Pitilie

The Roman fort at Pitilie sits on high ground above Aberfeldy, and it's the kind of place where you need to actually want to be there - it won't grab you from the road. What you're looking at are the earthwork remains of a second-century military installation, properly substantial once you know what you're seeing. The ditches and ramparts are still distinct enough that an archaeologist would spend hours mapping them, but for most visitors it's more about standing in the spot and imagining legionaries marching through Perthshire than spotting dramatic ruins.

This is squarely for history enthusiasts and serious walkers. Families with young kids will probably manage twenty minutes before someone asks when they can get ice cream. The site itself is free and open at all times, which is the Scottish way with these things, and you'll need maybe forty minutes to an hour if you're taking time to absorb the layout. Best done on a clear day when you can actually see the River Tay and the surrounding hills properly.

If you're staying at Pitilie Pods - which is literally on the doorstep - you've stumbled onto something genuinely useful. The pod site gets solid reviews and would give you quick access both here and to Aberfeldy's proper attractions. Grandtully Station Campsite, three miles south, sits near some cracking walking country and closer to the Tay itself. The fort doesn't make a day trip on its own, but combined with Aberfeldy's town attractions and the walks in the area, it justifies the detour if you're into Roman Britain.