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!