Auchtergaven & Moneydie Parish Church

You won't find many tourists queueing at the door of Auchtergaven & Moneydie Parish Church, which is precisely why it's worth the short drive from Perth. This is a proper working church, not a heritage attraction, so expect to find it locked more often than not - phone ahead to the local parish office if you're serious about getting inside.

What makes it worth seeking out is the building itself. This rural church sits in countryside that feels genuinely removed from the main roads, and the churchyard has that lived-in quality that speaks to centuries of burials and seasons changing. The architecture is modest but solid, the sort of place where you get a real sense of how Scottish parishes actually functioned rather than the polished cathedral experience.

Realistically, this isn't a destination on its own. What it is instead is a proper reason to spend an afternoon exploring the quieter corners of Perthshire on the way between somewhere else. You could combine it with a walk around the parish or use it as a waypoint on a ramble. Families visiting Erigmore Holiday Park or Inver Mill Farm Caravan Park - both easily under six miles away - could make it part of a Sunday drive if they're the type who enjoy poking around villages rather than ticking off famous attractions.

Allow twenty minutes maximum if you manage to get in. It's honest, unpretentious, and genuinely interesting if you care about how ordinary Scottish life actually looked. Just don't rely on it being open.