Falling for Autumn in Perthshire

Well, autumn is officially here and I for one am excited! I’m swapping my iced latte order to chai, switching from summer dresses to chunky knits, and bringing out all my blankets and throws. And yes, I have a lot.

But the real magic of autumn is, of course, the colourful scenery and the memories we make while enjoying it. Even on a wet or cloudy day, the grey skies can make the yellows, reds and golds glow brighter in contrast. So here are some ideas for fun activities this autumn, whether you’re heading for an indoor destination or going to revel in the outdoors.

Woodland walks

We have such an abundance of gorgeous woodland walks in Perthshire, so there’s bound to be one near you where you can go and enjoy the wonderful autumn colours. The Hermitage is a must visit at this time of year of course, but there’s also the Birks of Aberfeldy, Den o’ Alyth, Deil’s Cauldron, Kinclaven Woods, Black Spout and more! See our article on 8 Best Places to See the Autumn Colours in Perthshire.

Enchanted evenings

The award-winning Enchanted Forest sound and light show in Pitlochry gets a paragraph all to itself, because it’s become such an iconic and integral part of Perthshire’s autumn calendar. People travel from far and wide to visit this magical event, many returning each year. Personally, last year was one of my personal favourites ever, so I can’t wait to see how this year’s theme turns out. What we do know is that it will run from 2nd October to 2nd November, it’s called Luminara, and it will explore connection between nature and technology.

Gorgeous gardens

Late spring and summer are great for visiting gardens, but autumn is equally special. Often there’s still late blooming flowers, but of course you’re also getting the oranges, golds, ochres and russet browns of the season. So far, we have three favourite gardens we’ve visited in Perthshire — Drummond Castle (although be aware it closes at the end of October), Branklyn Garden and Blair Castle Gardens. Blair Castle and Branklyn both have tearooms, and we were delighted to find a coffee van in the grounds during our last visit to Drummond Castle. For a free option, the Beatrix Potter Garden in Birnam is charming.

Cosy cafes

Whether sat outside in some late sunshine sipping a chai latte, or cooried up in front of the fire inside with a hot chocolate, there’s just something about a cafe in autumn. Sadly for me, a couple of favourites close for the season, but if you can squeeze in a visit to the Blair Atholl Watermill before the end of October it’s well worth a visit. I’m also loving Fika in Aberfeldy for its massive cinnamon buns, Fern Cottage in Pitlochry for being as welcoming as it is cosy and Unorthodox Roasters in Kinross for the quality and flavour of their coffee.

Delightful displays

I’ve put art, music and culture all under this umbrella of ‘displays’ for hopefully obvious reasons, and there’s just so many options. Perth Museum’s new exhibition ‘Perthshire Illustrated’ will open on the 3rd October, and there’s the Millais collection and Glass exhibition to see at Perth Art Gallery if you haven’t done so yet. While in the area you could also try out the Perth Sculpture Trail. On the music front we are excited to have been invited to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra opening season concert at Perth Concert Hall on the 4th October.

Hopefully that’s given you lots of ideas for places to visit in Perthshire this autumn and no doubt you have your own favourites too!