Scotland's secret foodie haven: Comrie, the small town with big flavours
IN a quiet corner of Highland Perthshire that many travellers pass through without stopping, young entrepreneurs are cooking up a delicious food scene.
Comrie and its surrounding villages have long been loved by locals, but these unique spots fly under the radar for many visitors to Scotland.
From former Prisoner of War camps to religious sites dating back nearly 1,000 years, the landscapes here are rich in history. But alongside the heritage, something new is taking hold – a food scene full of character, excitement and unique flavours.
Without much persuasion, I convinced my mum, Fiona, to hop in the car with me for a delicious road trip to three locations I'd had on my list for a long time:
Strathearn Cheese, Cultybraggan Camp
Coorie Inn, Muthill
Wild Hearth Bakery shop, Comrie
We were ready to discover what the hype was all about for ourselves – and, of course, learn a bit of history along the way.
The last remaining Scottish prisoner of war camp seems an unlikely place to find a tiny, charming cheese factory.
Yet, nestled by the foot of the Aberuchill Hills in Highland Perthshire, a mile from Comrie, Strathearn Cheese is lovingly made by a two-person team in Cultybraggan Camp.
On a wild day of rain showers, unruly wind and short glimpses of bright sunshine, the drive along country roads to this vibrant community space was breath-taking.
Repurposed POW shelters
As we descended the steep road into the camp, a bright rainbow lit the sky. I was eager to find the pot of cheese at the end of it.
Not really knowing what to expect, I was delighted by the well-maintained Nissen huts and the variety of uses they had been put to.
Some were self-catering accommodation, offering a peaceful respite among the rugged hills. Others had become homes to a café, a museum and numerous small businesses.
We found Strathearn Cheese next door to the intoxicating scent of sourdough emanating from Wild Hearth Bakery – a delightful duo.
Warm welcome to the factory
Owner Ben Hodgson greeted us at the door with a smile, hairnets and blue shoe covers, before beckoning us in.
Expert cheese-maker Kirsty McCabe was already hard at work. She and Ben had started production at around 8.30 that morning, and when we arrived at 1pm the vat was developing curds.
“There aren’t a lot of cheese-makers in Scotland,” Ben said. “There are only 25 to 30.”
Ben, who is only 25, ended up taking over the award-winning Strathearn Cheese company when it was on the brink of closing down.
“In March 2024, I was working at Coorie Inn part time,” Ben explained. “I was a chef beforehand but didn’t want to continue doing it.
"I saw there was a cheese job that had been on Facebook for a week, so I messaged Pierre Leger, who was the former boss and owner, and got the job. I was doing deliveries in the van.
“Kirsty was in that team as well. By October time, Pierre was trying to sell. It got to December and no-one was buying it, and I just thought, why not?”
It was a brave move, but one that has more than paid off, with an outpouring of support for Strathearn’s return under Ben’s leadership.
Brave new leadership
“If I knew how hard it was going to be at the start I don’t know if I would have done it! But I think that’s true of most things, isn’t it?” Ben said with a laugh.
Ben was full of praise and affection for long-serving team member Kirsty.
“Kirsty’s taught me most of what I know about cheese-making,” he said.
Kirsty – the big cheese!
A constant source of energy in the factory, Kirsty moved through the cheese-making process with easy precision.
“I started here one day a week, just cleaning, because obviously the majority of what we do is cleaning,” Kirsty explained.
“Then Pierre and Drew, who started the business, asked if I wanted to learn to make the cheese. And I said, ‘Yes, I do!’ It’s a fun job.”
When Ben took ownership, he made the decision to concentrate on producing only Wee Comrie.
“When Pierre had the business, there were four cheeses altogether,” Ben told me. "Coming back with four cheeses straight away... I don’t think it would have been possible.”
With good humour, Ben and Kirsty recall the intense experience of restarting the production process.
Back to basics
“Because we used to make other cheese as well, we thought it might have changed the live cultures in the maturing room and made Wee Comrie taste different, so we weren’t sure if it would be quite the same,” Kirsty admitted. “It is now, but it took a wee while.”
“The first couple of batches that we tasted, we were thinking, can we even remember what it tastes like?” Ben added.
The highly anticipated return of another of the original four chesses, Lady Mary, in October 2025 marked the halfway point, and plans to expand the stock list in the future are afoot.
“I have plans to bring back the first cheese they made, called Strathearn,” Ben revealed. “That was square with a pink-orange rind.
“It was whisky washed, so like how Wee Comrie is washed in brine, there was whisky in the brine as well. There is no ETA just yet, but I am hoping 2026 sometime.”
With such stellar products available, and ambition radiating from the dedicated staff, Strathearn Cheese’s future shines as brightly as the rainbow that led us to their door.
Off to Coorie Inn
It was time for the best bit – trying the cheese! Luckily there was just the right place nearby.
Driving the country roads to Coorie Inn, this corner of Perthshire felt wonderfully removed from the well-trodden Highland trail. It’s the kind of place you’d miss if you stuck to Scotland’s headline destinations – but once visited, never forgotten.
We had arranged a delightful wine and cheese tasting by the crackling fireplace upon arrival. We were also lucky enough to be staying the night and enjoying a meal in Coorie Inn's exceptional restaurant that evening.
Unrivalled hospitality
We were greeted by friendly staff at reception who checked us in and showed us to our stylish yet comfortable room.
After a quick cup of tea, we headed downstairs again for the wine and cheese tasting.
Wine and cheese tasting
Ben selected a range of cheeses, which were paired with thoughtfully chosen wines by Coorie Inn’s sommelier.
Relaxing by the fire on the comfortable sofa in the cosy bar area, we were eager to test Strathearn Cheese’s Wee Comrie.
Cheers to cheese
Enjoyed with a crumbly oatcake and a glass of crisp white, we agreed that it would be hard to beat.
We also tried a brine-washed goats' milk cheese called Rachel, made in Somerset, and St Andrews Farmhouse Cheddar made by the St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company, who have their own Friesian cows.
However, I do have to admit that blue cheese was a little too strong for me...
A wine education
Learning about the wines and how they paired with the cheeses was fascinating.
Did you know that grapes can taste different when subjected to certain wind patterns in vineyards near coastlines? Or that certain wines can be stored in stone amphoras underground for 20 months to let the taste develop?
We were delighted to find the tasting experience was as educational as it was delicious.
Dining at Coorie Inn
Before we knew it, it was time to make our way through to the restaurant for dinner.
The decor created a perfectly balanced atmosphere, where modern touches elevated a room that still felt like a traditional inn with stone walls and lamplight.
Cosy inn with modern twist
The restaurant was lively with fellow diners in good spirits, and the welcoming, relaxed atmosphere was impossible to resist.
We were delighted to see Strathearn Cheese's butter on the menu, so we ordered some sourdough bread and a starter of baby courgette to share.
Mouth-watering starters
The fluffy bread was perfect with Strathearn's creamy, salty butter, and the baby courgette was so beautifully presented it almost felt like a shame to eat it.
With pistachio, smoked cheese and basil, the courgette starter was an exceptional way to begin the meal.
Exquisite dishes
For our main course, I opted for the Perthshire pork loin, while my mum was excited to try the Tweed Valley rump fillet.
We shared some baby potatoes served with black garlic and smoked mayo, and baby carrots in herb yoghurt with pumpkin seeds.
When our main courses were delivered, we were in awe at the quality and quantity of the portions.
My pork loin was cooked to perfection, and the rich apple butter complemented the incredible flavours just right.
My mum was full of praise for the rump fillet, served with roscoff onion and wild mushrooms.
The generous portions meant we struggled to finish our sides, gorgeous as they were – something we blamed on the cheese board ...
Room for dessert?
After a prolonged break, we decided we couldn't call it a night without sampling a dessert from the delicious sounding options.
We shared a tart tatin, and wow, were we glad we did!
The sweet apples were soft and juicy, and alongside a dollop of rich cream, there was no better way to end the evening.
With full tummies and smiles on our faces, it was time for bed. And the best part? We only had to walk upstairs.
Waking up to adventure
After an excellent night's sleep and a hearty breakfast the next morning, we were excited for another day of gallivanting away from the crowds.
We took a brief break from our food-related itinerary to explore the ruined church a stone's throw from Coorie Inn.
Muthill old church and tower
Walking out the front door of Coorie Inn, visitors' eyes fall on one of Scotland's many impressive yet often overlooked early Christian sites, located just at the top of the road.
Muthill has a long religious history, and the old church has several phases of building. The bell tower dates to the mid-1110s, while the church's outer walls were added in the 1400s.
In the late 12th century, Muthill was home to a religious community of Culdees – a name meaning "servants of God", originating from the Gaelic Céil Dé.
Steeped in history
In 1560, the church experienced further modifications to adapt it for Protestant worship, before being abandoned in the 1820s. Some of the stones have since been removed to be reused in new churches.
The site, which is now maintained by Historic Environment Scotland, is well worth a quick look around – plus it is free to visit.
Keen as we were to escape the rain, we had one last foodie stop to make before we headed homewards.
Wild Hearth Bakery
The smell of freshly baked bread at Cultybraggan Camp the day before had only heightened our anticipation for our final stop.
Although we really didn't have room to eat any more, we had to make an exception for a pastry from Wild Hearth Bakery.
After the 20-minute drive from Coorie Inn, the rain had cleared, so we enjoyed a quick walk round the main streets of Comrie, stopping to admire the view from the Dalgincross Bridge.
Beautiful local shop
The Wild Hearth Bakery Shop, located on the picturesque Drummond Street, is small but mighty.
With a small bench and a couple of stools available to sit at, the shop is primarily focused on take-away orders, but as we placed our orders there were no shortage of locals popping in for a sweet treat.
A local favourite
Co-owner Caroline chatted from behind the bar as she made our coffees. She explained that all the bread and pastries for sale are made at Cultybraggan Camp and brought over to the shop.
Unable to resist one last goodie, we grabbed a couple of sourdough pastries to power us on our way. I opted for a ham and cheese croissant to accompany my oat latte.
The flaky, buttery texture was absolutely delicious, and I was plotting how to get my hands on another croissant before I had even finished!
With both the car and myself sufficiently fuelled for the drive home, it was time to leave Highland Perthshire behind.
This trip was another reminder that some of Scotland’s best food experiences are found far from its busiest towns – it won't be long until we're back on the road again.
📸 Coorie Inn, DC Thomson, Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Alamy
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"Trauchle"
(n.) - hard work, or (v.) - to toil or struggle.
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