Perthshire will be a-buzz with golf fanatics as the Ryder Cup soon descends on Gleneagles, but the area has much to offer those less than absorbed by the sport, including a two-hour trip through its heart, from Auchterarder through Pitlochry and Blair Atholl.
The day starts with a drive to the picturesque village of Blair Atholl and on to the magnificent Blair Castle. There is plenty to see and do at the castle, including extensive grounds to explore, with everything from a walled garden restored to the original Georgian design to a red deer park. Walk under a ceiling of tall trees in the peaceful Diana's Grove; visit the ruins of St Bride's Kirk; or follow a trail that mixes modern and 18th-century sculpture.
Although the castle dates from 1269, much of it was built in the 18th century and an extensive collection maps the castle's colourful history from the English Civil War onwards. Highlights include artefacts from the Atholl Highlanders, pictured, Europe's only legal private army, and the Jacobite rebellions, which took place between the late 17th and mid 18th centuries.
Admission is from £5.45/£2.50 (gardens only) to £9.90/£5.95 (castle and gardens) and the castle is open 9.30am-5.30pm daily between April and October.
From Blair Castle follow the signs on the B8079 back to Blair Atholl, then take a left on to Ford Road down to the Blair Atholl Watermill and Tearoom for a spot of lunch. The watermill dates from the 16th century and is not only one of the last remaining working mills in the country, it was also a contender on ITV's Britain's Best Bakery 2014. Curiously, the watermill also grinds the food for the pandas at Edinburgh Zoo.
The stoneground oatmeal and flour it produces is used in the fresh baking sold in the tearoom, which is located in what was originally the kiln drying room. The menu has a range of cakes, scones and breads, as well as soup and light lunches. Especially good is the mint tea, made with leaves from the watermill gardens.
After lunch, return to the B8079 and take the A9 south to Pitlochry, a 15-minute drive, for a browse in the characterful shops that dot High Street, then cross the River Tummel by car or on foot to visit the Fish Ladder. The dam was built between 1947 and 1951, and the ladder was constructed to allow more than 5000 salmon each year to pass the dam and continue their migration upstream. From the viewing room you might catch a glimpse of the salmon as they pass through one of three "resting chambers".
Also there is the Festival Theatre, where you can enjoy an evening meal and a play. For Homecoming 2014, it is running a programme of Scottish plays.
Emma Gibb writes for Embrace Scotland, which promotes quality-assured self-catering accommodation on behalf of the Association of Scottish Self Caterers. Visit www.embracescotland.co.uk
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