Dream Escape Winter in Perthshire

For gift-wrapped fairy-tale castles and snowflake-dusted escapism, Highland Perthshire is the perfect winter getaway.

In the depths of winter, Perthshire turns into a Narnia-style wonderland of frost-fringed pine forests and snowcapped mountains. Rivers rush frothy and brown, granite-grey lochs are swollen with meltwater, and waterfalls freeze into spear-like shards. The natural landscape is wild and untamed, but below the frozen peaks there are pockets of prettiness, tranquil glens and quaint villages where you can hole up with an artisan-roasted flat white or dram of whisky beside a roaring fire in a local pub.

Dark nights drawing in also add drama to the region's fairy-tale castles, ruined cathedrals and rich clan history; the big names here: Murray, Robertson and Menzies. There's even a palace.

From Robert the Bruce to Charles II, Scotland's kings were crowned for centuries on the Stone of Destiny (now housed in Edinburgh Castle) at Scone Palace just outside the capital, Perth.

A River runs through it

The Tay is Scotland's longest river and one of the most famous salmon fishing beats in the country. On its banks you'll find a peppering of pretty villages and vibrant market towns, home to butchers, bakers and smoked-salmon makers... These country hubs have an abundance of wildly creative artisan producers.

In the little town of Aberfeldy, alongside The Watermill – an independent book store, gallery and café in a converted mill – and Homer, a country-chic interiors shop, there's Birks Cinema, an Art Deco community filmhouse. The town has a whisky distillery, Dewars, on the doorstep, Glen Lyon Coffee, an artisan roastery and café, the Ballintaggart gourmet farm shop and, nearby, the Highland Chocolatier for exquisite, handmade, award-winning truffles. From the centre of town you can walk to the Birks of Aberfeldy, the spectacular waterfall made famous by 18th-century Scottish poet Robert Burns – his statue sits on a bench looking over the gorge; 'The braes ascend like lofty wa's The foaming stream deep-roaring fa's, O'erhung wi' fragrant spreading shaws- The birks of Aberfeldy'

The Queen’s View, which overlooks Loch Tummel

A short drive away, the picturesque village of Dunkeld with its ruined medieval cathedral overlooking the Tay was once an important ecclesiastical centre. The relics of St Columba were moved here from Iona to protect them from Viking raids. Today, its whitewashed cottages, many restored by the National Trust for Scotland, house cute cafés and galleries, the atmospheric Scottish Deli, and TV's The Great British Bake Off semi-finalist Flora Sneddon's Scandi chic bakery Aran for gourmet pastries and the best flat white in Perthshire. There's also a traditional, smokehouse, established over 30 years ago to smoke anglers' fish, and a great pub. The Taybank on the riverbank, is famous for its traditional Scottish music, log fires and gastropub dining. Here the literary connections include children's author, Beatrix Potter, who spent her childhood summers nearby – there is an exhibition of her life and stories in the Birnam Arts Centre.

Fit for a King

Leaping straight out of the pages of a fairytale, Blair Castle, historically the home of the Dukes of Atholl, the head of Clan Murray, is a white-turreted confection and the gatekeeper to the Scottish Highlands for over 700 years. Key figures in Scottish history have bedded down here, including Mary Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie and Queen Victoria. Dream Escape can arrange an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour with the estate's archivist as well as 4WD safaris on the estate.

Location Hunter

If you are a fan of Diana Gabaldon's swashbuckling historical blockbuster, Outlander and fancy following in the footsteps of time-travelling heroine Claire Randall and her kilt-clad lover Jamie Fraser, Perthshire ticks a lot of boxes. Dream Escape's set-jetting experiences swing by Abercairny Estate, which features as Aunt Jocasta’s plantation River Run, for a Land Rover tour and lunch in the converted stables. Other pit stops include Faskally Wood from the Mohican village scenes, Tibbermore Church used as the location for the Witch trial, and Drummond Castle Gardens.

Dating back to 1490, the castle itself is not open to the public but the spectacular 17th-century formal gardens are – and are so impressive they doubled as Versailles in the series.

Kenmore Village

Highland Safaris

One of the best ways to explore this magnificent landscape is to head off-road. Highland Safaris, based on a 250,000-acre estate, takes you up into the hills, the vehicle stocked with hats and handwarmers, hot drinks, shortbread and a warming dram along with binoculars to scour the hillsides for grazing red deer, shy mountain hares, or golden eagles soaring overhead. You'll learn about the history and geology of the area while gazing down from a rustic mountain bothy towards Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel.

Loch Turret near Crieff

If you would rather take the wheel, Dream Escape can organise a Land Rover experience at Butterstone Loch near Dunkeld. You can spend a half-day or full day tackling challenging terrain, traversing steep inclines, deep water and rocky slopes – with lunch overlooking the loch.

Another Perthshire property offering bespoke wilderness experiences is Straloch Estate. This year the 3,000-acre estate launched Wild Picnics, gourmet feasts in a remote Lunch Hut. The cabin is decorated with fairy lights and candles, a log-burner and sheepskin-scattered benches, making it a cosy hideaway at the end of the long hike up into the hills – or 30-minute off-road journey in one of the estate's Land Rovers. The table is laid with homemade pies and puddings and warming soups and hearty venison stews rustled up by the estate's chef.

The estate's owners welcome Dream Escape clients in their house with a glass of Champagne before taking them up to the bothy.

Winter walking

Perthshire has good reason to dub itself 'Big Tree Country' – the landscape is blanketed with 200,000 acres of planted woodland. The great 19th-century seed collector and botanist David Douglas, in fact, was born in Perthshire and was responsible for introducing many new tree species to Scotland, including the Douglas Fir, named in his honour following planthunting expeditions around the world for the Royal Horticultural Society.

Dream Escape will organise a local guide to help you explore the walking trails, 58km of waymarked paths radiating out from the mighty River Tay, through shaded woodlands and forestry along the river banks, climbing steep hillsides for panoramic views.

Whisky galore

For a wee dram, there's Dewar's in Aberfeldy, Blair Athol and Edradour (the smallest distillery in the country) in pretty Pitlochry and, on the outskirts of Crieff, you'll find Scotland's oldest working distillery, Glenturret. Dating back to 1763 and overlooking the River Turret, the distillery still produces small-batch handcrafted malts 250 years later. It now also has a gourmet Lalique restaurant, which opened in 2021. The sparkling contemporary glass-fronted dinneronly restaurant has just six tables, two spectacular five-tier Lalique chandeliers and a multicourse gastronomic tasting menu. Dream Escape can organise private whisky tastings at the distillery.

Where to Stay Gleneagles

Gleneagles is the grand dame of Scottish resort hotels, nicknamed 'a Riviera in the Highlands' when it first opened in 1924. It is wellknown for its golf, of course, with three championship courses to its name, but, cradled by an 850-acre country estate, there's a whole host of outdoor pursuits on offer, from trout and salmon fishing to claypigeon shooting, gun-dog scurries, falconry, mountain biking, hiking and horse riding. The hotel has 205 luxurious, classically designed rooms and 28 sumptuous suites. Its culinary credentials are equally impressive, the line up including The Strathearn – finedining Franco-Scottish style in an elegant wood-panelled dining room – and the more intimate two-Michelin-starred Andrew Fairlie restaurant for a gastronomic tasting menu. More relaxed dining is also available in The Birnam (an American-Italian grill) and the Dormy in the clubhouse.

There are two indoor pools, an outdoor thermal pool, a gym and a glamorous destination spa.

5-star luxury hotel, spa and golf resort, Gleneagles

Dun Aluinn

On the edge of the lively little town of Aberfeldy, Dun Aluinn is a grand Victorian nine-bedroom exclusiveuse property and a four-bedroom contemporary cedar-clad lodge set in a wildflower meadow on the five-acre estate. They can be booked separately or together and both come with full housekeeping and butler service as well as the option to add on a chef and bespoke Highland experiences, from 4WD safaris to guided hikes, canoeing trips and distillery tours.

Outdoor firepit with views at Dun Aluinn – luxury 5-star exclusive use accommodation

Renovated by husband-and-wife team, John Burke and Susie Whyte, an architect and interior designer respectively, the main house is a sumptuous pad with an astounding entrance hall, roaring open fires, walls decked out with modern artworks, sheepskin-strewn sofas to curl up on, a children's library and cosy cinema room, a wood-fired hot tub hidden among the trees, and a blazing firepit on the terrace.

Bedrooms are all individually designed; one has a square Japanese wooden bathtub, another a steam room. The lodge is bright, light and contemporary, with a dreamy decking area and huge picture windows offering views over the valley to the River Tay. Their catering partner is Michelin-Guide-selected Ballintaggart Farm, which dishes up fabulous smorgasbord feasts of local produce along with seasonal tasting menus such as 'the Taste of the Highlands'.

Find out more

Contact the team at Dream Escape...

Rosie Peattie, Client Relationship Manager

“The Perthshire landscape varies from fertile farmland to rugged mountains and lochs, as you travel north crossing over the Highland Boundary Fault close to Dunkeld. An abundance of experiences and adventures await all age groups and I can highly recommend a visit to ‘Big Tree Country’. My latest find in a farmyard is a tiny church with an exceptionally rare and fascinating 1600s painted ceiling.” ⬥ rosie@dreamescape.co.uk

WORDS | LUCY GILLMORE