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Between Perth and Stirling

Driving and Detours:

Approximate distance: 37 miles or 60 km

A reasonably fast road (A9) passing by Gleneagles and Dunblane.

Huntingtower Castle

If you take the A85 towards Crieff (you can rejoin it later) after about 3 miles you will pass Huntingtower Castle. Really worth a visit!
(April-Sept; Monday to Saturday 9.30 - 6.30, Sundays 2 - 6.30
Oct to March; Monday to Wednesday and Saturday 9.30 - 4.30, Sunday 2 - 4.30)
Dating back to the 1400s the castle is well preserved and has good examples of painted interior decoration of the 1500s.
It used to be called Ruthven Castle. Patrick, 3rd Lord Ruthven, took part in the murder of Mary Queen of Scots' secretary David Rizzio. His son William the 4th Earl, and fellow conspirators, invited 16 year old James VI of Scotland (and later James I of England) to the castle and then kidnapped him. About a year later the James managed to escape while out hunting.

Fowlis Wester

A few miles further on (look out for the mound covered in trees... it is a 5000 year old burial cairn) is Fowlis Wester (pronounced Fowls Wester), an ancient village in which stands the 13th Century Church of St Bean. The first church on the site was dedicated in the 8th C to the Irish missionary St Bean who preached in the area. He was the grandson of Aen Dubh, King of Leinster.
Above the Lych Gate outside the church is carved:
"Tak heid to thy foot when thow enterest the hows of God. 1644"
Inside the church is this fine 8th Century carved Pictish Cross (see below right). Behind it is a Pictish Symbol stone, one of the finest in existence, and dating back to the time of St Bean.

The church also has a piece of what is probably the only tartan to have been taken to the moon and back... The McBean tartan was taken to the moon by US astronaut Alan McBean.
This area abounds with ancient standing stones, a stone circle, and cairns, and so was probably a religious center of some significance even in pre-Christian times.

Accommodation en route or round about:

Bed & Breakfast accommodation:

Kippenross. Fine Georgian country house in wooded parkland estate 5 miles from Stirling. Bed and breakfast and optional dinner.
Quarter, 10 minutes south of Stirling, perfectly proportioned Georgian country house bed and breakfast. Very central for touring Scotland: Perth, Edinburgh and Glasgow, all within 45 minutes drive.

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