Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
9
Killin
he mountains
of Breadalbane
(pronounced “bred-albin”, from the Gaelic
“braghaid Albin” meaning “high country of Scotland”) loom over the southern end
of Loch Tay. Glens Lochay and Dochart curve north and south respectively from
the small town of
Killin
, right in the centre of which the River Dochart comes
rushing down over the frothy
Falls of Dochart
before disgorging into Loch Tay. A
short distance west of Killin the A827 meets the A85, linking the Trossachs with
Crianlarich (see p.295), an important waypoint on the roads to Oban, Fort William
and the west coast.
here's little to do in Killin itself, but it makes a convenient base for some of the area's
best walks.
INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES
KILLIN
Tourist information
Located on the ground floor of the
old watermill by the falls (Daily: April-Oct 10am-4pm).
Killin Outdoor Centre and Mountain Shop
Main
Street
T
01567 820652,
W
killinoutdoor.co.uk.
If you're
interested in outdoor activities, make for the helpful and
enthusiastic Killin Outdoor Centre and Mountain Shop,
which rents
out mountain bikes, canoes and tents.
Daily
8.45am-5.45pm.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Falls of Dochart Inn
Gray Street
T
01567 820270,
W
falls-of-dochart-inn.co.uk.
Killin's best place to grab a
bite to eat is this attractive, stone-walled pub, right above
the famous rapids; the varied menu includes braised lemon
sole for £13.95.
Daily noon-11pm.
The Old Smiddy
Main Street
T
01567 820619,
W
theoldsmiddykillin.co.uk.
Offers three neat B&B rooms
near the centre of the town, two of which have views of the
river. The bistro-style café do
wnst
airs is a popular spot for
cakes (£2.95) and ice creams.
£56
Highland Perthshire
North of the Tay Valley,
Highland Perthshire
doesn't discard its lush richness
immediately, but there are clear indications of the more rugged, barren influences of
the Highlands proper here. he principal settlements of
Pitlochry
and
Blair Atholl
,
both just off the A9, are separated by the narrow gorge of Killiecrankie. hough there
are reasons to stop in both places, inevitably the greater rewards are to be found
further from the main drag, most notably in the winding westward road along the
shores of
Loch Tummel
and
Loch Rannoch
past the distinctive peak of
Schiehallion
,
which eventually leads to the remote wilderness of
Rannoch Moor
.
Pitlochry
PITLOCHRY
is undoubtedly a useful place to find somewhere to stay or eat en route to
or from the Highlands. However, there's little charm to be found on its main street,
with its crawling tra
c and endless shops selling cut-price woollens and knobbly
walking sticks to tourists, who use the town as a starting point for scenic hikes (see
p.334). Far more appealing is the area south of the river, which is home to a renowned
theatre and a serene botanical garden.
Edradour Distillery
Two and a half miles east of Pitlochry • March & April Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun noon-4pm; May-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun
noon-5pm; Nov-Feb Mon-Sat 10am-4pm • £7.50 •
W
www.edradour.com
he
Edradour Distillery
- Scotland's smallest - has an idyllic position - tucked into the
hills a couple of miles east of Pitlochry on the A924. Although the tour of the
distillery itself isn't out of the ordinary, the lack of industralization and the fact that
the whole traditional process is done on site give Edradour more personality than
many of its rivals.
