Tucked away at the foot of thickly wooded hills, you will discover one of Perthshire's gems - the cathedral town of Dunkeld. And that's not all ! Resting on the opposite bank of the river Tay is the Victorian village of Birnam. Together the beautifully restored buildings and rich heritage of these Highland Perthshire sister towns are an inspiration for lovers of history, the arts and the outdoors.

Ecclesiastically Dunkeld represents a national treasured landmark; it was proclaimed the first eccelesiastical capital of Scotland, by Scotland's first king, Kenneth MacAlpin. The majestic ruin of the cathedral still dominates Dunkeld today.

The only way to truly appreciate Dunkeld and Birnam is on foot; it is so small and compact and extremely easily explored with something of interest around every corner.

But, as an experienced Tour Guide, what I love best about Dunkeld is its easy access to Perth, St Andrews, Edinburgh, Stirling, Pitlochry and a hundred points of interest in between. The Dunkeld area truly makes for an excellent base from which to tour much of Scotland. The Cross in Dunkeld is a good starting point. The Atholl Memorial fountain at The Cross was erected in 1866 in memory of the 6th Duke of Atholl. From here a walk down picturesque Cathedral Street leads you to Dunkeld Cathedral standing idyllically amidst wide lawns that sweep down to the River Tay.

A walk back along Atholl Street will prove interesting, with its variety of shops. Across the bridge in Birnam, The Beatrix Potter Garden awaits you. Beatrix Potter drew inspiration from her childhood holidays spent along the banks of the River Tay and is reputed to have written " The Tale of Peter Rabbit " on one of her trips here.

Dunkeld is one of my favourite towns in all of Scotland. Not only is the town and local area very beautiful, but Dunkeld is ideally situated as a base location, within east driving distance to numerous other great Scottish sites.