20 Attractions to Explore Near Balvaird Castle

West Lomond is the highest point in Fife. It is thus a very popular hill no doubt contributed to by the ease of the ascent along the “motorway” from Craigmead. Its cone-shaped summit, which is the remains of a volcanic plug, rises above an escarpment of Carboniferous sandstone and limestone layers, capped with a quartz-microgabbro sill. One of the nice trekking destination and also you can spend some good time in the middle of nature.

Burleigh Castle was the seat of the Balfours of Burleigh for more than 250 years. You can explore the roofless ruin of a 500-year-old tower house. its chief delight is its remarkable corner tower. Round at the base, its rectangular top floor is corbelled out – an eye-catching piece of Jacobean architecture. It was adapted and expanded in the late 1500s. The Balfours lost the land and castle in 1716.

Moncreiffe Hill is a long, wooded ridge that lies south of Perth, Scotland. It can be easily seen on the right during the final stages of the drive north towards Perth on the M90 motorway. Mixed conifer and broadleaf woodland cloaks the majestic Moncreiffe Hill, offering panoramic views stretching to Fife and the Lomond Hills. A wide variety of trees and other vegetation grow on the hill, which is managed by the Woodland Trust Scotland.

Also known as Falkland Hill, the 424m East Lomond is a popular outing and is easily “summited” from the high car park on its eastern side. Other well used routes are from Craigmead to the west and Falkland to the north. The southern approaches from Glenrothes and Holl tend to be a bit quieter. The remains of Iron Age hill forts can be found around the summits of both East and West Lomond as well as at Maiden Castle, a grassy knoll that lies between the two.

Falkland Palace, in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a royal palace of the Scottish Kings. It was one of the favourite places of Mary, Queen of Scots, providing an escape from political and religious turmoil. There are a profusion of flowering shrubs and trees in the Spring and the adjoining orchard is full of apple blossom - just ideal for a picnic. There is a peaceful pool garden where you can sit and take in the magnificent scenery.

Elcho Castle is one of Scotland’s best-preserved 16th-century tower houses. A member of the family of Wemyss of that Ilk built the residence around the time of the Protestant Reformation in 1560. The Castle was built on the site of an older structure about 1560, and is one of the best surviving examples of its date in Scotland. A large portion of the Castle is accessible, although floors in some rooms have fallen, and much of the building can be walked through. The wall-walk is accessible at two

Lochleven Castle is a late 14th or early 15th century tower where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1567. This ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Today, the remains of the castle are protected as a scheduled monument in the care of Historic Environment Scotland. Loch Leven Castle is open to the public in summer, an

Loch Leven is a fresh water loch located immediately to the east of the burgh of Kinross. Roughly circular in shape and about 3 miles in diameter, it is one of the shallowest of the Scottish lochs—with a mean depth of 15 feet —and has become important as a nature reserve. The loch is a roosting area for geese in winter and a resting area for ducks. It is renowned for its fishing.

The Loch Leven Heritage Trail is a largely traffic-free path around Loch Leven linking Kinross with RSPB Loch Leven and back to Kinross. It lies between Edinburgh and Perth, in the east of Scotland’s Central Lowlands. The path is mostly level and barrier-free, making it suitable for walkers, cyclists and wheelchair users of all abilities.

Kinnoull is a real jewel in Perth's crown. Trails wander through mature woodland of beech and pine to magnificent views over the river Tay. There's an arboretum – a tree collection – too, where you can check out trees you might like to grow in your own garden.

A twentieth century garden with an extensive plant collection, displaying the Scots passion for Sino-Himalayan plants. Branklyn holds National Collections of Lilies, Rhododendron and Meconopsis. It was made by John and Dorothy Renton between 1922 and 1968 on land which had been an orchard. There is a rock garden with purple maple and the rare golden Cedrus. Seasonal highlights in May and June are the alpines and rhododendrons and in Autumn the fiery red Acer palmatum.

Kinnoull Hill is the highest of the five hills and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It rises sharply from the banks of the River Tay in Perth. This tranquil haven opened as Scotland’s first official woodland park in 1991 and includes an abundance of flora and fauna, as well as roe deer, red squirrels and excellent open viewpoints across the Perth countryside. The park also features grassy paths and waymarked nature trails through fine mixed woodland of Scots pine, larch, oak, birch and

The Fergusson Gallery is devoted to the work of one of the celebrated Scottish Colourists, John Duncan Fergusson. It holds his vast collection of artwork and associated archive, along with the archive of his lifelong companion, the pioneer of modern dance, Margaret Morris.

One of the Scotland's oldest established museums and is home to more than half a million local, national and international objects. The museum collection includes the South Corston fragment of the Strathmore meteorite and the mummy of a woman named Ta-kr-hb.

Perth Leisure Pool is the main indoor public leisure and recreation centre in the city of Perth, Scotland, one of the most popular visitor attractions in Scotland and a major tourist attraction, which in 2006 was noted for receiving more than 700,000 visitors a year. The complex includes 5 swimming pools with flumes, bubble beds and other water features; a gym, health spa, cafe, creche and outdoor children's play area.

Benarty Hill, locally simply Benarty, rises above and to the west of Ballingry, in the west of Fife, Scotland. The summit ridge forms the boundary with Perth and Kinross. It is a prominent feature of the view from the M90 motorway, and from Kinross and Loch Leven. The lower slopes are steep on all sides, but the extensive heath around the summit is relatively flat.

Riverside Park is idyllic territory for a saunter with the small ones and offers plenty of space to let the big ones detach and play games a short distance away or hit the skatepark! Just be sure to bring your helmet and serious padding for the concrete equipment. The park has several play areas and town art sculptures, adventure play areas, seasonal toilets and fitness equipment. It also features a few statues and objects from Boblingen, Germany, the twin town of Glenrothes.

The Black Watch Castle and Museum is a 5 star multi-award winning visitor attraction located in the beautiful city of Perth, Scotland. It was housed within the historic Balhousie Castle, the origins of which are said to date back to the 12th century. A visit to the ancestral Home of The Black Watch brings the history of Scotland’s oldest Highland Regiment’s to life, through artefacts, paintings, photographs, personal stories and interactive displays.

The Fife Pilgrim Way is a new long distance route opened in July 2019, connecting West Fife with East Fife via routes used by medieval pilgrims. The overall route brings together a network of existing paths, tracks, core paths and rights of way into a single journey across the heart of Fife. Much of the route is on hard surfaces , hence trainers may be a better choice than boots for footwear.

Loch Ore is a loch situated in Fife, Scotland. It forms the core of Lochore Meadows Country Park. It is used mainly for leisure purposes, especially yachting, although the uneven depth can make the likes of speed boating problematic. The loch is the training site of many sports teams, including the University of St Andrews Boat Club. The loch holds many events, such as the annual Scottish Open Water Championships where the swimmers compete in a 5 km, 2 km and 4×1 km relay swim, and Saints Regatt