Local attractions
Dunblane Museum houses a collection of artefacts, paintings, prints and photographs about the Cathedral and Dunblane, and it has one of the largest collections of Communion tokens. The Museum is situated at The Cross in Dunblane, across the road from Dunblane Cathedral.
At the corner of Bridgend and Stirling Road, just below the Bridgend sign is a horseshoe fixed to the wall. This was from Queen Victorias horse when she passed through Dunblane. Her horse threw a shoe and the local blacksmith reshod her horse. The horseshoe was fixed to the wall on honour of this event. It is still there with a plaque below.
Holmehill is a 13 acre greenspace in the centre of Dunblane. Situated to the east of the River Allan, and overlooking the cathedral, Holmehill is a prominent, attractive, and important landscape feature. Although now well wooded with mature trees, the origin of the name Holmehill – How Maol 'The Hollow of the Bare Hill’ - suggesting a time in history when it may have looked very different.
Laigh Hills Park is a large, fairly natural area easily accessed from the Cathedral and the centre of Dunblane. There is a play area at the south end of the Laigh Hills and this is the first part you come to. The play equipment at the site has recently been upgraded (2018) and includes a multi-unit climber, springies, twisted slide, dutch disc, helter skelter and swings. There is a sand play area with rope climber for young children.
The Park was once common land for cattle grazing, and it was gifted to the people of Dunblane as a children's play area in 1942. Its name derives from Gaelic, meaning 'The Little Loch in the Field' which is an apt definition of Ochlochy Park. A popular pastime for the local children is feeding the families of ducks on the miniature loch. It is a pleasant place for a short walk with toddlers who will enjoy the streams, bridges and ponds. The pond itself in its present form was buit by Victorian engineers as a water reservoir for the railway.
As most people will know, Dunblane has its very own Olympic gold medal winner - tennis player, Andy Murray. And we also have a gold post box. Andy won gold in the mens singles tennis in London in 2012 and in Rio in 2016. If you want to grab a photo by the post box, it is situated at the roundabout on High Street close to the Cathedral.
Dunblane Library and the Church hall next door were formerly the Dunblane Institute and Church Hall. It was built on the vegetable garden of Balhaldie House and paid for by the Dunblane Reading Room and Amusement Association. Offered funds by Andrew Carnegie they turned this down and went it alone. The building is listed.
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.