The area around Aberfoyle is one of the prettiest parts of Scotland and has been popular with visitors ever since Sir Walter Scott sang its praises in his poem The Lady of the Lake and his novel Rob Roy which romanticised the exploits of Rob Roy Macgregor, cattle rustler, freebooter and local folk-hero. Visitors to Aberfoyle can also go fishing on Scotland’s only lake, (as distinct from loch), - the Lake of Menteith which is also notable for the Island of Inchmahone where the graceful ruins of an Augustinian Priory rise high above the trees. The 5-year-old child-queen Mary, Queen of Scots, was hidden here before being smuggled to France in 1547.

But the place that followers of the Teapot Trail should make a bee-line for is Braeval Old Mill Tea Room on the outskirts of Aberfoyle, a truly outstanding tearoom in the lovely surroundings of a converted 17th century water mill. You will be greeted at the door by proprietor Andrew Carter, a warm and outgoing Yorkshireman splendidly attired in starched white shirt, black waistcoat and bow tie. He will show you to one of the tables set around the central log stove, perhaps one of those at the rear of the Mill which look out over grassland to the Trossachs.

When Andrew, or his teenage son Adam, brings you your tea they will be wearing white gloves and if this strikes you as rather formal, there’s a very good reason for it. Your teapot, milk jug, tea-strainer and cutlery are all made of the finest 18/10 quality stainless steel. The gloves ensure that no fingerprints are left on them by your waiter.

The same meticulous care is taken with the superb food on offer. All cakes, scones, breads and sweets are baked freshly everyday in the Old Mill kitchen, and for an intimation of what Heaven should be like, try one of Pauline Carter’s truly memorable meringues! The menu also offers an inviting selection of light warm meals, soups and side dishes, freshly prepared salads and sandwiches, traditional and clotted cream teas, and there’s also a children’s menu.

The Carters other son, Samuel, used to work as a chef at the Old Mill under its previous owner, the celebrated chef, Nick Nairn, and he has put that training to good effect. On Saturday evenings customers can enjoy a ravishing 3-course meal created by this gifted chef who is barely into his twenties. Reservations are absolutely essential! (No reservation is required for the Tea Room).

Opening times: Tuesday - Sunday: 10.00 a.m. - last orders 5.00 p.m. (except Saturday when the tea room closes at 5.00 p.m.) Dinner: Saturday from 7.30 p.m. until late.

Somehow it seems to sin to rush anywhere in the Spey Valley. The natural beauty is staggering and it needs to be savoured. It’s ironic then, that the Spey is thought to be Scotland’s fastest-flowing river.
The Speyside Way though, lets you take in the scenery at a more leisurely pace. It stretches from the river mouth to Tomintoul and is a favourite route for both beginners and old hands alike.
Tomintoul itself, just a few miles from the Bridge of Brown, claims to be the highest village in the Highlands. Not surprisingly, it’s no stranger to skiers who swarm to the nearby slopes of the Lecht. the Bridge of Brown, or Brig’ o’ Broon as it’s known locally, is literally the bridge over the burn of Brown which runs through a beautiful gorge cut in the rock millions of years ago - well worth a look!

Graham and Sue Larrington have set up their business in a former steading dating back to the mid 18th century. Set in the foothills of the beautiful Cairngorm Mountains, rich in wildlife, it is a place you will not forget. You enter through the packed gift shop into the stone-walled tea-room. And then watch for reactions as you spot Sue’s display of mouth-watering home-baked cakes and pies.

You will probably have trouble trying to decide which to go for. The coffee cake, Banoffee and orange are all favourites. If it’s something more savoury that you’re after, try the home-made soup or one of Sue’s renowned pies - steak and kidney with Guinness or mixed game to name but two. A full menu is available all day. Graham’s part of the business is completely different. He is a professional model engineer, building and restoring a variety of miniature steam engines for customers all over the UK. There’s always something interesting in the workshop.

If you ride a motorcycle, Graham and sue have had bikes for years and their enthusiasm brings bikers from miles around. A warm welcome is offered to one and all throughout the year and in the colder months the log fire cheers many a weary traveler.

Opening times: November to March: 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. (closed Tuesdays); April to October, weekdays: 8.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. and weekends 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. Times vary with seasons.

Tel/Fax: 01807 580335.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were both captivated by their first sight of Perth on September 6th, 1842. The Queen noted in her Journal that the city’s situation "is quite lovely; it is on the Tay, with wooded hills skirting it entirely on one side, and hills are seen again in the distance, the river winding beautifully".

The royal party spent that night as guests of the Earl of Mansfield at Scone Palace just north of the city and on the way there would have passed Quarrymill, a cluster of watermills on the Annaty burn. At that time the mills were still busy spinning cotton, extracting starch from potatoes for use in the weaving and textile industry, and grinding bone meal to use in dyes and as fertiliser. But by early this century the mills had become derelict, the wooded glen abandoned except for the occasional rambler.

Then in 1933 the 27-acre site was bought by one of Perth’s greatest benefactors, Arthur Kinmond Bell, eldest son of Arthur Bell, founder of the famous Scotch Whisky firm. A few years later ‘A.K.’, as he was affectionately known, established The Grannochy Trust to maintain the Quarrymill Den as a place of public resort. Major improvements to the den came in 1983 when the Trust, the Manpower Services Commission, and the Countryside Commission for Scotland joined forces to develop Quarrymill for the enjoyment of those visitors in particular who were denied access to the countryside due to age or disability. One and three-quarter miles of paths for disabled visitors were laid out, with an additional mile of paths for able-bodied walkers. Hundreds of dead and dangerous trees were removed and some thirteen hundred young native trees and shrubs have been planted. A walk along the length of the den to the charming little village of New Scone reveals some twenty-five species of trees and shrubs, a profusion of wild flowers, grasses, ferns and mosses and birds such as dippers, grey wagtails, mallards - even the occasional heron, mandarin duck or kingfisher.

A visitor Centre and Shop were also built, and in 1990 a further amenity was added - the attractive pinewood Macmillan Coffee Shop where cheerful waitresses wearing the green and white colours of Macmillan Cancer Relief serve visitors at the tables covered by crisp yellow and white tablecloths and decked with vases of fresh flowers. Everything here is home-made by an ‘army of volunteers’. It’s morning-fresh and wonderfully tasty. Afternoon Teas (with home-made jams) memorable pancakes, quality teas and coffees, filled rolls and sandwiches, and a choice of soups of the day that might include Curried Marrow or Nettle Soup, or such old favourites as Broccoli with Stilton or a hearty Scotch Broth.

All proceeds are donated to the Macmillan House (Perth) Support Group and are dedicated to the needs of Macmillan House, (the Cancer Day Care Centre just along the road), and to Macmillan Cancer Relief within Perth and Kinross. Also devoted to the same good causes are the proceeds from the Shop where you can purchase crafts, (some made by Hospice patients), soft toys, cards, ice creams and confectionery, with a special selection of ‘pocket money’ items for children.

Opening times: May to September: 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. (daily). Excellent facilities for the disabled. Please, no smoking inside the Coffee Shop.