Learn English Holidays | Perthshire

What’s So Great About Perthshire?

With Dunkeld in Perthshire announced as the Best Place to Live in Scotland in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide (2023), it seems a good moment to recap just why we chose Perthshire for English learning holidays.

Perthshire’s unique landscape and culture make it a great base for English language holidays featuring an exploratory immersion programme and cultural exchanges.

In this blog, I match tourism statistics with photos I have taken on our excursions around Perthshire.

Planning Your Visit to Scotland?

When planning where to go, some features are described as ‘extremely important’ when it comes to a Scottish holiday.

Here are the stats…

Attractive scenery is the top priority for visitors to Scotland (58%).

Learn English Holidays | Landscape

Perthshire is actually pretty big (on a Scottish scale – not a Texas scale).

It’s 6,550 km². One side reaches down to the famous Trossachs (woodlands and lochs) the northern parts reach well up into the Scottish Highlands.

Perthshire is a landscape of contrasts: there are high, rugged mountains and gentle rolling walks alongside salmon rivers.

The Perthshire landscape includes:

• 28 munros ( a mountain over 3000 feet)
• 48 lochs (lakes)
• 17 rivers
• 2043km of footpaths

Perthshire also has countless forests (it really has lots, it’s just hard to count forests as they tend to run into each other.

Nature and wildlife are the second priority for visitors to Scotland (48%)

Learn English Holidays | Nature & Wildlife

Nature and wildlife thrive within the abundant ‘natural’ landscapes of Perthshire. We have golden eagles, red kites, red deer and red squirrels, salmon and pine martins that you could be lucky enough to glimpse.

All our outdoor partners practice sustainable, responsible tourism.

With Blue Noun, you will only experience quality adventures with partner outdoor adventure companies that prioritise leaving the natural world untouched.

This means there are days in which you walk for miles and don’t have a spectacular wildlife encounter, but that is how wildlife should be.

For example, one of our language learning excursions is to go beaver spotting on the River Tay, it’s still a fantastic day trip – but I’ve yet to see a beaver!

“We don’t support any adventures which involve crashing through landscapes in jeeps or shooting stuff – or much like visiting creatures in cages.”

Ruth, 2023

Local food and drink (39%)

Learn English Holidays | Food & Drink

There’s so much to say about Perthshire food and drink! Perthshire is known as Scotland’s Larder for its rich agriculture, fine ingredients and artisanal producers.

Culture shared through food is culture remembered.

Our English language holidays have a local produce-tasting menu. You won’t just talk about food, you’ll experience the best of it!

The only problem is that we can’t introduce you to everything good in just one visit. You will enjoy a selection of activities such as touring distilleries, tasting cheese, watching wine being made, bread making, learning about circular farming – and eat chef-cooked meals in great company.

Traditional towns and villages to visit (36%)

Learn English Holidays | Traditional Towns & Villages

Perthshire is known as the ‘jewel in the heart of the Highlands’ for good reasons.

Dunkeld, as well as Killin, Pitlochry, and Kenmore are world-famous and award-winning destinations.

However, we know some equally interesting places ‘off the beaten track,‘ (that fewer tourists have found), such as Fortingall, Fowlis Wester and Bridge of Earn.

Historical Attractions (36%)

Learn English Holidays | Historical Attractions

Blue Noun Language Hub is an alternative language school offering you a bespoke experience, compared with chain language school one-size-fits-all packages. It might surprise you to learn that we are big castle fans.

There are some classics in a Scottish holiday which should not be missed!

Yes, we get you talking with artists, makers and producers and visiting REAL communities.

But not at the expense of enjoying the most magnificent historical attractions, such as local castles.

Don’t worry, it’s Perthshire time: you have plenty of opportunities to it do all!

Pick a Castle

Every one of our English language holidays features a castle visit, and we have 3 magnificent ones locally, Huntingtower Castle, Doune Castle and Stirling Castle.

On a historical site visit, we don’t just explore the place, we explore how history is being told.

Learning about contemporary Scottish culture includes awareness of its past – and castle visits are a great way to experience this.

“‘Perthshire time’ is the way families and individuals get more relaxed, less stressed after just a few hours experiencing outdoor Perthshire.”

Ross Dempster, Beyond Adventure, 2023

Language holidays are more than landscapes and castles – (but those are great backdrops!)

Do you have a job with a meeting and greeting or hospitality element?

Are you responsible for introductions and for keeping conversations going?

You will get plenty of practice!

Feel a warm welcome by Perthshire artists, makers, producers and micro-business owners as you visit their spaces to practice your professional conversation skills. We know just who you should meet to get you talking!

Our Meet the Makers encounters allow you to ask questions and learn language linked to presenting business practices, hospitality, and presentations – including lifestyle, marketing, promotion, presentation and sales.

Blue Noun | More than Seeing Scotland: Talking Scotland!

“Perthshire’s unique landscape and culture make it a great base for English Language holidays that feature a programme of exploratory immersion activities and cultural exchanges.”

Ruth, 2023