Murthly Estate

Murthly Estate, a working estate in Highland Perthshire

Murthly Estate lies near Dunkeld, at the foot of the Perthshire Highlands and beside the River Tay. The estate describes itself as rural and Highland in character, and places itself about an hour from Scotland's Central Belt. Both the A9 and the Highland Railway line cross the property, which the estate presents as one of the reasons access is straightforward.

The landscaped grounds around Murthly Castle, together with woods, rivers and hills, form the setting of the property. The castle and the Chapel of St. Anthony the Eremite stand at its core. The wider holding, which the estate gives as 9,500 acres, supports a combination of activities rather than a single line of business.

Weddings, filming and private hire at the castle

Murthly Castle and its chapel are marketed as a venue for weddings, filming, corporate entertainment, conferences and private hire. The estate points to the castle's reception rooms, a walled garden, tree-lined avenues and extensive grounds as the elements that make the property attractive for these uses. It also reports having hosted days out for businesses and private groups.

On bookings, the estate stated at the time of writing that it was taking wedding reservations for 2027 and 2028, and television production and corporate events from late 2026 onwards.

Guided visits to the castle and the tree collection

Tours of the castle and chapel can be arranged in advance for groups of between 10 and 40 people, and the estate asks for bookings to be made well ahead of the visit. Tea, coffee and home baking are available on request when the booking is made.

A separate tour covers the tree collection in the castle policies, also by prior arrangement. The estate presents this route around its "champion trees" as a way to "visit all five continents". Tree conservation work is carried out in partnership with the International Conifer Conservation Programme.

Fishing on the Tay and the Braan

Salmon and trout fishing is offered on the River Tay, the River Braan and Balhomish Dam. The estate promotes its salmon beats on the Tay as Murthly Beat 1 and Murthly Beat 2, and notes that its five-year average has risen for three consecutive years, in 2024, 2025 and 2026. Beyond the catch figures, it highlights the surroundings of the beats and the wildlife along the river. Bookings for the fishings are handled through the estate office.

Shooting, stalking and land management

Game shooting and stalking take place across the wider estate. Alongside country sports, the estate lists farming, forestry and residential property lets among its main activities, as well as the production of biomass and solar energy.

The property maintains miles of core paths. Murthly Primary School has its own outdoor classroom in School Wood, and the Murthly History Group has permanent access to the estate's historical records. The estate also states that it is working with the Dunkeld & Birnam Housing Development Trust to identify possible sites for affordable housing in the local area.

The sawmill: fencing, decking and gates

Murthly Sawmill is owned and operated by the estate and has a long-standing reputation, in its own description, for quality fencing and garden products. Its range covers fencing, decking, woodchip, and wooden and metal gates, together with the ironmongery and tools needed to install them. The sawmill runs its own dedicated website.

The estate describes the mill as a waste-free operation: it is powered by a photovoltaic panel installation, cutting is done with laser-guided technology, and off-cuts are sent to the biomass boiler at Murthly Castle.

Wildlife around the castle grounds

The estate reports red squirrels, hedgehogs, roe deer and fallow deer around the castle, together with garden birds and swallows. Two oystercatcher chicks were raised in the walled garden in the season described on the site, where the autumn flowers were coming into their own.

The estate in its local setting

Nearby Dunkeld and Birnam, overlooking the River Tay, are presented as a base with a cathedral, independent shops, the Beatrix Potter exhibition, Birnam Arts, pubs and eateries, and accommodation ranging from lodges and caravan parks to B&Bs and country house hotels. The estate also mentions the bar restaurant Uisge at Murthly and, at In Trochry, the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group, which runs taster sessions for beginners in country sports. Walking routes around Murthly Village are set out in a leaflet produced by the Murthly History Group.