An Olympic Seafood Festival

Following the great success of its taster menu focusing on Scottish produce in winter and early spring Achary House Hotel in rural Perthshire is running a Seafood Taster night during the Olympics from July 27th to August 12th. The taster will be a six small courses, each featuring Scottish sea produce (even the dessert!). Langoustine Rates for two people are from £180 to £150, depending on the room booked. This includes the six course seafood taster menu and breakfast the following morning as well as an overnight stay. To book, call 0560 368 4252.

LETI: Alan and Jane Gibson are the proprietors of The Achray House Hotel in St Fillans Perthshire overlooking Loch Earn from the restaurant, bar and outdoor decking.  Check their website for information on accommodation, food and drink, short breaks and a choice of hotel or holiday lodge accommodation. 

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Fathers Day Idea Might Be A Dripping Roast

Stuck for a Fathers Day idea?  The Four Seasons Hotel in St Fillans, Perthshire might just have the answer. Food is the way to a mans heart so why not treat your dear old dad to a traditional Sunday roast lunch. Take him for a scenic drive arriving at the country house hotel in time for lunch between 12.00 and 14.20.  The hotel looks out over Loch Earn and the surrounding hills in the picturesque village of St Fillans.  If you are not a dad and your mouth is now watering at the mere suggestion of a juicy dripping roast and all the trimmings; do not despair! The traditional lunch is being offered every Sunday throughout the summer season at £13.50 for two courses!  Enjoy the lochside location,  relaxed atmosphere and the contemporary Scottish cuisine at two AA Rosette level.  Booking is essential. Email info@thefourseasonshotel.co.uk  or  Tel: +44 (0) 1764 685333

LETI: The Four Seasons Hotel is an award winning 12 bedroom hotel with spectacular views over Loch Earn offering contemporary cuisine using local produce. The chefs cater for breakfast, morning coffee, lunches, afternoon tea, bar meals and fine dining. Dog owners might want to check out the Pet Concierge service too.  The resident pet butler will take care of your pets every need from special menus to grooming and walking. 

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Christmas, Hogmanay & New Year Breaks, Holiday accommodation and entertainment Perthshire

Jetty at sunrise on Loch Earn, Lochearnhead

Fancy a festive break in Scotland this Christmas or New year? Consider the neighbouring villages of Strathyre, Balquhidder, Lochearnhead and St Fillans in Scotland. Whether you are single, a couple, friends or family, there are plenty of places to stay with entertainment on the doorstep.  All four villages are at the gateway to the Highlands where Stirling and the Trossachs meet Perthshire.  This area of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park is naturally beautiful because of the ancient forests, towering mountains, lochs, deer, Highland cattle and other wildlife. This is an excellent all year round location both for outdoor activities and for total relaxation. There are plenty of forest walks and Munro's to climb. Part of national cycle route 7 connects the villages. St Fillans golf course is open to play all year round.  Glencoe is less than an hour away for walking and skiing enthusiasts. There are plenty of pubs, restaurants and hotels to choose from within a 15 mile radius offering quality food and drink, glowing fires and occasionally live music. The Loch Earn Tourism Initiative members are private owners of Perthshire Bed and Breakfasts, self catering cottages, log cabins, guest houses, Inn's, restaurants with rooms, hotels and caravan sites.  Check out a range of  festive packages including Christmas Day and New Year breaks offered by LETI members.

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Visit the Balquhidder Hall Christmas Market in Balquhidder on 5th December.  Sing around the tree with the locals in St Fillans with mulled wine and a sweet mince pie in hand on 20th December.  If you are planning to spend New Year in Lochearnhead pick up tickets for the Lochearnhead Hogmanay party in the village hall 9pm-2am, available from local shops. Tickets include a live band and stovies at midnight for just £7.50. Raffle prizes include a Scottish Food hamper, a round of golf for two at St Fillans Golf Club and a meal for two at the Four Seasons Hotel in St Fillans.  For more information on Christmas and New Year breaks, accommodation and events in Perthshire,  visit http://www.robroycountry.com/ with links to members websites and promotions.

Loch Earn An Inland Loch..Can It Really Be Tidal???

Scotland’s varied terrain is greatly enhanced by rivers lochs and glens and the Highlands continue to show the effects of glaciation, which has shaped the landscape and provided such a variety of scenery.

The lochs of Scotland provided much needed communication links before the advent of the railway and motor car and both the tidal and non tidal Lochs served this purpose well.

Perhaps best know among Scotland’s Lochs are Loch Lomond and Loch Ness, the latter with its famous monster and the “bonnie banks” of both attracting many visitors.

Tidal lochs such as Loch Etive near Oban demonstrate the power of the sea which is best seen at the Connell Bridge where low tide presents a water fall “The Falls of Laura” as the water of the Loch rush out to sea at low tide. Less well known and somewhat surprising is the tidal nature of Loch Earn, an inland Loch in the heart of Scotland, which is one of only two Scottish Lochs to demonstrate this seiching or tidal effect. (The other Scottish Loch known to have this effect is Loch Treig to the east of Fort William). Probably the best known example of seiching in Europe is Lake Geneva.

The forces that cause this tidal effect are the wind acting on the surface of the east west orientated Loch and thermal stratification. In addition to being a central accommodation base for exploring the rest of Scotland, anyone who visits Loch Earn can enjoy the added attraction of witnessing “seiching” first hand.

Holiday accommodation in Perthshire can be found on the LETI community web site including the four villages around Loch Earn. One example of Perthshire holiday cottages in Scotland is Riverside Cabins set on the banks of the River Earn. Another holiday house that offers clear views of Loch Earn is Earnknowe.

Take a trip to Loch Earn and see if you can observe this tidal effect for yourself.

LETI: Jim Bradley runs two self catering holiday businesses; Riverside Log Cabins in St Fillans (6 cabins sleep up to 6 in 3 bedrooms) and Killin Highland Lodges on a wooded hillside in Killin (11 lodges sleep between 1-8 in 1-4 bedrooms). Jim also makes time to chair the LETI website group.