Gleneagles Townhouse

The Call of the Wild

14 July 2022
Falconry experience

Bring the whole family to explore the great outdoors with summer pursuits to suit everyone, from intrepid explorers to leisure-seekers.

Need to get away from it all? Nothing blows the cobwebs away and fills you with a sense of  joie de vivre quite like  getting up, out and about. Gleneagles isn’t known as the Glorious Playground for  nothing: just a few minutes from  our front steps lies some of the most breath- taking countryside in the world, a perfect backdrop for making memories together while taking on all manner of pursuits from the mindful to the adrenaline-pumping. Here’s what’s on our itinerary this summer.

 

FALCONRY ON THE GROUNDS

Every day at Gleneagles, the sky and tree canopies are alive with the hustle and bustle of magnificent birds. The Gleneagles Falconry School is home to our very own team of expert handlers and carers for the birds of prey that  soar overhead and the perfect place to spend some time if you, like us, are fascinated by them. Our group and individual falconry experience lessons have been designed to suit everyone from novices to experienced  handlers; adults and children alike. Equipped with a sporting jacket, boots and of course a  falconer’s  glove,  you’ll be guided through the techniques of working with eagles, falcons,  hawks  and  more. Falconry is one of  the oldest and most prestigious outdoor pursuits in the world, rich in history and offering a unique and  memorable way to enjoy the Scottish countryside

 

GUIDED CYCLING EXCURSIONS

Heading off from the front steps of Gleneagles, we have a choice of three cycle routes to suit your mood and energy levels, from a 43 km Glorious Glendevon Gravel ride, to a 56 km Drummond Castle Circuit, and a longer 92 km Loch Earn Loop. It’s entirely up to you how far you want to  venture.  At  your  halfway  point,  you’ll  be  met  by  one  of the team for an indulgent picnic lunch and a chance to spot  Osprey  and  Red  Kites,  or  simply  take  in  the  views of the Trossachs National Park and the Ochil Hills. We can  also  offer  guests  expert-led  cycling  experiences  on Shand’s  bespoke  Stoater  bikes  built  specifically  for  our guests. Designed to traverse a multitude of terrains, it’s the  Stoater’s  versatility  that  makes  them  perfect  for  the incredible cycle routes across the Perthshire countryside, from  steep  climbs  on  gravel  tracks  overlooking  the Glendevon  reservoirs  to  the  smooth  quiet  back  roads  of rural Perthshire.

Bike up hill

SALMON FISHING AT SCOTLAND’S MOST FAMOUS SPOT

Spend  a  meditative  afternoon  on  the  picturesque  River Tay,  Scotland’s  most  famous  river  for  Atlantic  salmon  fishing.  Using  top-of-the-range  Hardy  tackle  and  kit, and under the close guidance of a local expert, cast your line and your thoughts into the ebb and flow of the water. Armed  with  a  traditional  double-handed  salmon  rod, you’ll  head  to  the  riverbank  and  learn  how  to  read  the water, choose your fly and hook, and ultimately catch – the iconic Atlantic salmon – before retreating to our cosy salmon fishing bothy for a sumptuous fisherman’s picnic.

 

TREE CLIMBING AND ZIP WIRE EXPERIENCE

Do we ever really  grow  out  of  wanting  to  climb  trees? Not when you can whizz back down again on a 110-metre zip wire!  With  more  than  200,000  acres  of  woodlands, Perthshire is home to more champion trees than anywhere else in the UK, earning it the title of ‘Big Tree Country’. We organise fun and fascinating tree-climbing journeys which will challenge and thrill adults and children alike, with all the gear you need to keep you safe hooked up by a  professional.  Once you’ve made your ascent, you’ll  be rewarded with the exhilarating rush of a 110m zipwire back down to solid ground.

 

WALKING, HIKING AND RAMBLING

From romantic rambles and sunrise saunters to mountain meanders and hardcore hikes, there are hundreds of trails on  our  doorstep  that  showcase  Scotland’s  wild  natural beauty  and  offer  the  chance  to  blow  away  the  cobwebs, enjoy a family adventure and gain a feeling of pure escape. Sometimes  it’s  the  simple  things  in  life  that  make  us happiest, and that’s never more true than when you have the opportunity to walk in stunning countryside. Just a few minutes from the front steps of Gleneagles you’ll find some  of  the  most  beautiful  landscapes  imaginable,  just waiting for you to discover.