May
The Dunblane Fling
The Dunblane Fling is Dunblane's annual festival of music, culture and family fun. It happens on the last weekend in May. More details can be found on the Dunblane Fling website.
June
Forth Valley Art Beat
Forth Valley Art Beat is when artists across Central Scotland open their studio doors. There can be over 140 artists participating in studios, galleries and pop-up exhibitions. Art Beat is all about connecting communities through art throughout Forth Valley including Dunblane. Art Beat is usually held in the second week of June. Contact : Forth Valley Art Beat
July
The Doune & Dunblane Agricultural Show
The Doune & Dunblane Agricultural Show takes place on the first Saturday of July at Keir Mains. The show includes livestock judging, horse and pony competitions and other ringside entertainment for the gathering public. Usually in excess of 5000 people attend. The show has a long heritage and is a well established feature in the local calendar. More information can be found on this website.
September
Funday Sunday at the Dunblane Centre
If you want to chuck a wet sponge at a policeman or a staff member, live out that fantasy thanks to community copper PC Simon Fraser and Gemma Greer, who are volunteering themselves as targets! Bounce the afternoon away on the bungee run and full size bouncy castle or scare your siblings with our blood and gore body art. The Centre’s the place to be for all this plus tombola, soft play, hot dogs, crepes, arts and crafts and lots more.Usually held on a Sunday later in September. Contact the Dunblane Centre
November
Christmas Craft Fair at the Dunblane Centre
Get your Christmas shopping off to a great start this year with our Christmas Craft Fair. We’ll have everything from hand-made jewellery to personalised baby gifts, ceramics and vintage china. With around 60 different stalls there is so much choice to find that extra special Christmas gift while supporting a local charity.
Not forgetting the kids, there will be soft play from 1pm and the chance to visit a special guest who will be dashing in on his sleigh, all the way from the North Pole to spend the afternoon in his personal grotto at the Centre.
Once you’ve finished browsing the stalls, relax in our café and sample our new style of freshly brewed, fairly traded coffee, ideally enjoyed with some mince pies and home-made soup. This will be a great day for all the family and entrance is FREE!!!! The Craft Fair is usually held in mid November. Contact the Dunblane Centre
Christmas Extravaganza in the High Street
The Christmas Extravaganza means late night shopping, entertainment and the chance to meet Santa and his reindeer. Dunblane’s local independent retailers showcase everything the town has to offer with extended opening hours from 5pm until 9pm. There is a full programme of events for all to enjoy, with lots to see and experience including, bell ringers, carol singers, choirs and even acrobatic elves. All of Dunblane’s bars and restaurants are open and there is fantastic choice of hot food and drinks available to help get everyone in the Christmas spirit. The shops feature exclusive special offers and promotions. The Christmas Extravaganza takes place every year on the last Thursday of November.
December
Christmas Food Bank Appeal
The appeal is organised by the Boys Brigade on behalf of Start-Up Stirling. Goods are collected on the last Friday before Christmas from 3pm to 6pm at St Blane's Hall in the High Street. Items needed are non perishable foodstuffs, Christmas food, no-alcoholic drinks, household supplies. No toys, gifts or clothes. For full details go to www.startupstirling.org.uk
For accommodation, also read the In Dunblane leaflet
View Dunblane.info Map in a larger map
There is a good variety of accommodation available in Dunblane and the surrounding community. These are grouped here under B&Bs, Hotels and Self-catering or you can click on the map to see further details. Please use the further contact details for each place to check for availability.
Where to stay
If your accommodation business isn't listed and you are part of the Dunblane Community, please get in touch with the Website Administrator to have it added.
Also, if your details change, please get in touch so we can keep the website up to date.
For many centuries the focal point of Dunblane has been its magnificent cathedral, which dates back in part to the 12th century and is one of Scotland's few surviving medieval churches. Viewed from the outside, the Cathedral is impressive, but its true beauty lies within.
Dunblane is an attractive and beautifully located town at the entrance to the Scottish Highlands. A settlement has been here for hundreds of years but in the latter part of the 20th century and early 21st, Dunblane’s population trebled in a comparatively short period of time.
Bordered by rural estates and farmland, it was easy access to the countryside and good communications to major cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh which made Dunblane a natural choice for many seeking a new home outwith the city.
The name Dunblane comes from dun meaning fortified hill and Blane a missionary - and subsequently saint - who came here in the 7th century. Dunblane rightly claims city status from its cathedral but in truth it is very much a town in the country.
There are famous capitals and major cities across Europe defined by a river which runs through them. The Seine in Paris, the Tiber in Rome, Glasgow’s River Clyde and the Thames in London – the list could go on and on.
Dunblane also has its river the Allan Water – more humble perhaps but, nevertheless, it has influenced the history of the place. Narrow and falling steeply from hills to the north, it flows into the larger River Forth which eventually becomes the Firth of Forth on which sits Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital.
As industry created towns across Scotland, it was Dunblane’s river, which brought people here as mills and weaving provided work. There is a deep fold to the river valley and so where Dunblane people live has always historically been on both sides of the river. The same goes for the newly-built estates, which provided homes for the thousands of families new to Dunblane in the last 30 years - some are on the west side of the river, some to the east.
Dunblane now has several different building styles – from its old square around the Cathedral to the former weavers’ houses in Ramoyle nearby, Victorian and Edwardian stone built houses on both sides of the town and the new estates.
Road and railway line follow similar paths to the river helping to make the town centre Dunblane’s focal point. Most of Dunblane’s shops and businesses are also sited here while every day hundreds of school pupils are seen walking to Dunblane High School and a little earlier in the morning many commuters leaving by car or train for work elsewhere.
For many years Dunblane has been known to people across Scotland as a popular venue for conferences. The pleasant surroundings and clean air were good reasons for this but a look at the map shows how centrally located Dunblane is for much of Scotland.
If time allows, one of the high vantage points on the edge of the town will reveal fine mountains to the north and the west, Stirling with its famous Royal castle to the south, the Ochil Hills to the east with Edinburgh beyond and sitting down below, Dunblane – a splendidly situated, traditionally Scottish town in the country.
To learn more about the history of Dunblane, please visit our History pages.