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Crieff Self Catering double bedroom

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Things to do in Crieff

Crieff is a lovely town boasting a wealth of activities to attract visitors.  Its location on the edge of the Highlands makes it an ideal centre for a Scottish holiday. Perth and Stirling are within 20 minutes, Edinburgh and Glasgow are within 1 hour.  

Crieff Hydro is just a ten minute walk from the accommodation and non residents are welcome to hire their tennis and squash courts, horseriding facilities, or to sit in the bars and restaurants and enjoy the stunning views.

For Golfers there are two 18 hole courses in Crieff and one 9 hole course. Nearby Muthill, Comrie and St. Fillans have 9 hole courses and Gleneagles is just 11 miles away boasting three championship courses.

The surrounding countryside offers a large selection of activities, including hill walking, climbing, white water rafting, fishing and watersports at Loch Earn.

Fishing

The River Earn runs through Crieff, providing trout and salmon fishing.  Details available from Crieff Angling Club.

You can get fly-fishing classes at the Mill of Fortune trout fishery in Comrie.  The company in Auchterarder that can organise these also do a range of other outdoor activities, see their website for details.

Climbing and walking

There are many good walks in and around Crieff to suit all abilities.  Maps and details are available from the Tourist Information centre.  One of the better known and accessible walks is Lady Mary's Walk alongside the River Earn. Another very good one is the short walk to the Knock of Crieff, with excellent views over the town and the surrounding area.

Ben Chonzie is just to the north of Crieff, a relatively easily climbed Munro (mountain over 3000ft.)  Look out for hundreds of hares on the ridge leading to the summit.  There's a good suggested route up the mountain at this Scottish website 

The Drovers' Tryst walking festival took place in Crieff in October 2007, and the next is planned for Saturday 11th to 18th October 2008.  This will be the 7th event, and will include a wide range of activities, not just hill walking. 

The Scottish Climbing Archive and the Scottish Mountaineering Club websites provide some useful information about climbing.

A good site for weather information is provided by the Mountain Weather Information Service  There's also a basic weather forecast below, although it's not detailed enough to plan a walk it may give an indication

   

Hillphones helps to plan walks to avoid deer stalking areas.  They provide general information, and a list of numbers to phone to get a recorded message describing where stalking will be taking place. 

Apparently there is some good rock-climbing at Bennybeg, near to the garden centre.  It's a bolted crag, with some short climbs graded from 3 to 6a+, there's more information about it here.

Crieff Highland Games

A Highland Gathering takes place in Crieff each year, in 2008 it will be on the 17th August 2008. The day includes Highland Dancing, track and field, traditional Scottish heavyweight events such as the caber, and pipe bands and displays.

Parks and outdoor activities

MacRosty Park, on the west side of Crieff, is a large park with Victorian bandstand, picnic areas, tennis courts, children's play area and a range of short walks.  See this link for a map of MacRosty Park   Crieff Tourist Information Office on  01764 652578 should be able to provide information on events taking place in the park.

This site, sponsored by the Forestry Commission, has information about big trees in the area.

Pony trekking is available at a number of equestrian centres, including Crieff Hydro and Gleneagles.

There's an interesting website with information about cycling in Scotland, although the flat doesn't have storage for bicycles.  If you do want to cycle in the area, this hostel in Comrie may be able to help.

About 20 minutes away in Aberfeldy is a paintballing centre called Perthshire Paintball.

If you want to do some game shooting, without actually bagging any birds, Drummond Estate offer simulated game shooting for 8, 12 or 16 people.

Swimming and indoor sports

There is a swimming pool at the Strathearn recreation centre on Pittenzie Road, just south of Crieff High School.  It is advisable to check the current timetable on  01764 653779.  Outside school holidays the pool is generally open to the public early morning and in the evening, and 10am to 4pm at the weekends.  There is also a fitness gym and indoor sports hall in the centre. 

The recreation centre is about 10 minutes walk from Commissioner Street, walk east about 100m  then continue another 300m along Broich Terrace and turn right down Pittenzie Road.

Perth Leisure Pool is about twenty minutes drive away in Perth, on the A93 (Glasgow Road)  It has waterslides,  waterfalls, bubble-beds,  wild water feature, outdoor lagoon, children's water play area and other facilities.  Good for a rainy day.

Rafting & Canoeing

The River Tay offers many opportunities for Canoeing & White Water rafting, there are a couple of sites in Aberfeldy (about 20 minutes north of Crieff)  that can organise outings at a variety of different levels.

Splash White Water Rafting

Dunolly Activity Centre

Nae Limits organise white water rafting and other outdoor activities in the Perthshire area

Running

Strathearn Harriers organise the Crieff 10K, usually in July.  If a ten kilometre run is too easy for you, they also organise the Comrie Hills Relay Race, and they have regular training nights, there are more details on their website.

Golf

There are numerous golf courses close to Crieff, see the following sites for more details.

Crieff Golf Club

St. Fillans Golf Club

Comrie Golf Club

List of closest golf courses

Local shops, restaurants and attractions

There's an interesting site with a list of Shops on the High Street, although I'm not sure if it's up to date.  I've added a page with some photos from Crieff High Street taken in October 2007, there are quite a few interesting shops.  The Artery Art Gallery is just round the corner from the flat on King Street, and may be a good place to buy some gifts. 

There are a lot of good restaurants, cafes and pubs in Crieff, the most famous is probably The Bank Restaurant, and there is a good delicatessen on the High Street.  The Gallery Restaurant just off the High Street is also worth a visit.

The Tower Hotel on East High Street serves food from a very wide menu throughout the day in the bar, restaurant or beer-garden.   If you wear a kilt in the bar on a Sunday, you may get a free drink.

There's an excellent Indian/Bangladeshi restaurant on the High Street, just at the top of Church Street, called Shampan, 01764 650350 to book or order a takeaway.

There's a very good baker's just a few yards away at 59 King Street, you may be able to smell the baking.  Campbell's bakery has been running in Crieff since 1929.

Crieff Hydro is a large hotel, dating from Victorian times, with a lot of activities available to non-residents, and a very popular location for weddings.  If you are coming to Crieff for a wedding, the flat is an ideal location, just 10 minutes walk away.

Crieff Vistor Centre, just next to the auction rooms, is worth a visit.  You'll probably see the painted cow at the front on the way into Crieff.

The Famous Grouse Experience at Glenturret Distillery is apparently the oldest (legal) distillery in Scotland, although the title is hotly contested.  There is, of course, a visitor centre, guided tour, shop, restaurant, bar and cafe, but they can also organise cooking classes or a day long whisky class. The distillery, known as The Hosh, is about half a mile to the North of Crieff. 

The Ceramic Experience is just outside Crieff on the road to Muthill.  A nice way for the family to spend a rainy day.  You could also visit Crieff Ceramics on Lodge Street in the centre of town.

About 30 minutes away, The Maize Maze is just next to Blair Drummond Safari Park, and is a great day out in late summer once the maize has grown.  There are a few good activities for the children once you've found the way out, including bouncy pillows and pedal cars.

And most importantly :-)  Gordon and Durward make Scottish sweets on the High Street, you can see them make the sweets, including sugar mice,  in the shop.

Castles and Historic Sites

Just to the south you can find Drummond Castle Gardens   The castle itself is not open to the public, but the formal gardens are, normally from the Easter weekend through to the end of October, afternoons only.  The gardens date from the 15th century, and featured in the film "Rob Roy."

Doune Castle , about 30 minutes drive to the south, is famous for various appearances in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  It was built in the 14th century, and was used as a hunting lodge by Scottish monarch, including Mary Queen of Scots.

There are a number of prehistoric sites and standing stones around Crieff

Churches

There are a number of churches in Crieff, including Crieff Parish Church (01765 653907) on Strathearn Terrace, St. Fillans RC Chapel House (01764 653269) on Ford Road and St. Columba's (01764 656222) on Perth Road.

 

Health Services

Crieff Medical centre is about 100m from the flat, down King Street.  Dr. Martin and partners can be contacted on  01764 652283.    

Laurel House Dental Practice on Comrie Road can be contacted on  01764 652209

The closest chemists is Vantage's, about 20m down King Street.

 

Other useful websites:

    VisitScotland - official Scottish tourist organisation

    Callander and Trossachs Tourist Information

    Lots of information about Perthshire , in diary format

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