The cottage has fishing rights for trout on the river, or for salmon fishing, permits are available in walking distance at Kinkell Bridge (0.5 miles).

Auchterarder (5 miles) has a variety of shops, a bank, a small supermarket and lots of pubs, cafes and restaurants. It is also home to the world renowned Gleneagles Golf Course whose PGA Centenary Course was the venue for the Ryder Cup in 2014. You can splash out and play on one of the iconic courses there, or you could try the 18-hole Auchterarder Golf Club that is just a stone’s throw away and offers both round and day passes.

Heading north towards Loch Earn you will find the town of Crieff (7 miles), that has some lovely little shops and eateries. The Crieff Hydro Hotel offers various outdoor activities including riding, archery and quad biking – you can even zip around the grounds on a Segway! If you are looking for something more relaxing you could book yourself in for a day of pampering in the hotel spa. Just outside the town is the Glenturret distillery, the home of Famous Grouse whisky, where you can take a tour and buy a ‘wee dram’ to take home with you.

The village of Comrie (14 miles) sits right on the banks of the River Earn and has various interesting independent shops, including a cycle shop that offers cycle hire and various mountain biking trails for you to explore. Just north of Comrie is the impressive Deil’s Cauldron and Wee Couldron waterfalls which can both be reached by a picturesque circular walking route from the village.

St Fillans (19 miles) sits right at the head of the eastern end of Loch Earn and is a popular spot for fishing. There are a whole host of water sports available on the loch, from water skiing and wake boarding to sailing, kayaking and canoeing.

Both Perth (12 miles) and Stirling (24 miles) are within easy driving distance for day trips, although you can also reach them by train from the station in Auchterarder. Both cities have plenty to offer, including lots of shops, pubs, restaurants, theatres, museums and galleries. Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park just outside Stirling is well worth a visit with a huge selection of wild animals too see, as well as a petting farm, an adventure play area, a zip line, pedal boat hire and plenty of lovely picnic spots.