Royal Deeside
Royal Deeside is an hour's drive from Blairgowrie along the A93 National Tourist Route through the dramatic mountain scenery of Glenshee. First stop is Braemar, then east to Balmoral Castle, the Royal Family's holiday home since Victoria’s day. Part of the castle and the gardens are usually open to the public and you can also visit Crathie Church and the Royal Lochnagar Distillery. Return by the spectacular Cairn O' Mount road through Fettercairn and Edzell.
Pitlochry & Blair Atholl
A short drive north west of Blairgowrie, Pitlochry is famous for its Dam and Fish Ladder and its Festival Theatre, "Scotland's Theatre in the Hills". To the north, picturesque Blair Atholl nestles under mighty Blair Castle, home to a treasure trove of artworks, as well as Europe's last private army, the Atholl Highlanders.
The Angus Coast
The Angus Coast stretches north east of Dundee (where Scott of the Antarctic’s RRS Discovery is berthed and where the V&A has located its design museum) and offers a spectacular mix of beaches, cliff and historic towns: Carnoustie prized for its Open Championship golf course; Arbroath synonymous with its smokies - a local haddock delicacy; Montrose renowned for its 2000-acre tidal wildfowl nature reserve; and Brechin, home to the Pictavia Visitor Centre, which illustrates the story of Scotland's ancient peoples.
St Andrews & Fife
Named after Scotland's patron saint, the historic university town of St Andrews is just over 30 miles south of Blairgowrie by way of Dundee and the Tay Bridge. Golf has been played for over 600 years at The Home of Golf. Further south, you’ll discover the East Neuk, a string of picturesque fishing villages such as Crail, Pittenweem and Anstruther.
Dunkeld & Loch Tay
Dunkeld lies a few miles to the west of Blairgowrie. Its picturesque little houses radiate out from its 12th century cathedral and the village is a well-known centre for folk music and speciality crafts. Neighbouring Birnam is home to the Beatrix Potter Exhibition and Garden and nearby Loch Tay harbours the Scottish Crannog Centre, which will re-open in Spring 2024 with three crannogs, Bronze Age roundhouse and Iron Age village.
You can find out more about these tours by visiting the Cateran Country website.