plr

I'll be arriving in Perth by train on a Sunday and staying 2 nights in the area, primarily to visit Elcho Castle & Huntingtower, and to catch a good evening or two of live pub music if possible. I would love to hear recommendations on nice, moderately priced Hotels, Guest Houses or B&B's around there (under 50 pounds single)--preferably within easy walking distance of the rail & bus stations. I see that there are not many to choose from in Dunkeld on the VisitScotland site, but that several are right there at the train station. I am not sure I will be able to find trad music on Sunday or Monday nights, so I need to know if it might be just as well to stay in Perth, and if so, where?

plr

Yike!--It's really unusual on this list to receive not even a single reply, and I'm trying to figure out how to read that. If no one has any suggestions about accomodations, I wonder if someone can at least steer me to venues for the music?

noprob

When planning my trip to London and Paris, I was thrilled and slightly overwhelmed by all the advice available. For this year's trip to Scotland, I'm finding that is not the case. Still great advice - just have to search a little longer to find it!

bettyk

We loved Dunkeld, but did not visit any pubs in the evening so don't know about the music. We stayed at the Atholl Arms Hotel right at the Telford Bridge on the River Tay. It's a lovely hotel and they may have a single in your price range.

www.theathollarmshotel.fsnet.co.uk/

sheila

The reason is that it's a hard question.

I have family who are into traditional music who live a few miles from Dunkeld so i'll check with them for you.

The Taybank, which was Dougie Maclean's place, still does music and has rooms. I'm told that "it's not a happy place right now.". I can't do B&Bs. Were it me, I'd stay at the Atholl Arms (it may even have been I who sent Betty there). It's about 3 doors along from the Taybank.

There's a lot on at the Bein Inn- the other side of Perth- most weekends.

Glenfarg Folk Club- one of the best in Scotland- is also on teh other side of Perth- not that far from Elcho, actually.

You can keep up to date with what's going on, on the BBC's Traveling folk web site

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/radios...tml?travelling

and its Celtic Roots link

Can you give me dates or, at least times of year?

plr

Thanks so much to those who have replied above! I did email the Atholl Arms, and was disappointed that they are asking nearly twice what I am hoping to pay per night (we get picked on as single travelers!).

Sheila, I wondered about your silence. What else would you recommend in Perth, even if you "don't do B&B's"? I know you live there, so it is probably more difficult to know, but any leads will help! And yes, I would love it if you could find out more about the music in Dunkeld. The nights I'm there are not ideal, I know. I'll be there in late March. (What happened to the Taybank?)

bettyk

Sheila, yes, it was you who recommended Dunkeld and the Atholl Arms as well as Pierhouse in Port Appin. We enjoyed both tremendously and hope to make it back to Scotland soon. Unfortunately, it's not as easy to find affordable hotels (we don't do B&B's either) in the UK as it is in Germany where we are off to this year.

sheila

Sorry not to have lived up to your expectations Last week was a morasse of family crises, which meant my social access to the PC was limited.

I have found that "the Dreich End Music Festival" is on in Perthshire from the 3rd to the 6th March, with stuff in the Bein Inn on Friday Saturday and Sunday, the Taybank on Friday, the Atholl Arms on Friday, and Duchally House at Auchterarder on Saturday.

There's a fiddle festival at Dunkeld on the 17th -19th at the Taybank.

I'm really struggling in Perth for accommodation because I always stay with family- I'm from there but I don't live there. Some of the wee hotels/B&Bs overlooking the South Inch- St Leonard's Place?

No idea what happened at the Taybank. My information is second hand.

sheila

My sister says that the Tap in Birnam usually has a session on a Monday and you should look at the Birnam Institute web site and the Pitlochry Festival Theatre site for other options.

For B&B in Birnam she suggests some of the Birnam Guest House, one called Ellwood in Birnam (owned by Margaret Scott), the Waterbury which has a green theme, and one called the Birnm Oak owned by people called Merriman. All close to the station.

plr

About "expectations," Sheila, I'm afraid you and several others set the bar high, by being such a great resource here, and I always do look forward to your input. Thanks for going to such lengths to find info to help me on this. (Your sister doesn't happen to be Fionna, is she?) gt

I guess I shall stay in Birnam/Dunkeld, since there is, so far, no compelling reason I can see to stay in Perth, other than being a half hour closer to the two castles I want to visit around there.

I am unable to find the 2 guest houses you note, but had been considering the Waterbury, and will keep searching a bit more.

I hate that I will miss the fiddle festival, but hopefully I will be able to catch something at the Tap. (Where is that in Birnam, by the way?). I'll keep checking the schedule at the Institute website, as so far there is little that I can find there.

Thanks again.

Midnightsun

plr: Can't tell you much about accomodations, since we rented a cottage just outside of Aberfeldy. As for traditional music, I think the bigger city venues may offer more than some of the small towns. We were eager to hear some traditional music, so we headed for the open mike night at a small place on the Tay near Aberfeldy. It was a bit of a disappointment. There was one young fellow who only could do several James Bond themes (but if you've never heard them on fiddle, it's a surprise...I won't say treat). The other locals were not particularly skilled, and last call was around 10:30 (when it was just dusk). I'll have to say that open mike nights in Asheville (NC) are much more exciting, and last call is certainly a lot later. My friends tell me you'll do better with traditional music in Ireland, but I know there are great musicians in Scotland (Silly Wizard, Shooglenifty, anyone). I'm just not sure where they play.

sheila

My sister is neither Fionna nor Fiona



Birnam Guest House
Tel: 01350 727201
4 Murthly Ter, Birnam, Dunkeld PH8 0BG

R Merriman
TEL: 01350 727782
Birnam Wood Ho Perth Rd, Birnam, Dunkeld PH8 0BH

(OK- she gave me duff gen)

You may have to call these. Most B&Bs don't have web sites (yet?)
the Tap is part of Birnam House Hotel, which is aodding big thing slap bang in the middle of the main street- Perth Road, which is where all these B&Bs are.

http://www.visitdunkeld.com/Birnam%20Music/

I see the Institute web site is not much updated. There's a comedian on on the 25th. You can probably find more on the Visit Dunkeld site.

Sadly, I tend to agree with Midnightsun about music in pubs in Scotland. The Tap is owned by Cape Bretoners- says it all, really.

It can be woeful. Mind you, I've always thought open mike nights were the pits anyway.

BUT, if my sister says the sessions at the Tap are good (and she does) they must be. She's never wrong.

Just out of interest, how are you going to get to Elcho (and, indeed, why Elcho?). There must be a bus there every second June, if the weather's fine.

plr

Fionna/Fiona...well all I can say is that my pruuf reeder is fallty. And your close-enough names of the Guest Houses had led me to already have emailed enquiries to both places. Thanks, Sheila.

I will definitely get to the Tay on Monday for some music, and it will be nice to be staying practically next door.

Had to laugh at your oh so subtle comment about my wish to visit Elcho Castle. Honestly, I want to see it because I love ruins--simply cannot get enough of stacked rocks--it looks great--and it comes highly recommended in a teriffic book by Damien Noonan ("Castles & Ancient Monuments of Scotland&quot. I love this book! So long story short: I need to see this castle, despite its inconvenience. And besides, Sheila, I'm the one asking you all how to get to these places! gt;

sheila

I'm very fond of Elcho. We used to go chestnut hunting there when we were kids. And I got a very nice old print of it once, for a friend. But handy it aint.

plr

I guess you'd say the same about Castle Campbell, and I've got to figure that one out too! I am told it's about a mile hike from the bus stop in to that castle. Is that right? And what about Elcho (though not on topic of this thread)--do you think it would be reachable with a hike from some form of public transportation?

Back on topic. I did not get any arguments to my remark that there probably is little reason to stay right in Perth. Would anyone differ with that?

Craigellachie

plr
Sorry for not replying earlier - ain't it a nuisance when work gets in the way of the important things?
The website for folk music in Glenfarg (about 15 minutes drive south of Perth) is www.glenfargfolkclub.co.uk
"Traditional" music in Scotland can mean a lot of different things, from a snare drum / accordion duet who have tasted so much of the national drink that their faces are redder than the tartan trews they insist on wearing (and who probably think Dolly Parton hits are Scottish traditional music), to a dozen or more local guitarists, fiddlers and others who will take the roof off any pub that will give them floor space. "Folk" clubs can also vary. Some attract big name stars, others get less well known performers who could be brilliant or terrible. Most will have "session" nights where anyone can just turn up and do their thing, but even these will depend on the club. Some a very much free for all, one person sets off on a tune and is more than happy for everyone else to join in, others are so staid thatyou're scared to go for a comfort break when someone is singing. If you can't get info from your landlord or whatever beforehand, you just need to take a chance and turn up - if all else fails you can have a drink or two before you leave. One of the best music nights I've ever had was at my local folk club when a "session" was so dead we were ready to go home, then in walked six musicians from Norfolk in eastern England and we ended up having to be thrown out at closing time. They finished with the Norfolk national anthem where every verse finishes with a rousing chorus of We're Norfolk 'n' good - have several drinks then say it out loud a few times and you'll get the joke.
The website of the Traditional Music and Song Association (TMSA) at tmsa.org.uk lists sessions in Auchtermuchty (a real place name, honest) about 20 miles south of Perth, Birnam, Burrelton (tiny place not far from Perth on the main A93 Braemar road), Dunkeld and Stirling. I couldn't find any obvious link to live folk / traditional music in Perth city but it's a big enough place and I'm sure there must be something.

plr

Good leads, Craigellachie! And yeah, we got the joke without needing a few drinks! I sure appreciate all the suggestions and links given here. I will continue to watch these sites until closer to my trip, hoping for something a tad more traditional than a bagpiper playing Dolly Parton...and hoping that I am not still wandering down dirt roads and across lonely fields in search of the Elcho Castle in the dark!

sheila

Good link, Grant!! Try clicking on it and see what you get

Mind you, once I found it,http://www.tmsa.org.uk/index.asp

it was a bit of a stroll down memory lane. There's a session with Gaberlunzie on!! For goodnes sakes, Gaberlunzie were the main piece of back drop at Perth Folk Club in the Plough Inn when I started going in, let's see now, 1973!!

But, whilst i could see last year's sessions I couldn't see this. Where are they, please?

plr

Thought I would dredge up this thread to make note for anyone interested, that the last site noted by Sheila (http://www.tmsa.org.uk/index.asp) has been updated with a 2006 schedule of events.

KT

Here's another site for you. The Living Tradition magazine maintains a festival listing page and a sessions index page. See www.folkmusic.net/htmfiles/welcome.htm.