93km (58 miles) N of Edinburgh; 23km (14 miles) N of Perth; 158km (98 miles) SW of Aberdeen

Dunkeld lies in a thickly wooded valley of the Tay River at the edge of the Perthshire Highlands. Once a major ecclesiastical center, it's one of the seats of ancient Scottish history and was an important center of the Celtic church. It's an attractively restored town that invites exploration on foot.

The surrounding countryside is beautiful, and you can take great walks and day hikes on both sides of the River Tay going from Dunkeld to Birnam. In all, there are 58km (36 miles) of paths that have been joined to create a network of circular routes. Pick up maps and detailed descriptions from the tourist office and set out on a day's adventure, armed with the makings of a picnic, of course.