Murrayshall
And
SCONE PALACE
By Mike Pickup, Mike writes about travel for national newspapers and magazines, both consumer and trade. He is also the Editor of Holiday Magazine and a professionally trained photographer. For more information click here
An invitation to spend a couple of nights at a hotel in Perth, Scotland, seemed like a long trek from London. However, Loganair’s two return flights a day between Dundee and Heathrow made light work of the journey. Even on a relatively slow propellor aircraft the journey took just two hours and from the lovely riverside Dundee airport it was a short drive to the hotel.
Four hundred year old Murrayshall Hotel, the former home of Lord Lynedoch, is set in 365 acres of Perthshire countryside with its own top-class golf course; it’s a quintessential country house hotel. The main building and luxury annexe provide forty luxurious and spacious rooms. Function rooms, hosting from four to 120 people, make it a perfect location for groups of people, from team-building business people to wedding receptions. The hotel is also licensed for weddings. My room in the main building was large and comfortable and included a four-poster bed.
Activities
Golf is an obvious attraction and Murrayshall golf course is rated eleventh best in Scotland, the home of golf. However there are plenty of other activities to keep guests busy. Two signposted walks around the estate are great for lovers of fresh Scottish air and with maps available from reception; in good weather picnics are popular. Bicycles are available to hire and for groups the hotel has partnered with nearby Willowgate Activity Centre to set up more unusual activities on the lawn.
I first tried my hand at clay pigeon shooting. Now I’m not a big fan of guns but this used shotguns that fire laser beams as the discs came flying across the participants. An electronic scoreboard lets you see who’s hot and who’s not and small speakers replace live cartridges to provide the bangs when the guns are fired. It was great fun and, of course, totally safe. Then it was on to axe throwing, basically darts on steroids. More of them ended up on the lawn than in the targets, but it didn’t really matter.
Golf is an obvious attraction and Murrayshall golf course is rated eleventh best in Scotland, the home of golf. However there are plenty of other activities to keep guests busy. Two signposted walks around the estate are great for lovers of fresh Scottish air and with maps available from reception; in good weather picnics are popular. Bicycles are available to hire and for groups the hotel has partnered with nearby Willowgate Activity Centre to set up more unusual activities on the lawn.
I first tried my hand at clay pigeon shooting. Now I’m not a big fan of guns but this used shotguns that fire laser beams as the discs came flying across the participants. An electronic scoreboard lets you see who’s hot and who’s not and small speakers replace live cartridges to provide the bangs when the guns are fired. It was great fun and, of course, totally safe. Then it was on to axe throwing, basically darts on steroids. More of them ended up on the lawn than in the targets, but it didn’t really matter.
However, a big attraction for me was the food. Due to our late arrival on the first day I enjoyed a delicious light meal in front of one of the roaring log fires but the second evening, head chef Craig Jackson and his team pulled out all the stops to produce a truly memorable dinner - I’ve rarely had better. Not to be outdone, on the day of our departure Sri Lankan Chef Sahan Wijesinghe served an amazing Sri Lankan curry with a stunning range of dishes. More ordinary food, such as the excellent fish and chips, is also available but the hotel chefs proved that they can produce top class cuisine on demand.
Scone Palace
An additional attraction for guests is nearby Scone (pronounced Scoon) Palace, a location at the heart of Scottish history. From the ninth century it was where 42 Scottish kings, starting with Kenneth MacAlpin the first King of Scotland, were crowned whilst seated on what is known as the Stone of Destiny. It was also here in 906 that Scotland’s first Parliament was called.
In 1604 the Palace of Scone became home to a branch of the Murray family and William Murray became the first Earl of Mansfield and, in 1756, Lord Chief Justice in England.
An additional attraction for guests is nearby Scone (pronounced Scoon) Palace, a location at the heart of Scottish history. From the ninth century it was where 42 Scottish kings, starting with Kenneth MacAlpin the first King of Scotland, were crowned whilst seated on what is known as the Stone of Destiny. It was also here in 906 that Scotland’s first Parliament was called.
In 1604 the Palace of Scone became home to a branch of the Murray family and William Murray became the first Earl of Mansfield and, in 1756, Lord Chief Justice in England.
The current Palace was built for the third Earl and completed in 1807. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert dined during their visit in 1842 as guests of the 4th Earl who was given two years’ notice of their visit. The French-themed Drawing Room is delightful and includes paintings of King George III and Queen Charlotte and the Palace houses unique collections of porcelain, rare artefacts and French furniture.
The ninth Earl of Mansfield now lives at the Palace with his wife and four children. However, guests can book the Balvaird Wing which provides 5-star luxury self-catering accommodation for up to six guests.
Meanwhile the Stone of Destiny was taken to England by Edward I in 1296 where it was kept in Westminster Abbey and used in Coronations of England and later the UK. It was temporarily repatriated to Scotland by students who, on Christmas Day 1950 took it from Westminster and hid it in Arbroath Abbey. It was subsequently returned to Westminster but in 1996 it was officially returned to Scotland to sit in Edinburgh Castle. In April 2024 the Stone will be moved to the new Perth Museum where it will be joined by Bonnie Prince Charlie's sword and a rare Jacobite glass, both on public display for the first time.
Meanwhile the Stone of Destiny was taken to England by Edward I in 1296 where it was kept in Westminster Abbey and used in Coronations of England and later the UK. It was temporarily repatriated to Scotland by students who, on Christmas Day 1950 took it from Westminster and hid it in Arbroath Abbey. It was subsequently returned to Westminster but in 1996 it was officially returned to Scotland to sit in Edinburgh Castle. In April 2024 the Stone will be moved to the new Perth Museum where it will be joined by Bonnie Prince Charlie's sword and a rare Jacobite glass, both on public display for the first time.
In the extensive grounds and gardens there is a replica of the Stone and guests can also enjoy tea on the lawn and lovely walks around the grounds; guided tours of the gardens are also available. Visitors can even get up close and personal with the Palace’s peacocks - look out for the rare white one.
Perthshire is a delightful part of Scotland and both Murrayshall and Scone are some of the best bits.
More information
For more information on Murrayshall go to www.murrayshall.co.uk
For Scone Palace go to www.scone-palace.co.uk
For Loganair go to www.loganair.co.uk
For Willowgate Activity Centre visit www.willowgateactivitycentre.co.uk
Perthshire is a delightful part of Scotland and both Murrayshall and Scone are some of the best bits.
More information
For more information on Murrayshall go to www.murrayshall.co.uk
For Scone Palace go to www.scone-palace.co.uk
For Loganair go to www.loganair.co.uk
For Willowgate Activity Centre visit www.willowgateactivitycentre.co.uk
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