Dunkeld And Birnam

Overview

Dunkeld and Birnam are two small neighbouring towns of great character, situated on opposite banks of the River Tay twelve miles north of Perth, amidst some of the finest woodlands in Scotland.

Dunkeld was proclaimed the first ecclesiastical capital of Scotland by Scotland's first king, Kenneth MacAlpin, and the majestic ruin of the cathedral dominates the town. The Atholl Memorial fountain at the centre of The Cross in Dunkeld was erected in 1866 by public subscription in memory of the 6th Duke of Atholl. From here a walk down Cathedral Street to Dunkeld Cathedral which stands idyllically on lawns that sweep down to the River Tay. The cathedral features the tomb of the notorious 'Wolf of Badenoch'.

The brightly coloured 'little houses' of Dunkeld were built in the early 1700s. Restored to provide homes for local people, they are now in the care of The National Trust For Scotland. Another NTS property is the Ell Shop featuring the original 'ell' measure, just over a metre long, used for measuring cloth. A walk along Atholl Street's variety of specialist shops will prove fascinating. A riverside path provides excellent views of Thomas Telford's Dunkeld Bridge.

The smaller community of Birnam is of Victorian origin and has links to two great authors. Birnam Wood is famously mentioned in Shakepeare's Macbeth and the ancient Birnam Oak still stands today. In the 19th century Beatrix Potter wrote many of her children's stories whilst on holiday here. Visitors can enjoy the Beatrix Potter exhibition and garden and the bustling Birnam Institute arts venue.

On the outskirts of Dunkeld, the Loch of the Lowes nature reserve is home to breeding osprey. 'Big Tree Country' is all around, and Dunkeld and Birnam have an excellent local walks network covering 36 miles of waymarked paths.