Corporate Activities

by Joanne Deponio Events Manager, Perth & Kinross Council

Perthshire has fantastic indoor venues for conference and meetings, but it is the outdoor environment of Perthshire which is unique from every other area of Scotland. Boasting some of the country's most outstanding scenery, lochside views and white water rivers, Perthshire offers the perfect destination for outdoor corporate activities.

The area sits astride the Highland Boundary Fault which fused the Highlands and Lowlands together many thousands of years ago. Today this Fault provides a terrific mix of terrain which forms the playground for many of the outdoor pursuits. Be they on land, water or air, Perthshire offers a diverse range of activities to re-energise conference delegates or provide the perfect team building adventures. The range is so extensive, that you could do something different every day of the week for a month. Below is a taster of what Perthshire could offer for one of those weeks:

Monday

Wipe away the Monday blues with an adrenaline rush to start the week. For a truly unique experience, Perthshire offers the only Scottish location where you can embark on Sphereing. Originally from New Zealand, this is described as a 'truly amazing adrenaline buzz' and involves a huge 12 ft inflatable ball. Willing participants strap themselves into the ball and then take a wild and bouncy tumble down the hill!

Tuesday

After the excitement of rolling down the hill in a 12ft inflatable ball, take a slightly more gentle adventure in the form of a Highland Safari. Escape to the hills for a day and hike through some of Scotland's most spectacular mountains with fantastic views. Armed with binoculars and telescope search for wildlife including the Majestic Red Deer; Europe's largest land mammal, the soaring Golden Eagle and the famous Red Grouse to name but a few. Can you imagine sitting at 3000 feet and watching the sun set over the hills and glens of Scotland?

Wednesday

Back to being active for a mid-week adventure - Perthshire Paintball is the ultimate team building activity for corporate groups. Far from just running into the woods with all guns blazing, being truly great at paintball requires good tactics and great teamwork. Bring out the competitive edge of team members and get them working together to achieve a common goal.

Thursday

If land based activities don't have quite enough danger - how about transferring your adventure to the water. Perthshire has some of the countries best white water rivers which offer an inviting rafting challenge. A truly unforgettable experience awaits you with a spectacular combination of rugged Highland scenery and the adrenaline rush of this activity - a great team outing! But safety in numbers may not help if you take the danger element one step further and venture into canyoning. Wet, wild and wonderful - swim through rapids, cliff jump into deep clear pools, abseil through waterfalls and slide down natural stone 'flumes'.

Friday

The end of the week can tie in all the week's adventures with a multi activity days. Why not try out a new skill such as air rifle shooting, undertake a gorge walk, try driving blindfolded or even jump of a cliff? How about some off road driving? Be amazed by what a 4x4 can do and test your driving ability to the limit at the same time, under the reassuring eye of a qualified instructor!

Perhaps the idea of throwing yourself down a hill, swimming through rapids or driving 4x4 style is slightly too energetic and a less physical activity would be appreciated. If so, why not take a tour around some of the world renown whisky distilleries in the area, treat yourself to a day a the races at Perth Racecourse, or soak up some culture in the Concert Hall or one of the theatres? Perthshire offers it all!

And of course all of the above activities can be combined with an overnight stay in country house hotel which offers a warm bath, superb food and a relaxing atmosphere after all that adventure.