Monday 28 July 2014

A Tasty Take on Scottish Salmon

You may have eaten salmon before but have you ever tasted Scottish salmon? What about Scottish salmon that you have caught and cooked yourself? You’ll never go back once you have tried this.

There’s a world of difference between a salmon that was produced in Scotland and one that you got up at dawn to catch. You put your waders on; you get setup by the side of the water and you sit, you wait and you wonder. Then, finally, you feel a tug and you patiently pull the reel slowly as you begin your battle of wits and hope to heaven you are not fighting an old boot. Then, the struggling creature starts to surface and you glow with relief - no, not an old boot but a beautiful and very large salmon dinner. 

salmon-fishing-river-tay

 Image courtesy of Alden Chadwick

What a feeling

You cannot beat the feeling of power and success when you reel in a stunner so of course you have to take a photo of you holding it. Your grin is almost as long as the fish itself. Here at Murraypark Hotel, we like to offer our guests the chance to go on 'a fishing expedition to end all fishing expeditions' and when something comes up, such as a Rivers Trust event, we like to inform our guests so that they can participate if they wish.  Miss Georgina Ballantine caught the UK’s largest ever rod caught salmon in 1922 making the river Tay famous for salmon fishing

With a number of beautiful fishing spots in Perthshire, we are ideally placed to help you make the most of your fishing holiday. With some great room rates, you can save some extra money to enjoy a touch a luxury during your stay. When you are not hitting the stream, you can also take advantage of the passport to Crieff Hydro and make use of the facilities there – we promise you won’t be disappointed.

Friday 25 July 2014

The Enchantment of Scotland and a Good Walk not Spoiled

If Mark Twain did say "golf is a good walk spoiled" then he certainly never visited a Scottish golf course. You can easily combine the two to enjoy some of the most peaceful and picturesque scenery here in Perthshire.

Up here at Murraypark Hotel, we encourage all of our guests to make the most of our great outdoors by enjoying a round of golf and long country walk.  We have created a list of walks to help our guests who want to get out and about in the Crieff and surrounding area for a good walking trip. We can accommodate every level of walker, from the slow and steady ramblers who just want a short wander around town to the avid hikers who want a real challenge.  

Some Walks to Choose From

If you want a short and easy walk, you can head for Lady Mary’s Walk which is right here in Crieff. It gives you an excellent view of the river Earn through an avenue of beech trees and is a lovely walk for those wanting less of a challenge with the same powerful scenery. We like to think we have it all organised here at Murraypark but if you fancy something a bit different then don't forget your passport to Crieff Hydro. This gives you access to lots of other activities and services at our sister hotel – possibly a relaxing spa after a long walk?

lady-marys-walk

Image courtesy of Goat’s Greetings

Something more Challenging

Something more moderate will take you on a 3.7 mile path through some beautiful woodland and heather covered moors. This trail along Birnam Hill offers a stunning view of the nearby towns of Dunkeld and Birnam and is well worth the trek. Depending on your frame of mind, abilities and physical limits you have the option to walk anything from 3 and 4 miles to 24 miles on some of the most challenging and strenuous routes, so have a look and decide which ones you would prefer.  We’re sure you’ll enjoy a great night’s sleep in our comfy beds after all this walking!

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Murraypark Festive Fun

The festive season is one of our favourite times of year as we welcome guests from far and wide to celebrate. We love a good shindig whether it be a party night on the lead up to Christmas, waking up on Christmas Day without the fuss of making your traditional festive meal or celebrating Hogmanay in true Scottish style. So why not pack your bags and come see what we have to offer? 

No such thing as a free lunch

That may be so, but how about a 3 course dinner, half bottle of wine, live music party with a DJ—dance ‘til you drop—and accommodation with a full Scottish breakfast for just £39.45pp? We’re offering our festive party nights over weekend dates in December and you’ll even get use of our sister hotel Crieff Hydro’s pool, sauna, cinema and gym during your stay. Find out more here.

cheers-at-Murraypark-hotel

Christmas and New Year Breaks

There’s no better way to spend Christmas and New Year than surrounded by tradition, friends, family and good food and here at the Murraypark we love to bring that feel of tradition to your Christmas and New Year break. Booking your office or family party couldn’t be easier and we have 21 en-suite bedrooms, so everyone can comfortably enjoy a fun festive celebration. Need something bigger? Crieff Hydro can accommodate up to 390 people for those looking for some serious partying. 

Our staff love a good party, so don’t think they will take a back seat. You can expect them to get fully involved and enjoy the party just as much as you, whilst still serving your every need. So, book early and have a great Christmas and Hogmanay!


Monday 21 July 2014

Taking your Pet on Holiday with you

So, you’ve worked out where you are going for your summer holiday and you are about to start planning that trip. What do you need - a hotel, a rental car, some nice new clothes and possibly new shoes? You start to make a list and then suddenly you look down at those big, sad eyes and there they are looking back up at you. What about your four legged friend? You can’t forget about your beloved pet when you book your trip! You have to consider the cost of kennelling your dog, or having a friend or family member house sit for you. It would actually save a lot of hassle just taking your pet on holiday with you.

puppy-dog-eyes

Image courtesy of John McStravick
How Complex is it?

Well, that’s a matter of where you go, really. Here at the Murraypark Hotel we have visitors who bring their pets with them from all around the United Kingdom and even some parts of Europe. It all depends on the validity and laws around a pet passport. If your pet has a current passport and is chipped you will find it easier to move him or her around between the Euro countries. 

dog-in-scottish-hills

Image courtesy of Jon Mountjoy

Scotland is Simpler

However, for simplicity, why not bring your pet to Scotland? You can take your beloved dog on the Highland Moors for a nice long walk – dogs are sure to love the Perthshire area! Your dog can take a well-earned nap by the fire in our Bistro after that long walk and you can chill with a glass of Scotch whisky while you watch the flames jumping up and down in the hearth. What more could you ask for in a holiday? There are plenty of outdoor activities for you and your pet to enjoy and the views and scenic walks will give you both the holiday of a lifetime!

Thursday 17 July 2014

Be Kind and Rewind

Well, we are probably going to make a lot of people feel old by saying this, but here goes; the 80’s were thirty years ago. Ok, so it’s not so bad that it makes people feel that old, but it can sting a little bit to remember the days when VCR’s were new technology and we always—well, usually—heeded the notice on the box that asked us to be kind and rewind the video for the next customer. 

 rewind-festival-scotland

 Image courtesy of Rewind Festival

Rewind Back to the Eighties

In the same spirit of the rewind ethos, there is now a festival to honour the 80’s classics. On 18th – 20th July, Scone Palace will play host to the popular Rewind Festival. Here at the Murraypark Hotel we are looking forward to welcoming a whole batch of guests who are planning to attend. If you haven’t already booked your accommodation then check out our great rates to make your weekend even more fun (without a sweaty festival tent!).

There’s a whole host of fun events planned but we are most looking forward to trying the silent disco. You probably never been to a silent disco but they are actually a great deal of fun. There will be two DJ’s playing their own music on two different channels meaning not everyone will be dancing to the same tune! People who come to the disco are given headphones with options to flick between each channel making it a fun experience for all.

crowd-at-Rewind-Festival-Scone-Palace

 Image courtesy of Chris Osborne

Want to Jump the Broomstick?

There will also be an inflatable church—the chapel of love—for those who want to get married with a 100 strong audience. Oh, and don’t forget the fun fair, the fireworks, the kid zone, and grab your microphones for The Big Sing.  Speaking of singing, you won’t want to miss the sing-along with all the live bands that will be appearing on the stages. Bands from the 80’s will include the Boomtown Rats, Nick Heyward—from Haircut 100—Blancmange and many others, so come and see for yourself. 

Wednesday 9 July 2014

The Ryder Cup Heritage Exhibition

Ryder-cup-golf-2014

Image courtesy of Wikipedia 

The Ryder Cup is the biennial golf competition held between the two teams from the United States and Europe. Both teams are compiled of professional male golfers and the coveted trophy is up for grabs in 2014. The Ryder Cup this year will start on 26th September through 28th September and will take place at the Gleneagles Golf Course, home of the Ryder Cup. 

As an important part of the history and heritage of the Ryder Cup, an exhibition of photos, memorabilia and artefacts are going to be available for public viewing from June 3rd 2014 through 14th September 2014 at the Perth Museum and Art Gallery.  

What’s on View?

The Ryder Cup Heritage Exhibition tells the story of the Ryder Cup and how it came into being. The history revolves around the very first tournament and how it was organized. It will show photographs from some of the early and some of the most historic tournaments, documents, and player memorabilia. It’s an exhibition that shouldn’t be missed and anyone who loves the great game should make the special effort to head over to see it. 


Where to Stay

The Murraypark Hotel is going to be welcoming guests from all over the world to watch the Ryder Cup on our TV’s, as well as many who will be using our hotel as base because they will be visiting the Gleneagles venue to watch in person. If you don’t already have a booking with us, you might want to get that sorted out quickly so that you don’t miss out. 

It has been eighty-eight years since the first Ryder Cup and that was held at Gleneagles, so it is very much like the Ryder Cup is coming home. Europe will of course be well placed to retain the cup but a hardy American team will be very much intent on winning it back after a long absence. The Exhibition is available for everyone who has an interest, so come along and see it for yourself.