Cottages in Crieff

For generations visitors have flocked to the lovely resort town of Crieff in Perthshire. Perched right on the edge of the magnificent Scottish Highlands, you will have the perfect base for exploring all that this glorious, rugged region has to offer in terms of miles of unspoiled natural scenery, majestic ancient ruins and noteworthy heritage castles. A splendid new adventure awaits you every day of the week in this land of warm hospitality, Scottish bagpipes, fine malt whiskey, ancient legend and castle ramparts!

Crieff is the perfect location for a Scottish small town retreat that will offer you so much to do in terms of long rambling walks and plenty of down time to recharge in the stunning peace and quiet of the surrounding nature. There is much to explore in this peaceful, renowned corner of Scotland! This quaint, charming, upmarket town has earned a reputation as a favourite Scottish haunt for food lovers and nature enthusiasts! Find your perfect, cosy holiday cottage in or around Crieff just for two or pick the perfect place for a group of four or six guests. Many of these lovely, comfortable, fully equipped stone built cottages have access to a garden and are just a stone’s throw from the lovely town centre where you will find a local hub for wonderful family run businesses including upmarket cafes and restaurants.

Crieff’s wonderful location near the Scottish Highlands offers you so much choice in terms of hiking and rambling opportunities. Crieff, Strathearn and the surroundings offer almost twenty incredible trails of varying length and degree of difficulty that will provide you access to of the most breathtaking panoramas that you will see in your lifetime! Hike the fabled 4.5 km Hosh Circuit or the 6km knock of Crieff routes for a local hiking adventure or try the dramatic 7.5 km Deils’s Cauldron and Melville Monument hike near Comrie that features a gorgeous cascading waterfall!

History lovers are in for a rich feast of historical sights as this part of Scotland is steeped in centuries of folklore, mystery and rich heritage. Perthshire is replete with magnificent castles and gardens to explore boasting around 213 splendid castles, fortified towers and fortified houses! Lovers of medieval times will love a trip to Scone located about 40 minutes west of Crieff. This medieval village is packed with history and was once the ancient capital of Scotland as well as the site where Scotland’s kings were crowned for centuries. Be sure to plan a trip to Scone Palace, an incredible red sandstone Gothic Revival style palace with opulent interiors filled with extravagant decor and priceless artefacts from bygone times and royal coronations!

Head on down to one of Europe’s most impressive formal gardens. A mile of towering, elegant beach lined avenue leads to a majestic ridge top tower house and through an iron portcullis to a magnificent Italianate ornate garden that was originally laid out in the 17th century. There are ancient yew trees and incredible copper beeches to admire at this horticultural site of wonder. After your stroll around the gardens, head to the fabulous Barley Bree Restaurant in Crieff that specialises in French cuisine served with the best local Scottish produce!

Discover how one of Scotland’s best distilleries makes whiskey! Go behind the scenes at Scotland’s oldest working distillery that has been handcrafting single malt whiskey since 1763! A Glenturret tour allows you to see every step of the fascinating process in traditional handcrafted whiskey making. After your guided tour you can grab a bite to eat at the elegant cafe and browse the lovely selection of malt whiskies and beautiful upmarket gifts available in the distillery shop.

Grab your hiking shoes and some picnic snacks and head out on this stunning 3.2 km walk through this awe inspiring, heritage woodland paradise near Aberfeldy. It is estimated that this beautiful, natural historical gorge area has been covered by dense trees for at least 800 years! Admire gorgeous, towering ancient birch, oak, ash and elms on the magical trail path that offers stunning views of the cascading roar of dramatic waterfalls. This is a wonderful location for gorgeous autumn nature photography!

Find medieval mystery and a magnificent castle stronghold near the village of Doune, a scenic 40 minute drive south of Crieff. The castle is perched dramatically on a wooded bend and there is a magnificent trail through the adjacent Dollar Glen that includes breathtaking views of meandering rivers, dramatic gorges and roaring waterfalls. The castle boasts one of Scotland’s best preserved tower houses and a spectacular terraced garden. This 2.5 km woodland trail is close to the castle entrance and is a haven for bird lovers and botany enthusiasts!

This architecturally magnificent castle just 40 minutes south of Crieff is one of the largest, most impressive and most historically significant castles in Scotland. The castle is dramatically perched on top of Castle Hill, a jagged crag. Here you can step back in time to the sumptuous, extravagant world of Scotland’s royalty in the 1500’s in the Royal Palace. Admire the incredible Banqueting Hall, the exquisite Royal Chapel and marvel at the bustling scene of daily life in the Great Kitchens amongst other splendid attractions. This is a great day out for families!

Just under an hour and a half east of Crieff lies the stunning Loch Lomond National Park where you can enjoy an unforgettable quintessential Scottish highlands wilderness adventure making this the perfect destination for a fabulous day trip. Get close to amazing birds of prey such as owls and golden eagles at Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre that offers exhilarating falconry activities. There are dozens of spectacular hiking trails in the area to choose from. Try a wonderful Loch Lomond pony trekking adventure for a truly unique experience or embark on a splendid boat tour of the Loch with one of the local tour operators!

Scotland is a magical land of fairytale castles and no trip to this lovely corner of the world is complete without discovering over 750 years of Scottish history at the fabled Blair Castle and Gardens just an hour north of Crieff. This gorgeous, whitewashed castle with its magical turrets is at the heart of a spectacular 18th century historic landscape. Admire the incredible Hercules walled garden with landscaped ponds, a historic orchard and dazzling summertime herbaceous borders. The castle features opulent 18th century interiors and Scottish baronial architecture. Visitors are free to stroll around the gorgeous grounds.