Gateway to the glens of Perthshire and Angus, Blairgowrie is an ideal basecamp for outdoor adventurers.
Lying on the banks of the River Ericht, the Perthshire town of Blairgowrie is the gateway to Glenshee, best-known for its ski centre but also a destination for year-round sports including golfing, mountain biking, abseiling and paragliding. Blairgowrie is also popular with golfers and the River Ericht is known for its excellent salmon fishing. The town is also the starting point for the 64-mile (103-kilometre) circular Cateran Trail that follows the historic drove roads long ago used by cattle rustlers, and the Angus Glens and Cairngorms National Park are also within easy reach.
From Blairgowrie’s town centre, you can follow the river 1.5 miles (two kilometres) to the history-soaked waterfalls and woodlands of Cargill’s Leap. In the town centre. Blairgowrie Holiday Park has nightly and seasonal pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes, as well as a handful of lodges with hot tubs.
Around a 25-minute drive east, the small village of Glamis is famed for its Glamis Castle, setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth and a fairytale-like structure of romantic turrets and towers and grand interiors. A five-minute drive north of Glamis Caslte, Drumshademuir Caravan and Camping Park has a selection of glamping pods.
A favourite destination for hikers, climbers and cyclists, the Angus Glens are home to ten ‘Munros’ (mountains over 3,000 feet). Set in rolling hills, close to the serene Loch of Lintrathen, Nethercraig Holiday Park has pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, as well as a handful of glamping options in pods and huts.
Spring and summer are the best seasons for visiting the area. While days of hot, sunny weather are very much hit and miss, you can be sure of long daylight hours and mild temperatures. To avoid the biggest summertime crowds, try to avoid weekends and the school holidays in July and August. Autumn, though potentially wet and chilly, can be a good alternative: the crowds will have gone and the countryside will be ablaze in rich colours.