Things to See

Pitlochry, the geographic centre of Scotland, is a hidden gem for travellers wishing to explore the surrounding area and beyond. With the main trunk road (A9) to Inverness and the north skirting the town and the main rail link passing through it, the town makes an ideal stopping off point or base for a truly Scottish Highland break. Pitlochry is surrounded by a variety of beautiful landscapes, from the magical forest around Loch Faskally, to the heights of Ben y Vrackie, which makes up for its lack of munro status by looking dramatic, the rolling pastures of Perthshire and the flowing rivers Tummel & Tay. The Queen's View - said to be Queen Victoria's favourite vista, takes the breath of many visitors each year as the light changes over the shimmering loch and the great mountain, Schiehallion in the background. However, if you should tire of this pastoral feast, there are many other things to look at.

Castles

Just 7 miles to the north lies Blair Atholl and Blair Castle, seat of the Dukes of Atholl, which is such a classic example of a Scottish castle that it can be seen in miniature at Legoland, Windsor. The castle estate is the ideal venue for several annual occasions, such as the world renowned Blair Horse Trials, the Atholl Highlanders' parade and gathering and the Glenfiddich Piping Championships. www.blair-castle.co.uk Castle Menzies, 10 miles to the west, is a more raw and rugged building, suited to medieval fighting clans with few modern comforts.

Distilleries

Whisky connoisseurs will enjoy visiting many of the distilleries in Perthshire and the surrounding area. In particular, there are two local distilleries in Pitlochry, the picturesque Edradour which is the smallest working distillery in Scotland and Blair Athol Distillery. Nearby in Aberfeldy is the "Dewars World of Whisky", and in Crieff, you enjoy a day out to "The Famous Grouse Experience" www.edradour.co.uk

Fishing

Pitlochry Dam must rank as one of the best known of all Scotland's tourist attractions. Every year, an estimated 500,000 tourists visit the dam and fish ladder, making it one of Scotland's top six attractions. It is part of the Tummel-Garry Hydro-Electric scheme and is used to regulate the water level in the River Tummel, whilst generating up to 15MW of electricity. It has a highly acclaimed visitor centre and a salmon "ladder" that allow the fish to swim past it into the loch above. The fish ladder, 310m long and with 34 chambers, enables about 5,000 Atlantic salmon returning home from the northern oceans each year to reach their spawning grounds high in the rivers and streams of Glen Tilt and the Tummel Valley. This attracts many fishermen from all over the world in the hope of banking your fresh-run, silver Scottish springer. At the Atholl Palace we can arrange salmon or trout fishing breaks.

Gardens

In 2003 the Theatre opened the Scottish Plant Explorers Garden, with spaces for open air performances. This unique garden celebrates the achievements of the Scottish Explorers who brought back plants from all over the world, such as the Douglas Fir and Rhododendron which are now so familiar in our landscape. The Explorers Garden was envisaged and built in concurrence with the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh www.pitlochry.org.uk

History

The whole district is steeped in ancient history. The oldest sites to visit are the Pictish Dunfallandy stone and the bronze age Crannog in Loch Tay, and countless stone circles. Pitlochry is currently developing a history trail, which includes the ruined 'Black Castle', abandoned after a Plague, disused lime kilns and the bronze age homestead which is being excavated in the Black Spout woods, next to the Atholl Palace. 12 miles to the south lies Dunkeld with its ancient Cathedral and the 'Birnam Oak' part of the 'Birnam Woods' mentioned in Shakespeare's famous Scottish Play. More recent history and archives from local families are displayed in the Moulin Kirk which now includes a genealogy centre where volunteers are happy to help anyone tracing their family roots. And of course, you can visit the Atholl Palace Museum located in the garden level of the hotel, where you can find out stories about the people who built, worked at and visited the Atholl Palace from the time building began in 1874, until today.

Shopping

The pretty town of Pitlochry, many times winner of Scotland in Bloom and Britain in Bloom awards, is a gentle stroll from the Hotel. See pitlochryinbloom.co.uk for examples of their stunning displays. The well kept Victorian main street is filled with small, independent shops with unique merchandise and well worth a browse. The nearby small towns of Aberfeldy and Dunkeld also have a unique character and small interesting boutiques. Ten miles north is the House of Bruar, a shopping experience often described as 'the Harrods of the North'.

Theatre

Modern Attractions include Pitlochry's renowned Festival Theatre, details of its programme, which changes daily, can be found at www.pitlochry.org.uk. They have plays, music, talks and courses running throughout the year.