Things To Do In Pitlochry
Contents |
Things To Do Around Pitlochry
Travel To Pitlochry | Places To See | Accommodation In Pitlochry | Eating and Drinking in Pitlochry | Entertainment in Pitlochry | Things To Do Around Pitlochry
Blair Castle
Phone code: +44 (0)1796
Seven miles from Pitlochry, and a mile from the village of Blair Atholl, is Blair Castle, traditional seat of the Earls and Dukes of Atholl. This whitewashed, turreted castle dates from 1269 and presents an impressive picture on first sight. This is the headquarters of Britain's only private army, the Atholl Highlanders, and one of them usually pipes in new arrivals. Thirty-two rooms in the castle are open for public viewing and are packed full of paintings, furniture, armour, porcelain and much else besides, presenting a startling picture of aristocratic Highland life in previous centuries. The most outrageously sumptuous of the rooms are the Tapestry Room and the ballroom. The surrounding landscaped grounds are home to peacocks and Highland cattle, and there are woodland walks and a walled Japanese water garden to enjoy. A handy camping site is immediately adjacent to the castle grounds.
http://www.blair-castle.co.uk, Apr-Jun, Sep and Oct 1000-1800, Jul and Aug 0930-1800, house and grounds £7.20, £6.20 concession, £4.20 children. Tel. 481207.
Camping
There's a caravan park within the castle grounds, Tel. 481263, open April-October, with good facilities. A very good walk starts from the caravan park and heads up into Glen Tilt. It's about 10€ miles there and back along estate roads, though this can be shortened by four miles or lengthened by six miles. A leaflet describing the routes is available from the castle or caravan park.
Sleeping and eating in Blair Atholl
There's a selection of accommodation in Blair Atholl village. The Atholl Arms Hotel, Tel. 481205, near the train station, does B&B and serves bar meals. The best food hereabouts is to be found at the Loft, Golf Course Rd, Tel. 481377, which offers superior Modern Scottish/Mediterranean food at mid-range/expensive prices.
Transport
Not all trains stop at Blair Atholl. Elizabeth Yule Transport runs a service between Pitlochry and Blair Atholl, via Killiecrankie, a few times daily, except Sun. You can hire bikes from Atholl Mountain Bikes, Tel. 473553. They have a leaflet listing various cycle routes, including the Glen Tilt route above.
Falls of Bruar
Eight miles from Blair Atholl, just off the A9, are the Falls of Bruar. There's a short walk from the car park to the lower falls, but it's worth continuing to the more dramatic upper falls, which are less visited (see above). By the car park is the excellent House of Bruar, a huge shopping emporium designed like a Victorian hunting lodge where you can buy just about any kind of souvenir and enjoy some very fine Scottish cooking.
Loch Tummel
The B8019 turns off the B8079 road from Pitlochry to Blair Atholl and runs west along the shores of beautiful lochs Tummel and Rannoch, best seen in the autumn when the trees change their colours. At the eastern end of Loch Tummel is Queen's View, a spectacular viewpoint which looks down the loch and across to Schiehallion. There's a visitor centre here, with displays and audio-visual programmes about the area. Apr-Oct daily 1000-1730. Free, but £1 parking charge. Tel. 473123.
Schiehallion
Schiehallion (3,552 ft) is one of Scotland's best-loved mountains, whose distinctive conical peak made it ideal for use in early experiments in 1774 to judge the weight of the earth. These were not an unqualified success, but led to the invention of contour lines as an aid to surveying the mountain. The walk to the summit is fairly straightforward, except for the very rocky final stretch. You'll need to be properly clothed and equipped and take a map and compass. The route to the summit starts at the car park on the B846 Kinloch Rannoch to Aberfeldy road, near Braes of Foss.