Whisky, water and a dash of history

The A9 from Perth to Inverness is a spectacular driving route past waterfalls, distilleries and ancient battlegrounds.

For the eyes-down Edinburgh to Inverness business traveller, the A9 beyond Perth must test the patience. After ploughing swiftly north on the luxuriously appointed M90, the Caithness Glass Factory at the Inveralmond roundabout signals the start of an altogether different type of road. Here, with a sign proclaiming 108 miles to Inverness, the Perth bypass gives way to the northbound A9 from Stirling; from now on, single-lane travel behind crawling caravans will alternate with mad sprints down all-too-brief dual carriageways. Further north, as the road cuts past the Forest of Atholl, signs warn of the dangers of road rage: slow-coaches beware.

For the eyes-down Edinburgh to Inverness business traveller, the A9 beyond Perth must test the patience. After ploughing swiftly north on the luxuriously appointed M90, the Caithness Glass Factory at the Inveralmond roundabout signals the start of an altogether different type of road. Here, with a sign proclaiming 108 miles to Inverness, the Perth bypass gives way to the northbound A9 from Stirling; from now on, single-lane travel behind crawling caravans will alternate with mad sprints down all-too-brief dual carriageways. Further north, as the road cuts past the Forest of Atholl, signs warn of the dangers of road rage: slow-coaches beware.

However, for those with more time on their hands, this stretch of the A9 has an entirely different aspect. It surely has a claim to be one of the most beautiful A-roads in Britain, taking in the woods near Dunkeld, skirting Loch Tummel, carving through the gloriously bleak Glen Garry and moving onwards, past the Cairngorm mountains at Aviemore to the moors that beckon on eventually to Culloden.

The first distraction is the cosy town of Dunkeld, 15 miles north of Perth, with its partly ruined but still impressive cathedral. A pause is demanded by literature: it was at Birnam ­ the village now linked to Dunkeld by an arched bridge designed by Thomas Telford ­ that Shakespeare set Macbeth's epic last stand. Dunsinane Hill is to the South-east, and the Perthshire Visitors' Centre at nearby Bankfoot has a Macbeth Experience exhibition (01738 787696; adults £2, children £1) that compares the history with the myth. Altogether now: "Methought the wood began to move..."

On a slightly different literary note, Peter Rabbit also puts in an appearance in Birnam: a Beatrix Potter Garden commemorates the author's childhood here, and a Beatrix Potter Exhibition at the Birnam Institute (01350 728970; adults £1, children 50p) will open on 11 June.

To the north is the National Trust's Hermitage walk (01350 728641; £1 parking), set along the banks of the River Braan. The woods here were once part of the Duke of Atholl's estate. The name Atholl, indeed, has ancient claim to much of this section of the A9. It's a pretty stroll, reached from a car park just off the road. The path takes in waterfalls, a folly, and leads to a stone shelter known as Ossian's Cave. The poems of the third-century warrior Ossian were the subject of much acclaim when they were "discovered" by 18th-century poet James Macpherson. Although Macpherson was eventually revealed as the author, some of Ossian's words were said to be scratched on the walls here.

From Dunkeld, the A9 leads past the busy town of Pitlochry on the eastern shore of the Tummel river. It's at this point that you need to sort out your designated driver, because the distractions here are of a less lofty nature: down the Atholl Road is Bell's Blair Athol Distillery (01796 482003; admission £3, with a discount off single malts), or there's the tiny Edradour Distillery (01796 472095), which has free entrance and the chance to sample a complimentary dram.

After all that, you'll probably need to clear your head; luckily Pitlochry is ideally situated for cleansing walks along the River Tummel and Loch Faskally, or up the peak of Ben Vrackie, which dominates the skyline. The Queen's View ­ a justly famous vista across Loch Tummel to the mountain of Schiehallion ­ is also nearby.

At Pitlochry, the scenery starts to get seriously grand. A visitors' centre (01796 473233) marks the Pass of Killiecrankie, where the River Garry flows through a beautiful wooded gorge. In 1689, the Jacobites squared up to the forces of the Crown here, winning a rare home victory. Nowadays, it's a far more tranquil place; even the force of the water has weakened as a result of hydro-electric schemes. A £1 parking fee entitles you to explore the network of paths kindly created by the National Trust for Scotland, and there's a wonderful view from the viaduct above Killiecrankie.

Further north, the white walls and towers of Blair Castle are visible, and it's well worth visiting this ancient seat of the Duke of Atholl. Thirty-two of the rooms are open to the public. They house a vast collection of Victoriana, along with military ephemera and a forest of stags' antlers (01796 481207; adults £6.25, children £4).

Just up from Blair Castle is Bruar, a tiny place almost entirely given over to the House of Bruar (01796 483236). Here you can choose from a spectacular array of tartans and golfing couture, but if you prefer to resist such sartorial diversions, then duck round the back for the short but satisfying walk up Bruar Falls. The water is at its best when in spate, but the forest through which the river runs is beautiful at any time of year.

Then onwards, into the wilderness. The path of the modern A9 is no random occurrence: the deep glen through which the River Garry runs has long made this the only practical north-south transport route, be it for Jacobites or juggernauts. From Calvine, a straight 30-mile stretch of road sets off north to the distillery at Dalwhinnie (01540 672219; admission £3). To the left is the lonely railway line, to the right the sparse Forest of Atholl. Even on a warm summer's day, the glen feels windswept and rugged; civilisation has been left far behind.

Beyond Dalwhinnie, and the long, narrow Drumochter Pass, is the Highland Folk Museum (01540 661307), set over two locations at Kingussie and Newtonmore. The Kingussie site (adults £1, children 50p) boasts exhibitions that give a sense of what life was once like for Highlanders on these bleak moors; at Newtonmore (adults £5, children £3 ­ reduced rate of £4 and £2.40 during foot-and-mouth restrictions) there are traditional buildings and live demonstrations of highland crafts. Meanwhile, the Highland Wildlife Park (01540 651270; adults £6.50, children £4.35) just beyond Kingussie at Kincraig is a chance to see pine martins and wildcats, as well as the wolves that once roamed the land, all from the safety of your car.

At Aviemore ­ a bustling ski resort during the snowy months ­ you can walk through the pine woods round Loch An Eilean, with the Cairngorms looming as a backdrop. Twitchers should pack their binoculars: the nearby Abernethy Forest Reserve is home to osprey, capercaillie and the rare tiny crested tit.

From here the A9 runs onwards to Inverness, where a brief diversion (on to the B9006) gives you the chance to see Culloden Moor as it was during the battle where Bonnie Prince Charlie came to grief in 1746. The visitors' centre (01463 790607, adults £4, children £3) provides the historical background to the conflict, along with an exhibition and museum. A walk round the site itself, including the graves of the dead, vividly illustrates the horrors of the battle.

At Inverness, the A9's journey continues up the east coast and then north to Thurso and the port of Scrabster, for connections to Orkney. Alternatively, for those tearing back to Stirling or Edinburgh, it should be eyes up all the way for the journey back south.

For further information, contact Perthshire Tourist Board (01738 627958), Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board (01997 421160), The National Trust for Scotland (0131 243 9300; www.nts.org.uk) or see www.visitscotland.com. Walks and tourist attractions off the A9 are open, subject to foot-and-mouth restrictions and to the observance of the 'Comeback Code' which gives guidance on how walkers can minimise the chances of infection.