Perthshire, Heart of Scotland campaign
As
a new tourist campaign promoting the attractions of Perthshire is
launched Hilary McNally finds out why the county has been described
as one of Scotland's finest.Sir Walter Scott described it as the "most beautiful and most varied of all the provinces of Scotland" and with more than 2000 square miles of stunning scenery, sparkling rivers, magical forests and picturesque towns and villages it is easy to see why.
It is also perfectly placed for exploring the rest of Scotland. The Highland Boundary fault, a geological feature separating Highland and Lowland Scotland passes straight through Perthshire placing the county at the very heart of Scotland.
It is this fortunate piece of positioning combined with the variety of landscapes and range of attractions that form the basis of a new campaign to encourage more people to discover the delights of the area.
"Perthshire is Scotland in microcosm," said Alan Graham of Perthshire Tourist Board, organisers of the Heart of Scotland campaign.
"There are undulating rural towns and farmlands, the Highland line, castles and distilleries, lochs and mountains. It really is Scotland in a nutshell. And although it is a rural base it is within striking distance of Glasgow and Edinburgh."
He added that a brochure detailing Perthshire's many and varied attractions is being distributed through British Tourist Authority offices worldwide.
"It gives a flavour of Perthshire and includes accommodation and places to visit. We also have stands at 16 overseas exhibitions with the objective of putting Perthshire on the agenda.
"We can't rest on our laurels particularly in terms of what has happened post September 11. We have to raise our profile and let people know what Perthshire has to offer."
As well as some of Scotland's most breathtakingly beautiful scenery from rugged mountain peaks to lush green glens Perthshire can also claim to be the historic heart of the country.
It was at Scone just outside the town of Perth that all 42 Scottish kings were crowned and for centuries Perth was the country's Capital.
Going
further back in time Perthshire is reputed to be the birthplace
of Pontius Pilate while at Kenmore the Iron Age is brought back
to life with the Scottish Crannog Centre devoted to the interpretation
of the way Scottish people lived offshore on lochs more than 2500
years ago.There are also a number of historic houses and castles to be explored including Castle Menzies, home of the clan chief, Blair Castle with the last and only private army in the UK and Glamis Castle, the childhood home of the Queen Mother.
The Pass of Killiecrankie is another must for anyone with an interest in Scottish history. This eerily beautiful wooded gorge above the River Garry was the site of the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689 when crown forces were crushed by Jacobite rebels.
Visitors with a love of literature meanwhile can soak up the atmosphere of Shakespeare's Macbeth at Dunsinane Hill Fort, Birnam Wood and Duncan's room at Glamis Castle or at the Macbeth Experience visitor centre at Bankfoot.
The inspiration for Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit tales can also be found in Perthshire at Dalguise near Dunkeld where the author spent her childhood holidays. Dunkeld is now the home of the Beatrix Potter Exhibition and garden.
Outdoor enthusiasts are also spoiled for choice here with some of the best whitewater rafting conditions in the country and some of the best trout and salmon fishing beats in the world.
There are also more than 40 golf courses, excellent horse riding tracks and spectacular mountains including Ben Lawers, at 3984 ft the highest peak in Perthshire, and Schiehallion, one of the most famous in the country whose name translates as the "fairy hill of the Caledonians."
Perthshire is also home to some majestic forests and woodlands and boasts the oldest tree in Europe, the world's highest hedge and Britain's tallest tree.
For more information on holidays and attractions in Perthshire visit the Perthshire Tourist Board site at www.perthshire.co.uk or the Perthshire Big Tree Country site at www.perthshirebigtreecountry.co.uk
(7/3/2002)
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