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.

http://www.victorias-pitlochry.co.uk

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-

[email protected]

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

http://www.winterweek.co.uk

http://www.crannog.co.uk

http://freeonlinesurveys.com/app/rendersurvey.asp?sid=3k4k1objq5ihljh395048&refer=

http://freeonlinesurveys.com/app/rendersurvey.asp?sid=3k4k1objq5ihljh395048&refer=

http://www.crannog.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/scottishcrannogcentre

mailto:[email protected]


4


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 “

http://available.in

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

[email protected] or

tel. 01887 820071

New Red Deer Centre at Highland Safaris


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


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


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.

FaceBook

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


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 “

http://www.ferncottagepitlochry.co.uk

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.

[email protected]

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


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.


http://www.tummelandtayfestival.co.uk

http://www.communityfoodfund.co.uk/

10


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

[email protected]

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.


“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

[email protected]

Jill Scougall, Blair Athol Distillery, Perth

Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5LY Tel 01796

482003


12


“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,

[email protected]

Clubhouse: 01796 472334, manag-

[email protected]

Marketing: 07711458260, market-

[email protected]

Pitlochry Golf Team

http://www.pitlochrygolf.co.uk






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.


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.


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!


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-

[email protected]


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

http://www.aberfeldypubs.co.uk



http://www.aberfeldypubs.co.uk


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.


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.

http://www.foodofscotland.co.uk

18


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

[email protected]

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


Food in the Park, Blair Atholl

http://www.foodinthepark.co.uk

20

Riders of the Storm


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

http://www.ridersofthestorm.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/scotlandsstuntteam

http://www.facebook.com/scotlandsstuntteam

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.


http://www.facebook.com/oldmillinn

http://www.facebook.com/oldmillinn

http://www.theoldmillpitlochry.co.uk

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”


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


http://www.pkc.gov.uk/bustimetables

http://www.pkc.gov.uk/bustimetables

http://www.geocaching.com

http://www.rannochandtummel.co.uk


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


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

http://www.rannochandtummel.co.uk


http://www.geocaching.com

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


Explore Highland Perthshire Newsletter 2014

Documents

holiday makers

holiday research

web sites new

scotland news

host of web sites

big change

tourist season

latest tourist business