Mill of Airntully

The ruins of an old mill sit quietly beside the River Tay, a few miles outside Perth. What you're looking at are the remains of a 18th-century grain mill - stone foundations and a bit of the structure still standing, enough to give you a proper sense of how these places worked. The river did the heavy lifting back then, powering the wheel that ground the grain for local farmers.

It's the kind of place history types and archaeologists get genuinely excited about, though families with young children might find it underwhelming. There's no visitor centre, no interpretation boards, no tea room. You turn up, have a look around, and that's that. Allow twenty minutes unless you're the sort who likes to sit and imagine how it all functioned.

The real appeal lies in its setting on the Tay rather than the ruins themselves. If you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks - Newmill Farm is barely a couple of miles away, and Scone Camping and Caravanning Club Site sits even closer - it makes a decent short walk from your caravan or tent. Pair it with a proper riverside ramble towards Perth, or head out to explore the wider Perthshire countryside.

Free to visit, naturally. Go when the light's good and the river isn't in flood, and you won't be disappointed. It's low-key, unpretentious, and rather Scottish in its refusal to make a fuss about itself.