Pitlochry Tourist Attractions
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Top Tourist Attractions in Pitlochry
Pitlochry, in the Tummel valley, is the geographical center of Scotland. It is noted for its high quality woolen products and is also popular as a summer resort. Between May and October the "Theatre in the Hills" (modernized in 1981) is the venue for a successful drama festival and in September the Highland Games are held here. While enjoying a haggis or other traditional Scottish delicacy, kilted spectators watch the competitors tossing the caber, throwing the hammer and playing the bagpipe. The town itself can boast an 18-hole golf course, while further north in Blair Atholl is a nine-hole course.
Blair Castle
A striking monument, Blair Castle reflects elements of Medieval and Renaissance architecture. The Castle displays possessions once belonging to the Royals.
Craigower
Craigower is an 11ac beacon hill near Pitlochry. The land was given to the National Trust of Scotland in memory of Capt. G.A.K. Wisely in 1947.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Pitlochry Festival Theatre offers a variety of programmes, which take place in the Pitlochry Theatre, opened in 1981 by Prince Charles.
Surroundings
Loch Tummel (Linn of Tummel)
On the way to Blair Castle it is easy to make a detour to Loch Tummel, a long lake with many bays. "Queen's View", named after Queen Victoria who once came to enjoy the magnificent panorama, should not be missed. The mountains surrounding Loch Tummel are made from almost pure barite, a mineral that is processed to provide radium for the chemical industry. The road west from Loch Tummel leads into desolate terrain.The Linn of Tummel comprises 56 acres by the banks of the Rivers Tummel and Garry. Prior to the construction of a dam in 1950 there was a waterfall where the Tummel joined the Garry. The fall has since become a pool. A reminder of the earlier landscape is the fish-pass beside the Linn which previously enabled salmon to bypass the falls.
Loch Rannoch
Loch Rannoch lies at the northern foot of Schiehallion. The sides of the lake were once inhabited by over 30 clans, including the MacDonalds, MacGregors, Menzies, Robertsons and Stewarts (about 2,500 people); now the lakeside supports barely 400 residents.
Rannoch Moor
Rannoch Moor, a brown-flecked, undulating plain dotted with small lakes stretches out to the west of Loch Rannoch and beyond Loch Laidon. It is an inhospitable region and yet it exerts a magical charm on those who venture forth. In this treeless countryside, Britain's largest moor, sphagnum moss and heathers grow among sundew, bilberries and cranberries, campion, cotton-grasses, low-growing willows and dwarf birches. The B846 finally ends 34mi/54.4km west of Pitlochry near Rannoch Station, a tiny railroad halt on the Glasgow-Fort William line.
Pass of Killiecrankie
Return to the A9 from Loch Rannoch and follow the road north through the Pass of Killiecrankie. In 1689 this breathtakingly beautiful gorge was the scene of a severe rout of the English army at the hands of the Highlanders under the generalship of the Viscount of Dundee.
Loch Tay
The long, narrow Loch Tay is not just a haven for anglers and watersports enthusiasts but it is also one of Scotland's most beautiful lochs.
Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve
Flanked on both sides either by bare or partly wooded hillsides, the full glory of Loch Tay can be best appreciated from the summit of Ben Lawers (3,981ft/1,214m) on the north bank. Ben Lawers is the highest peak in Perthshire and the variety of its mountain flora will be of interest to botanists.
Killin
The small town of Killin is located near the west end of Loch Tay amid the beauty of the Grampian Mountains.
Moirlanich Longhouse
The Moirlanich Longhouse dates from the mid-19th C and retains many of its original features. It is an outstanding example of a traditional cruck frame cottage and byre. It houses an exhibit of the history and restoration of the building.
Scottish Crannog Centre
The Scottish Crannog Centre is is Scotland's only authentic Iron Age loch-dwelling. This unique structure houses displays of ancient crafts.
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Dunkeld
Dunkeld is a picturesque town with a market place and one of the oldest cathedrals in Scotland.
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Glenshee - Skiing Centre
In the winter large numbers of skiing enthusiasts make for the Glenshee region (40mi/64km to the northeast of Pitlochry) and the slopes of the Cairngorms. Several ski-lifts give access to the ski runs and also the cross-country tracks.
Schiehallion
Some 20mi/32km to the west of Loch Tummel the black/brown, treeless cone of Schiehallion rises 3,950ft/1,200m into the sky. A climb to the summit will take about three hours.
Blair Atholl
The tiny mill (1613) in Blair Atholl (pop. 500) continues to grind corn in the traditional way. The flour is for sale but it can first be sampled as a biscuit in the tearoom.
Loch Faskally - Fish Ladder
A very popular attraction is the underwater observation room at Loch Faskally. Here it is possible to watch the thousands of salmon negotiating the ladder to reach their spawning grounds. The room was specially installed when a hydro-electric power station was built during the 1950s.
