Dunkeld

Dunkeld is a small cathedral town set on the north bank of the River Tay in Perthshire, where the Lowlands give way to the Highlands. With its whitewashed houses, narrow wynds and tree-lined riverside, it has long been considered one of the prettiest places in central Scotland and makes an easy day out from Perth or Pitlochry by train.

The town's centrepiece is the ruined nave and restored choir of Dunkeld Cathedral, which stands in a peaceful riverside meadow framed by mature beeches and limes. Founded in the 9th century and largely built between the 13th and 15th centuries, the cathedral was badly damaged after the Reformation and during the Battle of Dunkeld in 1689. The choir still serves as the parish church and contains the tomb of Alexander Stewart, the notorious Wolf of Badenoch.

The Little Houses around Cathedral Street and High Street were carefully restored by the National Trust for Scotland after the battle left much of the town in ruins. Just across the elegant Telford bridge lies Birnam, with its Beatrix Potter connections, while the surrounding Tay Forest Park offers walks to the Hermitage and the dramatic Black Linn falls on the River Braan.