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Truly magical: Scotland’s home of the fairytale is holiday destination fit for a princess

Magical autumn colours on the banks of the River Tay taken from Dunkeld Bridge. Steve MacDougall / DC Thomson
Magical autumn colours on the banks of the River Tay taken from Dunkeld Bridge. Steve MacDougall / DC Thomson

If you’re still planning your summer holidays and you can’t quite afford Disney World there is something pretty magical about Dunkeld.

Scotland’s home of the fairytale is indeed a far cry from the concrete urban mass of Orlando, with its beautiful river and forest walks and its ancient history.

But it is where childhood favourite Peter Rabbit and his friends were dreamed up.

Mopsy, Flopsy, Peter Rabbit, Benjamin and Cottontail, from the recent Peter Rabbit film.

And you can see why. The beauty of the surroundings of the River Tay, with hills and woodland, are the perfect place for fairytale make-believe.

And if you want to throw in a bit of opulence while you’re at it, the rooms at the Atholl Arms Hotel are fit for a princess.

The Atholl Arms Hotel

With beds as comfy as those, I dare anyone to find a pea hidden under the mattress.

When we arrived for our long weekend away, my boyfriend and I were kitted out for a bit of hillwalking.

We had planned to take advantage of the incredible scenery while escaping city life.

The whitewashed building was easy to find, sitting on the corner of the town’s main street. On entering it had a warm country lodge-like feel with comfy sofas and a roaring fire (when required).

Atholl Arms Hotel, Dunkeld.

A sweeping staircase led to the start of 17 rooms, with our suite directly at the top.

When we arrived at our room with muddy boots and saw our beautiful snowy white, fluffy carpet, we knew we would be spending the next few days in our slippers.

And while dogs are allowed there was part of me that was extremely relieved I had left my little Yorkie at home, as this carpet wouldn’t have stayed pristine for long.

The perfect place to unwind in Dunkeld

The suite had clearly recently been redecorated to a modern art-deco style. In the middle of the huge room was a king-size bed, a sofa and a seated area in front of a fireplace, as well as a mounted free-standing golden bath.

The perfect place to unwind on an evening, although again, the fear of spillage made me swap my usual bottle of red for a white that weekend.

The perfect place to unwind after a day in the hills.

The Athol Arms had a decent dining option too with portions so generous they could floor a king.

On our first night, we ate in the bistro. Huge helpings of smoked salmon three ways and oatcakes were presented to me for starters, while my other half chose battered king prawns.

The salmon was truly delicious, however so plentiful I ate half and allowed Ben to finish the rest.

Plentiful portions mean you’re not asking for more

His king prawns were also crispy and tasty, however as he chose a basket of fried fish for his main, he felt it was all a bit too similar and said he would choose differently next time.

The fish lovers that we are, I opted for the filet of seabass. This was served with a honey, ginger and garlic soy sauce with sticky Thai rice and pak choi and was really tasty.

But fear not, if fish is not your thing there were plenty of other options on offer.

Food on offer at the Atholl Arms Hotel, Dunkeld.

Despite the fact we were full to the brim this did not stop us from having dessert, and a sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble found their way to our table.

Again the portions were extremely generous so neither of us could finish, but that was not due to the taste, just the room we had left in our tummies.

Breakfast not something Goldilocks or the three bears would sniff at

The next morning I was still feeling slightly full from the night before but the breakfast offering was something the three bears would definitely be proud of.

Porridge galore, if you wished it, along with full Scottish options, eggs any way you pleased and kippers.

There was also a buffet of cereals, fruit, juices and yoghurt.

The staff were extremely helpful too as I fancied the vegan option of avocado on sourdough, but I also fancied a poached egg or two to go with it. And despite not being on the menu it was whipped up exactly as I asked.

The Hermitage is always a lovely place for a walk.

The day was spent exploring Dunkeld, with a walk to see some spectacular waterfalls at the nearby Hermitage – which would not be out of place in any version of Peter Pan.

Dunkeld is the perfect place to birdwatch for Jemima Puddle-Duck

Then on through some fields and over the hills for a spot of bird watching with our binoculars to see if we could find Miss Jemima Puddle-Duck.

But if you don’t want to venture too far from home, the hotel itself has some pretty spectacular views either from its restaurant, or if you’re lucky enough to get some good weather, its riverside beer garden.

The picturesque beer garden at the Atholl Arms Hotel, Dunkeld.

Despite Dunkeld not being a million miles away from home, the natural geography with its winding river, magical massive trees and plentiful wildlife can easily transport you to a faraway land.

So save yourself an airfare and head to the Scottish hills for a fairytale adventure this summer.

Travel facts
Atholl Arms Hotel, Bridgehead, Tay Terrace, Dunkeld PH8 0AQ
Tel: 01350 727219
Web: www.athollarmshotel.com
A “comfy twin” starts at £149 on a B&B basis, up to £329 for the master suite on a B&B basis

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