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Transcript of Explore Highland Perthshire Newsletter 2014
1
Good luck to us
all in the 2009
Tourist Season.
In the year of
The
Homecoming
Explore Scotland News
Would you believe that we have been working in
Pitlochry and Highland Perthshire since 1996,
eighteen years! In these years we have seen a lot
of change in
how we access the
tourist market,
how the visitors are
looking and
finding infor-
mation for their
holidays.
The big change in
this time has
been how the
tourism industry
has had to em-
brace the inter-
net. Back in 2000 many holiday makers arrived in
their destination and headed for the Tourist Office
to collect information. Today visitors do much of
their planning on line.
Our focus as Explore Scotland has been to provide
information on specific areas of Scotland, much of
which does not have a web site or championed by
some business or enterprise. I call these the gold
nuggets, the special pieces of information, that
when you are on holiday make your holiday a bit
different.
Our new Explore web sites (new in 2012), have
made use of the latest technology. They are ac-
cessible through all types of devices from mobile
phones, tablets, net books to desk top computers.
They use Google language translator (for all those
whose first language is not English), Google Maps
to show locations and a direction planner through
out the web site. There is also a Trip Planner on
each Explore web site, where visitors can go round
the web site collecting all the things that catch
their eye from Events to attractions and those
‘gold nuggets’ that they do not find on other sites.
They can print this off and bring it with them on
holiday, to remind them what caught their eye
when they were doing their holiday research.
We have also learnt that Events can make a big
difference to people’s holidays. Events are gener-
ally scattered across a whole host of web sites,
that most holiday makers will never have the time
nor the energy to trawl through. So we have spe-
cialised in pulling the events together in place and
made them highly usable (see the article on page
3).
The big hitters on the Internet.
The big money generators on the internet are the
accommodation booking engines, which charge
commission to the owners and the purchaser,
making millions in the process.
None of
us like to
travel to a
destina-
tion not
knowing
where we
are going
to stay. It
would be
a real
lottery
and high-
ly stress-
Explore Highland Perthshire.
Thanks to the many businesses that have contributed to this start of the season news!
April 2014
Explore Scotland Ltd 01796 473335 [email protected] The newsletter
Gives you the latest tourist
business news
Written by the businesses
themselves
Highland Perthshire
Newsletter 2014
Did you know?
Cycle tourism—it is
calculated that the
Gross Value Added
of Scottish leisure
cycling is £58.5
million.
2
ful. So we search, taking
time to work out where we
can stay and our broad trav-
el itinerary, while we are still
at home. The hour by day
plans are often left for when
we are on holiday, such as
where we are going to eat,
and do.
Despite all this technology
people still like to have
something they can read in
their hand, preferably with
maps to help them make
these decisions. This is
where our Explore Guides fit, the Explore
guides do not sell accommodation, which
we believe is for the internet, but it does set
out to promote the area in a easy to use
informative style (no graffiti adverts, where
businesses buy a space and splash what
ever they want on it, trying to out compete
the other spaces sold in the publication).
We control the information format and style.
Many visitors tell us they collect the guides
for the different areas and take them home
as their holiday souvenir.
Accommodation providers are part of the
Explore Scotland team. The Explore guides
were devel-
oped back in
2000 with
lots of excel-
lent feedback
and construc-
tive criticisms
from accom-
modation
providers that
have shaped
today’s Ex-
plore Guides.
Our objective
has always
been to give
accommodation providers a reasonable
quality publication, that promotes their area
to their guests. Maps supported by good
information helps them learn the choices
they have and hopefully encourages some
of them to stay longer and others to come
back again, as there was so much to do.
Last year we added an extra 4 pages to the
Explore Highland Perthshire Brochure with
maps of Kenmore, Aberfeldy and an en-
hanced map of Dunkeld. In addition we
made the area map full page on the back
page of the brochure. We are pleased to say
we had lots of comments in approval. We
very much appreciate your feedback, as
without it we not know what needs to be
changed next.
Talking of change this year the Pitlochry
Map has been extended to include the
Black Spout walk to Edradour Distillery, also
the Ben-y-Vrackie Car Park just north of
Moulin, both of which we were asked to
add, as they are both sort after spots by the
visitors.
Eileen Owens
who has worked
with us for eight
years, is retir-
ing.
We would like to
thank Eileen for
all the work she
has put in to
help our little
business work.
Over these eight
years Eileen has seen different web sites,
new graphic packages and of course all her
work with the What’s On not just here in
Highland Perthshire, but St Andrews, Stirling
and Inverness too. THANK YOU Eileen!!!
Explore Scotland News
Page 2 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Victoria’s Restaurant Fiona, Angus John & family look forward
to welcoming you to Victoria's Restaurant
in Pitlochry this coming season.
At Victoria's, the dining experience is a
stylish blend of daytime speciality coffee
house merging seamlessly into a chic
evening eatery. Open from 10am until
late and serving mouth-watering food
from breakfast through to dinner, menus
include a wide choice of dishes from pa-
tisserie and pasta to steak, seafood &
fajitas.
Our aim is simple, to make sure that each
and every customer to Victoria’s has an
excellent dining experience no matter if
you’re just popping in for a coffee and some
of our delicious home baking or if you’re
celebrating something special with a mouth-
watering meal.
Our team of dedicated, long-standing
staff are once again on hand to offer our
trademark friendly and consistently excel-
lent service and we’re looking forward to
seeing faces old and new over the com-
ing months.
As always, we like to keep in touch with
our customers through email newsletters
and our facebook and twitter pages, so if
you’d like to receive news and offers from
us, be sure to sign up through our web-
site at www.victorias-pitlochry.co.uk.
You’ll also be able to see what’s happening
on Pitlochry’s Atholl Road by viewing our live
web-cam, also available on our site.
3
The Iron Age team at the Scottish Crannog
Centre has had a busy winter this year be-
tween sorting out their flooded grounds,
continuing their hazel coppice project and
coordinating Kenmore’s WinterWeek+ festi-
val (www.winterweek.co.uk)
Now the team is focusing on refurbishing
their indoor exhibits and Giftshop, with a
new layout and several new displays
planned. More conserved artefacts will be
on display, including a rare example of an
early cultivation tool similar to an ard, and
there will be several new themes and DVDs
to view. The Centre will be a hive of activity
in the coming weeks as they work to com-
plete the changes in time for Easter.
Another project currently underway is the
redevelopment of the Scottish Crannog
Centre website at www.crannog.co.uk
Working with archaeology student Christina
Gilfedder, from the University of Glasgow,
the team is seeking feedback about the
website. Christina has designed a short
online survey as the first stage of consulta-
tion which forms part of her research. The
survey is not traceable to you, is multiple
choice and takes just 3 minutes of your
time. Christina and the Crannog Crew would
welcome your input, so please take a look
at the website first and then follow this link
t o c o m p l e t e t h e s u r v e y :
http//freeonlinesurveys.com/s.asp?si
d=3k4k1objq5ih395048
The Centre is also looking forward to host-
ing several university students this year
between April and October from Scotland,
the USA and from Austria. The 5-12 week
long work placements provide valuable ex-
perience for the students and staff alike
while supporting new events and activities.
There is an expanded events programme for
2014 embracing several experimental ar-
chaeology projects relating to Iron Age cook-
ing, textiles and metalworking which are
being developed by staff with a passion for
those crafts. The first events this year are
both food-related: a Pancake Day for Easter
Sunday, 20th April and the annual Celtic
Food & Drink Festival on Sunday, 27th April.
The events do not require booking and run
from 11am to 4pm, while the Centre is open
daily from the 1st April from 10am to
5:30pm. As always, volunteers are wel-
come. Event details are updated regularly at
www.crannog.co.uk and on our Facebook
p a g e s a t
www.facebook.com/scottishcrannogcentre.
For further information please telephone on
01887 830583 or email the team at in-
Photos:
High water level at the Scottish Crannog
Centre. (copyright The Scottish Crannog
Centre)
A rare example of an early Iron Age cultiva-
tion tool found at the 2,500 year old site of
Oakbank Crannog in Loch Tay. (copyright T
N Dixon)
The Scottish Crannog Centre at Kenmore
Page 3 April 2014
“Now the team is
focusing on
refurbishing
their indoor
exhibits and Gift
Shop, with a
new layout and
several new
displays
4
Page 4 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
News from the Logierait Inn The team at Logierait Inn
have for some time been
toying with the idea of con-
centrating the focus of the
chefs and the kitchen team
on the two courses; Mains
and Desserts.
This will allow the Logierait
team to focus all their efforts
on these two dishes and en-
sure that they are of the best
quality, while giving the cus-
tomers a good and efficient
service.
It will also allow the chefs to
produce a range of daily spe-
cials. For those who are peck-
ish while waiting for their main
course, there will be a selec-
tion of sharing platters.
The Inn will be serving food all
day Wednesday to Sundays
from 12 noon to 8.30pm mid
April to Nov.
Hetties Tearoom
As we surface from the wettest winter most
of us can remember, it is nice to think East-
er is just around the corner ... with Summer
a hop and a skip after that! All the signs are
for a healthy season for us all in 2014, what
with those green shoots everyone is talking
about, the golf and the commonwealth
games... we should all be really
positive, kicking our heels al-
most!!
At Hetties we are also very posi-
tive. .. with good reason too …we
have a new arrival due
any day now. Now be-
fore you go thinking. .she
must be younger than
she looks... it's not that
type of arrival I am talk-
ing about – gone are the
days!!
In Spring we are launch-
ing our 26th tea. And if
you don't know what I am
talking about.. ….at Het-
tie's we have our very own tea
brand. Hettie's, hand blend-
ed, loose leaf Teas, exclusively
available in Hetties Tearoom and
from Hetties website. These teas
have been developed right here
in Pitlochry with the help of our wonderful
Tea Blender!
With names like Morning Cuppa, Hettie in
the Heather, Little Miss Spice Girls, Zing a
Ling a Ding Dong and Pucker Up Lover.... it
is no boring tea brand, it is a great fun,
great quality, contemporary tea brand. Our
new addition which we are super excited
about is our Perthshire Tea. This is a won-
derful blended black tea, A tea with all the
heritage of Blair Castle, a fla-
vour as deep as the Tay, colour
like The Birks in October and a
taste that satisfies like a hike
up Schiehallion! In short it's
damn good! And, it will be avail-
able in Hetties Tearoom very
soon.
So as you can see there is lots
more to Hettie's than those
enormous cakes and scones in
the window and the teal and
pink décor! Hettie's Tearooms is the home
of Hettie's Teas which have we are very
proud to say been sent to customers on
every continent in the World.
So when you trot passed Hettie's next
time? Think about The Green Eyed God-
dess, The Very Fair Maid, Berrytastic Baby
and Milly Molly Minty.... all waiting to be
sampled inside!
Happy slurping!
“These teas
have been
developed
right here in
Pitlochry “
5
Highland Safaris continues to build on its
reputation as an inimitable Five Star Visitor
Centre with the opening of the new Red
Deer Centre this Easter, with the official
opening on 23rd May with John Swinney
MSP.
This investment underlines Highland Safaris
ongoing commitment to delivering authen-
tic, value for money experiences in order to
encourage new visitors to Highland Safaris
and inspire past guests to return. Drawing
inspiration from the unique Highland Perth-
shire environment – its wildlife, trees, and
historical past, Highland Safaris is effective-
ly using Scotland’s most valuable natural
assets to put its Visitor Centre firmly on the
map in this important year of Homecoming.
Directors Donald and Julie Rid-
dle said ‘The iconic Red Deer
has been key to the develop-
ment of Highland Safaris as a
Visitor Attraction - the Red Deer
Centre with its dedicated Feed-
ing Barn was a natural addition
to our offering . It will enable
exciting interpretation and inter-
action with our tame Red Deer
herd allowing visitors to come
face to face with and even hand-
feed Britain’s largest land mam-
mal safely in the company of our
experienced, knowledgeable
Safari Rangers. Furthermore, the new cen-
tre will facilitate the addition of a brand new
species in the form of a Barn Owl with the
opportunity for customers to learn about
and handle this fascinating bird’.
Richard Pinn, Regional Director at
VisitScotland said: “This new Red
Deer Centre is an excellent addi-
tion to Highland Safaris already
outstanding tourism offering. ….
Our natural environment is the
number one reason why people
visit Scotland, so to have a centre
where visitors can come face to
face with some of our most beauti-
ful wildlife is a real feather in High-
land Safaris’ cap.”
This family-run enterprise has
grown over the last 20 years
to attract in the region of
45,000 visitors annually from
all over the world. Highland Safaris was the
first UK business to offer Land Rover Safaris
and has also seen tremendous growth in
Event Management. However, other aspects
of Highland Safaris such as the award-
winning café, Gold and Gem Panning Centre
(unique in Scotland), the Gift Shop and
Mountain Bike Trail Centre have contributed
to making this diverse operation a must visit
destination in Highland Perthshire.
Please contact Highland Safaris on
tel. 01887 820071
New Red Deer Centre at Highland Safaris
Page 5 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
The Blair Atholl Watermill, Tearoom and
Bakery
Here at the mill we are looking forward to
another season milling, baking and hopeful-
ly seeing you in the tearoom!
After listening to customer feedback and
with the success of introducing the break-
fast menu last year, we have decided to
open at the earlier time of 9am but still
close at 5pm. More delights have been add-
ed such as our own porridge (berries and
cream optional!).
In the bakery Rami is, as ever, ex-
perimenting and we plan to add to
our selection of baking for the tea-
room and online. The shortbread
and oatcakes received excellent
reviews from the judges on ITV’s
Britain’s Best Bakery competition
which we took part in this year. So
far the medium oatmeal (‘oaties’ )
and the orange chocolate chip
shortbread have been
very well received!
This year we now offer three
bread making course: Basic,
Intermediate and a two day
Sourdough course so suitable
for all levels and they run
throughout the season. Gift
vouchers are available for the
baking courses or the tearoom
which make a great present for
a foodie.
We are planning to run another
charity day this summer. We will
have stalls for all ages, mill tours and bread
making demonstrations in aid of the Chil-
dren’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS).
Hope you can come along.
We will be at the Perth and Logierait farm-
ers markets this year as well as the new
Aberfeldy market on the first Sunday of the
month.
Here’s to a good summer!
Kirsty and Rami
Blair Atholl Watermill, Tearoom and Bakery
6
Page 6 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
April 2014 Annual Report on HighlandPerthshire.com
Summary.
It is almost 4 years since we launched
HighlandPerthshire.com
Web traffic is showing another incredible
step, with an increase of 39.2% so for the
first 9 months of this year.
The new web site Explore Pitlochry and its
relationship with HighlandPerthshire.com
We compare the HighlandPerthshire.com
web traffic figures year on year.
Discuss ideas going forward
Discussion.
First of all I want to tell you about the new
Explore Pitlochry web site, which we
launched of Monday 9th September 2013.
Explore Pitlochry on www.Pitlochry-
Scotland.co.uk focuses on the whole area
similar to Highland Perthshire.com; the
most searched for terms are all are to do
with ‘Pitlochry’ (see below).
Explore Pitlochry
www.Pitlochry-
Scotland.co.uk site is part of
the promotion for Explore
Scotland package we offer
businesses that take adver-
tising space in our 12 page
85,000 Explore Highland
Perthshire guides with
maps, and social media etc.
Over past years, we have
used Explore-
HighlandPerthshire.com to
promote the businesses.
But with HighlandPerth-
shire.com up, we felt it was
an opportunity to see wheth-
er we can enter a new
market to attracted
interested web traffic.
Whether we like it or
not, many visitors to
the area see Pitlochry
as the dominant town
in the area, the equiva-
lent of a Stirling, St
Andrews, Oban etc. So
when they are thinking
of coming on holiday
here their instinct is to
type in the major
town’s name
“Pitlochry”.
‘Pitlochry’ attracts
more traffic than all the
other towns in Highland
Perthshire put together.
I did a quick search on Google to see the
search volumes for our different larger
towns and villages and found the following:-
‘Aberfeldy’ 5,400 searches per month.
‘Blair Atholl’ 2,900 searches per month.
‘Dunkeld’ 3,600 searches per month.
‘Highland Perthshire’ 210 searches per
month.
‘Pitlochry’ 14,800 searches per month.
‘Rannoch’ 880 searches per month.
Whether we like it or not the vast majority of
visitors to the area identify the area with
‘Pitlochry’.
One holiday maker recently told me,
‘Pitlochry is a name that sounds Scottish, is
not too difficult to pronounce and we can
remember it’. Pitlochry first came to fame at
the time of Queen Victoria, when her doctor
recommended Pitlochry for all those who
wanted a healthier environment for a holi-
day or recuperation.
The Pitlochry Partnership (the local tourism
association) has an excellent web site
www.Pitlochry.org that serves its members
very well. If you have a business in the Pit-
lochry area, we highly recommend you join,
as this web site attracts huge amount of
traffic and serves its members very well.
We will be cross referencing the Explore
Pitlochry www.Pitlochry-Scotland.co.uk with
HighlandPerthshire.com when ever possi-
ble. If you look under the accommodation
section we have linked the accommodation
enquiry form and under the What’s On we
have taken the feed from HighlandPerth-
shire.com.
As with all new web sites it will take time for
all the search engines to crawl it and for all
the pages to be indexed and appear in the
search engines.
HighlandPerthshire.com
1. We are pleased to report that High-
landPerthshire.com appears well for many
Google searches using ‘Highland Perthshire’
(abbreviated below as HP) with:-
‘Highland Perthshire’ – 2nd
‘HP Things to do’ – 1st, and 2nd
‘HP Restaurants’ - 2nd, 3rd and 4th
‘HP Shops’ and ‘HP Shop’ – 1st and 2nd
‘‘Aberfeldy Shops’ – 2nd and 3rd
‘‘HP Whats on’ – 1st, 2nd and 3rd
‘HP Accommodation’ – 1st, and 2nd
‘HP Hotels’ - 1st and 2nd
‘HP Self catering’ 1st
etc
2. Also the web site is increasingly appear-
ing in Google searches for terms where
‘Perthshire’ is used, such as:-
‘Perthshire’ 3rd
‘Perthshire things to do’ 3rd
‘Perthshire what to do’ 4th
‘Perthshire whats on’ 1st
‘Perthshire events’ 2nd
‘Perthshire accommodation’ 3rd
etc
HighlandPerthshire.com ‘Visits’
At the top of the next page, you can see
the Google Analytics graph for the last
three and a half years.
The significant drop you can see, in the
first third, is the off season months of
November and December. The traffic
picks up again from Xmas onwards.
7
Page 7 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
April 2014 Annual Report on HighlandPerthshire.com Cont’d
Monthly
Visitor Traf-
fic ‘Visits’ to
the web site
year on year
since it was
launched,
has steadily
increased.
Web site
functionality
‘Quick Ac-
commodation Enquiry’ forms.
There is no commission or fees. It is im-
portant to remember that many visitors will
go directly to the accommodation from High-
landPerthshire.com. They tend to use the
‘Accommodation Enquiry Form’ when they
can not easily find availability in the area.
Over the last 12 months there have been
200+ Enquiries generated on these form.
Social Media.
We have two FaceBook pages promoting
the area, the pages reflect our logic
for the two web sites (as described
above).
1. – Highland Perthshire FaceBook
http://www.facebook.com /Highland-
Perthshire - The FaceBook page
champions all things Highland Perth-
shire from events, activities, images
to image galleries.
This is how the FaceBook has grown
over the last three years:-
• 2011 we had 414 Likes
• 2012 we had 752 Likes
• 2013 we have 1,281 Likes
• 2014 so far 1,464 Likes
We have a potential reach of some 100,000
people through the HighlandPerthshire Fa-
ceBook.
Twitter – http://twitter.com/hiperthshire
A year ago we had 546 ‘Followers’
Today we have 795 ‘Followers’
We do not actively Tweet other than having
Highland Perthshire Facebook linked to this
Twitter Channel. This means every time we
post information on the Highland Perthshire
FaceBook, it is also sent out via this Twitter
channel.
So if you only have a FaceBook page and do
not have a Twitter account, I would suggest
you link the two accounts as this will spread
your business to a different audience.
You Tube –
http://www.youtube.com/HiPerthshire
The Highland Perthshire You Tube channel:-
Over the last 12 months there have
been 45,549 performances which
equates to 90,540 minutes or 1,509
hrs, or 62 days or over two months of
viewing on Highland Perthshire topics.
Other facts:-
YOU Tube is the second most searched
channel on the internet.
There is increasing evidence to show
that people watch a YOU tube video, are
more likely to make a purchase, than if
they had not seen the video.
We have linked videos to the relevant
pages within HighlandPerthshire.com
Members of HighlandPerthshire.com can
have their own video free of charge, about
your business. An Inverness Business owner
tells us the Americans and Australians abso-
lutely love the video, as they want to know
where they are going to stay and meet the
owners too.
FINALLY
HighlandPerthshire.com is a member’s site
where any tourism business in Highland
Perthshire can join, on the web site you can
read the member’s ‘Highland Perthshire
Tourism Co-operation Agreement’ and the
prices to join, the prices have stayed the
same since the web site was constructed.
The fees, agreement can be downloaded
from this web page
http://www.highlandperthshire.com/about/j
oin-us.aspx
Please e-mail me any comments you
have. Your input and comments are
very important in allowing us to devel-
op everything we do. We certainly do
not have all the answers and have
only been able to meet the every
changing environment in which we all
operate in by the constant feed back,
comments and suggestions from
businesses across Scotland.
Thank you for your support.
From:- James Rattray
www.HighlandPerthshire.com
01796 473335
8
Page 8 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Fern Cottage
Here at Fern Cottage we are lucky to be
entering another new season having re-
tained the core members of staff who have
made the restaurant so successful over the
years.
After 12 hugely successful (and hugely en-
joyable) years we have decided to freshen
up our menu and put a slightly different
emphasis on the cuisine we offer. Although
there will still be some Mediterranean influ-
enced dishes on the menu this will no long-
er be the inspiration for the restaurant’s
defining theme (don’t worry though, you can
still enjoy our popular kebabs!) The menu is
changing but the whole team are looking
forward to continuing the same warm wel-
come, first rate service and great atmos-
phere we are renowned for and it’s set to be
another exciting year for Fern Cottage.
Instead our new menu will focus on
providing the best fresh seasonal Scot-
tish produce all year round. With that in
mind we will be launching a new menu
every 3 months in order to tie in with the
changing of the seasons and the coming-
of-age of the perfect ingredients. Wild
Scottish rabbit, Aberdeen Angus steaks,
Perthshire venison , Scottish lamb and
Scottish salmon smoked in Chef Andy’s
own self made smokery will be served up
during the year alongside our renowned
vegetarian options and selected Mediter-
ranean influenced dishes.
We have always enjoyed cater-
ing for our pre-theatre custom-
ers and our PT menu will this
year be on offer between
1700-1830 and priced at
£18.95 for 2 courses and
£22.50 for 3 courses it also
offers great value for money.
However, this year the A la Carte
menu will not be offered during
this period – and will not start
until 18.45 - which will ensure
efficient service, a relaxed PT
atmosphere and that curtain up
is missed by nobody!
With our own little herb garden on the roof
of the Restaurant and Andy growing a varie-
ty of vegetables and fruits in an allotment
that he has down at my Mum’s – along with
our regular supplier – we have a constant
supply of fresh seasonal produce.
And remember - all our food is freshly pre-
pared and cooked to order, which of course
does take longer to come out of the Kitchen
than in other eateries. With this in mind,
when we have groups of 10 or more, a set
menu is always recommended, and we are
happy to offer our Pre Theatre set menu to
such groups, outside of the regular 17.00
to 18.30 time slot. For special occasions
and groups we are also always happy to
discuss bespoke menus to enable our cus-
tomers to create their own menus according
to their individual tastes and budgets. In
this instance we would invite you to choose
4 dishes from our starters, mains and de-
serts respectively. We can also organise for
the exclusive use of the Restaurant where
there are numbers in excess of 40.
And don’t forget that we open every day at
10.30am for teas and coffees, cakes and
desserts and home baking, and serve these
all day through until around 16.00 when we
start to set up for dinner. Lunches are
served from 12.00 to 15.00 and again
there is a wide variety of dishes to choose
from including our Soup and a Sandwich
Deal for £7.95, our special lunch menu 2
courses for £12.95 or 3 courses for £15.95
and we are also introducing a new tasty
lunchtime experience with our home baked
breads and New York deli style fare which
will be available from 7th April.
Our wine list is also extensive and offers a
great selection of wines from all over the
world, with suggestions to enhance and
accompany the dishes that customers or-
der.
We are very fortunate that
we do get extremely busy in
the evenings and we always
recommend that our custom-
ers pre-book. Furthermore all
bookings taken between
17.00 and 19.30 are allocat-
ed a maximum of 2 hours
dining time as we need to
use these tables again later
on – therefore customers
who would like to take a bit
longer over their meal should
book from 19.45pm onwards
as there is no restriction then
at all.
It is also important to say that we are very
flexible and we are happy to serve beyond
9.30pm if there is a need. Remember – just
pick up the phone or send us an e-mail with
your request. You can browse our new men-
us, wine list and much more at
www.ferncottagepitlochry.co.uk
“we will be
launching a
new menu
every 3 months
in order to tie in
with the
changing of the
seasons “
9
Tummel & Tay Festival 2014
Celebrating Highland Perthshire’s Whisky,
Food & Culture!
This year is going to be amazing for Scot-
land with the Commonwealth Games in
Glasgow, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and
over 600 events throughout the country.
Homecoming Scotland is celebrating all
things whisky throughout May this year,
complimenting May 17th’s World Whisky
Day.
In keeping with the spirit of the month, Birks
Cinema, Birnam Arts and Pitlochry Festival
Theatre are working together to create a
brand new Festival between 23-25 May. In
its inaugural year, the Tummel & Tay Festi-
val will celebrate the amazing whisky, food
and culture available in Highland Perthshire.
Over the three days of the Festival, there
will be a variety of things to see and do at
the three venues all around the central
theme of whisky. Here’s a taste of what is in
store at each venue:
How can you become involved?
We are hoping that the Tummel and Tay
Festival will be a huge success in its first
year and will increase the number of visitors
to the area in May.
In addition to the cultural events of the Fes-
tival, we are establishing a trail to encom-
pass the best food and drink producers of
Highland Perthshire.
We are also very interested in hearing from
local accommodation providers who are
interested in joining in with the spirit of the
festival. If you are prepared to offer whisky
in your porridge, a miniature in your wel-
come pack, a whisky themed menu or any
other whisky themed idea as part of your
hospitality we would be delighted to include
this in our promotion of the Festival (at no
cost to you!).
In this way, the Tummel & Tay Festival will
build interest in Highland Perthshire ahead
of Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink in
2015.
What we will do for you
We will include you on Tummel and Tay
Festival website and we can also include
you in our brochure.
How much will it cost?
Nothing! We are fortunate enough to have
raised enough funds from a variety of
funders to run the Festival without a contri-
bution from local businesses.
What we need from you
Information about your organisation includ-
ing a sentence or two highlighting what you
do, full contact details, what whisky experi-
ence you will be providing, a photo, your
logo and a link to your website.
Please contact us if you need any more
information or would like to be on the web-
site or brochure that will be coming out
soon.
www.tummelandtayfestival.co.uk
For information about the events at Birnam
Arts, Birks Cinema and Pitlochry Festival
Theatre please contact the venues directly.
“Highland Perthshire Whisky & Food Trail
is supported by the Community Food Fund,
which is financed by The Scottish Govern-
ment and has been created to promote
local food and drink, in line with Scot-
land’s National Food and Drink Policy.
www.communityfoodfund.co.uk “
The Tay Festival
Page 9 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Birnam Arts will
have music, thea-
tre, a food fayre
and are hosting
Mull Theatre’s
fantastic produc-
tion of ‘Whisky
Galore’
The Birks Cinema are
showcasing a mix of film,
poetry and music with
‘Whisky Loosened
Tongues’.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre is launching its
Summer Season with ‘Whisky Kisses’, a
new Scottish Musical.
10
Page 10 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Soldiers of Killiecrankie
To mark the 325th anniversary of the Battle
of Killiecrankie this summer, a new group
has been formed, to commemorate the first
Jacobite Battle, a short lived victory for the
Jacobites on the 27th July 1689. The Sol-
diers of Killiecrankie group, a local commu-
nity lead organisation consisting of the Com-
munity Council, the Village Hall Committee
and the Battlefield land owners.
The planned event will have Bonnie Dun-
dee’s Cavalry, Government and Jacobite
troops, a Living History Camp, Battlefield
Tours lead by period dressed tour guides
and other period sensitive activities. Jaco-
bite Story telling and Jacobite music are
some of the other events currently being
considered.
Each year a group of locals from Killiecran-
kie and Highland Perthshire,
joined by people from further a
field, commemorate the Battle
of Killiecrankie, by walking the
route the Jacobite forces took
that day, along with simple
wreath laying ceremonies tak-
ing place at the memorial sites.
At the end of last summer, Alan
Larsen who runs events for
English Heritage, walked up
from the village and told us he
would like to bring Bonnie Dun-
dee’s Cavalry back.
To cut a long story short, the
new owners of Urrard Estate
have been very receptive to the idea and
another very important cog in the wheel
has been Gordon and Lin
Muirhead who own the
land on the Jacobite side
of the battle field and farm
the land on Urrard Estate,
who have given the project
their support.
We have the cavalry or-
ganised and then needed
to get the infantry in place,
which we have also organ-
ised. With these in posi-
tion, it has allowed us to
constitute ourselves as a
group and we are busily
pulling all the components
together to make it all
happen. There will be bat-
tlefield tours, by period
dressed tour guides who
will take on the part of one
of the people at the battle
from that time. We are
also exploring the idea of hav-
ing Jacobite Story Tellers, mu-
sicians, food. Our motto is to
try to ensure everything
“Period Sensitive.”
I believe we will have a very
special event and a unique
opportunity due to a number
of factors coming together,
which have allowed the event
to take place.”
The event will take place on
the Saturday and Sunday 26th
and 27th July 2014. Infor-
mation will be updated on
HighlandPerthshire.com Major
Events section and the What’s On.
“Soldiers of
Killiecrankie
event will take
place on
Saturday 26th
and Sunday
27th July 2014”
11
Blair Athol Distillery Pitlochry
A Warm Welcome awaits you at Bell’s Blair
Athol Distillery all year round.
Blair Athol Distillery, Pitlochry
Help us celebrate Whisky Day on Saturday
17th May
Distillery Tour, Whisky, Music and Story
Telling 7pm – 9pm
Tickets cost £15 and are available by call-
ing 01796482003 or e.mail l ing
During Whisky Month we will be attending
numerous events to help the local commu-
nity celebrate in style.
We will be present at the Excel Whisky Festi-
val in Perth on Saturday 3rd May. We will be
holding our own Whisky Day Event on Satur-
day 17th May. Tickets are priced at £15 and
must be booked in advance. For this you
will receive a Distillery Tour, Music and Story
Telling by Claire Hewitt and a Whisky Tasting
Experience.
We will also be hosting events at the Birnam
Art Institue, Pitlochry Festival Theatre and
the Birks Cinema over the weekend of 23rd
– 25th May. Hopefully if we don’t see you
for a Distillery Tour we will get the opportuni-
ty to see some of you at one of these
events.
We have also welcomed Francesca Webster
to the Team back in April 2013. Here is a
picture of Francesca hard at work at the
Bugatti Car Rally at the Atholl Palace with
Claire Washington who returned to join us in
2013 also.
We successfully trialled working in conjunc-
tion with McKays Hotel in 2013 and we
hosted Whisky Tastings on certain Tuesdays
throughout the summer. These proved very
successful and we will be again returning in
2014. I will be sending out an e.mail in due
course with a note of all the dates we will be
there and hope that you will send your cus-
tomers along to join us. In fact why don’t
you come along and visit too.
As in previous years we would like to invite
all accommodation providers, local busi-
nesses and all their staff to a complimen-
tary tour of the distillery followed by a dram
of Blair Athol 12 Year Old Single Malt. We
would also like to offer complimentary tu-
tored whisky tastings to our local bar staff to
allow them to speak more knowledgably
about whisky. This offer is open all year so
please send any new recruits along through-
out the season.
Page 11 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
“As in previous years we
would like to invite all
accommodation
providers, local
businesses and all their
staff to a complimentary
tour of the distillery
followed by a dram of
Blair Athol 12 Year Old
Single Malt.”
2014 Opening Hours January to March
Monday – Saturday : 10.00am-4.00pm
(Tours available hourly from 10.00am until
3pm)
Easter to October Monday – Sunday:
10.00am - 5.00pm Closed Sun 11th May)
July to Sept 21st only: open until 5.30pm
N o v e m b e r a n d D e c e m b e r
Monday – Sunday : 10.00am-4.00pm
(Tours available hourly from 10am until
3pm)
Closed 25th and 26th December 2014 and st
and 2nd January 2015
Last Tour – 1 hour before closing
Adverse Weather Conditions
In the event of adverse weather conditions
the site may be closed to ensure the Health
& Safety of our employees and our Visitors.
Every possible effort will be made to contact
pre-booked visits. We would however ask
that you visit our website if you are in any
doubt.
Tel 01796 482003 or e.mail us on
Jill Scougall, Blair Athol Distillery, Perth
Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5LY Tel 01796
482003
12
Page 12 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
“Our aim is
simple, to make
sure that each
and every
customer to
Victoria’s has
an excellent
dining
experience”
Pitlochry Golf News
2013 has been a great year with a hot sum-
mer at last and I am sure you all enjoyed
the sunshine and warm nights. I would like
to thank all our members, loyal customers,
local B&B’s, hotels, businesses and visitors
for their continued support. For those who
haven’t found us yet I would like to tell eve-
ryone that we are OPEN TO ALL and a warm
Pitlochry Golf welcome awaits you. With our
friendly approach to customer service, you
will be made to feel like a valued member
as soon as you walk through the door.
With so many golfers taking advantage of
the good summer weather, we had a busy
season and with many great green fee deals
to be had (some including catering too) we
hope to see as many players back to pit
their wits against our very scenic 18 HOLE
GOLF COURSE sometime in the very near
future. During the summer we also saw our
new GOLF RANGE AND ACADEMY open to
the public and we are very pleased with the
response we have had to this new facility –
it’s open 7 days a week from dawn until
dusk and is the ideal place to perfect that
golf game in such wonderful surroundings.
With a new short game practice area and a
6 hole, Par 3 SHORT COURSE opening in
summer 2014, we are adding more strings
to our bow and will soon have an all-round
facility which in our view would create a top
drawer destination for all golfers from all
over the world to come,
see and use for them-
selves.
With a fabulous club-
house offering great
food at fantastic prices,
a fully stocked PRO
SHOP, 2 PGA Profession-
al’s on site offering top
quality golf lessons in the new Golf Range
and Academy, equipment for hire such a
ride on buggies, electric and pull trolleys,
golf clubs and very accessible golf course
set in stunning surroundings – why would
you go anywhere else for a relaxing day
out?!
You don’t have to be a golfer to love THE
CLUBHOUSE. Socialise over drinks on the
decking with the amazing views of the
course and Ben-Y-Vrackie, watch the golfers
playing their approach shots to the 18th
green. Enjoy tea, coffee, wine, beer, tradi-
tional British and international food and a
first class service in our relaxing Clubhouse.
Dishes are cooked to order in a simple but
traditional way. Grilled, smoked, roasted or
marinated to enhance the flavour, whether
it is a casual bite or dining on steaks. We
use the freshest seasonal ingredients
sourced locally in Perthshire for you all to
enjoy.
Throughout the year we run our very own
Curry Club. This runs every Wednesday
from 5pm until 9pm, with six different
curries from around the world on offer
and as it’s an ‘all you can eat buffet’ for
only £9.99 this is becoming a very popu-
lar night. Every Thursday is our Grill Night
which offers a selection of meat, fish and
vegetables all grilled to your liking. We
also have a very popular Sunday Carvery
for both golfers and diners. Simply get
your family and friends together and give
mum a day off and join us for our
traditional Sunday roast (where there’s
no washing up!).
During the season we host a number of
different events so check out the web-
site www.pitlochrygolf.co.uk for our
Theme and Tribute Nights.
Perhaps less known is the fact that the
golf course also has a PUTTING
COURSE set away from the main golf
course facilities, at the other site of
Pitlochry on the way to the Dam and Fish
Ladder. The putting green provides an ideal
introduction to the fun of the game of golf
for all the family.
For local B&B’s, hotels and businesses,
Pitlochry Golf has a number of different
schemes and initiatives to help to promote
your business, our business and the whole
of Highland Perthshire as a great destina-
tion to come and visit. Give your guest the
opportunity to receive 10% discount in the
Clubhouse and discounted golf or your busi-
ness a possibility of different ways of adver-
tising.
For more information please visit our web-
site www.pitlochrygolf.co.uk or contact:
ProShop: 01796 472792,
Clubhouse: 01796 472334, manag-
Marketing: 07711458260, market-
Pitlochry Golf Team
13
Bespoke Highland Car Tours Pitlochry
Lots of people arrive in the area with either
no car, or no knowledge of the area.
I am taking 2-4 people on tours tailored to
their perfect day out.
I can take people to Castles, Distilleries,
Gardens etc. or just take them on minor
roads to places not normally on the tourist
routes.
I do a minimum tour of four hours, but some
people book me exclusively for 3 or 4 days,
picking them up from their hotels etc.
I am a retired police office (qualified to class
1 driver) and am fully insured with over 10
years experience within tourism in Highland
Perthshire. I have a new top of the range
4x4 vehicle.
Bespoke Highland Car Tours Pitlochry
Ronnie Owens
Personal Driver Guide
Killiecrankie
Pitlochry PH16 5LR
Tel: 07979 412831
e.mail [email protected]
Follow me on Facebook.
Page 13 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
New All Terrain Vehicle for Highland Safaris
“Why not let me
take the strain
whilst you relax and
enjoy what
Highland
Perthshire and
beyond has to
offer!”
Aberfeldy based 5 Star Visitor Attraction,
Highland Safaris, will be taking delivery of
an exciting new vehicle this April in the form
of a refurbished Pinzgauer.
The Pinzgauer, named after the Austrian
farm horses of sturdy build, high endurance
and excellent mountain climbing ability, was
developed as a multi-purpose, military vehi-
cle for on and off-road use to operate in
some of the most difficult terrain in the
world.
Highland Safaris has worked closely with a
Welsh based company to develop a safari
vehicle that seats up to 10 passengers with
comfortable forward- facing seats and excel-
lent vision out of large panoramic windows
and a glass roof to add an new
dimension to all Safari options.
Furthermore, the Pinzgauer will
satisfy the demand from larger
groups and those seeking a
memorable family celebration
(where being together on the
mountain is key), as well as
increasing capacity in the busy
summer months.
Directors of Highland Safaris,
Julie and Donald Riddell said
‘We are excited about this ma-
jor investment and think that
the fantastic look of the vehicle
will create even greater de-
mand. We will still keep some of
our Land Rovers however, the
Defender model is being dis-
continued in 2015 so we are
staying ahead of this by cus-
tomising a tried and tested
vehicle’.
Please contact Highland Safaris
on
i n f o @ h i g h l a n d s a f a r i s . n e t
or tel. 01887 820071
14
Café Biba Pitlochry
A warm welcome awaits at Cafe Biba, Pit-
lochry. Situated on Atholl Road opposite the
War Memorial our quaint Victorian cottage
facade hides a Tardis like space inside with
a roomy conservatory and enclosed open air
courtyard area.
A long established business we have been
popular with locals and visitors for many
years with a reputation for warm friendly
service from Brenda our Manager and her
staff.
Our success is due to the fact that we can
cater for a wide variety of customers needs,
we are a cosy coffee shop to some, a great
place for a quick
lunch, or a relaxed
informal dining expe-
rience with a well
varied menu and
daily specials which
utilise local seasonal
produce.
We offer a breakfast
menu with filled
rolls, pancakes and full
breakfasts, scones are baked
daily, and we have a lovely
selection of cakes, some
baked on the premises and
some from a local artisan
baker. We are famous for our
fabulous sweet pancakes hot
off the griddle and served
with a variety of toppings. We
also have great Pizza menu
for eating in or Takeaway
and our main menu ranges
from sandwiches and snacks
to traditional main courses,
children of course are always
welcome and can choose
from our Kids Menu. We buy
our Beef and Game from the
award winning MacDonald
Butchers here in Pitlochry
and we source our fresh fish
directly from a well known
Aberdeen Fish Merchant, we
are licensed and keep a small
but interesting selection of
wines and local and interna-
tional beers, as well as a full
range of soft drinks and teas
and coffees.
We open at 9.30 every day
and are open till late for most of the year,
and have bike racks available at the rear of
the restaurant for cyclists. We hope to see
you soon.
Page 14 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Blair Castle International Horse Trials
21st—24th August 2014
Blair Castle International Horse Trials and
Bruadar Country Fair is one of the biggest
events in the Scottish sporting calendar and
the largest equestrian event in Scotland.
Running over four days in August each year
and attracting in excess of 40,000 visitors.
Olympic medalists compete alongside ama-
teurs in the four International Eventing clas-
ses, whilst British Showjumping and show-
ing classes provide a platform for riders in
other disciplines to compete on Blair's hal-
lowed turf.
The stunningly beautiful
but testing CCI*** cross
country course is designed
by Scotland’s very own
three time Badminton
winner, Ian Stark. The
scenery and the Castle
itself provide a truly
breathtaking backdrop.
Steeped in history, the
castle and grounds are
open to the public during the event.
Equal in splendour to the castle is the
magnificent landscape of the 145,000-
acre estate in which it is set, which offers
beautifully scenic vistas of rolling farmland
and wild open hills.
The Bruadar Country Fair runs alongside the
equestrian activities on the Saturday and
Sunday, featuring displays of both tradition-
al and more modern countryside pursuits. A
large shopping village houses top class
shopping from some of the country’s lead-
ing fashion retailers, jewellery stores and all
sorts unusual and original gifts are among
the 200 plus trade stands.
Next year Blair Castle will be hosting the FEI
2015 European Eventing Champi-
onships, Alec Lochore the event
director commented “We expect
this year’s event to be a stepping
stone to the Blair Castle FEI Euro-
pean Eventing Championships in
September 2015, providing Scot-
land with a major international
competition to look forward to.”
Box Office opens May 2014
Visit the website www.blairhorsetrials.co.uk
Follow us on: Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/blairhorsetrials
Twitter http://twitter.com/BCIHT
“Next year Blair
Castle will be
hosting the FEI
2015 European
Eventing
Championships
in September
“We open at
9.30 every
day and are
open till late
for most of
the year.”
15
Pitlochry in Bloom
Sesquicentennial of the Highland Mainline
Railway
Last year was the 150th anniversary of the
Highland Mainline opening fully. A great
number of diverse events took place up the
line to celebrate this enormous engineering
achievement. After over 10 years of writing
letters, meetings and lobbying, Network Rail
and Firstgroup/Scotrail finally agreed to
repair and paint the Victorian Footbridge
and indeed the whole Station for us. Work
commenced in late March and continued
until late May. Pitlochry in Bloom had the
Victorian MacFarlane 7 Drinking Fountain
stripped of over 100 years of layers of thick
paint, treated for rust and beautifully re-
stored. This collected a Railway Heritage
Trust Highly Commended Award last Decem-
ber and we have been advised to submit
the whole Station in 2014. Pitlochry High
School and Breadalbane Academy S3 clas-
ses Poster Project, which produced beauti-
ful artwork, are on permanent display along
the Station railings and a new Mural was
produced for the North-bound Station Wait-
ing Room. A floral train was also put on Plat-
form 1 and lastly two reproduction Victorian
lamps, gifted by the Railway Heritage Trust,
put in place on the footbridge this winter.
In early July we were the proud recipient of
a Heritage Lottery Fund Award, 150 Years
On Track was our project, which helped fund
the celebrations last September. An official
event was held on September 9th, with
speeches, a plaque and fountain unveiling
and a lunch in Fishers Hotel. That night a
Community Ceildih was held in the Atholl
Palace. On Wednesday that week, we held a
Victorian sports & tea party for Pitlochry
Primary classes in Fishers Hotel Garden and
later that evening, the renowned Highland
Railway author, Neil Sinclair gave a talk on
his new book about the line in the Bow
Lounge of the Atholl Palace. Very apt as the
local Perth architect, Andrew Heiton, had
designed the Athole Hydropathic and the
original frontage on Perth Station in the late
19th century.
We have continued to work
over the winter on the second
phase of our project, namely
reprinting the Town Heritage
Trail map with new signage.
This should be in place for the
beginning of this season. And
lastly, a book of memories,
poems, stories from near and
far about Pitlochry Station and
the line will be published later
this Spring. We are very grate-
ful to the HLF without whom
none of this would have been
possible.
Pitlochry in Bloom entered
Beautiful Scotland in 2013,
having had a break from competitions in
2012. We collected a Gold Medal, the Small
Town Trophy and the Rosebowl. This has led
to us being entered by Beautiful Scotland
into the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain
in Bloom in 2014. We are one of only 6
communities in Scotland to represent the
country in this prestigious competition.
The Petit Jardin opposite the Scout Hut has
finally got a new pine cone too this year.
We are still pushing for the cleaning of
the War Memorial by P&KC (as prom-
ised to Kate Howie and us two years
ago). It is a great shame that our Me-
morial, which was 90 years old in
2012, is now covered in green moss,
hiding the beautiful Rubislaw granite
and the walls and pillars are also in a
bad state. Let us hope as a mark of
respect for those whose names are
listed that it will get done in this year
2014, the 100th anniversary of the
outbreak of The Great War.
We had an amazing summer’s weath-
er last year, let’s hope for a repeat of the
sunshine. We would hope that as many
businesses as can will get behind us in our
bid for a 5th Gold this year, especially as the
Royal Horticultural Society celebrates it’s
Golden Anniversary in 2014.
We did manage, although a close shave
again!, to hold the Reindeer Parade last
year, as we still had no local sponsor and
with no Autumn Festival in town, no oppor-
tunity for us to fund-raise as in the past. But
we would ask that if any business or local
organisation could help bring the Reindeer
here for our local children to enjoy, please
do get in touch. Any assistance, however
small, would be gratefully received.
Pitlochry Litter Action Group continued to
carry out a monthly planned litter-pick on
the last Thursday of the month, from Febru-
ary until October.
The group have already begun this year in
February and will continue thru to the Au-
tumn. Any helpers always welcomed.
Pitlochry in Bloom is 21 years old this year
too and who would have thought all those
years ago that we would still be going
strong. Our small band have raised and
spent an amazing amount in the town over
the past 21 years, we estimate around
£1,000,000 has now been raised in some
shape or form by our little group since we
began. We can always do with new volun-
teers, so if you like gardening and could
spare a couple of hours a month through
the main season, please do get in touch.
We are, as ever, really grateful to all those
businesses who support us, whether finan-
cially or putting on their own beautiful floral
displays. They are very much appreciated by
our visitors, so we hope we will all be able to
keep Pitlochry the clean and green destina-
tion it has become. And we hope too, that
the green shoots of a financial recovery will
continue in 2014. We wish you all a very
good Season and surely another summer of
sunshine will smile on the Commonwealth
Games, the Homecoming and the Ryder
Cup this year!
Page 15 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
16
The Black Watch Inn & the Croft Restaurant
The Black Watch Inn and Croft Restaurant
are a connecting bar and restaurant, the
bar is popular to locals and visitors alike,
with a traditional feel and warm welcome.
We have an outside seating area and pool
table and serve bar lunches (seasonal) and
evening meals which are great value and
very popular.
We have a fantastic selection of Malt Whis-
kies including Aberfeldys’ own variety of
malts and blends distilled only a short walk
from our premises. We also stock seasonal
Real Cask Ales, Fine Wines and various
other beverages for your enjoyment.
The Croft Restaurant is tastefully designed
and has a vast menu of food and wines. We
offer very friendly service and delicious food
in a great atmosphere so please come
along and pay us a visit, booking is advisa-
ble though! Watch out for our famous Friday
Steak Nights and Sunday Roasts!
If you are just popping in for a coffee or a
glass of wine or if you are celebrating some-
thing special we aim to give you an excellent
experience.
Our contact details are, telephone 01887
820699, address Bank Street, Aberfeldy,
Perthshire, PH15 2BB, website
www.aberfeldypubs.co.uk and email in-
Page 16 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
The Fountain Bar
The Fountain Bar
The Fountain Bar is a centrally located very
popular bar for food, drink and entertain-
ment alike. We serve food 7 days a week
from 12 noon till 9 pm, kids eat for £1 with
every paying adult so this is very popular
with families. You will receive a warm wel-
come and friendly service on every visit
whether coming in for a quick drink or a bite
to eat!
Throughout the year we also have regular
evening entertainment with live music by
several local artists and bands. We also
host frequent quiz and poker nights, please
check our website for listings.
In the warmer months we have an outside
seating area situated in Aberfeldys’ central
square where you can watch the world go
by!
Our contact details telephone 01887
820418, address Fountain Bar, The Square,
Aberfeldy, Perthshire, PH15 2DD,
website www.aberfeldypubs.co.uk and
email [email protected]
From the moment you step into Habitat
Cafe you realise it’s all a bit different. Why is
there a map pinned with luggage tags on
the wall? Salvaged marine lights and re-
claimed timbers create a striking bar area.
And the cafe's various certificates and
thank-you letters hang next to crayon
drawings made by local kids. It feels
nice.
The team at Habitat Cafe are obses-
sively passionate about what they do.
In their first year they won two national
awards from The Beverage Standards
Association: 2013 Best Espresso in
the UK, and Scotland’s only winner of
‘5 cups’ – the Michelin Stars of the hot
drinks industry.
Owners Jan and Mike are enthusiastic. “We
may be just a cafe, but our baristas, chefs
and waitresses still aim to delight everyone
who comes in.” says Mike. “We’re often
asked why we chose Aberfeldy. Because it’s
amazing! And between all the other fantas-
tic attractions in town, we saw a chance to
offer something different, something new to
Highland Perthshire.”
“We offer more than just a functional meal,
or another cup of loose leaf tea like all the
rest. By working with fantastic ingredients,
such as award-winning Dunkeld Smoked
Salmon and Has Bean Coffee, our goal is to
give customers an exceptional experience
within their day.”
In 2014 Habitat Cafe is hoping to build on
their strong start. Ideas they are working on
include an evening food service, craft beers,
and a few classes in how to get the most
from your speciality coffees and teas at
home. Don’t miss this place!
www.habitatcafe.co.uk
Habitat Cafe
17
Mains of Taymouth This last year Mains of Taymouth has seen
the addition of a new corporate/wedding
facility located in the former Byre Bistro
catering for up to 60 people seated in the
function room with separate bar and ability
to attach a marquee sited on the adjacent
lawn allowing parties of up to 214, (also the
number of people we can accommodate
within our 4 and 5 star cottages). The Coach
House overlooks the first tee and last green
of the golf course which is now under the
management of Head Greenkeeper and
Estates Manager Peter Bancroft. Also new
to the team is our wedding/events coordina-
tor / receptionist Julie Kilpatrick and at the
stables Andy Dewar-McCabe who was head
of equestrian training at Sandhurst Military
College. Andy is assisting manager Katy
Bennett with lessons for
any level of experience
and day to day running
of the trekking centre.
Lastly we have a lovely
new team of staff at The
Courtyard Bar and Res-
taurant under the man-
agement of David Erring-
ton head chef and front
of house manageress
Klara Horcickova. Da-
vid's traditional Scottish
food which is all locally
sourced and freshly
cooked together with Klara and teams at-
tention to service is encouraging a welcome
return of local custom and kept us very busy
over the quiet winter months.
In March we loose long time general manag-
er Mike Carry who we thank for many years
of loyal service and also temporarily, Liz
Aiken, resident beauty therapist who is ex-
pecting her first baby in July. Good luck to
both Mike and Liz.
2014 is already proving to be an exception-
al year at The Mains of Taymouth with the
commencement of 3 major new develop-
ments. Firstly, April will see landscaping
begin to form an exquisite gated Retirement
Village of 38 residential riverside leisure
lodges aimed at the young retiree and avail-
able for purchase by late summer. These
luxury lodges are designed for easy living
and aimed at the active over 50 keen to
realise their asset of their home and pur-
chase a leisure lodge and relocate to High-
land Perthshire. Secondly, a new and exhila-
rating major visitor attraction situated in the
forest park behind the estate, The Celtic
Mile Zip Line Adventure Park. This is an
educational and exciting tree top trail with
amazing views whilst travelling through the
tree canopy on zip wires and is planned to
open in July......3rdly building development
continues at Mains of Taymouth with the
continuation of the hugely successful buy to
holiday let properties. The next 6 Maxwells,
one and two bedroom houses will com-
mence after Easter. These popular proper-
ties are so in demand from both customers
and buy to let investors that deposits are
now being received. Meanwhile we have
beautiful riverside plots ready and available
for holiday homes and bespoke Island Lei-
sure lodges.
Page 17 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Taymouth Courtyard Shop It goes without saying we are all hoping for
the weather we had last summer
to put a smile on our faces again this year.
Kenmore is a wonderful place to
enjoy the sunshine. We are surrounded by
beautiful walks and there is so
much to see and do. The Courtyard Shop is
nine years old and we aim to to
offer our customers something a bit differ-
e n t a n d u n e x p e c t e d .
In the Deli we continue to increase the num-
ber of local suppliers we have
with more than 25 Perthshire companies
now filling our shelves. We have
developed our business on line so if you
can't come to see us go to
www.foodofscotland.co.uk
and select from some of
our best sellers. We have
some of the best Ice
Cream in the area which is
also available from our
little shop in Aberfeldy in
the square called "Cones".
We have food tastings
throughout the summer
and every day at our oil
a n d
vinegar bar. The Gift shop
has a selection of books
i c o n i c S c o t t i s h t - s h i r t s
and lots to offer all the family. Keep up with
our offers and what we are up
to by following us on Twitter
@courtyardshop.
18
Page 18 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Taymouth Marina Watersports/Activities
As the newest attraction to
Loch Tay we would like to start
by saying a huge thank you for
the warm welcome and sup-
port we have received so far. If
you have not yet been to visit
then let us tell you why you
should…
TMW has lots to offer for those
wanting to enjoy the outdoors.
We invite you all to come and
enjoy our fabulous playground,
Loch Tay. Whether you wish to
cycle round the Loch or use
one of our many boats to sail or paddle on
the Loch, we have something for everyone.
In only a few of months we have had fami-
lies, couples, birthday parties and corporate
groups joining our instructors out on the
water exploring the Loch.
Our fun filled Highland
Games, hosted on the
Kenmore Pavi l ion
grounds, have gone
down a treat as a day
after activity for wed-
d i n g p a r t i e s .
(Sometimes proving
more
enjoyable than the
wedding itself!) Whilst
our Archery
Range and
m o b i l e
C l i m b i n g
Wall are
the perfect addition for any par-
ty or day event. Our bespoke
activity packages inc. raft build-
ing have been popular with Stag
and Hen parties as well as team
building days for uniform
groups. This upcoming season
we will be adding to our adrena-
lin filled Rib Rides with banana
boat sessions and sail tours as well. Look-
ing for a relaxing afternoon then why not
hire one of our mountain bikes or go for a
wee paddle in one of our family favourite
Katakanus. We really do have something for
everyone.
“I think some
guests actually
enjoyed the
Highland
Games more
than our
wedding”
Taymouth Marina/Training/Staff:
TMW has three major forces working togeth-
er to make it such an impressive place and
strong venture; the location - which has to
be seen to be believed, the facilities - which
speak for themselves and are constantly
improving and finally… the staff. At the head
of the operation is Marina and Centre Man-
ager Stewart Griffiths, he brings with him 7
years of commercial boating experience
mixed with numerous seasons as an out-
door instructor/lifeguard/trainer. Stewart
has a genuine passion for safety, rescue,
water and training, as
such he has had the op-
portunity to gain multiple
qualifications in the teach-
ing of outdoor sports and
first aid.
TMW has a developing
marina which at the mo-
ment consists of a 20
berth serviced pontoon
system including power
and freshwater, 9 swing
moorings, trailer park/
hard standing and a slip-
way. We are also able to provide or arrange
a vast range of services including
transport, sourcing, brokerage, engi-
neering, covers, painting, boat build-
ing and repairs and many more. All
marine services are available year
round to locals and visitors alike for
long or short term stays.
Due to the high calibre of staff that
we employ we are not only able to
offer equipment hire and trips we are
also able to offer training courses in
almost all activities we offer. We can offer a
range of certified courses and bespoke cus-
tom made training options, which ever best
suits your needs and requirements. An ex-
ample of the activities we can teach are
powerboating, sailing, canoeing, kayaking,
cycling, climbing and first aid which we can
offer up to HSE 3 day first aid at work and
many specialist courses for your unique
needs.
To see how our team could help you please
contact us on 01887 827085 or t
19
‘Food in the Park’ Fish and Chip & Pizza
Restaurant and Coffee House in Blair Atholl
was a very busy place to be last year with a
few changes made around the area that
bought in quite a few very impressed cus-
tomers! The most noticeable change is
obviously the lovely new car park and picnic
area around the Information Centre and
new Information Hub that was really well
used in the summer after being completed
in early 2013. Blair Atholl Bike Hire was also
newly situated at the cafe and has had a
very encouraging first year in its new home.
Our Yo! Frooty Frozen Yoghurt and Smoothie
unit is now nicely positioned at the front of
our property looking out over the picnic area
and nicely manicured lawn of the Infor-
mation Centre, ready to take full advantage
of the beautiful summer that we keep being
promised! So all in all customers at Food in
the Park are in for a treat this summer with
so much to offer!
We have 4 very dedicated staff returning for
a 2nd and 3rd season with us plus 2 new full
time staff with a wealth of previous experi-
ence in the catering trade, so we are very
excited about being able to continue the
high level of customer service that has been
enjoyed in past years.
We will also be welcoming back Nel Da-
vidson, our scrumptious cake maker, who
delivered above and beyond last year in
terms of quality and taste on a wide range
of delicious cakes!
Further plans for Food in the Park are to
expand our already large garden area at the
back of the property to include a children’s
play area, so watch out for news of that in
the near future!
Visitors continue to vote our Fish and Chips
as the ‘best in Scotland’, so we are making
plans to have that made official in 2015 by
entering Food in the Park into The National
Fish and Chip Awards. Winners for 2014
have just been announced so we will be
visited by the judges at some point this year
to hopefully be crowned a prize winner for
2015 in the category of ‘Seasonal Fish and
Chip Restaurants’. Votes from customers
and the public all help towards a win so we
will be publishing details of where to vote
once we have been officially entered!
As always we will be catering for and sup-
porting quite a number of charity events
that are passing through Blair Atholl; Cy-
clists from Lands End to John O’Groats com-
pleting the Wooden Spoon Challenge,
Speed Munroe baggers, Alan Stewart who is
fighting for every heartbeat through 1,000
miles of personal challenges for British
Heart Foundation and will be travelling
through Blair Atholl to complete 3 Munroes
in his “From the bottom of Scotland to the
top of Africa” challenge and many more
individual charity challengers!
We have our usual number on which to
place an order (01796 481484) so you can
pre-order your meal and pick it up later in
the day or night. We also take bookings on
this number to enable you to reserve seats
in our restaurant, if you have a large party.
Further details about any special events
that we are hosting can be found on our
website at www.foodinthepark.co.uk.
REMEMBER! We have a huge car park,
facilities to eat in or sit outside in one of our
two alfresco areas with views of the river
and mountains, or take – away . We also
have a large garden ideal for kids to run
around in and work up an appetite!
Open 11am until 8pm (9pm in the Summer
Holidays) 01796 481484
Page 19 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Food in the Park, Blair Atholl
20
Riders of the Storm
Page 20 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Blair Castle and Gardens new WW1 Exhibition
I would like to introduce you to Riders of the
Storm.
Founded by local Kirsty McWilliam, Riders of
the Storm is Britain’s youngest and
Scotland’s Elite Equestrian Stunt Display
Team. We travel throughout Britain perform-
ing displays at agricultural shows, country
fairs, horse trials and galas. We have vari-
ous events planned for the 2014 season
and are as far afield as Reeth show in York-
shire to Caithness Show in Thurso, but a
few close to home such as Grandtully Gala
Day and Soldiers of Killiecrankie.
We also provide lessons, camps and expe-
rience days and holidays at our base in
Killiecrankie. We have people travelling
from all over Britain to try out these unique
experiences. Aimed at adults, children,
families and groups, there is something for
everyone. You don’t even have to have
ridden before the join in the fun, all we ask
is that you’re reasonably fit and healthy and
under our weight limit.
We also add TV and Film to our repertoire,
providing horses and riders. Most recently
filming a BBC documentary called a Quest
for Bannockburn to be aired in June.
If you would like any more information on
any of the services we provide or to watch
our showreel please visit our website .
www.ridersofthestorm.co.uk or facebook
page www.facebook.com/
scotlandsstuntteam
We are currently looking for 2014 main
sponsor, if you are interested in supporting
this local youth team please get intouch.
“Our Land
Rover
Safaris will
re-start in
April ”.
To commemorate the centenary of World
War I and Scotland’s Year of Homecoming,
an exciting new exhibition demonstrating
the involvement of the 7th Duke of Atholl
and his family in the war will be on display
in the castle from 1st April 2014.
The 7th Duke’s three sons were all heavily
involved in military operations as Lord Tul-
libardine (who became 8th Duke in 1917)
commanded the Scottish Horse Regiment,
which later merged with the Black Watch;
Lord George served with the Black Watch
and was tragically lost during the Battle of
the Aisne in September 1914, although
rumours circulated that he was a prisoner of
war; and Lord James of the Camer-
on Highlanders was injured early
on in the war, returned to the front
and was captured. He remained in
various prison camps in Germany
for the rest of the war.
The ladies of the family also did
their bit for the War effort as Dor-
othea helped in a hospital and
suffered a Zepplin raid in the south
of England, Helen raised funds for
the Scottish Horse and the castle
was used as a Red Cross hospital
commanded by Duchess Kitty. The
ballroom was transformed into a
ward and recreation room while additional
rooms were used as dining areas for nurs-
ing staff and patients.
Following the end of the war, the 8th Duke
was responsible for fundraising and building
the National War Memorial at Edinburgh
Castle and the war memorials on the estate
at Blair Atholl, Logierait, Dunkeld and
Bankfoot.
The Family at War exhibition will display
various artefacts and infor-
mation on the individual family
members during the war, in-
cluding letters, photos and
documents of the Duke’s sons,
a section on the ballroom as a
Red Cross Hospital which in-
cludes extracts from a scrap-
book kept by one of the nurses,
and a section on the plans and
fundraising effort for the Na-
tional War Memorial.
Entry to the exhibition is includ-
ed in the general admission to
Blair Castle and Gardens.
Entry prices: Adult £9.90, Concession
£8.40, Child £5.95, Family £26.75.
“Entry
prices: Adult
£9.90, Concession
£8.40, Child
21
The Old Mill Inn Pitlochry Owned and run by Fiona
and Angus John MacLellan
(who also own Victoria’s
Restaurant in Pitlochry), The
Old Mill Inn is a well-loved
vibrant bar & bistro, popular
with locals and visitors alike
and we’ve become known
for showcasing some of
Scotland’s best music acts
in our bar each weekend.
Food & drink is great value
at The Mill and the corner-
stone of our business is
friendly service, so you can
expect a warm welcome
when you come to visit.
Our accommodation is spa-
cious and well-appointed
and we offer a selection of
double, twin and luxurious
deluxe king-size rooms.
Keep up to date with all the
live music, offers and goings
on at the Mill on our facebook
page www.facebook.com/
oldmillinn or visit our website
www.theoldmillpitlochry.co.uk
As always, we would like to
thank you all for your sup-
port and custom and we
look forward to seeing you
over the coming season.
Page 21 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
22
Guided Walks in Rannoch
An enthusiastic group of volunteers have
been leading guided walks during the holi-
day periods over the last year, and we are
delighted to be doing them again. This year
we plan to do Guided Walks out with the
core tourist season. As it is a programme
that is still being developed please contact
[email protected] for further
information. However, as a taster here are
some that are planned for April and May,
that start from the village
square.
Monday 7 April
1000 – 1130 Scampering
Squirrels
Rannoch is a stronghold for the
Red Squirrel, so come along
and find out more about these
acrobatic creatures. We may
be lucky enough to see some in
the tree tops.
Thursday 17 April 1900- 2030
Meet the midgie munchers.
So what creatures eat the pesty
little insects that drive us all mad? They
make up a good meal for many a creature
but who? Bring a torch and warm jacket.
Monday 21 April 1000 – 1130 Rannoch
Critters
Who and what lives in Rannoch? Come and
find out more about our top six favourites
and where to see them.
Sunday 4 May 500-630 (not confirmed
yet) Dawn Chorus.
As spring is in full swing join us for a gentle
ramble to hear the song before the dawn.
As the sun rises we may be lucky to even
spot the “singers”
Page 22 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Welcome to Rannoch & Tummel. "OPEN
ALL YEAR ROUND - NATURE NEVER CLOSES
ITS DOOR" on the “The Road to the Isles”
your adventure begins, by bus, walking,
cycling or a simple drive round Loch Ran-
noch you can experience nature at its best.
Stop in one of the many lay-bys, picnic by
the shore and dip your toes in the water.
Using the bus route? You can get on and off
wherever you want. www.pkc.gov.uk/
bustimetables Tummel Bridge and Kinloch
Rannoch have a general shop and a cafe.
In Kinloch Rannoch you can hire bikes and
boats, go fishing or use the new play park.
If you are a geocacher you can spend many
happy hours in Rannoch, we have over thirty
caches in the area. To find out more go to
www.geocaching.com . Enjoy the Clan Trail
– follow the posted route around Loch Ran-
noch to find out more about the clans who
used to live in the glen. Leaflets are availa-
ble at the Country Store.
Spectacular scenery, photographers delight,
hills, mountains and an
amazing waterfall right in
the centre of Kinloch Ran-
noch.
If its wildlife you’re looking
for there is an abundance
of birds including osprey
and Rannoch is a red squir-
rels stronghold! Take a trip
to Rannoch station at dusk;
you are bound to see some
deer. At the east end of the
loch read about the special
fish species that live here.
For serious walkers you can follow the old
cattle drove roads such as Annat to Dal-
whinnie, Bridge of Gaur to Bridge of Orchy or
take the Kirk Road from Dall to Glen Lyon.
Don’t forget the train trip to Corrour and
walk back to Rannoch Station. (Wear ap-
propriate clothes and carry food and water.)
Those looking for a shorter ramble can ex-
plore the core paths round Kinloch Rannoch
and Tummel Bridge, go to McGregor’s Cave,
follow trails marked in the Carie Woods or
explore the Black Wood of Rannoch. Guid-
ed walks are on offer and information can
be found at www.rannochandtummel.co.uk
or email [email protected]
Welcome to Rannoch & Tummel
23
Rannoch Paths
Prince of India, Pitlochry’s only Indian Res-
taurant .
It all started in July 1994, twenty years ago
this July. The Prince of India is rated 10th
out of 43 restaurants on Trip Advisor
Its Special Lunch deal is the best in Pit-
lochry £6.95 for three courses and children
under 12 eat for £3.95, 12noon to 4.30pm
(2pm winter). Main evening meals are
served from 5pm to 11pm each
night.
You will find all the popular Indian
continent dishes on the Prince of
India’s menu, including authentic
Balti dishes, Chef's recommenda-
tion and European dishes (for non
-curry eaters in the party).
10% discount is offered on the
Prince of India Take Away meals;
you can phone in or drop in, order
and wait for the meal to be pre-
pared.
Large groups are catered for, if
pre-booked you can have your own special
menu agreed with the Prince of India chefs.
If you want a menu for your guests please
pop in and ask the staff, they will be very
happy to help.
The Prince of India is open all year, 7 days a
week. Summer open all day long. Off sea-
sons open 12noon to 2pm and 5pm to
11pm. Tel: 01796 472275 or 01796
473770
Page 23 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014
Walking in Rannoch has something to suit
everyone from a short multi-use path in
Kinloch Rannoch to long distant paths such
as the Kirk route from Dall to Glen Lyon.
The routes are often historic, old drove
roads and Scottish Rights of Way and many
start from the Clan Trail which circles Loch
Rannoch. At Carie, the Forestry Commis-
sion offer way marked paths of different
lengths. Several of our other paths are not
yet way marked but can be clearly seen on
OS map 42 on various walking websites.
Rannoch and Tummel Tourism group is
working towards sensitively upgrading and
marking paths. A local paths guide is being
planned to describe routes such as the ro-
mantic Victorian path to MacGregor's Cave
or the Annat circular passing a historic de-
serted village. Want to find out more please
check www.rannochandtummel.co.uk or
contact [email protected]
Many of our paths make good cycle routes
and the road round Loch Rannoch is ideal
for all levels of cyclists from the serious
Etape participants to family outings with
youngsters on bike seats or tag-alongs.
To keep youngsters engaged with a walk
why not try Geocaching. Rannoch has over
30 caches to find using Gps. To learn more
go to www.geocaching.com
Prince of India
24
Drummonds Restaurant and Public House
Rated 9th out of 43 restaurants in the Pit-
lochry Trip Advisor area, with 143 reviews
giving it a rating of 4.5 out of 5, (85.2% of
the reviews rate Drummonds as ‘Excellent’
or ‘Very Good’) sets this understated family
restaurant in its true context
The Drummond Family who run the restau-
rant consisting of Mags, Angela, Adele, Ab-
bie, Michael, Cha and Mick would like to
welcome you to Drum-
monds in Ferry Road,
Pitlochry.
Mags says it still amazes
her after 14 years of
being open, how many
people who live in the
Pitlochry area have never
been to Drummonds.
She says people are still
coming up to her and
saying they have never
been in Drummonds
before, if you are one of
these people, Mags and
her family ask you to
please come in and give Drummonds a try.
What sets Drummonds apart from the other
restaurants in town, is that it provides good
affordable meals, home from home cooking,
‘Just as your Mum would cook it”, none of
this fancy modern stuff. Everything is
cooked to order using good wholesome
Scottish produce at all times.
If your guests are looking for some home
cooked food at affordable rates, this is the
place to go. Two course High Tea,
with choice of pate or soup start-
ers, selection of main courses
and three deserts for £11 served
from 12 noon to 6.30pm. You
can also choose dishes from the
main menu which is also availa-
ble from 12 noon to 9pm each
day. All payments are cash or by
cheque, as part of Drummonds
drive to provide good value food
it does not have credit card facili-
ties, thereby saving on these
extra costs to the business.
This year Drummonds are introducing a new
range of dishes in to their daily specials
menu ranging from chicken, pastas, roast
pork and lamb to home made rice pudding
and ice cream and fruit.
Importantly Mags and family invite you to
come along and try Drummonds out, after
all how can you tell your guests about some
where if you have never been and tried it
yourself.
Here are a couple of
the most recent Trip
Advisor Reviews to let
you know what others
thought of Drum-
monds:-
“Fabulous” - We have
been in Pitlochry for a
couple of days for a
weekend break from
near Edinburgh.
Not knowing the town
we had been directed
to a few of the local
bars/restaurants by
the hotel we were staying and were
shocked by the prices.
By chance we bumped into the chef from
Drummonds in the local Fishers Bar who
told us about Drummonds.
We decided to try out the place yesterday
afternoon for food and a drink .. this was by
far the best for good hot food and much
more reasonably priced drinks and relaxed
family atmosphere and ALL staff
were Scottish making you actually
feel you were visiting a Scottish
town.
We would recommend this restau-
rant for the atmosphere, friendli-
ness and best of all the prices.
28th February 2014, Bonnyrigg,
Scotland
“Lovely Food” - We called in here
just on the off chance. It's small
and when you walk in, its maybe
not what you are expecting. How-
ever the lady who served us, was polite and
did everything. She did drinks, food orders,
served the food and cleaned up without a
sweat!! The food was fresh and nicely
cooked and considerably cheap for what
you get. Would return any day...
30th March 2014, York, England.
“Day Trip” - After visiting Pitlochry we decid-
ed to pop into Drummonds on Ferry Road
for an early tea. We picked from a good
range of options on their menu and we de-
cided to have there fish teas which were
delicious and very reasonably priced and
the service was friendly and efficient. It is a
small but homely restaurant with very pleas-
ant and accommodating staff Peter was
very helpful giving us plenty of information
about the town and places to stay for future
visits. I would definitely recommend this
restaurant well worth it will be back.
3rd April 2014 Alexandria, Scotland
Page 24 Highland Perthshire Tourism Newsletter 2014