The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
There’s no need to go into holiday hibernation just yet
Here’s Robin’s round-up of wonderful places to visit in Scotland this autumn
So summer is a rapidly fading memory. Time to batten down the hatches and bash all the way until Christmas. Right? Seriously wrong. Scotland looks its best in autumn, so grab a cuppa and let me inspire you...
Let’s kick off with our cities. All seven have myriad charms of their own in autumn. One of the great attractions is that the crowds of summer are dissipating, so Edinburgh especially tempts after the Festival madness.
A lot of city hotels lower their rates in the lull between summer and Christmas so it can be a great time to snatch a deal. Search engines like www. booking.com and www.expedia.com are a good place to grab discounts.
I’m a fan of Perth in particular in autumn, the heart of Big Tree Country.
An unusual autumn escape is offered by Piotr at Outdoor Explore (www. outdoorexplore.co.uk). I took my young family out with him recently and it was brilliant fun. We swept off from Perth Sailing Club in the stable kayaks he had specially brought to Scotland. Our target seemed unlikely – kayaking right into the heart of Perth and hopefully catching sight of wild beavers!
It was a surreal experience paddling up the Tay looking out for the church spires and bridges of Perth to loom into view. We came across numerous birds, including brightly coloured kingfishers that delighted my daughters. Although we didn’t see any beavers, we found one of their lodges. And we spotted branches that the beavers had been gnawing through. Approaching Perth from the viewpoint of the Vikings at river level made the trip more than worthwhile. Piotr runs the expeditions whenever the weather suits, so you can head out with him well into autumn.
Pushing out a little deeper into Perthshire, I’ve just been back to Comrie Croft for a third stay (www.comriecroft.com). Comrie Croft is no mere campsite, and it’s ideal for an autumn escape. Run as a sort of co-operative, there is a campsite, but also cosy, waterproof kata canvas tents you can snuggle up in with a wood burner on hand. Then there are the mountain biking trails and walking routes my girls loved exploring. As the colours change, the local trees really steal the show and those wood burners come into their own.
Also on site is the Tea Garden cafe and a shop selling the organic fruit and vegetables grown on site. I’m a fan of Comrie Croft Bikes, who rent out all manner of mountain bikes and offer tuition. My eldest daughter, Tara, went from being a complete beginner on the skills loop to tackling a section of blue trail. Marshmallows over the campfire are optional. Not having fun here is not.
Heading way up into the Outer Hebrides or Northern Isles in autumn can be a little daunting. How about the Firth of Clyde isles then? These gems are all too often overlooked, a shame as they are so easy to get to and immense fun. Cumbrae is that bit quieter in autumn, leaving its circular road much more enjoyable to cycle around. The island capital of Millport has many wee B&Bs on hand to hide away in. The views across to Bute and Arran are usually breathtaking, and you can scan the waters for seals, porpoises and dolphins.
Bute is very much a year-round island, with Rothesay home to many cafes, restaurants and bars. The island’s main attraction is Mount Stuart, a remarkable stately home that may just be the most spectacular in Scotland. It’s a riot of marble and madcap, no-expensespared, design. Make sure to ask to see the swimming pool, said to be the first heated pool in any house in Scotland. The grounds are epic too. Mount Stuart is open until the end of October.
That leaves us one more major Firth of Clyde island – glorious Arran. These days “Scotland in Miniature” is very much a year-round destination. Enough businesses stay open to cater for locals and visitors alike. A great base is the Auchrannie Resort (www.auchrannie.co.uk). Look out for seasonal specials, when they really slash room rates and throw in extras such as dinner.
Autumn is the ideal time to explore Arran as the wildlife really comes into its own. As the colours turn and the chills sweep into the glens, the red deer start to edge down to the lower ground. Take a hike on the wide path of Glen Rosa and you have a great chance of seeing stags. Come in the evening and you may even hear the blood-curdling sound of them rutting. You may also see golden eagles soaring above. In early autumn, Lochranza can be a good place to spot lingering basking sharks, while the coast between Corrie and Brodick is ideal for sighting seals and otters.
The idea of heading far up into the Highlands might be less enticing as the days darken. So how about the Borders? My autumnal tip here is postcardpretty Melrose. I love that you can cosy up in a three-star hotel right on the main square, the Townhouse (www. thetownhousemelrose.co.uk), or just snare a B&B in the centre.
Melrose is a proper market town and, as such, people from the surrounding towns and villages flock here at weekends to shop. They’ve got proper shops too – butchers, delis and wee independent stores. They come in handy if it’s still warm enough to sneak a last picnic of the year on the banks of Sir Walter Scott’s old favourite, the River Tweed. The autumn colours here and up at nearby Scott’s View are magical.
Melrose’s other big attraction is its famous abbey. Robert the Bruce’s body may lie at Dunfermline Abbey, but his heart is here at Melrose. It’s also the best preserved of the quartet of Borders Abbeys and great for ambling around.
If you are just looking for a day trip to take in some autumn colour, then how about the Hermitage? This National Trust for Scotland site is nothing short of a national treasure. Pay to park just off the A9 north of Dunkeld, then amble along the banks of the River Braan taking in the wealth of tree life, both indigenous and from overseas. It’s the ideal venue for a bracing autumn stroll.
A wild card for autumn is taking out a motorhome. This summer I explored the new Heart 200 route (www. heart200.scot) with a plush campervan from Roseisle Luxury Campervans (www.roseislemotorhomehire.com). We take a campervan out every year and this may well have been the best yet. Our Hymercar Yellowstone was seriously spacious and I loved that you have a permanent bed . It has a decent-sized fridge freezer and cooker, plus plenty of space for relaxing in. I can’t think of anything much cosier than sitting by the campfire in the fading autumn light, knowing your warm bed awaits just feet away.
Whether you want to enjoy this, head for the Firth of Clyde isles or paddle into Perth, there is no need to start your winter hibernation in autumn this year.