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 Coupar Angus |
 Glen Clova |
 Glamis Castle |
Dunkeld lies twelve miles up the A9 from Perth and is well worth a visit. It developed as a religious community and in 850 was proclaimed Scotland's ecclesiastical capital in place of Iona. Razed to the ground in 1689, it was rebuilt and is now one of the area's most picturesque places. The 12th Century partly ruined Cathedral lies on the bank of the Tay on the western side of the town.
Nearby Birnam is linked to Dunkeld by Telford's seven arch bridge built in 1809. The town is famous for its association with Shakespeare's Macbeth and for the Birnam Oak. Not far away is the Hermitage, a spectacular series of paths and other features on the north side of the valley of the fast flowing River Braan.
The town of Blairgowrie is one of the main accommodation centres for the Glenshee ski resort. It is a busy place with a good range of shops which extend into Blairgowrie's twin community of Rattray. Blairgowrie developed in the 1800s when flax mills were built on the banks of the River Ericht. It prospered further when the commercial growing of raspberries was introduced to the area.
On the north side of the town the old Keathbank jute mill building is now a visitor centre with working water wheel and original mill machinery. It also houses the largest O-gauge model railway in Britain. Four miles south of Blairgowrie on the A93 is the world's longest and tallest hedge, the Meikleour Beech Hedge.
Head east from Blairgowrie and you pass the pretty and historic village of Alyth en route to Kirriemuir. Located at the head of two glens, Clova and Prosen, Kirriemuir is a pretty town. Its narrow winding streets have an olde worlde charm. It is famous as the birthplace of J.M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan: and a commemorative statue is located in the town square.
North from Kirriemuir the foothills of the Cairngorms are pierced by the Angus Glens leading deep into the mountains. The most easterly is Glen Esk, with its main settlement of Tarfside. The glen comes complete with no fewer than three churches, the Lochlee Parish Church, the Maule Memorial Church and St Drostan's Episcopal Church. It also boasts an impressive tower house in Invermark Castle. Not far west and overlooking the coastal plain are the Brown and White Caterthuns, twin hillforts of different ages.
West again, and you come to the mouth of Glen Clova is the best known and most popular of the Angus Glens, with most settlement focused on Clova. To its west is Glen Prosen, and its main settlement, the hamlet of Glenprosen.
A few miles south of Kirriemuir is the village of Glamis and Glamis Castle, childhood home of the late Queen Mother. The castle and its the extensive gardens and grounds are open to the public and are well worth a visit. Also in Glamis is St Fergus Kirk and the excellent Angus Folk Museum, while in the village and surrounding area are three unusually fine Pictish symbol stones, St Orland's Stone, Hunters Hill Stone, and the Glamis Manse Symbol Stone. Two miles west of Glamis are the remains of Eassie Old Church, home to another magnificent Pictish cross slab.
Head south west along the broad and fertile valley of Strathmore from Glamis and you come to the village of Meigle. This is home to one of the finest collections of Pictish Stones in Scotland. Continuing south west brings you to the town of Coupar Angus, an important agricultural centre. A little to its east is the Keillor Symbol Stone, a prominent Pictish stone which still stands where it was erected over 1200 years ago.
