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Home , Blair Athol distillery, Centre of Scotland, Dalwhinnie distillery, Edradour distillery, Pitlochry, River Tummel

Scotland –

Pitlochry is situated in the heart of the stunning scenery of Highland . The town sits below Beinn Bhracaigh (Ben Vrackie), the speckled mountain and beside the , in some of the most magnificent scenery in . With a backdrop of surrounding hills and beautiful woodlands, it is wonderful walking country.

Famous as a holiday resort, rich in Victorian heritage, Pitlochry started life as a smaller neighbour to the older settlement of Moulin. Moulin is situated at the top of the hill and at the bottom of the “High Drive”, as the locals call it. From there roads led across the present-day Golf Course to and Blair and down the hill to the ferry crossing at Port na Craig. The ferry was the only way at that time to cross the River Tummel and it was in operation until the footbridge was opened on Empire Day in 1912.

The development of the town began in the 18th century, when General Wade’s Great North Road – built to allow military access to the Highlands- was routed through Pitlochry rather than Moulin. New inns were built to cater for travelers and the transformation of the town was completed by the arrival of the Railway on June 1st 1863. Queen Victoria visited the area several times, following which it quickly developed into a popular holiday destination, famous visitors included William Ewart Gladstone, Professor J S Blackie and .

Pitlochry today is a bustling tourist town and has been welcoming visitors for over 170 years. The name comes from the Gaelic “Pit Cloich Aire”, meaning “place of the Sentinel Stone” and it was originally a Pictish settlement. Two Sentinel stones survive today, one in the grounds of Tigh na Cloich and the other in the garden at Northlands. The whole area is rich in standing stones, stone circles and ancient sites, the most famous being the magnificently carved Dunfallandy Stone which dates back 1,200 years.

Dunfallandy Stone

Pitlochry is justifiably proud of its Victorian Theatre has a lot of shows and play’s on heritage and tourism traditions, and offers visitors throughout the year. much to enjoy. It is the ideal holiday destination for those who love Scotland’s hills and heritage, while its central position and easy accessibility by road, rail and bus, make it a perfect touring base for visiting Scotland’s other delights, in all four seasons there are more reasons to visit Pitlochry. Pitlochry is famous for events such as the day, Etape Caledonia cycle race, Enchanted Forest and Hogmanay Street Party. The Pitlochry Festival Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Shopping in Pitlochry Pitlochry is lucky to still have a choice of independent shops selling unique gifts, though several are off the main street so you need a bit of local knowledge to find them!

Getting to Pitlochry By Road The dualling of the iconic , the route from the centre of Scotland to the North that goes straight through the middle of Scotland, is well underway. As well as making the road safer and faster the new road is being designed as an ideal way to discover Scotland. By Rail Massive investment has been put into the rail connections on the Glasgow and to route with 19 new high-speed trains ordered for 2017. The aim is to get you from Glasgow to Pitlochry in less than an hour in maximum comfort. Pitlochry train station By Bus National Buses Coaches travel from Glasgow and Edinburgh in the south to Pitlochry and from Inverness in the north. www.citylink.co.uk Local Buses run from Pitlochry to the rest of Highland Perthshire. By Air Two of Scotland's principal airports are within easy driving distance. Edinburgh Airport is probably the easiest international airport to get to and from Pitlochry. There are two routes to Highland Perthshire one is over the Forth Road Bridge and the other is via . The Forth Road Bridge route is probably the quickest route to Pitlochry. Glasgow Airport is on the south side of Glasgow which means one has to drive through central Glasgow or the longer more scenic route by Loch Lomond, Crianlarich, Killin and Aberfeldy,

4 Easy Walks in Pitlochry History Trail - 1.5 hours Follow this historical trail and learn about Pitlochry's past as you walk up to the Moulin Kirk family history centre and then head over to the Atholl Palace Museum. Craigower and Pitlochry Golf course - 20 minutes to 3 hours Head steeply up hill to the golf course. Within a few minutes walk you'll start to see great views over Pitlochry which often look better under the dramatic skies of autumn and winter than the pure blue of summer. You can end your walk after 20 minutes at the Culic pond, where the swans and moor hens will greet you, or continue over the Golf course to the top of Craigower Hill to enjoy the views over to the West Coast on a clear day. Loch Faskally Walk - 90 minutes From the New Fisher's Hotel station entrance turn right and follow the winding road under the railway line, past the Children's amusement Centre, down to Loch Faskally. The walk around the Loch will take you past the boating station, where you can hire boats and fishing equipment. This walk can be extended to Loch Dunmore and joins the network of paths leading to the Bungee Jump Bridge and Killiecrankie visitor center. Dam and Fisher Ladder - 45 minutes From the New Fisher's Hotel station entrance, head through the white gate posts to the station. Climb over the station bridge (there are alternatives for those with buggies, bikes and wheelchairs) and walk towards the signal box on the northbound platform. From the signal box you will see the path down to the Dam and Fish ladder. Cross the dam and continue past the Festival Theatre where you may choose to visit the Explorer's Garden. Cross back over the river at the suspension bridge and follow the path to the recreation ground. You can choose to walk back to Fishers past the shops and restaurants or along the secluded station path. Dam & Fish Ladder

Cycling in Pitlochry Visitors from all over the world come regularly to very fittest to forest runs for beginners and the enjoy the beauty and scenic splendor of the whole family. A wide range of bikes are available Highlands of Scotland and the superb road cycling for hire in the town. and mountain biking opportunities this lovely part of Perthshire offers. If you come to Pitlochry on a cycling holidays or break on quiet roads and byways; allow ample time to explore this sensational land of hills, mountains, glens, lochs, seashores, folklore and history. The Pitlochry area is nationally recognized as one of the UK’s top locations for road and mountain bike cycling. For road cyclists the Pitlochry area boasts hundreds of miles of quiet country roads, large circular routes taking in mountain top, ski resort passes testing the

Whisky Galore in Pitlochry Founded in 1878 it is one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland. Situated in the very heart of Scotland and the place that Bell's calls home. The Nutty, rich malt is distilled at this distillery then added to the blend. Full of almonds, ginger cake and spices it gives Bell's that unique, sumptuous, richness. http://www.bells.co.uk

Edradour Distillery Edradour, hidden in the very heart of Scotland, Pitlochry. Despite Edradour being so small it produces more than majority of other distilleries. It still stands alone as the last stronghold of handmade single malt from a farm distillery which is still in production today since 1825. http://www.edradour.com/

Dalwhinnie Distillery The highest in Scotland, Distillery stands in the Cairngorm National Park at the heart of the . Approximately 40 minutes’ drive from Pitlochry, is located Dalwhinnie where there 15 year old single malt is originated, known as the gentle spirit. They pair their whisky with specially selected handmade chocolate for you to taste at the end of your tour. http://www.discovering- distilleries.com/dalwhinnie

Dewars World of Whisky – Aberfeldy Situated half an hour from Pitlochry is the beautiful small Market town, Aberfeldy. Even today, the Aberfeldy Distillery, is considered ‘The home to Dewar’s World of Whisky’ this is because it is of great importance as it is the home of the respected single malt that is the heart of the Dewar’s family blends. https://www.dewars.com/gl/en/aberfeldy distillery/

Activities in the Pitlochry Area Nae Limits Nae Limits award winning adventure center is located in , only a five minute drive from Pitlochry. Nae Limits is open all year round and offers a wide range of water and land adventure activities such as White Water Rafting, Canyoning, Quad Biking and much more. Activities suitable for all ages and no experience is necessary. http://www.naelimits.co.uk Highland Fling Bungee Highland Fling Bungee in Killiecrankie are the UK's first and only purpose built jump platform. A once-in-a- lifetime free-fall experience of 40 metres towards water from a bridge with one of Scotlands most iconic views. Open all year round http://www.bungeejumpscotland.co.uk Highland Safaris Highland Safaris winner of the 'best visitor experience' in Scotland combines the new Red Deer Centre with award winning exhilarating land rover safaris. inspired walking and biking activities and Perthshire's only Gold and Gem panning centre. Relax and enjoy the Highland Safaris cafe and shop set in a unique and stunning location. A truly authentic discovery of everything that makes Highland Safaris an exceptional destination. http://www.highlandsafaris.net

Historic sites near Pitlochry Blair Castle (8 miles) Home of the Duke of Atholl and Britain’s only private army – The Atholl Highlanders. Castle Menzies (15 miles) Ancestral home of Clan Menzies. (20 miles) A 4,000 year old Yew tree in the churchyard, said to be the oldest living thing in Europe. Glamis Castle (40 miles) Home of the Earl of Airlie and birthplace of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Killiekrankie (3 miles) Battlesite from 1689. Scone Palace (30 miles) Home of the Earl of Mansfield and ancient crowning place of Scottish Kings.