The Most Underrated Town in Scotland I Accidentally Found

The satnav blinked "RECALCULATING" as rain lashed my windscreen near Loch Tay. I’d taken a wrong turn fleeing midge clouds, cursing my map-reading skills. Then – there. Tumbling down a glen like a secret: Killin, a village forgotten by time.

Cobbled streets glistened after the downpour. A lone piper’s skirl echoed off 17th-century stone cottages. At Falls of Dochart Inn, I nursed a dram beside roaring firewood as the river churned white just beyond the windowpane. No queues, no tartan tat – just old MacGregors debating the weather over steaming Cullen skink.

Must Read:How Travel Became My Lifeline: From Manchester Parking to Mountain Sunrises.

This was the Scotland I’d dreamed of but never found on postcards.

Why it worked:

My pre-booked short stay parking Gatwick meant zero return stress. I’d snagged it for £11/day via a cheap airport parking comparison site which is Ezybook.co.uk.

The wrong turn freedom: With parking sorted, I’d dared to wander off-route. No airport panic = spontaneous detours.

Must Read: What Travel Looked Like After Losing a Loved One.

The rhythm: Days unfolded fishing for brown trout, evenings swapping stories at MacNab’s Tea Room where scones arrived warm with clotted cream thicker than Highland mist.

Killin taught me that Scotland’s soul lives not in Edinburgh’s selfie spots, but in villages where:

● Sheep outnumber people 20:1

● Bakery queues form for forfar bridies, not cronuts 

● The "nightlife" is stargazing at Breadalbane Folklore Centre’s dark sky park

Must Read: How Getting Lost Found Me My Confidence.

I left with heather in my boot treads and a promise to return. Some wrong turns? They’re just compasses pointing home.

Must Read: DIY Car Prep Before Leaving It at the Airport for Weeks.