Spittal of Glenshee

The Spittal of Glenshee lies at the head of Glenshee in the highlands of eastern Perth and Kinross, Scotland where the confluence of many small streams flowing south out of the Grampians form the Shee Water. For centuries, there has been a hostel or inn at the site and, in modern times, the small village has become a centre for travel, tourism and winter sports in the region, sited at a bend on the A93 trunk road which leads from Blairgowrie north past the Spittal to the Glenshee Ski Centre and on to Braemar.

Spittal of Glenshee Scottish Gaelic: Spideal Ghlinn Sìdh
Spittal of Glenshee Location within Perth and Kinross
OS grid reference	NO110701
Council area	Perth and Kinross
Lieutenancy area	Perth and Kinross
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BLAIRGOWRIE
Postcode district	PH10
Dialling code	01250
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Perth and North Perthshire
Scottish Parliament	Perthshire North

Looking north to the Cairnwell Pass, Spittal of Glenshee is in the foreground.

Standing stone at Spittal of Glenshee

Inhabitation in the Neolithic period is indicated by a Megalithic standing stone[1] behind the old kirk, and the Four Poster stone circle on a nearby mound.[2]

When interest in ski mountaineering revived after the First World War and the Scottish Ski Club was resuscitated in 1929, they restarted weekly snow reports with reporters appointed at Lix Toll near Killin, Dalwhinnie, Braemar and the Spittal of Glenshee. The Dundee Ski Club used the Spittal Hotel as its meeting place, and pioneered improvements, setting up the first ski tows in Britain at Glenshee in December 1950. The hotel burnt down in 1959 and was rebuilt in Scandinavian style. However it was once again destroyed by fire in August 2014 and currently the site is for sale.[3]

The village also provides a stopping place on the Cateran Trail waymarked long distance footpath which provides a 64-mile (103 km) circuit in the glens of Perthshire and Angus.[4]

Scotland's foremost folklorist, Hamish Henderson spent a number of years in the village and developed his interest in Gaelic culture there.[5]

References

1. The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map: Spittal Of Glenshee Standing Stone (Menhir)
2. Spittal Of Glenshee -Four Poster stone circle
3. Gray, Sandra. "Spittal of Glenshee Hotel devastated in early morning fire". The Courier. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
4. "Cateran Trail". Visit Scotland. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
5. "Hamish Henderson". Blairgowrie, Rattray and District Historical Trust. Retrieved 7 July 2019.