There are plenty of walks straight from the cottage into the surrounding countryside, for example to the picturesque little village of Pitcairngreen (2 miles) that has a dog friendly pub/restaurant.

The village adjoins Almondbank (2.5 miles) where there is another pub/restaurant and a small grocery shop for basic supplies. Almondbank lies right by the River Almond, where fishing is available for salmon and brown trout.

The market town of Crieff (14 miles) has a range of interesting little independent shops and a golf course. It is best known for the Glenturret distillery, just north of the town, the home of Famous Grouse whisky where tours are available and you can sample a ‘wee dram’. For golf enthusiasts, the renowned Gleneagles Golf Course is only 20 miles away.

Dunkeld (10 miles) is known for its famous Cathedral and there is a pleasant woodland walk to be had around the Hermitage wooded gorge. Just outside the town the Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve has a range of different birds to spot, including a pair of rare breeding ospreys. The renowned resort at Glenshee (40 miles) offers skiing and snowboarding (including lessons) and also has a mountain biking track that is accessed by a chair lift.

The supermarket on the outskirts of Perth (7 miles) is the closest for stocking up on supplies and the city itself has every facility you could wish for. Scone Palace (8.5 miles), just outside Perth, is the iconic stately home where Robert the Bruce was crowned back in the 1300s. It is open to the public, offering a mine of interesting information on Scottish royal history and also has beautiful gardens to explore. They make the perfect spot to stop for a picnic whilst watching the peacocks or you can try out the star-shaped maze.

A bit further afield, Dundee (31 miles) is easily reachable for a day trip with plenty of shops, pubs, restaurants, museums and the Dundee Science Centre that has live science demonstrations and interactive displays that will easily while away an afternoon. The ‘home of golf’ St Andrews (44 miles) is also reachable in just over an hour.