Crieff
The well-groomed town of Crieff sits on the slopes of the Grampian foothills overlooking the wide Strathearn valley. It's a popular tourist centre and a good base for exploring the western part of Perthshire and the Trossachs.
People have been coming here since Victorian times, when Crieff was a popular spa town, and its position between the Highlands and Lowlands made it an important livestock market in the 18th century, with traders coming from as far afield as the Isle of Skye to buy and sell cattle. The Crieff Highland Gathering takes place on the penultimate Sunday in August.
Strathearn
Strathearn is called the "Valley of the River Earn", which stretches west of Perth for some forty miles to Loch Earn- a popular water sports location north of Trossachs. Check our Strathearn Guide for more details about in and around the place.
Eating Out
Other than the hotels in town and the Glenturret Distillery, there isn't a huge choice of decent places to eat. Pick of the lot is The Bank, 32 High St, Tel. 656575, which offers modern Scottish food. Also worth trying are Blue Med, 24 West High St, Tel. 656161, which serves Mediterranean dishes and also does morning coffees; and The Gallery, 15 Hill St, Tel. 653249.
Shopping
The town Crieff in Perthshire has a selection of eclectic, old-fashioned and independent shops with fine collection of gift items, handicrafts, and clothes.
The Strathearn Gallery & Pottery, 32 West High St, Tel. 656100, open Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1300-1700
Region
PerthshireTravel Directions to Crieff
The Tourist Information Centre is in the town hall on the High Street. Tel. 652578. Apr-Jun, Sep and Oct Mon-Sat 0930-1730, Sun 1100-1600; Jul and Aug Mon-Sat 0930-1830, Sun 1100-1700; Nov-Mar Mon-Fri 0930-1730, Sat 1000-1400.
In the basement of the town hall is a free exhibition on the town's history, where you can see the 1000-year-old Burgh Cross. Open same hours as the tourist office.
Cycle hire - Crieff Ski Shop, 66 Commissioner St, Tel. 654667, and Finnie's Cycle Hire, Tel. 652599.
Stagecoach buses, Tel. 01738-629339, run every hour (Mon-Sat) to Perth (45 mins) and Comrie. Some buses continue to St Fillans. There are regular buses to Stirling, via Muthill, and also to Auchterarder via Muthill.
Stagecoach also runs a special 'Tourist Trail' bus around Perthshire and Stirling, stopping at Pitlochry, Aberfeldy, Dunkeld, Comrie, St Fillans and various other places.
Activities
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4x4 off road driving - Scottish Highlands
Experience some off road driving action in your 4x4 off road driving day and test your driving skills with mates. -
Blindfold Driving in Scottish Highlands
Chaotic and crazy, this mad cap sport is all about turning the conventions of driving on its head! -
Treasure Hunt in Scottish Highlands
Time to find out the hidden treasure by solving clues with your group. Delightfully light hearted and well suited for any time of the day. -
Cliff Jumping and Canyoning in Aberfeldy
Not for the faint-hearted, but definitely a must-do for thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. -
Highland White Water Rafting Experience
Enjoy one of the great buzz events with 3 hours of rafting on the Tay in Highland Perthshire. If you can swim, you can raft! Works for any group size with tons of games, splashing and drops! -
Canyoning, Cliffjumping and Rafting Day
Total wipe out multi-activity day.. three adrenalin activities together in one day for a great price! -
Central Scotland Adventure Tubing
Experience some adventure tubing with optional cliff jumping in Central Scotland. -
Mini Highland Games in Perthshire
Find your competitive streak to allow you to be the whisky bottle winner. This is a great activity to combine with others, we can arrange it all for you. -
Archery Lessons near Perth
Will you be the one that hits gold!!! A competitive activity for you and your team - who will be boasting the most in the pub later... -
Whisky Tour - The Famous Grouse Experience Perth
Explore the wide gamut of our Scottish Whisky and traverse through the different aromas and flavors of this rich drink! -
Paintballing in Perthshire inc 300 Balls
Paintball is a thrilling sports that is designed to suit everybody from stags, hens, corporate groups to fun seekers. -
Highland Activity Package inc Quads & Clays
Experience the Highlands and enjoy a range of events. Save money and driving around. Combines clays and quads. -
Face the Challenge of Abseiling
You have an experienced guide to take you abseiling, we can take beginners to experienced rock climbers.
Local Sights & Activities for Crieff
A mile from town, just off the A85 to Comrie, is Glenturret Distillery, Scotland's oldest distillery, established in 1775. It has a good restaurant which serves food all day (lunch cheap/mid-range; dinner expensive).
Five miles southeast of Crieff, off the B8062, is Innerpeffray Library, Scotland's first ever public library (founded in 1680), with a huge collection of rare and ancient books (but don't make too much noise about it). Apr-Sep daily (except Thu) 1000-1245 and 1400-1645, Sun 1400-1600, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov closes at 1600; Dec, Jan by appt only. Tel. 625819. The chapel next door dates from 1508 and is also interesting.
Two miles south of Crieff, on the A822 to Muthill, is the turning to the very wonderful Drummond Castle Gardens, one of the finest formal gardens in Europe. Even the most horticulturally ignorant of people could not fail to be amazed by the graceful harmony and symmetry, in particular the magnificently laid-out flower beds celebrating family and Scottish heraldry. If you have the feeling you've seen them before, that's because they were featured in the film Rob Roy. Easter weekend and May-Oct daily 1400-1800 (last entry 1700). concession. Tel. 681257. To get there, take bus No 47 towards Muthill and get off at the gates, then walk 1 mile up the castle drive. In the village of Muthill itself is an ancient church bell tower, which dates from around 1250, and a small Village Museum, open during the summer.
Castles Nearby
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Innerpeffray Castle
15th century castle near Crieff now in picturesque and ruinous state. Well worth a visit to if you are nearby. Walk from the nearby and wonderful Innerpeffray Library. Located beside the River Earn.
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Braco Castle
Privately owned Tower House near Braco, much amended over time and extended. Once in the Graham/Montrose family. The gardens ar worth visiting and open March to October.
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Drummond Castle
Striking castle and gardens that featured in Rob Roy Movie and are a quintessential looking Scottish castle of the mid period. South of Crieff.
Nearby Ancient Monuments
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Fowlis Wester Cross
Old Pictish cross slab that has been removed to the church and replaced with a replica. Sweet village and good walking.
Local Visitor Attractions
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Innerpeffray Library
Scotland's Oldest Lending Library publishes first book and wonderful opportunity to step back to Enlightenment Scotland in a library wonderfully situated in the country. A library lovers idea of paradise!
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Drummond Castle Gardens
One of Scotland's most formal and striking gardens as seen in Rob Roy. The contrast of typical scottish house and continental topiary should not be missed.
Nearby Distilleries
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Glenturret Whisky Distillery
It is no wonder that the Glenturret Distillery is the most visited distillery in Scotland as the Famous Grouse has been Scotland's Favourite Whisky for over 25 years.
Cafes & Teahouses
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Lounge in Crieff
Unexpected flavour of France in the centre of Crieff. Coffees, teas and Tapas with a beguiling french accent.
Hotels near Crieff
Featured
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Tarken Lodge, Loch Earn, sleeps 2
Secluded little lodge beside Loch Earn, on the outskirts of St Fillans, perfect for a couple looking for some quiet and beautiful countryside to explore. Excellent facilities and set above the loch, a short walk from the village.
- Sleeps: 2
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Locherlour Mill Holiday Cottage, by Crieff
Locherlour Mill Cottage is a one storey estate cottage, which is an annex to Locherlour Mill, with one double bedroom & two bathrooms. Guests enjoy their own privacy and private entrance amid a tranquil setting of the Strathearn Valley. 5 star Visit Scotland graded. Sleeps 2.
- Sleeps: 2
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Comrie Croft Nordic Katas
Nordic Katas - think wigwams, set in the woodland near Comrie. Sleep 4 but lovely for 2 in wood framed bed. Includes woodburning stove inside.
- Sleeps: 4
Crieff Cottages and Holiday SelfCatering
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the Mill Apartment, nr Crieff - Sleeps 2
Beautifully situated at the foot of a wooded hillside, facing south over the Strathearn Valley, this charming ground floor apartment forms part of a prestigious conversion of an 18th Century listed mill. -
Crieff Lodge, Perthshire - Sleeps 6
In a lovely meadow situation on a working farm only 2 miles from the popular country town of Crieff, this recently built timber lodge has open views of the beautiful Perthshire countryside, forests .... -
Stormont House, Perthshire - Sleeps 4-5
Surrounded by the beautiful Perthshire countryside and hills, this spacious house, with enclosed garden, is one of a pair and sits on the edge of the rural hamlet of Harrietfield. This is an excellent base... -
The Byre, nr Crieff - Sleeps 2
This superb single-storey barn conversion in the grounds of Carroglen Farm has its own private glen. Carroglen is a small estate with a traditional 1500-acre hill farm rising to 3000 feet on the south side... -
Riverside Cottage, nr Crieff - Sleeps 6
This spacious holiday property nestles in the conservation village of Comrie, with its cluster of traditionally-built houses. One of a pair of cottages in an attractive setting, it has its own lovely garde... -
Westerton Lodge, nr Crieff - Sleeps 2
Situated 2 miles to the west of the holiday town of Crieff, enjoying an idyllic and tranquil woodland setting with large private garden, this renovated, detached Victorian cottage makes the ideal getaway, ... -
Ivy Knoll, Crieff, sleeps 4
In a peaceful elevated setting overlooking the rooftops of the popular town of Crieff and the countryside beyond, this most attractive holiday apartment occupies the ground floor of this superb Victorian v... -
Lilac Cottage,Crieff, sleeps 4
Situated in the heart of the popular holiday town of Crieff, this idyllic cottage offers a perfect getaway. It is just a minute’s walk from the town centre which boasts an array of shops, restaurants...