Atholl Monument

You'll spot this obelisk rising up from the hillside near Pitlochry and wonder what all the fuss was about. The Atholl Monument is a Victorian-era tower built to commemorate the Dukes of Atholl, standing with decent views over the Tay Valley. It's the sort of thing that catches your eye on a walk and makes you think, "Right, I'm going up there."

Once you've made the effort to climb up - and it's not nothing, depending on which path you take - you get a proper sense of why it was worth building on this spot. The views stretch across Perthshire towards the mountains beyond. On a clear day it rewards the leg work. On a murky Scottish afternoon, it's less thrilling.

Histor enthusiasts will find the Victorian monument itself interesting enough, but this isn't a major draw. It's genuinely at its best as an excuse for a walk rather than a destination in itself. Kids won't be bored climbing up, though younger ones might complain about the effort.

If you're based at Milton Of Fonab Caravan Park or Grandtully Station Campsite nearby, it's absolutely worth the detour. It slots nicely into a day exploring the Pitlochry area without demanding more than a couple of hours of your time. The monument itself is free to visit and accessible any time. Get there early in the day if the weather looks decent - afternoon clouds roll in quickly up here.