The Central Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 144

ENTERTAINMENT
Pitlochry Festival Theatre Port na Craig, on the south
side of the river T 01796 484626, W pitlochry.org.uk.
On the southern edge of Pitlochry, just across the river,
lies Scotland's renowned “Theatre in the Hills“. A variety
of productions - mostly mainstream theatre from the

resident repertoire company, along with regular music
events - are staged in the summer season and on ad hoc
dates the rest of the year. Box o ce daily: May-Oct
9am-8pm; Nov-April 9am-5pm.

2

Pass of Killiecrankie
NTS visitor centre: 4 miles north of Pitlochry along the A9 • Daily: mid-March-Oct 10am-5.30pm • Free; parking £2
Four miles north of Pitlochry, the A9 cuts through the Pass of Killiecrankie , a
breathtaking wooded gorge that falls away to the River Garry below. This dramatic
setting was the site of the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689, when the Jacobites crushed the
forces of General Mackay. Legend has it that one soldier of the Crown, fleeing for his
life, made a miraculous jump across the eighteen-foot Soldier's Leap , an impossibly
wide chasm halfway up the gorge. Queen Victoria, visiting here 160 years later,
contented herself with recording the beauty of the area in her diary.
Exhibits at the slick NTS visitor centre , which sits inside the boundaries of the
Loch Tummel National Scenic Area, recall the battle and examine the gorge in detail.
The surroundings here are thick, mature forest, full of interesting plants and creatures.
If you visit during the springtime keep a lookout for the centre's webcams, which are
trained on nearby nesting spots.

Blair Atholl
Three miles north of the Pass of Killiecrankie, the village of BLAIR ATHOLL makes for a
much quieter and more idiosyncratic stop than Pitlochry. Understandably popular with
day-trippers for the extravagant Blair Castle, there are also plenty of walks and bike
rides to enjoy in the surrounding countryside.

Blair Castle
Just off the B8079, midway between the train station and the bridge over the River Tilt • April-Oct daily 9.30am-5.30pm (last admission
4.30pm); Nov-March occasional weekends only (see website for details) • Castle and grounds £9.80; grounds £5.40 • W blair-castle.co.uk
Seat of the Atholl dukedom, whitewashed, turreted Blair Castle , surrounded by
parkland and dating from 1269, presents an impressive sight as you approach up the
drive. A piper, one of the Atholl Highlanders, may be playing in front of the castle; this
select group was retained by the duke as his private army - a unique privilege afforded
to him by Queen Victoria, who stayed here in 1844.
Thirty or so rooms display a selection of paintings, antique furniture and plasterwork
that is sumptuous in the extreme. Highlights are the soaring entrance hall , with every
spare inch of wood panelling covered in weapons of some description, and the vast
ballroom , with its timber roof, antlers and mixture of portraits.
As impressive as the castle's interior are its surroundings: Highland cows graze the
ancient landscaped grounds and peacocks strut in front of the castle. There is a
riding stable from where you can take treks, and formal woodland walks take you to
various parts of the castle grounds, including the walled water garden and the towering
giant conifers of Diana's Grove.

Atholl Country Life Museum
A 5min walk east of the train station along the B8079 • May-Sept daily 1.30-5pm; July & Aug Mon-Fri 10am-5pm • £3 • T 01796 481232,
W athollcountrylifemuseum.org
he modest Atholl Country Life Museum offers a homespun and nostalgic look at the
history of life in the local glens. In among the old photos and artefacts, the star attraction
is a stuffed, full-sized Highland cow; according to the owners, it's the only one of its kind.