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Pitlochry is a town in Perth and Kinross with around 2,800 inhabitants. It is situated along River Tummel.

Main street

Understand

Get in

Pitlochry station

By train

Pitlochry Railway Station (PIT) is on the Highland Main Line from Perth to Inverness, which offers some fantastic views. Services are operated by Scotrail. Direct trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow take 1.5 - 2 hours.

By bus

Scottish Citylink coaches from Edinburgh and Glasgow (via Perth) to Inverness stop in the main street.

Get around

  • The best way to get around the local area is by car.
  • 2 Escape Route, 3 Atholl Road, PH16 5BX, +44 1796 473859. Bike hire is available from this bicycle shop on main road; turn right if exitting station; at a cost of £24 per day (24 hours) or £18 for half a day (until the shop shuts at 1700).

See

  • 1 Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder, Pitlochry, PH16 5DR, +44 1796 472680. Pitlochry Dam was constructed between 1947 and 1951, creating a man-made loch as well as a breeding site for greylag geese. This loch was named Loch Faskally and is approximately 5 kilometres long. The dam is home to the famous Pitlochry salmon ladder which provides a route for the salmon to make their way upstream along the River Tummel, beyond the dam itself. The dam is also significant for its contribution to the post-WW2 development of hydro-electric power which brought electricity to the Highlands.

Do

Edradour Distillery
  • 2 Edradour Distillery, Pitlochry, PH16 5JP, +44 1796 472002. Tours only between mid-April and mid-October. Edradour is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky made in Pitlochry. The distillery is reputed to be the smallest in Scotland. Established in 1825, the distillery has always been run by three men. Only fifteen casks are produced each week. The stills are the smallest in use of any distillery in Scotland. Were they any smaller, they would be deemed by HM Revenue and Customs to be portable, with the implicit capacity for illegal production. There is a variety of whiskies available from the distillery. Most are chill-filtered, a process by which the esters and oils are removed, producing a cleaner look to the whisky, which when chilled or has ice added to it does not turn cloudy. There is also a non-chill-filtered 12-year-old malt, some of which goes into the "House of Lords" and "Clan Campbell" blends. They have a paid tour (£7.50) which includes two drams (at the beginning of the tour, not at the end as in most other distilleries).
  • 3 Blair Athol Distillery, Perth Road, PH16 5LY (About 15 min walking distance from the town centre along the main road A924), +44 1796 482003. Tours throughout the year. Only a small amount of the whisky produced here is used for their only single malt whisky, the 12 year old Blair Athol. The rest of the whisky is used for blending. The distillery is owned by Diageo. The standard tour takes about 45min, includes a sample of the above whisky and costs £7.
Ben Vrackie
  • Go for a walk in the surrounding countryside. If you have the right kit and experience you can hike up Ben Vrackie (841m). The hike starts close to the Moulin Brewery and Hotel, takes around 4 hours return and involves an ascent of about 700m. See Walkhighlands for a detailed description of the hike.

Buy

  • House of Bruar, By Blair Atholl, PH18 5TZ (Follow the A9 north past Blair Atholl), +44 1796 483236. Located ten miles north of Pitlochry on the A9, the Falls of Bruar are a spectacular series of pools and waterfalls that are well worth a look if you're visiting the House of Bruar. One of the most picturesque walks in Pitlochry, the Falls of Bruar is a site of stunning natural beauty as the Bruar Water cuts a dramatic gorge through the rugged and rocky tree-lined landscape. Best viewed when in full torrent after heavy rain (not an uncommon occurrence in Scotland!), the Falls of Bruar are a truly stunning sight that really should be taken in if you're in the Pitlochry area. And with the House of Bruar conveniently located at the foot of the Falls, you can make a real day of it!
  • 1 Moulin Brewery, PH16 5EW, +44 1796 472196. A small local brewery adjacent to the Moulin Hotel.
  • There is a larger Co-operative supermarket in the town centre at the beginning of West Moulin Road (A924).

Eat

  • 1 McKays Restaurant and Bar, 138 Atholl Road, PH16 5AG, +44 1796 473888. McKays is known for good pub food, live music and live TV sport in Pitlochry.
  • The Auld Smiddy, 154 Atholl Road, PH16 5AG, +44 1796 472356, . An old forge that has been completely refurbished and is now a wonderful place to drink and to eat. They are open for tea, coffee and wonderful sweet things from 11 in the morning and from 12 the bar serves great whiskies and local real ale. The food ranges from sandwiches to traditional fare. Enjoy your welcome from the extremely friendly staff and settle down for a real treat. Wheelchair and children friendly.
  • 2 Strathgarry Restaurant & Rooms, 113 Atholl Road, +44 1796 472469. Daily 09:00-21:00. Pub/restaurant offering traditional Scottish dishes. They also have six guest rooms. Dinner mains: £11-12.
  • 3 Cafe Biba, 40 Atholl Road, PH16 5BX, +44 1796 473294. Open daily. Mar-Nov until 21:00; Dec-Feb until early evening.

Drink

  • 1 Kingfisher Bar, 75-79 Atholl Road, PH16 5BN (In Fishers Hotel), +44 1796 472027. Bar with food in this central hotel. Mains around £10.
  • 2 The Old Mill Inn, Mill Lane, PH16 5BH, +44 1796 474020. Food daily till 21:00. Bar, restaurant and hotel. Live music generally on Fridays and Saturdays. Dinner mains around £14-20.

Sleep

  • 4 Pitlochry Youth Hostel, Knockard Road, PH16 5HJ, 0870 004 1145 (high cost number). Great 62 bed hostel near the town centre in a fine stone mansion.

Go next

Go to Dunkeld and Birnam to see a tree from Shakespeare's Birnam Wood.


This city travel guide to Pitlochry is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.