Good Crieff! Whistle-stop tour of picture-postcard Perthshire is the greatest of Scottish journeys.

Byline: Keith Fergus [email protected]

If you want to acquire a good idea of all Highland Perthshire has to offer, then a circular trip from Crieff along the banks of Loch Tay into Aberfeldy is perfect.

As well as Loch Tay this 75-mile Great Scottish Journey visits Loch Earn, a number of welcoming villages such as Killin, Comrie and Kenmore, some of Scotland's finest woodland - this is Big Tree Country, remember - and grants views of several impressive mountains.

Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin rise majestically above Loch Earn while Ben Lawers towers above the northern fringes of Loch Tay.

The spectacular Falls of Dochart provide some drama, the Scottish Crannog Centre delves into our fascinating history while the Birks of Aberfeldy boasts a vast array of wildlife within its spectacular forest canopy. During autumn, the colours are incredible.

It is also an area steeped in history. Castle Menzies, on the edge of Weem, Aberfeldy, was built during the 16th Century as the seat for the chiefs of Clan Menzies, something that continued for 400 years.

And just down the road in Kenmore is Taymouth Castle, which was rebuilt in the 1800s, replacing 16th-Century Balloch Castle, home to the Campbell clan.

Nowadays, the villages en route provide lovely places to stop for a break and enjoy this wonderful part of Scotland. You can read about a whole series of fantastic journeys in our fabulous new book from Keith Fergus. To buy a copy, go to dcthomsonshop.co.uk or call 0800 318 846 (freephone UK). Lines open Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-5pm.

Fact File ? Crieff's translation from Gaelic means "place among the trees". ? The original Bridge of Dochart at Killin dates from 1760 with the central arch rebuilt in 1831 after a flood. ? Thought to derive from the Brythonic word "tausa", meaning "silent", Loch Tay extends for 23km (14.5 miles) between Killin and Kenmore.

? The superb Scottish Crannog Centre takes visitors back 2,500 years to the Iron Age.

? The Birks of Aberfeldy consist of oak, ash and beech trees which are home to woodpecker, treecreeper, warblers, flycatchers, dipper, sparrowhawk and much more.