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Crieff

The well-groomed town of Crieff sits on the slopes of the Grampian foothills overlooking the wide Strathearn valley. It's a popular tourist centre and a good base for exploring the western part of Perthshire and the Trossachs. 


People have been coming here since Victorian times, when Crieff was a popular spa town, and its position between the Highlands and Lowlands made it an important livestock market in the 18th century, with traders coming from as far afield as the Isle of Skye to buy and sell cattle. The Crieff Highland Gathering takes place on the penultimate Sunday in August.

Strathearn

Strathearn is called the "Valley of the River Earn", which stretches west of Perth for some forty miles to Loch Earn- a popular water sports location north of Trossachs. Check our Strathearn Guide for more details about in and around the place.

Eating Out

Other than the hotels in town and the Glenturret Distillery, there isn't a huge choice of decent places to eat. Pick of the lot is The Bank, 32 High St, Tel. 656575, which offers modern Scottish food. Also worth trying are Blue Med, 24 West High St, Tel. 656161, which serves Mediterranean dishes and also does morning coffees; and The Gallery, 15 Hill St, Tel. 653249.

Shopping

The town Crieff in Perthshire has a selection of eclectic, old-fashioned and independent shops with fine collection of gift items, handicrafts, and clothes.

The Strathearn Gallery & Pottery, 32 West High St, Tel. 656100, open Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1300-1700

Region

Perthshire

Travel Directions to Crieff

The Tourist Information Centre is in the town hall on the High Street. Tel. 652578. Apr-Jun, Sep and Oct Mon-Sat 0930-1730, Sun 1100-1600; Jul and Aug Mon-Sat 0930-1830, Sun 1100-1700; Nov-Mar Mon-Fri 0930-1730, Sat 1000-1400.

In the basement of the town hall is a free exhibition on the town's history, where you can see the 1000-year-old Burgh Cross. Open same hours as the tourist office.

Cycle hire - Crieff Ski Shop, 66 Commissioner St, Tel. 654667, and Finnie's Cycle Hire, Tel. 652599.

Stagecoach buses, Tel. 01738-629339, run every hour (Mon-Sat) to Perth (45 mins) and Comrie. Some buses continue to St Fillans. There are regular buses to Stirling, via Muthill, and also to Auchterarder via Muthill.

Stagecoach also runs a special 'Tourist Trail' bus around Perthshire and Stirling, stopping at Pitlochry, Aberfeldy, Dunkeld, Comrie, St Fillans and various other places.

Activities

Local Sights & Activities for Crieff

A mile from town, just off the A85 to Comrie, is Glenturret Distillery, Scotland's oldest distillery, established in 1775. It has a good restaurant which serves food all day (lunch cheap/mid-range; dinner expensive). 

Five miles southeast of Crieff, off the B8062, is Innerpeffray Library, Scotland's first ever public library (founded in 1680), with a huge collection of rare and ancient books (but don't make too much noise about it). Apr-Sep daily (except Thu) 1000-1245 and 1400-1645, Sun 1400-1600, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov closes at 1600; Dec, Jan by appt only. Tel. 625819. The chapel next door dates from 1508 and is also interesting.

Two miles south of Crieff, on the A822 to Muthill, is the turning to the very wonderful Drummond Castle Gardens, one of the finest formal gardens in Europe. Even the most horticulturally ignorant of people could not fail to be amazed by the graceful harmony and symmetry, in particular the magnificently laid-out flower beds celebrating family and Scottish heraldry. If you have the feeling you've seen them before, that's because they were featured in the film Rob Roy. Easter weekend and May-Oct daily 1400-1800 (last entry 1700). concession. Tel. 681257. To get there, take bus No 47 towards Muthill and get off at the gates, then walk 1 mile up the castle drive. In the village of Muthill itself is an ancient church bell tower, which dates from around 1250, and a small Village Museum, open during the summer.

Nearby Ancient Monuments

  • Fowlis Wester Cross

    Old  Pictish cross slab that has been removed to the church and replaced with a replica. Sweet village and good walking.

Local Visitor Attractions

  • Innerpeffray Library

    Scotland's Oldest Lending Library publishes first book and wonderful opportunity to step back to Enlightenment Scotland in a library wonderfully situated in the country. A library lovers idea of paradise! 

  • Drummond Castle Gardens

    One of Scotland's most formal and striking gardens as seen in Rob Roy. The contrast of typical scottish house and continental topiary should not be missed. 

Nearby Distilleries

  • Glenturret Whisky Distillery

    It is no wonder that the Glenturret Distillery is the most visited distillery in Scotland as the Famous Grouse has been Scotland's Favourite Whisky for over 25 years.