Five reasons to 'staycation' in Perthshire in 2017

1. Perth is the place

Perth recently announced it was running to be the UK’s City of Culture 2021 and so there has never been a better time to come and enjoy some of the fantastic cultural sights that put us on the map. Whether it’s a trip to see the crowning place of Scottish Kings at Scone Palace, a visit up to Pitlochry in October to experience the recently named UK’s Best Cultural Event, The Enchanted Forest, or to stop by an exhibition at Perth Museum and Art Gallery, we’ve got the perfect place for you to enjoy everything the city has to offer.

2. Perfectly positioned to explore Scotland

Around 90% of Scotland’s population live within 90 miles of Perthshire, which makes it the perfect base for exploring a whole host of wonderful places within Scotland. Get the best of both worlds with an idyllic rural retreat but one perfectly positioned to explore Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Stirling and even Aberdeen all within a 90-minute drive.

3. You can bring your pet

There’s nothing worse than having to leave someone behind when jetting off on holiday so why not bring them with you! We have a range of properties that are pet-friendly, meaning they get to enjoy a scenic trip to Perthshire with you.

4. It’s the perfect place to get out and about

With around 30 munros in and around Perthshire, those who enjoy getting a little active will be spoilt for choice for activities to do, munro to bag as well as enjoying a more leisurely climb. Stay in one of our properties up near the picturesque Ben Lawers or enjoy the sights of the breath-taking Hermitage in one of our properties near Aberfeldy.

5. …Or the perfect place to chill out

For those looking to do something a little less strenuous, Perthshire has some of the best walks in Scotland. Fancy a quiet break away just the two of you? Choose from one of our small cottages, complete with wood burning fire. If you plan to bring the kids along, there’s plenty things for the little ones to see and do to keep them entertained whilst you sneak off for a spa day. 

Perthshire - the Place to Be this Autumn

Having left the summer season behind (this morning was a bit nippy to say the least!) the Abade team are all looking forward to the crisp days of Autumn and all the fantastic events in and around Perthshire at this magical time of year.

As the leaves turn and the days shorten we still have some great properties available to book, whether it’s for a short 3 night break or for a 7 night stay you will be sure to find something to suit your budget and your needs.

As well as the usual activities of golf, hill walking and fishing in the surrounding area we have lots of events and happenings to fill your days and brighten your nights.

October

It’s always a busy month for Perthshire.  The award winning Enchanted Forest runs throughout the month at Faskally Wood, Pitlochry. Check out ticket availability here.

For the more energetic of us Perth plays host once again to the Fair City Enduro which, in the organisers own words “is like a weird daydream full of breath-taking trails, breath-taking views and even more breath-taking outfits and is guaranteed to be the only race where you see Dracula on the entry list!”

Scone Palace brings us “All Hallows Eve”. This atmospheric tour of sound and light will guide you around the garden and graveyard.  It will have your spine tingling and your imagination running wild! Find out more here.

November

For music lovers and Perthshire lovers we once again welcome Dougie Maclean’s Perthshire Amber Festival. A pure delight, the festival offers us fantastic music in unusual venues throughout the region. 

Everyone loves Chocolate right?  Scotland’s Outdoor Festival of Chocolate will take place on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th November in the city centre. The event will be a celebration of all things chocolate with market stalls selling mouth-watering chocolate bars; buttons; sauces; jams; spreads; cakes; truffles and so much more...

Perth’s Horsecross Concert Hall plays host to numerous events throughout November from Rufus Wainwright solo show to the Russian State Ballet’s The Nutcracker.  Something for everyone. Check out their What's on page for further info

In the news.....

Perth also recently announced that it is bidding for “UK City of Culture 2021” and the official launch event takes place on November 20th at various venues throughout the town.  This exciting bid, supported by renowned town planner and fashion guru Wayne Hemingway, will bring together Perth and the surrounding rural areas to promote culture and investment in the city.  An exciting time for everyone involved.  Find out more about the bid here. 

Perthshire really is the place to be this Autumn!

2016 – The Year of the Staycation

If you are wondering if you made the right decision with your holiday plans for 2016 and you feel the slight pang of jealousy when your workmates return to the office all bronzed and full of sunshine smiles and memories of sandy beaches – then take solace from the fact that 84% of people will be making UK trips this year.

In this post Brexit climate it is estimated that for a family of 4 to go abroad the cost will have increased on average by £245. That’s a lot of Sangria!

As you can imagine, Scotland is one of the most popular destinations for a staycation and with all the variety it has to offer, Perthshire is one of the most popular destinations in Scotland.

The area is experiencing an extremely busy year in 2016 with lots of events and festivals drawing in visitors from all parts of the UK. Good news for local businesses as an estimated £8million will be pumped into the UK economy as a whole throughout the year.

Perthshire is a very accessible part of Scotland - packed with alternatives, from golf to gardens, from castles to ceilidhs, from a classical concert to a remote highland Perthshire glen with dramatic scenery and wildlife the only company. 

And it’s not just the summer months that bring in the action.  As we slide on into August it’s Highland Games season with Perth, Crieff and Aberfeldy all offering 

up a day to remember. 

Blair Castle Horse Trials return at the end of the month (last year this event was attended by over 63,000 people – 40% of them saying that it was their main reason for visiting the area!)

The Enchanted Forest takes place throughout October at Pitlochry and visitors come from all over Scotland and the North of England.  And if music is your passion the Amber Music Festival is a popular event in Perthshire and usually summons the start of the Autumn season bringing people to the area just in perfect time to showcase the season’s beautiful colours.

All in all, a staycation in Perthshire is something to be excited about.  It may not give you a tan to show off to your colleagues (unless you are lucky!) but you’ll sleep well in your holiday home knowing that you are helping the boost the economy of this fantastic region.

Summer in Perthshire - A Haven for Music Lovers!

Perth and Perthshire really comes to life in the summer months as we welcome visitors to the county.  

One of the biggest pulls to the area is the plethora of Music Festivals available throughout the summer.  Bringing together Scotland’s amazing appetite for music, food & art our Festivals are a fantastic reason to visit Perth and the surrounding area.

Whether you are into your folk music or you love a good boogie to your favourite 80s artists or you are bringing your kids to Scotland’s Famous T in the Park then Perthshire is the place for you.

Here is a selection of musical delights to come to the area this year

Solas Festival -  The Bield at Blackruthven: June 17th to 19th
Solas is a weekend long festival open to all ages in the celebration of music and the arts designed to inspire and challenge as well as entertain. Their aim is place art in its wider historical, cultural and political context, allowing visitors to experience an inclusive and tolerant space.
For further details visit their website - http://www.solasfestival.co.uk/

Suggested accommodation
North Inch Apartment, Perth
Erricht Apartment, Perth

Rewind Festival – Scone Palace 22nd-24th July
The biggest and wildest celebration of the music of the 1980s returns to Perthshire for another year! Whether you want a blast from the past or just enjoy listening to the classics, Rewind offers a high energy experience with 27 top acts over the course of one weekend.
This year’s headliners include household names and genuine music legends like Adam Ant and Marc Almond, as well as retro favourites like ABC and Toyah, plus an assortment of acts courtesy of the British Electro Foundation, including The Lotus Eaters, Heaven 17’s Glenn Gregory and Shingai Shoniwa of The Noisettes.

Want to know more? Check out their website here: http://www.rewindfestival.com/scotland

Be quick though – tickets are selling fast!

Suggested Accommodation 
Rose Apartment, Perth City Centre



T in the Park – Strathallan Castle 8th - 10th July
Scotland’s most famous festival and now in its new home at Strathallan Castle returns this Juyl bursting with acts that will make your hair curl.  Headline acts this year include the newly reformed Stone Roses with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris taking the coverted headline spot on the Saturday.  The music festival that offers something for everyone and attracts visitors from all around the world still has some tickets for sale.  But be quick – this event sells out quickly.  Have a look at their website for further information http://www.tinthepark.com/
Suggested accommodation 
Craigrossie, Guthrie Park, Gleneagles Estate
The Coach House 
Ruggles Cottage 
Isle of Murray.

Abade Self Catering would be happy to discuss your accommodation needs throughout the summer season in Perth and we look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful part of Scotland.

For more information on Abade Self Catering please visit our website http://www.abade.co.uk/

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What’s to come in 2016...

With summer just around the corner we’ve lined up the rest of our Perthshire Guide 2016, giving you some great ideas about what is going on in Perthshire from July through until December. We’ve rounded up the best events, activities and experiences, all you have to do is decide when to visit!

If you want an idea of what you can get up to in April-June, check out our first post here.

July

This month Scone Palace host a number of events in their spectacular grounds. The GWCT Game Fair takes place on from 1^st-3^rd July. Enjoy the lively atmosphere and, with over 300 stands, you might even bag yourself a bargain. There’s a wide range of competitions, displays and demonstrations. If 80’s music is more your thing – you’re in luck as Rewind Festival takes place in the grounds of Scone Palace on Saturday 23^rd and Sunday 24^th of the month. With acts such as Rick Astley, Holly Johnson, Tony Hadley, ABC, Adam Ant and Midge Ure gracing the stage, it’ll be a weekend to remember…just don’t forget your legwarmers!

The Hermitage, by Dunkeld

August

August is the perfect month to try out a Highland Safari. With a huge variety of exciting journeys through the magnificent scenery of Highland Perthshire, there’s a Safari for every desire! It is also home to The Red Deer Centre, where you can go face-to-face with Britain’s largest native land mammal – the Red Deer. Enjoy a hands-on Barn Owl demonstration as well as experiencing the wonders on a fun and inspiring walk through the countryside.

September

We think there’s nothing more beautiful than Perthshire when Autumn begins and the leaves turn into a mass of gold and orange. There are lots of magical walks around Perthshire, but there’s something extra special about a walk around the Hermitage near Dunkeld. A beautiful coniferous and deciduous wooded gorge, with the stunning Black Linn Waterfall, you can follow in the footsteps of Wordsworth and marvel at the magnificent scenery. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for Ossian’s Hall with sliding panels and mirrored artwork – it’s sure to surprise you! Whilst you’re in the area the Beatrix Potter Exhibition at the Birnam Arts Centre is worth a visit, keeping enthusiasts and children amused with a stroll through the beautiful Beatrix Potter Garden to visit Mrs Tiggy Winkle in her house and a hunt for Peter Rabbit!

October

The Enchanted Forest

With Autumn now encapsulating Perthshire, nothing is more spectacular at this time of the year than The Enchanted Forest. Running throughout the whole of October, it’s a music and light spectacle set to showcase the stunning Highland Perthshire scenery of Faskally Wood, Pitlochy in all its wonderful glory. Tickets are likely to sell out so make sure you book well in advance. Looking for something different to do on Old Hollow’s Eve? Why not visit the Scottish Crannog Centre for their Spooks + Sacrifice Halloween Event on 31^st October. The festival marks the end of harvest and the beginning on the darker night. Expect fire-juggling, sacrificial wicker ram burn, apple-ducking and the odd spooky surprise.

November

Perthshire Amber Festival takes place from 3^rd-6^th November and is an annual celebration of music, history and culture of Perthshire. Dougie MacLean has developed the unique festival, which welcomes high calibre musical guests from Scotland and abroad, staged in a variety of wonderful venues, from village halls, town halls and a grand concert hall to historic castles and the atmospheric Dunkeld Cathedral. If you head down to Scone Palace from 11^th-13^th November, you might find yourself an antique gem! The ever-popular Galloway Antiques Fair makes its return to the historic Palace. Join nationally renowned antiques and fine art dealers displaying exceptional furniture, porcelain glass, jewellery and much more.

December

December means just one thing – Christmas! In the run up to Christmas, Perthshire has an abundance of glorious Christmas Markets. From Gleneagles to Glamis, Scone Palace to Blair Castle – there is plenty choice of places to pick up some seasonal delights. If you’re looking for some Family Fun at Christmas, there’s always a laughter-packed pantomime at Horsecross over the festive period.

At Abade, we have accommodation to suit every need and all our properties are perfectly located to enjoy all of the wonderful things to discover in Perthshire in 2016. With accommodation sleeping between 2-8 people…all you have to do is decide who’s coming with you!