Pitlochry

Pitlochry is a town in Perth and Kinross with around 2800 inhabitants. It stands in the valley of the River Tummel, long a major route between the Lowlands and the Highlands and Islands. It grew up as a tourist resort in the Victorian era, especially after the coming of the railway in 1863. Later developments largely passed it by, so it retains its Victorian centre - all the more pleasant since the main road A9 was diverted onto a bypass in 1981.

• 🌍 Visit Scotland Pitlochry iCentre, 22 Atholl Road, PH16 5BX, ☎ [phone], [phone]. M-Sa 10:00-16:00. Central, parking available. (updated Nov 2018)

Main street

Get in

Pitlochry station

By train

Pitlochry is on the main railway line from Edinburgh and Glasgow via Perth, then north to Aviemore and Inverness, with Scotrail trains every hour or two.

Reaching Pitlochry from England usually involves changing in Edinburgh, but there is one direct daytime train from London Kings Cross, via York, Newcastle and Edinburgh, taking 6 hours 30 min.

Nightly except Saturday, the Highland Sleeper leaves London Euston around 21:00 to reach Pitlochry by 06:00 on its way to Inverness. (So you might do better to take the Lowland Sleeper to Edinburgh then change to a daytime train.) The southbound sleeper picks up around 22:45, reaching Euston by 08:00.

🌍 Pitlochry Railway Station is in the village centre.

By bus

Most of the buses along the A9 bypass Pitlochry, and there's usually only one or two Citylink buses per day from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth.

Get around

• The best way to get around the local area is by car.
• Local buses are run by Stagecoach. Some useful routes are bus 24/27 from Perth via Dunkeld to Pitlochry (M-Sa hourly, 3 on Sunday); and bus 87 from Pitlochry to Blair Atholl and Calvine, every couple of hours.
• 🌍 Escape Route, 3 Atholl Road, PH16 5BX, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 09:00-17:30. Bike hire is available from this bicycle shop on main road. £24 for 24 hours, or £18 until closing time. Hire includes helmet, pump, spare tubes & tyre levers. (updated Nov 2018)

See

• 🌍 Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder, Pitlochry, PH16 5DR, ☎ [phone]. Pitlochry Dam was completed in 1951, blocking the River Tummel to create Loch Faskally, 5 km long. The dam incorporates a fish ladder (with windows to view underwater) to enable salmon to continue making their way upstream. The dam complex generates hydro-electric power for the National Grid. (updated Nov 2018)

Do

• 🌍 Festival Theatre, Port Na Craig, PH16 5DR, ☎ [phone]. There's a programme of theatre year-round, and Pitlochry Festival has been held each summer since 1951 - for its first 30 years in a marquee, now in this theatre. The summer 2019 programme is not yet announced, but Sir Ian McKellen is one confirmed big name. (updated Nov 2018)

Edradour Distillery

• 🌍 Edradour Distillery, Pitlochry, PH16 5JP (Off A934, 2 miles up hill east of town), ☎ [phone]. Tours mid-April - Oct M-Sa 10:00-16:00, Nov - mid-Apr M-F 10:00-15:00. Edradour, founded in 1825, produces a range of single malt Scotch whiskies: expert tasters use descriptions like rum, caramel, fruity, sweet. It's said to be the smallest legal whisky distillery in Scotland. The minimum used to be 1800 litres still capacity - anything smaller was likely to be producing moonshine - but a 2009 legal case threw out the minimum and opened the way to micro- or "craft / boutique" distilleries. Adults £10. (updated Jan 2019)
• 🌍 Blair Athol Distillery, Perth Road, PH16 5LY (On A924 half a mile east of town), ☎ [phone]. Daily Oct-Jun 10:00-17:00, July-Sept 10:00-18:30. It's owned by Diageo and most of the product is blended, but they do issue a single malt, the 12 year old Blair Athol. The pricier the tour, the more whisky you sample, from the standard at £9.50 up to the "Experience" at £250. As they sagely point out, "please ensure you make suitable transport arrangements." Standard tour £9.50. (updated Nov 2018)

Ben Vrackie

• Walk: lots of routes nearby. The signature hike in Pitlochry is up Ben Vrackie (841 m, a Corbett). The hike starts close to the Moulin Brewery and Hotel, taking 4 hours return through woodland and open heath to the last steep scramble. Easy in summer, in winter it's icy; see Walkhighlands for a route description.
• Pitlochry Highland Games are held early Sept in the Recreation Park. The next event is Sat 14 Sept 2019.

There's also Strathardle Highland Gathering, held late August at Bannerfield Strathardle, six miles east of Pitlochry towards Bridge of Cally. The next event is Sat 24 Aug 2019.

Buy

• 🌍 Moulin Brewery, PH16 5EW, ☎ [phone]. A small local brewery adjacent to the Moulin Hotel. (updated Nov 2015)
• There is a larger Co-operative supermarket in the town centre at the beginning of West Moulin Road (A924).

Eat

• 🌍 Cafe Biba, 40 Atholl Road, PH16 5BX, ☎ [phone]. Daily 09:30-20:30. Traditional fare. (updated Nov 2018)
• 🌍 McKays, 138 Atholl Road, PH16 5AG, ☎ [phone]. McKays has a restaurant, pub with bar food & live music and TV sport, fish & chips takeaway. It's also a 3-star hotel, doubles from £60 pn. They own Caffe Scozia opposite. (updated Nov 2018)
• Caffe Scozia, 113 Atholl Road, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 10:00-21:00, F-Su 12:00-21:00. Pizzeria in the former Strathgarry Hotel, now run by McKays. Pizza & pasta dishes £12. (updated Nov 2018)
• The Auld Smiddy, 154 Atholl Road, PH16 5AG, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. From 11:00, bar from 12:00. An old forge that has been refurbished and is now a cafe. Sandwiches and traditional fare. Wheelchair accessible. (updated Nov 2018)
• For Asian food, there's Prince of India at 5 Station Rd (daily 12:00-23:00), and Bamboo House takeaway at 48 Atholl Rd (Su M W Th 15:30-23:00, F Sa 12:30-23:00).

Drink

• The Old Mill Inn (see "sleep") usually has live music Fridays and Saturdays.

Sleep

• There's a series of small guest houses dotted along the main road.
• 🌍 Pitlochry Backpackers Hotel, 134 Atholl Road, PH16 5AB, ☎ [phone]. Twin, double and dorm rooms are available plus a wonderful sunny lounge, overlooking the main street. From £20 pp. (updated Nov 2018)
• 🌍 Fishers Hotel, 75-79 Atholl Road PH16 5BN, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Central reliable 3-star. B&B doubles from £80. (updated Nov 2018)
• 🌍 Scotland's Hotel, 40 Bonnethill Road, PH16 5BT, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 3-star, usually reliable but showing its age. Double B&B from £60. (updated Nov 2018)
• 🌍 Pitlochry Youth Hostel, Knockard Road, PH16 5HJ, ☎ [phone]. Great 62 bed hostel near the town centre in a fine stone mansion. Dorm beds from £22. (updated Nov 2018)
• Dundarach Hotel, Perth Rd PH16 5DJ. Gothic but welcoming, central. B&B double from £130. (updated Nov 2018)
• 🌍 The Old Mill Inn, Mill Lane PH16 5BH, ☎ [phone]. 4 star hotel with bar. The restaurant gets good reviews. B&B double from £60. (updated Nov 2018)
• 🌍 Atholl Palace Hotel, PH16 5LX (Drive entrance is just north of rwy bridge), ☎ [phone]. Splendid 4-star Victorian pile in woodland east of town. B&B double from £120. (updated Nov 2018)

Go next

• Dunkeld and Birnam — to see a tree from Shakespeare's Birnam Wood
• Blair Atholl — for the Falls of Bruar

Routes through Pitlochry

Inverness ← Blair Atholl ←

NW  SE

→ Dunkeld → Perth