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Town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland
Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Pitlochry is a town in Perth and Kinross with a population in 2021 of 2950. It's 27 miles north of Perth in the valley of the River Tummel, long a major route between the Lowlands and the central Highlands. It grew up as a tourist resort in the Victorian era, especially after the coming of the railway in 1863. Later developments largely passed it by, so it retains its Victorian centre, which is all the more pleasant since the main road A9 was diverted onto a bypass in 1981.
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Pitlochry Dam was completed in 1951, blocking the River Tummel to create Loch Faskally, 3 miles long. The dam incorporates a fish ladder (with windows to view underwater) to enable salmon to get upstream. The dam complex generates hydro-electric power for the National Grid.
The church was built in 1873 and now houses a local history museum.
There's a programme of theatre year-round, and Pitlochry Festival has been held since 1951 - for its first 30 years in a marquee, now in this theatre. The summer programme runs June-Sep each year.
Whisky and luxury chocolate tasting sessions, called "flings".
McKays has a restaurant, pub with bar food & live music and TV sport, fish & chips takeaway, and rooms.
An old forge refurbished into a restaurant. Wheelchair accessible.
Rave reviews for this restaurant with rooms in the scenic gorge.
It's owned by Diageo and most of the product is blended, but they do issue a single malt, the 12 year old Blair Athol. The pricier the tour, the more whisky you sample, from the standard at £19 up to the "Experience" at £100. As they sagely point out, "please ensure you make suitable transport arrangements."
Small brewery producing Ale of Atholl, Braveheart, Old Remedial and Light Ale, all sold in the public bar connected to the hotel.
Edradour, founded in 1825, produces a range of single malt Scotch whiskies: expert tasters use descriptions like rum, caramel, fruity, sweet. It's said to be the smallest legal whisky distillery in Scotland. The minimum used to be 1800 litres still capacity — anything smaller was likely to be producing moonshine — but a 2009 legal case threw out the minimum and opened the way to micro-, craft, or boutique distilleries. The distillery is closed for tours in 2024.
Clean well-run caravan site open Mar-Oct, but no camping. Dogs welcome on lead.
Welcoming well-run hostel on main street.
Great 62-bed hostel near town centre in a fine stone mansion, dog-friendly. Nov-March it's only available for exclusive use eg school groups.
Central reliable hotel.
Comfy hotel with good service and dining.
Tatty exterior, interior creaky but comfy enough.
Simply outstanding for comfort, service and dining. No children under 10, only one room for dogs. Closed mid Dec to mid Feb.
Gothic but welcoming, central.
Boxy modern place above town but comfy and good dining - it's the Cidsin Indian restaurant.
Splendid upscale Victorian pile in woodland east of town.
Bright modern B&B open March-Dec.
Stylish place in a quiet setting, dog-friendly.
Great welcoming Victorian country house overlooking the reservoir, good dining.
Upscale spa hotel south bank of the river, in a Baronial mansion of 1892.
Refurbished Victorian station hotel, high scores for comfort, service and dining. They also have rooms in the nearby Ballintaggart Farm and run a cookery school there.
Wonderful little inn, great service and views.
16-bedroom hotel that has been in the same ownership for 35 years.
Bike sales, hire and repair.
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