macbeth at Dunsinane (some 20km south). At the Birnam Institute you will find the enchanting Beatrix Potter Exhibition and Garden. Nearby is The Hermitage. A lovely woodland walk along the bank of the River Braan, leading to a small folly known as Ossian's Hall, which was built in the 18th Century for the 2nd Duke of Atholl. The folly looks out over the dramatic Black Linn Waterfall.
Pitlochry A fifteen minute drive north of Dunkeld is the town of Pitlochry. The town dates back to only the 19th Century. Queen Victoria visited first in 1844 and following this the town grew in to the tourist centre that it is now, with its vast array of hotels, guest houses gift and souvenir shops on the main street. On the River Tummel you will find the Hydro Electric Dam with its fish ladder, where the trout and salmon swim through interconnecting pipes up through many pools until reaching the upper river level. An underwater observation chamber with a large plate glass window allows visitors to watch the salmon and trout travel upstream.
Perth Approximately ½ hour's drive south of Blairgowrie is the City of Perth. Nestled on the banks of the stately River Tay this bustling and vibrant town with its well-kept parklands (North & South Inch) along the riverbanks, its Georgian terraces and streets adorned with floral displays, is surely a jewel in Perthshire's crown. In olden times Perth was a thriving market town, with its central location and harbour it was also a hive for trade and export. More recently this has been revived through the introduction of regular Farmers Markets in the city centre, which sell a vast array of produce from surrounding farms and businesses. Perth Museum and Art Gallery is one of the oldest museums in Britain, full of major collections of fine and applied art, human history, archaeology and natural history. The Fergusson Gallery, also in Perth exhibits work of J.D. Fergusson the Colourist artist. On Kinnoull Hill there are scenic woodland walks providing magnificent views over the city of Perth and for miles beyond. Other attractions in and around Perth include the Perth Mart Visitor Centre, and Noah's Ark for the children!
Perth Race Course Set within the beautiful historic parklands of Scone Palace, Perth has been voted top small racecourse in Scotland and North East of England. There are regular race meetings with many of Britain and Ireland's top jockeys and trainers competing for glory. Perth Race Course website »
Other attractions There are many, many other attractions including at Stirling (Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument) and a day trip to Edinburgh, which is a holiday in itself! Top of page