Country escape

City girl Dawn Campbell throws caution to the wind and enjoys a weekend glamping at Kennacoil near Dunkeld

Iwas really excited about my very first glamping experience.

As a city dweller I would normally prefer a city break for culture, pubs and night life, but thought I’d try something a little different.

The drive from the A9 to Kennacoil is quite special. Once I found the winding single-track road I felt like I was in the wilderness, despite being only a short drive from Dunkeld.

The fog lifted as we approached, revealing a gorgeous sight: blue sky, a rust-coloured cliff arching behind the glamping pods and, in the other direction, snow-dusted hills.

The newly converted steading is only a minute’s walk from the glamping pod and next door is a utility room with clean kitchen sinks, kettle, toaster and microwave.

The glamping pod sleeps two adults and two children, or four adults.

It was warm and welcoming thanks to the heater and lamp provided.

We put music on and I prepared our barbecue food while my partner attempted to the light the camp fire.

For dinner we had salmon on a bed of broccoli, asparagus and cherry tomatoes, with lemon juice, salt and pepper, all wrapped up in tinfoil.

Thank goodness for the wood and firelighters provided by the owners.

Dunkeld is only around eight minutes away so, if there are any cooking disasters, you can take your pick of fish ’n’ chips, curries and lots of other great restaurants and pubs to explore.

As the sun set, we explored the surrounding area and were impressed with the waterfalls nearby and only a short distance from the Hermitage.

We brought our own duvet and pillows, a picnic set and some breakfast for the next day.

At night, although it was pitch black, there were little solar lights guiding us from the glamping pod to the facilities.

I will always remember my midnight trek: the stars were twinkling all around and the quiet was just what I needed.

The following morning we used the kettle and had our morning coffee outside, admiring the view. The showers were five star and I had plenty room to change and feel refreshed.

We ventured into Dunkeld and visited Progression Bikes on the high street.

Progression Bikes were so helpful and suggested we tried their e-bikes as we wanted to explore as much as possible in a short time.

I had the pleasure of trying out the super-efficient 2018 Trek Neko Shimano road bike. I felt really safe on it and was able to cycle at quite a speed on the high street. You feel a gentle boost as the electric hybrid motor kicks in.

My partner was given the impressive off-road e-bike Mondraker E Crafty. He was able to tackle difficult off-road sections easily and quickly.

We zoomed from Dunkeld to the Hermitage, taking lots of pictures, and explored the surrounding areas in an hour. Ramblers and passers-by looked stunned at our speed as we climbed steep inclines on our bikes.

After our cycling adventure we went for lunch at the Royal Dunkeld Hotel, which advertised a ‘souper deal’ – £5.95

As a city dweller, I would normally prefer a city break... but thought I’d try something different this time

for soup and a sandwich. We really enjoyed our lunch after all that exercise and fresh air, and the service was friendly and quick.

We walked down to the river, enjoying the Heritage Trail, guided by fascinating blue signs giving details about the history of the buildings and cobbled roads.

On the banks of the Tay we spotted a lovely beer garden belonging to the Taybank. We popped in for the most delicious coffee in a cafetiere. The menu was reasonably priced and we decided that we’ll definitely be back to experience their famous live music evenings.

Our first glamping trip to Kennacoil was certainly full of pleasant surprises: we reconnected with nature without feeling out of our depth and got the fresh air, exercise and peace and quiet that we city folk needed more than ever.