Abernethy Round Tower

📌 Abernethy, Perth & Kinross
★★

For the best view in Abernethy, climb up the village’s 22 metre-high round tower – one of only two freestanding, Irish-style round towers in Scotland (the other is next to Brechin Cathedral). Once you’ve picked up the key from the Museum of Abernethy, negotiated the metal spiral staircase, a short ladder and a heavy hatch accessing the roof, you can look out across the village, the eastern Ochil Hills and the estuaries of the Earn and Tay. The tower itself dates to around 1100 and has been used both as a refuge and a bell tower over the years – it still functions as the latter, and you can see the bell mechanism at the top of the spiral staircase. At the base of the tower you can also see a pair of iron “jougs” once used to dole out public punishment, as well as a carved stone depicting several Pictish symbols.