The campsite's glamping abodes are a great place to return to after a hard day's yomping across the hills: each tent has two bedrooms furnished with proper beds and a kitchenette with hob, microwave and fridge and all the pots, crockery and cutlery you need. There's also a comfortable living area with sofas and an outdoor terrace to enjoy while you contemplate the heroic exploits of your day, as well as planning the next one.
Nearby Scone Palace just breathes Scottish history. Shakespeare certainly thought so: 'So thanks to all at once and to each one, whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone.' This line from Macbeth indicates the importance of the place. The original royal palace of 1580 was rebuilt as a Georgian mansion and a visit guides you through a series of elegant rooms, brimming with fancy French furniture and portraits of the noble. Owned by the Murray family (not Andy, silly) many objects have a remarkable history attached to them. Outside, peacocks – each named after a monarch – stride around the green grounds, which include a maze and a beautiful butterfly garden.
The Camping and Caravanning Club have gone that extra mile here to ensure guests have an enjoyable experience: introducing those ready-made glamping tents (after popular demand) and building one of the most spacious shower blocks in Scotland are both testament to that. Most campers see out their evening savouring the sites peaceful, tree-lined surroundings or by taking the nearby river walk. With such care for its campers accompanied by a calm and tranquil ambience, something tells us this site, just like its neighbouring palace, will be around for a long, long time.
Surrounded by stunning scenery, the busy market town of Perth was Scotland’s capital in the 15th century. Today, with the whisky and insurance trades employing significant numbers, it remains an important Scottish town and well worth exploring. Perth is at its most charming along Tay Street, with a series of grand buildings along one side and the beautifully landscaped riverside embankment on the other. Head inside Balhousie Castle, where the Black Watch Museum (01738 638152) honours what used to be Scotland’s leading regiment. Formed in 1725 to combat rural robbers, the Black Watch fought in many campaigns, re-created here with paintings and memorabilia. Need to be kitted out for an outdoor adventure? Take a trip to TISO (01738 634 464) where everything is available; from gloves and fleeces to bikes and even canoes.
The site shop sells fresh Scottish morning rolls delivered daily, free-range eggs and locally grown strawberries (in season). Home-made cakes are sold at the Macmillan coffee shop (01738 633890), 2.5 miles from site.