Atholl Palace, Pitlochry

Speaker: Rachel Roberts (Standard British accent)

Pitlochry was just a break on my journey between the two Scottish cities of Edinburgh and Inverness. However, when I arrived, I realized that it deserved more than an overnight stay.

A Wonderful View

Pitlochry sits in some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen. It is surrounded by mountains, and a pretty river runs through the town. Ben Vrackie may not be Scotland’s highest mountain, but it provides a wonderful view and can be climbed without too much difficulty. These hills are also popular for mountain biking and horse riding, as well as walking.

A LONG WAY DOWN

When we arrived at our B&B, Tir Aluinn, the owners came out to greet us with friendly smiles and lots of local information and tips on things to do. Top of their list was the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, which shows an incredible eight performances a week. To get there we crossed the River Tummel by a really interesting bridge. If you are scared of heights, be warned – the bridge moves quite a lot and it’s a long way down!

FISH AND WHISKY

There we saw the fish ladder built for salmon to travel up the river.  Part of the ladder is made of glass from which we could see the salmon making this amazing effort. The next day, we postponed our journey and went to Blair (Atholl) Castle, then on a guided tour of the Blair Athol whisky distillery on the south edge of town. Opened in 1798, it’s one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries.

What Else Would We Do?

If we go back to Pitlochry again, we’ll visit Scotland’s smallest whisky distillery, Edradour. We’ll have time to shop for Scottish souvenirs. We’ll explore Pitlochry’s mountains and do some biking or hiking. If I go back there, it’ll be for a proper holiday – not just a quick break.

Find out more at www.pitlochry.org