Blairgowrie

Blairgowrie is a town 16 miles north of Perth, 33 miles south of Braemar, 24 miles south of the Glenshee Ski Centre on the A93 Road, highest main road in Scotland at 2,199ft.

The Town is popular for its Golf Courses, Fishing, Highland Games, Walking. and Driving into the Mountains.

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Camping & Touring Parks in area

Blairgowrie Golf Club is on the south side of the Town with two 18 hole courses and one 9 hole course.

If you are traveling up from the south, you will pass the Meikleour Beech Hedges, 530 metres long and 100ft high, 4 miles south of Blairgowrie. The hedge is trimmed every 10 years. If it has not been trimmed for a while, it may look like a row of trees.

Wellmeadow Square with the War Memorial is in the town centre. There is a notice board here giving information on the main walk around the town. There are 5 walking routes in the area with the Shortest around the town and riverside passing 3 castles, stone circle, old water mills, and Cargill's Leap. Ardblair and Newton Castles are private but you can view then from the trail. Glasclune Castle is a ruin. Walks Map.

Blairgowrie Bridge crosses the River Ericht. There are the remains of a number of Watermills along the riverside walk that were used in the Flax Industry for making Linen. This was the industry Blairgowrie grew around, along with growing fruit.

The A93 Road north from Blairgowrie is fast becoming one of the most famous roads in Scotland for its views and with it being the highest main road in Scotland at 2,199ft.

The road passes through the centre of the Glenshee Ski Centre with a Diner and a Chairlift that runs most of the year to the top of the 3,061ft / 933M Cairnwell mountain for great views. Just pay a small fee and you are on top of a mountain within 5 minutes. Operators stop and start the Chairlift for you.

Blairgowrie History

Neolithic - Stone Circles are erected with one on the south side of the town.

Bronze Age - axes and swords were found at Blairgowrie, now in the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow.

82 AD - a Roman Fort was built at Inchtuthil, 4 miles southwest of Blairgowrie.

800s - Pictish stone carvings are found in the area with the Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum 5 miles east of Blairgowrie in the village of Meigle.

1000s - the earliest parts of Craighall Castle were built for the Scotts, 2 miles north of Blairgowrie.

The villages of Blairgowrie and Rattray grew on each side of the River Ericht.

1399 - the earliest parts of Ardblair Castle at Blairgowrie were built for the Blair's.

1500s - Craighall Castle was acquired by the Rattray family.

1600? - Glasclune Castle is built at Blairgowrie for the Blair's. This Castle is now a ruin.

1600s late - Newton Castle at Blairgowrie is built for the Drummond's. This Castle is now a family home.

1679 - the local Covenanter, Donald Cargill, leapt a high rocky point on the River Ericht to escape Government Troops.

1724 - the Military Road up through Blairgowrie to Fort George by Inverness was completed with a Bridge over the River Ericht.

1746 - the Meikleour Beech Hedge was planted 4 milers south of Blairgowrie.

1778 - the Muckle Mill was built at Blairgowrie for Flax to be spun by machinery, first of many Water Mills, leading to the expansion of the Town.

1792 - Ardblair Castle passed to the Oliphants through marriage. This Castle is now a family home.

1834 - Blairgowrie gets its first Gas Lights.

1840s - the Old Bridge at Blairgowrie was washed away. A new Bridge was built soon after.

1842 - Blairgowrie was visited by Queen Victoria on her first visit to Scotland. This led to her buying Balmoral Estate 42 miles north, where she built Balmoral Castle in 1856.

1855 - the Railway reached Blairgowrie, linking to Perth and Aberdeen.

1872 - Blairgowrie Bridge was widened.

1889 - Blairgowrie Golf Club was founded.

1891 - Sir Hugh Munro produced the first list of hills in Scotland over 3,000ft / 914m, known as Munro's, 282 in all. This led to Hill Walking in Scotland becoming extremely popular. There are a number of Munro's north of Blairgowrie.

1928 - Blairgowrie and Rattray officially merged.

1900s - fruit growing expanded in the area such as Strawberries and Raspberries for fresh fruit sales, and the making of Jam.

Seasonal workers would travel up from the cities such as Perth, Dundee, and Glasgow for working holidays.

1962 - the Glenshee Ski Centre opened 25 miles north of Blairgowrie in the East Cairngorm Mountains. The Ski Slopes are on 3 mountains over 3,000ft.

2010 - Craighall Castle was sold by the Rattray family to a London investment banker to serve as his family home.