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Crieff, Comrie, Lochearnhead and Muthill

THE attractive hillside town of Crieff, which can trace its roots back to medieval times, has expanded down the years, rising from the Earn valley floor to the promontory of The Knock at 900 feet.

Many of the imposing sandstone family homes on the upper reaches of the town date back to an era when it was a popular Victorian holiday town, with 21st Century holidaymakers still lured by the attractions of The Hydro which overlooks the town.

En route to Comrie seven miles away, and beyond it St Fillans, Lochearnhead and Killin, The Glenturret Distillery can lay claim to being among the oldest distilleries in Scotland. The presence of a listed Earthquake House, monitoring seismic activity since 1869, has never put off homebuyers being lured to Comrie, with the scenic surroundings and pace of life appealing to the retirement market, in particular.

Before reaching Killin and its famous Falls of Dochart, the waterside communities of St Fillans and Lochearnhead, the latter now under the authority of the council in Stirling, are popular with watersports enthusiasts, while property buyers are also lured by the unspoiled countryside. Strathearn is blessed with a number of welcoming towns and villages, and a rural lifestyle which appeals to homebuyers.

Almondbank, on the periphery of Perth, has expanded on both sides of the River Almond. The pretty village of Pitcairngreen is built around a tree-lined grassy area influenced by design features popular in the Oxford area in the 18th Century.

Like many Perthshire villages, the population of Methven, on the road between Perth and Crieff, has welcomed new housing in recent years, helping support local services. The long-established independent school Glenalmond College is nearby.

Picturesque Muthill, near Drummond Castle and its renowned Italian Garden, is reminiscent of Comrie and Highlandmans Green recalls its role as a stopping-off point for cattle drovers heading for market with their beasts.