Drummond Castle Gardens in Crieff, Perthshire
May is often one of the prettiest months in Scotland – the days are lengthening, the foliage is fresh, and the landscape seems to burst into vibrant new colour. The weather this time of year is often balmy too, giving promising glimpses of the summer to come. So if you want a taste of Scotland at its best, try visiting in May, and make the most of its outdoor attractions while you are here.
Gardens: Avid gardeners like nothing better than wandering around other people’s gardens – and there are few better months than May for a garden trail. Whether you’re interested in small private grounds or the expansive lawns of stately homes, you’ll find listings of all gardens open to the public in Stirling or Perthshire at http://www.scotlandsgardens.org/. Even those normally closed to the public can be viewed by arrangement. Take a notebook and glean some ideas for your own back yard.
Shopping: For many, shopping is part of the holiday buzz, and in Stirling and Perthshire there’s no need to go indoors to satisfy the thirst for retail. Perth Farmers’ Market meets on the first Saturday of every month in King Edward Street and St John’s Place, Perth, while Stirling Farmers’ Market meets on the second Saturday of every month in Port Street, Stirling. Stallholders sell everything from locally reared meats to artisan breads, cheeses, organic vegetables and handcrafted gifts.
Segway riding in beautiful Blair Atholl
Guided touring: To see the most of Stirling or Perthshire during your stay, book yourself onto an outdoor guided tour. In Stirling, join Stirling Walking Tours on one of their acclaimed tours of Stirling’s historic Old Town, brought to life by actors in full period costume. If you fancy eating up the miles in Perthshire, get in touch with Segway Ecosse, based in Blair Atholl. You’ll get a full tutorial on segway riding, followed by an exciting, safe and professional guided tour of some of the area’s most stunning scenery, all aboard a rugged Segway X2.
Eating: If you’re hungry, but don’t really want to miss a minute of May’s clear skies, there can be few better places to dine than the Gallery Restaurant in Forth Valley College Campus. This hidden gem of a restaurant presents unrivalled panoramic views across Stirling, taking in the Wallace Monument, the River Forth, and beyond to the Ochils. The stunning venue is open for lunch and dinner daily, and is kind to your pocket too: it’s run by students at the college who are currently training to be world-class chefs. Definitely worth a stop on your holiday – even for the view alone: http://theplace.forthvalley.ac.uk/catering-dining/the-gallery
Craigvinean Pine Cone Shelter: Copyright Ronald Weir
Views: It’s no surprise that one of the best views in Stirlingshire is to be had from the top of the Wallace Monument, just a mile or so from the centre of Stirling. This monument to Scotland’s most famous patriot looks out from the crest of Abbey Craig, and offers stunning panoramas across to Stirling Castle, the winding Forth, and the city’s skyline. Don’t be put off if you feel you can’t make the climb – a shuttle can take you to the top from the Visitor Centre, and it’s all been recently refurbished too. If you’re in Perth, Pine Cone Point in Craigvinean offers the view of a lifetime cross the Tay to Dunkeld and to the mountains in the north, snugly sheltered by a beautifully carved wooden pine cone. Look out for red squirrels too. For this and more breathtaking Perthshire viewpoints, see http://www.perthshirebigtreecountry.co.uk/
Picture credits:
- Drummond Castle Gardens: Dr Richard Murray [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
- Segway rider: Photo by kind permission of Segway Ecosse: http://www.segway-ecosse.com/
- Pine Cone Shelter: By kind permission of www.perthshirebigtreecountry.co.uk and copyright: Ronald Weir