Holiday rentals in Pitlochry

Set amid moorland, tumbling burns, and forest, this attractive Victorian town on the River Tummel is at the centre of Highland Perthshire, and is one of Scotland’s largest hubs. All the facilities of a major town are here — interesting shops, pubs, and restaurants; a great theatre; and two of the region’s most important distilleries. Yet the beguiling natural environment is more befitting of some remote outpost. Backed by the peak of Ben Vrackie — with the foothills of the Grampian Mountains to the south, Loch Tay and Loch Tummel to the west, and the monster mountains of the Cairngorms National Park to the north — incredible scenery lies in every direction, making it a perfect base for hiking into the wilds. The area is deeply historic too, with sites such as Blair Castle and Killiecrankie, an evocative place and site of a Jacobite battle.

Autumn is the best season in Pitlochry, when nature lovers come to embrace the popular pastime of leaf-peeping. Nearby woodlands turn fiery hues of burnished copper, sandstone red, and crimson. Top spots include the Pass of Killiecrankie, Tay Forest, Allean Forest, and Faskally Woods, which lights up in sylvan wonder for its spectacular Enchanted Forest illuminations in October. Some attractions are closed in winter, but snow means skiing and winter mountaineering in the resorts of the Cairngorms. Pitlochry’s Winter Lighting Scheme brightens the town with twinkling lights from October to February; the long-running Winter Words Festival brings famous authors, broadcasters, and adventurers in February, and there’s one hell of a knees-up at the New Year’s Street Party on New Year’s Day.

Cyclists can enter the Etape Caledonia event, which begins and ends in the town. If tossing the caber is more your vibe, the Pitlochry Highland Games hurls traditional Scottish sports and music into the calendar in September.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre

The Edinburgh Festival isn’t the only place in Scotland to see ground-breaking theatre. The Pitlochry Festival Theatre, aka Scotland’s “Theatre in the Hills,” has a constant turnover of brilliant shows, from classic adaptations to new work by leading Scottish playwrights and scratch performances that road-test scenes from plays still in development.

Explorers Garden

Next to the theatre, the Explorers Garden references the Scottish explorers of the last two centuries, who travelled the globe unearthing new plant and tree species. Glades represent each area of the world, featuring rarities such as blue Himalayan poppies, familiar species like azaleas and lupins, and sculptures.

Blair Atholl

The village of Blair Atholl is home to myriad attractions, not least Blair Castle, a white wedding cake of a construction that has stood as gatekeeper to the Highlands for 700 years, now offering tours of its opulent rooms and gorgeous gardens. The village’s old watermill has been put back into use to grind flour for bread that you can buy in the tea shop and bakery. Nearby, visit the pretty Falls of Bruar to see waterfalls and a sheer-sided gorge.