2. DUNKELD: Back into the top two after new praise, including this from Susan Forde: "It has a very fine square, of unusual shape, with beautifully restored small houses, the 'parent larch' from which all larches in Perthshire come,
a Telford bridge over the Tay and many other historic aspects." Already praised for its cathedral, walks, toilets, farm shops and as a place to skim stones, and loved for walking, the folly at the Hermitage and the ospreys at nearby Loch of the Lowes.
3. ST ANDREWS: Back in the top three thanks to repeated mentions, for golf (Paul MacMichael praised its New Clubhouse last week) and so much more. Has appeared in many categories in the past, including best ice-cream, best spot for stargazing, best boating pond, best cheese shop and best small cinema. Last week, Gillian Thompson praised its Seafood Restaurant and the excellent Butler & Co deli.
4. NAIRN: Down a couple of places due to no new mentions. John Usher helped push it up the listings when he said he much preferred Nairn and North Berwick to St Andrews. Paul MacMichael praised its 9th, 10th and 18th golf holes – and its clubhouse – but it's had many more commendations in categories as broad as best book festival, best place to watch cricket, best museum, best seaside resort, best ruin, best fishing break, best viaduct, best war memorial and best cake shop.
5. FRASERBURGH: No new recommendations, so dips in our list, but subject of multiple previous recommendations, especially from the prolific Robert Ritchie. He had good things to say in categories as diverse as best sculpture, cheap eaterie, lifeboat station, coastal visit, beach walk and clock. Alan Nairn spoke up for its Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, while it was also commended as a great place to surf and to watch a thunderstorm.
6. MELROSE: Several mentions for Melrose after Louise Maving praised the "beautiful Borders town" last week and Gillian Thompson also gave it the thumbs-up for its "good network of way-marked routes".
7. MOFFAT: All quiet in Moffat, which was No1 for a while – but still popular for its gardens, shops, the Grey Mare's Tail waterfall and Colvin Fountain, and as a classic Victorian spa town and for its boating pond and sweet shop. Any more for Moffat?
8. DUNBAR: "It surprises me no-one has recommended Dunbar as best small town," says Jim Thompson – of Dunbar. It has often been mentioned in golfing and several other categories, but it drops down as no-one has come in to back up Jim. Would anyone like to back him up?
The full article contains 511 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
