Hill Garden

You'll find Hill Garden perched above Crieff, a proper Victorian terraced affair that makes for a surprisingly absorbing afternoon if you're already in the area. The garden steps down the hillside in layers - all formal beds and stone pathways - and it's genuinely impressive once you've made the walk up from town. The views back over Perthshire are the real draw here; on a clear day you can see right across to the Grampians.

It's not a destination that'll keep you for hours, but it's well worth the detour if you're staying at Loch Earn Leisure Park or Balquhidder Braes Holiday Park nearby. The walk up takes about twenty minutes depending on your fitness, and the garden itself another thirty to forty minutes to wander properly. History types will appreciate the Victorian engineering - whoever designed this took their terracing seriously.

Take comfortable shoes; the paths are maintained but uneven in places. Go midweek if you can and you'll likely have the place to yourself. Families with young children might find it bit steep for what it is, and there's not much in the way of facilities up there, so bring water.

The town of Crieff itself has cafes and shops if you want to make an afternoon of it. This garden works best as part of a broader Perthshire ramble rather than a standalone trip, but if you're already hiking in the area, it's genuinely worth the effort.