Scotland Recap: Perth and Kinross

I type "Perth and Kinross highlights" into Google, and what comes up? Hair coloring treatments. Needless to say, most tourists aren't exactly tripping over their kilts to get here. Nevertheless, there are plenty of gems to be discovered. After all, why do we love Scotland? It isn't because of the great visitor centers and tourist traps—it's because of the true local "color."

Blair Atholl Highland Games 2010, a photo by amcgdesigns on Flickr.

This is the geographical heart of Scotland. Once two counties, Perthshire and Kinross-shire, this lieutenancy area has one of the most varied landscapes of any in Scotland. Gorgeous lochs, glens, and mountains have conspired to make awe-inspiring scenery an everyday thing, and the medieval castles help them along.

Im So in Love with You, a photo by Ben-e-boy on Flickr.

Crieff Hydro, Perthshire, Scotland, a photo by europealacarte.co.uk on Flickr.

The true highlights of Perth and Kinross : 

• Perthshire is known as "big tree country," boasting Europe's oldest tree, the last remnant of Shakespeare's Great Birnam Wood, and the tallest hedge in the world.
• The "stone of destiny" may sound like something out of a fantasy novel, but it's a real block of red sandstone that once resided in Scone Palace (pronounced scoon) and was later stolen by an English monarch.
• The Crieff Hydro was built in 1868, the heyday of hydrotherapy, and men and women came from all over to "drink the waters" and get some exercise in the country.
• Cottage spotting is something that you can do from a car or from your computer—all you need is a good pair of eyes and the ability to "ooh" and "aah" for hours on end. Perth and Kinross is simply bursting with nearly-edible cottages, complete with thatch and adorable gardens.
• Loch Leven. Now this is a shutterbug's dream. This gorgeous lake in Kinross-shire is the kind of place you have to stick around for dawn, noon, afternoon, and evening in order to catch all its moods and faces. Loch Leven Castle is even more interesting; it was once the prison of Mary, Queen of Scots.
• Blair Castle is home to the only legal private army in the United Kingdom, and indeed in Europe! This stately structure may have a bloody history, but today cows and peacocks entertain visitors, and weddings are a common occurrence.
• Scotland is known around the world for its salmon, and the River Tay is Scotland's salmon fishing paradise. Take a look at this short video to discover what makes the river so exciting to sportsmen everywhere.

Have you ever tried your hand at fly fishing? 

Do you think that hydrotherapy is just a load of rubbish?