What’s to come in 2016...

With summer just around the corner we’ve lined up the rest of our Perthshire Guide 2016, giving you some great ideas about what is going on in Perthshire from July through until December. We’ve rounded up the best events, activities and experiences, all you have to do is decide when to visit!

If you want an idea of what you can get up to in April-June, check out our first post here.

July

This month Scone Palace host a number of events in their spectacular grounds. The GWCT Game Fair takes place on from 1^st-3^rd July. Enjoy the lively atmosphere and, with over 300 stands, you might even bag yourself a bargain. There’s a wide range of competitions, displays and demonstrations. If 80’s music is more your thing – you’re in luck as Rewind Festival takes place in the grounds of Scone Palace on Saturday 23^rd and Sunday 24^th of the month. With acts such as Rick Astley, Holly Johnson, Tony Hadley, ABC, Adam Ant and Midge Ure gracing the stage, it’ll be a weekend to remember…just don’t forget your legwarmers!

The Hermitage, by Dunkeld

August

August is the perfect month to try out a Highland Safari. With a huge variety of exciting journeys through the magnificent scenery of Highland Perthshire, there’s a Safari for every desire! It is also home to The Red Deer Centre, where you can go face-to-face with Britain’s largest native land mammal – the Red Deer. Enjoy a hands-on Barn Owl demonstration as well as experiencing the wonders on a fun and inspiring walk through the countryside.

September

We think there’s nothing more beautiful than Perthshire when Autumn begins and the leaves turn into a mass of gold and orange. There are lots of magical walks around Perthshire, but there’s something extra special about a walk around the Hermitage near Dunkeld. A beautiful coniferous and deciduous wooded gorge, with the stunning Black Linn Waterfall, you can follow in the footsteps of Wordsworth and marvel at the magnificent scenery. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for Ossian’s Hall with sliding panels and mirrored artwork – it’s sure to surprise you! Whilst you’re in the area the Beatrix Potter Exhibition at the Birnam Arts Centre is worth a visit, keeping enthusiasts and children amused with a stroll through the beautiful Beatrix Potter Garden to visit Mrs Tiggy Winkle in her house and a hunt for Peter Rabbit!

October

The Enchanted Forest

With Autumn now encapsulating Perthshire, nothing is more spectacular at this time of the year than The Enchanted Forest. Running throughout the whole of October, it’s a music and light spectacle set to showcase the stunning Highland Perthshire scenery of Faskally Wood, Pitlochy in all its wonderful glory. Tickets are likely to sell out so make sure you book well in advance. Looking for something different to do on Old Hollow’s Eve? Why not visit the Scottish Crannog Centre for their Spooks + Sacrifice Halloween Event on 31^st October. The festival marks the end of harvest and the beginning on the darker night. Expect fire-juggling, sacrificial wicker ram burn, apple-ducking and the odd spooky surprise.

November

Perthshire Amber Festival takes place from 3^rd-6^th November and is an annual celebration of music, history and culture of Perthshire. Dougie MacLean has developed the unique festival, which welcomes high calibre musical guests from Scotland and abroad, staged in a variety of wonderful venues, from village halls, town halls and a grand concert hall to historic castles and the atmospheric Dunkeld Cathedral. If you head down to Scone Palace from 11^th-13^th November, you might find yourself an antique gem! The ever-popular Galloway Antiques Fair makes its return to the historic Palace. Join nationally renowned antiques and fine art dealers displaying exceptional furniture, porcelain glass, jewellery and much more.

December

December means just one thing – Christmas! In the run up to Christmas, Perthshire has an abundance of glorious Christmas Markets. From Gleneagles to Glamis, Scone Palace to Blair Castle – there is plenty choice of places to pick up some seasonal delights. If you’re looking for some Family Fun at Christmas, there’s always a laughter-packed pantomime at Horsecross over the festive period.

At Abade, we have accommodation to suit every need and all our properties are perfectly located to enjoy all of the wonderful things to discover in Perthshire in 2016. With accommodation sleeping between 2-8 people…all you have to do is decide who’s coming with you! 

Walking in Highland Perthshire

Our holiday lets in Highland Perthshire are some of our most spectacular. Whether it’s spotting some salmon in Loch Tay, spying some ramblers up Ben Lawers or smelling that fresh Big Tree Country air, the scenery really is something to behold.

Our Ben Lawers at Shoreside, Tarmachan at Shoreside and Ben MacDui at Shoreside properties offer some of the best views in Scotland. The modern homes certainly have the ‘wow’ factors inside too…there are even log burning stoves to fend off the Scottish chill! All properties sleep 4 people and prices start from just £485 for 7 nights.

For those looking for larger lets in the area, options include River View Cottage in Kenmore, sleeping 6, with weekly rental prices starting at £625. Needing something even bigger? Luckily, the larger property The Orphanage, Kenmore sleeps 8 and can even accommodate pets, prices start from £1,300 for a 7-night stay.

Whilst you could sit on the decking and admire the stunning scenery of Highland Perthshire, we think it’s well worth putting on some boots (they were made for walking after all!) and seeing what delights some of the local trails take you to.

With a number of nature trails, walks and hill climbs around, there’s something for all level of walkers – from the Sunday afternoon strollers to the serious Munro baggers.

Nature Trail at Ben Lawers

Distance: Around 1 ¼ miles

Time: A leisurely stroll will take around 1 hour

A short nature trail from the car park takes in the mid-level slopes of Ben Lawers and is renowned for its arctic-alpine flora, much of which are rare and endangered species. What nature will you encounter? The area is home to a variety of wildlife including red deer, ravens and black grouse.

Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas

Distance: Around 6 ½ miles

Time: A round (up and down!) trip would take around 6 hours.

For those looking for more of a challenge, Ben Lawers on the north side of Loch Tay is the tenth highest munro in Scotland and the highest in Highland Perthshire at just short of 4,000ft. With a clear path to the summit, once you’ve made it you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the Cairngorm Mountains to the north and Glencoe to the west. Beinn Ghlas is crossed en-route and many walkers don’t realise they’ve climbed a second munro.

Don’t forget that it gets cold up in these parts! Throughout the winter months and into early spring the higher ground is covered with snow and reaching the summit requires an ice-axe, crampon and a serious amount of skill and knowledge – so we wouldn’t recommend this route until the snow melts and we’re blessed with the summer months.

Falls of Acharn

Distance: Around 1 ½ miles

Time: 1 hour

Starting in the pretty little village of Acharn, this short walk takes a tour around the little ravine of the Falls of Acharn. The falls are viewed through a Victorian ‘Hermit’s Cave’ and although there is a fair bit of up and down, the clear paths make for a lovely leisurely walk taking in some spectacular views.

Taymouth Castle and Kenmore

Distance: Around 3 ½ miles

Time: Anything from 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours.

A beautifully tranquil walk that takes a lovely route along the River Tay, where you’re sure to see the odd salmon fisherman! With the chance to diver to see Taymouth Castle this easy walk is full of magnificent views of some of Highland Perthshire best scenery.

We hope that’s whet your appetite for the kind of wonders that Highland Perthshire has in-store. Plan your trip now and check out our properties at www.abade.co.uk. 

What's to come in 2016...

Here at Abade we think that no two months in beautiful Scotland are the same (no, not even the weather!) so we’ve decided to put together a little ‘Perthshire Guide’ to help you decide what time of year you’d most like to visit.

In this post we’ll cover January through to June, with July to December coming soon.

January

After a busy festive period there’s nothing better than a few days relaxing in the countryside. At this time of year the weather is often chilly but clear, with the delights of the winter sun shining down and giving just enough hours of daylight to explore the frosty surroundings. Whilst not the perfect conditions for golf, there’s plenty excitement to be had up in Dunkeld as the official opening of the salmon season takes place on the 15^th of the month.

February

As we enter February, the weather usually lends itself to some great conditions on the slopes of Glenshee. With 2,000 acres and around 40km from 36 different runs there’s something for everyone, from beginners to the more advanced. Whilst we can’t guarantee there will be snow, February and March are the best times for good conditions. Luckily, we offer some great last minute deals so if there’s snow on the way – you can pack up your ski’s and head our way! 

March 

2016 will see Easter weekend fall on the last weekend of the month and with it comes a whole host of fun, family-friendly activities in and around Perthshire. With many of the tourist attractions opening their doors once again for the summer season, now is the perfect time to take a trip and discover all the delights of The Big Tree Country. Something worth mentioning is the Easter weekend activities at Scone Palace – which always promises lots of fun in the wonderful surroundings of the Crowning Place of Scottish Kings!

April

Spring will have officially (well, hopefully!) starting springing in April, making it the perfect time to come to Perthshire and enjoy the vast amounts of walking routes, which guarantee some spectacular views! If you fancy adding a bit of glamour to your stay, Perth Festival Races takes place from 20^th-22^nd April. With three action packed days of top quality racing to open the 2016 season at Perth and everyone is invited – make sure you bring your hat! 

May

A very busy month in Perthshire, May brings with it Arts, Music and some traditional highland games! Perth Festival of the Arts takes place at Perth Concert Hall from 19^th-29^th May and has a packed line up of great musicians. Those who enjoy something a little different can take a trip to Mhor Festival on 28^th-29^th, where you might even get the chance to take part in the Mhor Bake Off! The famous Atholl Gathering see’s Blair Castle’s private army parade through the iconic setting of Blair Castle on 28^th-29^th. This unrivalled spectacle gives locals and visitors alike the chance to participate in a unique Highland tradition that has persisted for generations. The two day Atholl Gathering weekend consists of The Atholl Highlanders' Parade on Saturday followed by the Highland Games on Sunday – this one is not to be missed!

June

As the temperatures begin to warm up there are plenty of world class golf courses within minutes of our holiday lets – we’ve even got something special up at Gleneagles! If golf isn't your thing then maybe you could take a little picnic and try your hand at some fishing on the River Tay. There’s plenty of exploring to be done before the busier summer season and sometimes there’s even a bit of sun to go with it!

We hope that’s given you some inspiration to begin planning a trip to Perthshire in 2016 and with a huge selection of properties sleeping between 2-8 people the perfect holiday in Perthshire awaits…

www.abade.co.uk  

Christmas in Perthshire

If you are planning a trip to Perthshire this coming festive period then there is plenty going on to keep you occupied.

Santa at Scone Palace

Take a visit to the historical Scone Palace where Santa will be paying a special on the 12th & 13th December. There are two parties to choose from on each day: 10.00am-12.00 noon or 1.30pm-3.30pm, with a present for every child and fun games, led by his hard-working elves! The Palace Gardens are open free of charge throughout the winter months and well worth a visit!

Christmas Markets

Visit the magnificent Gleneagles on the 12th and 13th December and treat yourself to a great day out and get ahead with your Christmas shopping! Gleneagles ignites the festive spirit with their biggest Christmas Market to date. Browse stalls offering everything from handcrafted arts and crafts, ceramics, bespoke artworks and luxury jewellery, to photography and locally sourced artisan food. Kids will be enchanted by old fashioned balloon-animal making!

Or why not take a trip to the stunning Glamis Castle? Events take place on the 11th, 12th and 13th December from 10am until 4pm. The Castle tours will be given a festive makeover; 1920s style! Join expert guides as they transport you back to the roaring twenties and take you on a memorable Christmas party themed tour.

Step back in time at Blair Castle

If you’re up in Highland Perthshire, why not pop along to Blair Castle on the 13th (and 20th), where the castle is open to give visitors the chance to see the Christmas Castle, decorated as it was in the Victorian era, when the 7th Duke lived here with his wife Louisa and their 6 children: Dorothea, Helen, Evelyn, Bardie (the future Duke), George and James. The rooms are decorated to give an insight into how they might have celebrated Christmas.

We’ve still got a range of beautiful lets available over Christmas week – so why not do something different this Christmas and spend it in the magnificent Perthshire countryside.

Availability and prices –book via our website www.abade.co.uk

Sleeps		Christmas week
2	Waterside at Braco	£460
2	The Wee House at Muthill	£460
4	Isle of Murray	£560
4	The Stables, Forgandenny	£571.43
4	Fern Cottage	£550
4	Ben Lawers, Loch Tay	£900
4	Tarmachan, Loch Tay	£900
6	Gleneagles Apartment,  Guthrie Court	£1750
6/8	Milton Villa in Auchterarder	£750
8	Trowan Farmhouse, by Comrie	Up to 27th @ £800 for 7

Book a night away (or more) in our Perthshire holiday homes

We have some very special rates in two of our Perthshire holiday homes

Studio at the Doocot        

1 night @ £120

2 nights @ £200

3 nights @ £260

4 nights @ £310

5 nights @ £355

6 and 7 nights @ £400

This is a very luxurious studio apartment within a short walk of the conservation village of Dunning, 9 miles west of the City of Perth.

The Doocot

1 night @ £150

2 nights @ £200

3 nights @ £240

4 nights @ £270

5 nights @ £300

6 and 7 nights @ £350

Just the place to unwind,  Compact,m perfectly presented,  secluded but within a short walk of Dunning Pubs, shop and 9-hole Golf Course

See our Special Offers at any time or email us for details.