Rediscovering Scotland: A day trip to Perth
Mary-Jane Duncan decides to be a tourist near her own home and embrace the beauty of Scotland
Not taking advantage of our beautiful country is a trait that, as Scots, I feel we are often guilty of.
We always intend to explore the Highlands and bask in the glorious scenery -mountains, lochs, and beaches of pure white sand, or indulge in world-renowned hospitality, leisure and culture. It’s all available in abundance, lots of it is free, and easily accessible. We rarely stop to do it.
So what’s stopping us? In this household we often don’t appreciate our surroundings until a barrage of visitors ignites our national pride. Only then do we spare no effort to ensure our guests leave full of awe and envy over the precious jewel that is our small but vibrant country. No more!
A family decision
We’re not going to drive by the road signs showing places to visit, just saying, ‘oh, that sounds good.’ We are committing to actually going there and trying new experiences.
And so middle kid and I headed off for a rare mother-daughter day together. Naturally, not making a plan in advance, we decided to go where the wind took us.
Destination Perth!
We decided to see what Scotland’s most recent city had to offer. I’m no stranger to Perth - I even worked there over 20 years ago - but it was shift work and there wasn’t much on at 3am.
Nowadays I’m a regular attendee at the Perth Royal Infirmary for CT scans and oncology appointments. While it’s a nice hospital with super staff, it’s not exactly a tourist destination.
I do enjoy the Homesense shop there, a TKMaxx solely filled with homewares, and we’ve been to Willowgate Activity Centre for outdoor adventures. But otherwise, I tend to drive on by, using Perth as a gateway to other destinations.
Gloagburn Farm Shop
We devised a cunning plan: sorting out our stomachs first. Gloagburn Farm Shop is a rather high-end farm shop just off the A9 outside the city. I was excited to take Lex as she loves food, cooking and baking as much as I do.
Gloagburn doesn’t disappoint on the food front, but it’s not a cheap option for a quick breakfast.
You enter through the shop, with its lovely wares enticing you to browse after you eat. Passing the cake display is next, before food service in a conservatory-style venue.
While the staff were pleasant and attentive they lacked the cheery, welcoming smiles I associate with true hospitality. There was no friendly greeting or farewell - just a functional transaction.
However, no real complaints - the £30 breakfast did the job, and I knew it wouldn’t be a budget option before we went in.
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We wandered through the shop, admiring the locally-sourced products showcasing Scottish goods at their best.
Gloagburn’s website features their own produce alongside carefully selected, world-renowned fare.
Sadly we couldn’t buy their delicious-looking butchery options without cool bags, but we did get baked goods and left £50 down before the day had properly begun
We also spotted a Hairy Highland Coo. This horned beastie, named Strawberry Fields for Heifer, is part of the Hairy Highland Coo Art Trail, a fun and creative way to explore the area while supporting CHAS. We would spot more of Strawberry Fields’ herd during the day.
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Shopping at Tiso
Next we made a short hop up the A9 to Inveralmond Industrial Estate to visit Tiso in pursuit of new waterproof trainers for me.
Perth claims to be Scotland’s best centre for independent shopping, and while Tiso might not be classed as an independent, it’s an excellent shop for anyone with a love of the outdoors.
Adventurous isn’t a word I’d use to describe myself, but I do own two hairy beasties who need lengthy walks and I’m a fan of warm, dry feet. The lure of the summer sale at Tiso was irresistible.
The store has every piece of equipment a serious outdoor enthusiast could need. I told the assistant I needed something comfy, Scottish-summer and sprocker-proof.
Would I be climbing Munroes or running trails over rough terrain? No. Simply something to help me tire two dogs with enough energy to put the Duracell Bunny to shame. The assistant showed us pictures of his own spaniel and we bonded over the hilarious experiences owning dogs of this breed brings.
One pair of brilliantly adequate pair of Scarpa Shoes later, I tore myself away from other tempting items I would genuinely never use, and we headed to the city centre.
The Stone of Destiny at Perth Museum
Parking was easy to find and we were off to see the Stone of Destiny, one of Scotland’s most significant historical artefacts, finally returned to Perthshire after more than 700 years.
This truly is the jewel in the crown of the new Perth Museum and it’s free for all to see, although you must book a time slot.
My Scottish pride surged at the thought of seeing this artefact in person. We waited patiently behind the red rope, feeling like VIPs. Even the museum employee radiated pride in a way only a Scot could. No photography, no video recording - no problem, we were just happy to be there and soak in our heritage.
I couldn’t help but be moved. Learning about the stone’s history and its return home was exhilarating . The opportunity to see it in person felt momentous, even from behind its glass case.
The staff were super - informative and patient, and there was no rushing this wee knackered wifie who was clearly overwhelmed by something that reminded her how privileged she was just to be born in the best country in the world.
Exploring the rest of the Museum
It is equally impressive. Not usually ‘museum’ people, preferring forest walks or long stretches of beach instead, Lex and I enjoyed our unhurried meander through the galleries.
They all felt fresh, open, and inviting. There was no overbearing sense of pretentiousness - just a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
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The current Unicorn exhibition was a highlight for us. Learning about Scotland’s national animal we realised, to our embarrassment, how many we must have seen without recognising their significance. We’ll pay more attention in the future!
The pinnacle for us was Destiny (they/them), the Trojan Unicorn, a beacon of light, hope, and sanctuary for the LGBTQIA+ community.
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We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and it’s clear why the £27million redevelopment project is the flagship for Perth and Kinross.
It thoroughly deserves its recent 5-star grading from Visit Scotland. It’s accessible and available to all.
A stroll through Perth
Of course we finished with a stroll through the shops. The city centre, like most others, is sadly feeling the after-effects of the Covid pandemic but it’s making strides to recover.
It’s compact compared to its bigger cousins, Glasgow and Edinburgh, but everything is there if you know where to look. And the nearby St Catherine’s Retail Park could easily fill in any gaps on your shopping wish list.
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Since moving east in 1994 I’ve spent lots of time travelling from one side of Scotland to the other. One of my favourite moments is crossing the River Tay via the Friarton Bridge, where Kinnoull Hill reveals itself.
I clearly remember my father driving me up for a university visit. He came from Dundee originally and was delighted by my exclamations at how stunning it was in all its glorious autumn colours.
Apparently it reminded him not to just drive by as usual; he remembered to admire it each time he visited after that. I’ll endeavour to do the same.
We’re still exploring more of Scotland and have taken a few more trips I’m looking forward to telling you about. These include immersing ourselves in Van Gogh, some Silver Sands and time spent in the dungeon! Watch this space…
Lovely stuff. I have to say that the centre of Perth seems far more prosperous and thriving than Dundee based on my last visit there. Much more shopping variety, and bars/restaurants seemed to be doing a healthy trade.
Good article. Also those lemon meringue cakes look delicious 😋