Pitlochry
Small Highland tour that is a frequent stopping place for coaches travelling along the A9. Somewhat a one road town of shops and cafes.
Despite being one of the busiest Highland tourist towns in the summer, Pitlochry's lovely setting on the shores of the River Tummel, overlooked by Ben y Vrackie, makes it a pleasant base for exploring this beautiful area.
Eating Out
Eating in Pitlochry
The Killiecrankie Hotel is expensive but the best place to eat. The bar is less formal and cheaper than the restaurant. In town try Port-na-Craig Inn & Restaurant, Tel. 472777, which is just below the Festival Theatre on the banks of the River Tummel. It offers great Scottish cooking at mid-range prices in a bistro ambience. Another good choice is the Old Smithy, at 154 Atholl Rd, Tel. 472356, which is moderately priced and open daily till 2100; or The Old Armoury, Armoury Rd, Tel. 474281.
A couple of miles south of Pitlochry on the old A9 road is the East Haugh Country House Hotel & Restaurant, Tel. 473121, a 17th-century country house with excellent and elegant dining and great bar lunches (lunch mid-range; dinner expensive). A few miles north of Pitlochry, at Moulin on the A924 is the wonderful Moulin Inn, Tel. 472196, which serves good, hearty, cheap pub food and fine real ales (try their 'Braveheart') in a great atmosphere. Food daily till 2130.
Region
PerthshireTravel Directions to Pitlochry
Getting there
Getting there The bus and train stations are on Atholl Road. Scottish Citylink buses run almost every hour between Glasgow (2 hrs 15 mins), Edinburgh (2 hrs 45 mins) and Inverness (2 hrs) via Pitlochry. Stagecoach buses run daily except Sun to Aberfeldy, Dunkeld and Perth. Pitlochry is on the Perth-Inverness rail line and there are several daily trains (Mon-Sat; fewer on Sun) to Perth (30 mins).
The bus and train stations are on Atholl Road. Scottish Citylink buses run almost every hour between Glasgow (2 hrs 15 mins), Edinburgh (2 hrs 45 mins) and Inverness (2 hrs) via Pitlochry. Stagecoach buses run daily except Sun to Aberfeldy, Dunkeld and Perth. Pitlochry is on the Perth-Inverness rail line and there are several daily trains (Mon-Sat; fewer on Sun) to Perth (30 mins).
Cycle hire
Escape Route, 8 West Moulin Rd, Tel/Fax. 473859. Touring and off-road bikes.
Taxi
Elizabeth Yule Transport, Tel. 472290.
Tourist information
The Tourist information Centre is at 22 Atholl Rd, Tel. 472215. Apr to mid-May, mid-Sep and Oct Mon-Sat 0900-1800, Sun 1100-1700; mid-May to mid-Sep Mon-Sat 0900-1900, Sun 0900-1800; Nov-Mar Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat 1000-1400.
Activities
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Rock Climb & Abseil Intro Aviemore - Half Day Session
Feel the heights and enjoy the challenges of an exciting spell of rock climbing & Abseiling in Aviemore, which is well suited for everyone! -
4x4 off road driving - Scottish Highlands
Experience some off road driving action in your 4x4 off road driving day and test your driving skills with mates. -
Blindfold Driving in Scottish Highlands
Chaotic and crazy, this mad cap sport is all about turning the conventions of driving on its head! -
Treasure Hunt in Scottish Highlands
Time to find out the hidden treasure by solving clues with your group. Delightfully light hearted and well suited for any time of the day. -
Quad Biking Safari in Perthshire
Quad bike safari across Scottish landscape. Lots of obstacles and tricky sections. We brief and guide you. No previous experience necessary. -
Cliff Jumping and Canyoning in Aberfeldy
Not for the faint-hearted, but definitely a must-do for thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. -
Highland White Water Rafting Experience
Enjoy one of the great buzz events with 3 hours of rafting on the Tay in Highland Perthshire. If you can swim, you can raft! Works for any group size with tons of games, splashing and drops! -
Canyoning, Cliffjumping and Rafting Day
Total wipe out multi-activity day.. three adrenalin activities together in one day for a great price! -
Canoeing Near Kenmore
Get ready to get wet with your wet suits on for an adventurous Canoe ride Near Kenmore. -
Archery Lessons near Perth
Will you be the one that hits gold!!! A competitive activity for you and your team - who will be boasting the most in the pub later... -
Paintballing in Perthshire inc 300 Balls
Paintball is a thrilling sports that is designed to suit everybody from stags, hens, corporate groups to fun seekers. -
Clay Pigeon Shooting Near Dunkeld
You can book just the clay pigeon shooting or combine it with other great activities through our site, great deals for groups and only a small deposit required. -
Highland Activity Package inc Quads & Clays
Experience the Highlands and enjoy a range of events. Save money and driving around. Combines clays and quads. -
Face the Challenge of Abseiling
You have an experienced guide to take you abseiling, we can take beginners to experienced rock climbers.
Local Sights & Activities for Pitlochry
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.
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.
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.
Place To See Around Pitlochry
Distilleries
There are two whisky distilleries to visit. The larger of the two is Bell's Blair Atholl Distillery, at the southern end of town, heading towards the A9 to Perth.
Easter-Sep Mon-Sat 0930-1700, Sun 1200-1700; Oct Mon-Fri 1000-1600, Nov-Easter Mon-Fri 1100-1600,£4, tours every 10 mins. Tel. 482003.
A couple of miles east of town, on the A924, is the Edradour Distillery, the smallest in Scotland. http://www.edradour.co.uk Jan and Feb Mon-Sat 1000-1600, Sun 1200-1600, Mar-Oct Mon-Sat 0930-1800, Sun 1130-1700, Nov and Dec Mon-Sat 0930-1700, Sun 1200-1700, Free. Tel. 472095.
Fish ladder
Pitlochry's main attraction is the fish ladder, part of the power station and dam which formed man-made Loch Faskally when it was constructed on the River Tummel. The ladder allows salmon to swim up to their spawning grounds and you can watch them leaping spectacularly in the spring and summer. The best months are May and June. The fish ladder is across the river, a short distance from the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. In summer 2002 the Scottish Plant Collectors Garden will open in the grounds of the theatre. Contact the theatre for further information.
Another excellent walk from Pitlochry, described in the tourist office leaflet, leaves town on the north road and turns left past the boat station. It then crosses the Cluanie footbridge and follows the road to Loch Faskally and up the River Garry to Garry Bridge over the Pass of Killiecrankie. The path returns to Pitlochry along the west bank of the River Garry, before turning west up the River Tummel, passing close by the Linn of Tummel, then crossing the Tummel and following the west shore of Loch Faskally to the dam and fish ladder.
Also here is the Explorers-The Scottish Plant Hunters' Garden that fascinates the visitors with its wide display of diverse plant species and trails, which pays tribute to the story of Scotland's 18th and 19th century botanists and explorers. Apr-Oct daily 1000-1700, £3, concession £2.50, children £1. TEL. 484600, http://www.explorersgarden.com
Pass of Killiecrankie
Four miles north of Pitlochry the A9 cuts through the Pass of Killiecrankie, a spectacular wooded gorge which was the dramatic setting for the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689, when a Jacobite army led by Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount 'Bonnie Dundee', defeated the government forces under General Hugh Mackay. One government soldier evaded capture by making a jump of Olympic gold medal-winning proportions across the River Garry at Soldier's Leap. The NTS visitor centre has displays on the battle and the local natural history. Apr-Oct daily 1000-1730. Free (honesty box; £1 donation advised). Tel. 473233.
Theatre
The Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Tel. 484626, is across the river from the town centre. It stages a different play every night for 6 nights a week during its season from May to Oct.
Castles Nearby
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Whitefield Castle
L Plan Tower, now ruined built by Malcolm Canmore in 12th century. Can be walked around. 8 miles north of Pitlochry on A93
Nearby Distilleries
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Blair Athol Distillery
One of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland and an easy visit from Pitlochry or the A9 if you are on the way north. Tours throughout year.
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Edradour Whisky Distillery
Edradour is one of the most visited distilleries in Scotland that records 100,000 tourist footfalls every year. It is also one of Scotland's smallest distilleries with an annual output of only 90,000 litres of single malts.
Pitlochry Hotels & Accommodation
Pitlochry in Perthshire is a large and well established holiday town packed with grand houses converted into large and medium sized hotels. The town has all types of accommodation ranging from hotels, B & B's, hostels, and Guesthouses. Check our Visitor Guide to Pitlochry with datas and information on the accommodation in Pitlochry. Below we have our selected list of self-catering cottages in Pitlochry with just a click.
There's plenty of accommodation to choose from. The best hotel in town is the superb Pine Trees Hotel, Strathview Terr, Tel. 472121, This Victorian country house is set in 10 acres of gardens away from the tourist bustle. Its Garden Restaurant has a fine reputation. A few miles north of Pitlochry, in the village of Killiecrankie, is the Killiecrankie Hotel, Tel. 473220, Open Mar-Dec. 10 rooms. It's a quiet, cosy country house hotel which offers quite possibly the very finest food in the area. Another top-class hotel is the Dunfallandy Country House Hotel & Restaurant, Tel. 472648, a mile out of town on the road to Logierait. 8 rooms. This Georgian mansion offers great views, peace and quiet and superb cuisine, no smoking, excellent value.
Pitlochry Cottages and Holiday SelfCatering
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Sunnyside Cottage in Kirkmichael - Sleeps 4
Located in Kirkmichael, with open fires in the living areas, this property is ideal for holiday breaks all year round. Sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms. -
Golden Pond, nr Pitlochry, sleeps 4-8
Golden Pond is nestled in 3 acres of countryside set in a beautiful forest glen just outside the picturesque village of Dunkeld, close to the Loch of the Lowes Nature Reserve and surrounded by breathtaking...
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Craigloisk Cottage, Glenfernate - Sleeps 4
On an extensive farming estate amidst glorious Highland scenery, these three properties all offer an opportunity to enjoy the peace and quiet of a 'get away from it all' holiday. Wildlife abounds in .... -
Old Mill, nr Pitlochry, Sleeps 5
Tastefully converted, this delightful mill creates a bright holiday house in magnificent green Perthshire. In an elevated rural position with panoramic forest and countryside views. Nearby is Loch Tummel a... -
Holiday Apartment, Pitlochry - Sleeps 4
Peacefully situated at the end of a leafy residential cul-de-sac on the edge of town, this first floor maisonette is a short walk from the famous Festival Theatre, the River Tummel and Loch Faskally .. -
First Floor Apartment, Pitlochry - sleeps 2
Recently completed to a very high standard, this luxury first floor apartment (one of four) is particularly well-specified with quality fittings and furnishings to provide superior accommodation for .... -
Ground Floor Apartment, Pitlochry - Sleeps 2
Recently completed to a very high standard, this luxury ground floor apartment (one of four) is particularly well-specified with quality fittings and furnishings to provide superior accommodation for .. -
Pitlochry Apartment, Perthshire - Sleeps 2
Recently completed to a very high standard, this luxury ground floor apartment (one of four) is particularly well-specified with quality fittings and furnishings to provide superior accommodation for .. -
Luxury Apartment, Pitlochry - Sleeps 2
Recently completed to a very high standard, this luxury first floor apartment (one of four) is particularly well-specified with quality fittings and furnishings to provide superior accommodation for .... -
The Farmhouse, Glenfernate - Sleeps 12
On an extensive farming estate amidst glorious Highland scenery, these three properties all offer an opportunity to enjoy the peace and quiet of a \'get away from it all\' holiday. Wildlife abounds in .... -
Daldhu Cottage, Glenfernate - Sleeps 6
On an extensive farming estate amidst glorious Highland scenery, these three properties all offer an opportunity to enjoy the peace and quiet of a get away from it all holiday. Wildlife abounds in .... -
Gardener's Cottage, Pitlochry - Sleeps 2
This wonderfully converted stable is in a very convenient holiday setting within walking distance of the attractive town of Pitlochry. Within the grounds of the owner’s house, it maintains a high degree of... -
Heather Croft, Dunkeld - Sleeps 5
These two properties are situated in a peaceful wooded area with walks right from the doorstep and numerous roe deer around, yet only 2½ miles from Dunkeld village with its shops, ancient fountain a... -
L'Oasis, Blair Atholl - Sleeps 4-6
Situated in an enviable position within the River Tilt Holiday Park, at the foot of Glen Tilt, this tastefully furnished chalet offers superb holiday accommodation for families and small parties. The prope... -
Ladeside, nr Pitlochry - Sleeps 2
With fantastic views from its elevated position over the River Garry Valley to the Perthshire Hills, this detached holiday cottage is modern in style, so guests can enjoy every comfort in this rural locati... -
Nyali, Pitlochry - Sleeps 4
Delightfully situated by the River Tummel with views from the dining kitchen of the water dam and the river, you can access the river path from the garden gate. This detached holiday cottage is centrally l... -
Robin Lodge, nr Pitlochry - Sleeps 4-6
This charming holiday chalet is close to the banks of the River Tilt. Pleasantly furnished, it is set in River Tilt Holiday Park amid stunning mountain scenery at the foot of Glen Tilt. On-site facilities ... -
Lagan-Righ, nr Pitlochry - Sleeps 3
Lagan Righ, meaning Kings Hollow, is a secluded, detached, stone-built holiday cottage nestling in a corner of Logierait with views to the River Tay and with easy access to the A9. Within easy reach of the... -
Kinloch House, nr Pitlochry - Sleeps 4
This semi-detached holiday cottage adjoining the owner’s home, sits within a pretty garden in this tranquil village. Surrounded by spectacular scenery, the Schiehallion Mountain, Rannoch Moor and the... -
Kingfisher Cottage, Pitlochry - Sleeps 5
On the outskirts of Pitlochry this attractive holiday bungalow, with private fishing from a jetty set on the banks of the River Tummel at the bottom of the garden, and is ideally located for Pitlochry... -
Aodin, Strathtay - Sleeps 8
With outstanding views over the River Tay from its first floor living room, this secluded, spacious country house has been attractively furnished, and is set high in the hills (900 ft) on a 4,000-acre...