I hope everyone is enjoying the winter season. Now that the Christmas holiday is around the corner, why not consider exploring some amazing places in Crieff. Crieff (which originates from the Gaelic word “tree”), is a town famous for its whisky and cattle droving history. One of the most famous cattle-rustlers Rob Roy MacGregor travelled to Crieff on many occasions. Some fantastic attractions and hidden gems to explore include the Crieff Hydro Hotel, Action Glen, Glenturret Distillery, Strathearn Glass, Drummond Castle Gardens and the Buchanty Spout on the River Almond.
Crieff Hydro Hotel & Action Glen
If you’re looking for fun activities to embark on with friends and family, why not check out the exciting activities offered by the Crieff Hydro Hotel. Action Glen offers an Adventure Park that provides outdoor experiences with a plethora of attractions, activities and obstacles to keep everyone of all ages entertained. Just located behind the Action Glen hub, Glen’s Adventure Park is a fantastic place to explore and make memories to last a lifetime. There are many challenges such as Glen’s Fort, Ziplines, Berg Karts, Climbing Walls, Jumping Pillows and Glen’s Mini Off-Roaders. There’s also the Action Glen Outdoor activities that offers exhilarating activities such as Segways, Archery, Mountain Bikes, Treetop adventures and Watersports on Loch Earn. If looking to try even more fun activities, there’s also horse-back riding activities within the Horse Riding Centre, an open field to play Golf and Tennis or why not relax by the Spa and Hair facilities that offer Spa Treatments and Hair appointments.
Glenturret tour
Glenturret Distillery
If seeking to enjoy fine handcrafted whisky, why not visit the Glenturret Distillery, Scotland’s oldest working distillery. Situated within the lower glen, overlooking the River Turret, the distillery sits at the heart of the picturesque area known as the Hosh. The Distillery is known as the hard-working home of traditional, handcrafted spirit production and also a visitor centre where you can experience great tours, explore their amazing shop and indulge in their lovely coffee. The Glenturret Tour takes visitors through the traditional art of creating the Glenturret single malt whisky through using hand-operated, time-honoured methods. Throughout the tour, the host will bring to life the history and heritage of one of Scotland’s most iconic whisky brands. At the end of the tour, visitors can experience a Glenturret tasting session from the heir whisky range. After the tour, you can wander through the Glenturret Distillery Shop, which offers a wide selection of Single Malts alongside various locally sourced and handcrafted gifts, unique to the distillery. There’s also The Lalique Boutique which showcases exquisite crystal and glass and The Glenturret Café, which provides delicious food prepared from using the finest ingredients.
Glenturret shop
Strathearn Glass
There’s also a fantastic place that display Stuart crystal and other brands. Known as Strathearn Glass Limited. The glass company specialises in old traditional hand-made glassware and millefiori specialities. The company have also released a new range of Strathearn glass which have been designed based on modern interpretation of traditional Scottish forms. The company also offers free blown glass which comes in their natural form and offers individuality. Their collection involves The Strathearn Classic Range and The Stuart Strathearn ‘Dark Crystal’ Range. The dark crystal range is created through using mysterious properties of black crystals that absorb and retain heat. Through being handblown and blended with glass powders, the collection produced unique textures and vibrant colours.
Drummond Castle Gardens
Drummond Castle Gardens
If looking to embrace more of nature, the Drummond Castle Gardens is definitely worth a visit. Drummond Castle Gardens is one of Europe’s and Scotland’s most important and impressive formal gardens. The gardens date back to the 17th Century, in which the gardens were then redesigned and terraced within the 19th Century. The gardens that visitors can observe were replanted back in the 1950s however, they preserve many original features such as the ancient yew hedges and the remaining beech tree that was planted by Queen Victoria, commemorating her visit in 1842. The gardens have also been featured in many films, TV programmes and advertisements. The most notable film that featured the gardens involve the film “Rob Roy” and the “Outlander” series. If you’re curious to know how these gardens look in real life, head over to their Gallery section to experience the elegance of the Castle Gardens through breathtaking images and videos.
Buchanty Spout
A hidden gem within Crieff includes the Buchanty Spout waterfall. The Buchanty Spout is a popular destination amongst photographers, due to the beautiful views and being home to leaping salmon! The location is a narrow waterfall on the River Almond, a tributary of the River Tay. The River Almond rises within the hills to the south-east of Loch Tay, which flows eastwards through Glenalmond. The river trickles through the village of Almondbank, before joining the Tay immediately north of Perth.
