T in the Park: the Quick Guide

Crowd at a dance music festival at night

Top line-up. Photo © monkeybusinessimages

Taking place from 10th – 12th July in the grounds of the beautiful Strathallan Castle in Perthshire, Scotland, T in the Park is still just 1 hour’s train ride from Edinburgh or Glasgow, and just 28 minutes’ drive from Perth.

But before we dive into this year’s festival and give you our guide to the Scottish Glastonbury, why not consider ditching the mud and guide ropes this year? A freshly made bed is waiting in one of our Perth hotels

1. A new location

The move from Balado gives everyone a bit more leeway on the sound front, so if you’re a regular T-goer, don’t worry. The atmosphere will be even better!

And if you’ve stayed in our Travelodge Kinross on previous festival weekends, you don’t have to change plans. You’re still only a 35-minute drive from Strathallan Castle, so a great-value room is nearby.

Let’s move on to the music…

Crowd at an outdoor festival, UK

Summer fest time. Photo © monkeybusinessimages

2. The stage is set

The Main Stage will see the likes of headliners Kasabian, Sam Smith and David Guetta perform and is the focal point for the whole festival.

Next up is the Radio 1 stage – the second largest. Expect plenty of cool bands and Instagram-worthy moments here over the weekend.

King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent is named after the legendary Glasgow venue and is a favourite of both artists and revellers, for good reason! Like one long King Tut’s gig, this will showcase loads of great bands and plenty of memorable moments so be sure to spend some time here.

Then you’ve got the Slam Tent, where you can dance the night away to some of the best DJs in the world.

While the T Break gives unsigned Scottish talent the chance to shine alongside the likes of Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro.

3. Top tips

So now you know all the stages, what next?

T in the Park runs shuttle buses from locations around the UK to Strathallan Estate, so have a look on the website if there’s a pick-up near you.

The nearest town to the Estate is Auchterarder, home to Scotland’s longest high street. It’s worth a visit for the cute cafes and one-off local shops too. Plus, of course, it’s just 10 minutes’ drive from Gleneagles Golf Course itself.

If you’re staying in Perth, you’ll want to stroll around the small city centre, which is well preserved and photo-friendly. There are plenty of scenic spots along the River Tay, and be sure to try out one of the local restaurants as the city is known for its food.

City centre of Perth, Scotland, at night

Perth by night © MrDrewPhotography

Scone Castle and Huntingtower Castle are less than 5 miles from our Perth Central Travelodge. The old kings of Scotland were crowned at Scone, of course. While Huntingtower is where Mary Queen of Scots honeymooned with Lord Darnley.

But if history’s not your top priority on festival weekend, take a tour of the Famous Grouse Distillery, just 18 miles from our Perth Broxden Junction hotel.