Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
9
Explorers: the Scottish Plant Hunters' Garden
Across the river from the town centre, near the theatre • April-Oct daily 10am-5pm (last entry 4.15pm) • £4, tours £1 extra •
W
explorersgarden.com
If you want to escape the bustle of Pitlochry's main drag, it's worth having a wander
around
Explorers: the Scottish Plant Hunters' Garden
, a garden and forest area that pays
tribute to Scottish botanists and collectors who roamed the world in the eighteenth
and nineteenth centuries in search of new plant species. An open-air amphitheatre in
the grounds is sometimes used for outdoor performances.
Pitlochry Power Station and Dam
A short stroll upstream to the west of the theatre is the
Pitlochry Power Station and
Dam
, a massive concrete wall that harnesses the water of artificial Loch Faskally, just
north of the town, for hydroelectric power. Near the base of the dam there's a small
observation cabin where you can take a peek at the underwater workings of Pitlochry's
salmon ladder
, a staircase of murky glass boxes through which you might see some
nonplussed fish making their way upstream past the dam. An electronic counter shows
how many of them have successfully completed the climb.
With parking available at the theatre, nearby, the dam makes a good starting
point for a complete loop of the loch (around nine miles to the Pass of Killiecrankie
and back).
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
PITLOCHRY
By train
Pitlochry is on the main train
line to Inverness.
The station is on Station Rd, just south of the centre.
Destinations: Inverness (every 1-2hrs; 1hr 35min); Perth
(every 1-2 hrs; 30min).
By bus
Buses from Perth stop near the train station.
Destinations
Inverness (7 daily; 2hr 10min); Perth (every
1-2hrs; 40min).
INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES
Tourist o
ce
22 Atholl Rd (March Mon-Sat
9.30am-4.30pm, Sun 11am-3pm; April-June Mon-Sat
9.30am-5.30am, Sun 10am-4pm; July & Aug Mon-Sat
9.30am-6.30pm, Sun 9.30am-5.30pm; Sept & Oct Mon-
Sat 9.30am-4.30pm, Sun 10am-4pm; Nov-Feb Mon-Sat
9.30am-4.30pm;
T
01796 472215). Can sell you a guide
to walks in the surrounding area (£1) and also offers an
accommodation booking service.
Bike rental
For bike rental (£24/day), advice on local cycling
routes, as well as general outdoor gear, try Escape Route, 3
Atholl Rd (
T
01796 473859,
W
escape-route.biz).
Mon-Sat
9am-5.30pm, Sun 10am-5pm; closed Wed in Nov.
WALKS AROUND PITLOCHRY
BEN VRACKIE
Pitlochry is surrounded by good walking country. The biggest lure has to be
Ben Vrackie
(2733ft; Ordnance Survey Explorer map 386), which provides a stunning backdrop for the
town, and deserves better than a straight up-and-down walk. However, the climb should only
be attempted in settled weather conditions and if you're properly prepared.
The direct route up the hill follows the course of the Moulin burn past the inn of the same
name. Alternatively, a longer but much more rewarding circular route heads northwest out of
Pitlochry, along the edge of Loch Faskally, then up the River Garry to go through the
Pass of
Killiecrankie
. This is looked after by the NTS, which has a visitor centre (see p.405) providing
background on the famous battle here. From the NTS centre follow the route past Old Faskally
to meet the main track at
Loch a'Choire. Alternatively, you can turn back here and loop around
Loch Faskally instead.
BLACK SPOUT
A lovely short hill walk from the south end of Pitlochry follows a path through oak forests
along the banks of the
Black Spout
burn; when you emerge from the woods it's just a few
hundred yards further uphill to the lovely Edradour Distillery (see p.333).
