Tiny Dunkeld hides among the Perthshire hills just a 90-minute drive north of Edinburgh. Its handsome buildings and Telford Bridge huddle next to the River Tay, while a beautiful ruined cathedral sprawls its stones near the riverbank. Dunkeld is a quiet place ideal for relaxing in gorgeous environs, though at night you might find a rollicking session at the excellent Taybank Hotel.
Perhaps Dunkeld owes some of its pleasant quietude to its more well-known neighbor, Pitlochry, for both are on the train line north and easy to access. Dunkeld is a great place to get away and go hiking in the nearby Hermitage Forest where some of the last stands of ancient Caledonian forest can be found. Hiking trails continue up into the hills and make an excellent day out (and reason to settle in at the Taybank Hotel in the evening).
Dunkeld is a fantastic base from which to explore Perthshire’s sights, places like Pitlochry, the Queen’s View, the Pass of Killiecrankie, Blair Castle, and Schiehallion.
