Dunfallandy Stone

A short walk from Pitlochry takes you to one of Scotland's finest Pictish stones, standing alone in a field like it's been waiting there for fourteen centuries. The Dunfallandy Stone is a massive slab carved with intricate symbols - a double disc and Z-rod, a serpent, and a mirror - all executed with remarkable precision by craftsmen whose names we'll never know. It's the sort of thing that stops you mid-stride. You're looking at genuine Dark Age artistry, and there's something rather moving about that.

The stone sits about a ten-minute walk from the village, accessible via a straightforward path that's manageable for most abilities. Bring decent footwear though - it can be muddy after rain. There's no charge to see it, no visitor centre, no gift shop. Just the stone, the Perthshire hills, and whatever you bring to it. History enthusiasts will spend a good thirty minutes here; casual walkers might manage ten and feel satisfied they've ticked off something genuinely old.

It works brilliantly as a morning excursion if you're based at Milton Of Fonab, just half a mile away, or any of the other caravan parks clustered around Pitlochry. You could easily combine this with a wander round the village itself, or push on towards Faskally Woods if you've got the legs for it. Go early or late to avoid other visitors and catch better light for photographs. The symbol work really shows when the sun's lower.