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Pitlochry is a Town 26 miles northwest of
Perth,
just off the main A9 road. The Town grew from
the 1840s as a tourist destination with a
number of grand Hotels.
Pitlochry is popular for the Bells Distillery, Dam with a Visitor
Centre, Fishing, Watersports, and Golf. The
Killiecrankie Battle Site is 4 miles
north, Blair Castle 7 miles north, Queens View
7 miles northwest, and Highland Safaris 17
miles southwest.
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Click on Map for area Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The image top is of the Blair Atholl Bells
Whisky Distillery on the south side of
Pitlochry. You can visit the Distillery for its
Shop, Bar Lounge, and Tours.
The image second top is of the Atholl Palace Hotel with large
Gardens and a Hotel Museum, one of many fine
hotels in Pitlochry with good settings.
The Bike Shop Cafe
is on the south side of Atholl Street, the main
street in the Town.
The War Memorial with a scenic seating area
is also on Atholl Road.
The Old Mill Restaurant
with Rooms is just off Athol Road, in the
centre of Town. This is a popular spot on sunny
days for outdoor drinks and meals.
The River Tummel Suspension Bridge can be
found by walking or driving down past the War
Memorial on Ferry Road, past the Recreation
Park where there is a Car Park. The Bridge is
popular for Love Locks, interesting to view and
read.
The Pitlochry Highland
Games are held at the Recreation Park in
mid September each year.
Pitlochry Dam is about half of a mile
up-river from the Suspension Bridge.
On the west side of the River Tummel are the
Explorers Garden, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, and
Port-na-Craig Inn
& Restaurant.
Pitlochry Dam has a Visitor Centre sitting
high above the Dam with great views, and a Fish
Ladder to allow Salmon to travel up-river. The
Dam has a large Car Park also used for a Park
with Woodland Walks.
Fonab Castle
with a popular Restaurant is on the west side
of the Dam. You can walk up to the Castle from
the Dam.
Pitlochry Boating Station & Adventure
Hire is one mile north of Pitlochry on Loch
Faskall, part of the body of water created by
the Dam.
By the Boating Station is the Green Park Hotel with
scenic gardens overlooking Loch Faskall.
Pitlochry History
The area of present day Pitlochry was
originally two very small villages on each side
of the River Tummel, Port na Craig on the west
side, and Moulin on the east side.
Moulin Church
is the oldest building known in the area, with
the earliest parts possibly from the 800s -
1100s. The Graveyard has stones with Winged
Skulls, Death Heads, Trade Emblems, and 2
Crusaders with Medieval Swords, now a Heritage
Centre. Map
1100s - Monks from Couper Angus were gifted
the lands of Fonab, present day Pitlochry
area.
The Monks then built a Ferry that could
transport People, Cattle, and Carts across the
River.
1180 - Moulin Church was granted by the Earl
of Atholl to Dunfermline Abbey.
1326 - the Black Castle of
Moulin was built for Sir John Campbell of
Lochawe, close to Moulin Church.
1511 - Moulin became a Burgh of Barony,
allowing the Landowner to hold Weekly
Markets.
1512 - the Black Castle of Moulin was burned
due to a fear of Plague, leading to it falling
into ruin.
1700s - a Military Road was built through
Pitlochry during the Jacobite
Risings, allowing easier travel around the
area.
1798 - the Blair Atholl Distillery was built
for John Stewart.
1800s early - Moulin School was attended by
Alexander
MacKenzie (1822-1892) who went on to become
the second Prime Minister of Canada. The Old
Schoolhouse is now used for Self Catering
Holidays.
1834 - the Clunnie Bridge was built over the
River Tummel about 1 mile north of the Ferry.
The Ferry continued operating for Foot
Passengers.
1842 - Queen Victoria visited Perthshire on
one of her Grand Tours. Her description of this
scenic area led to an increase in Tourism.
1852 - the Pitlochry Highland Games begin,
one of the first of the modern Games. Highland
Gatherings began in the 1000s with Clans
competing in Military Combat type events. These
Gatherings became illegal after the Jacobite
Rising of 1746, after Highlanders tried to
overthrow the King.
1858 - Holy Trinity Episcopal Church was
built.
1863 - the Railway Station opened leading to
Pitlochry becoming a popular destination for
Tourists with many grand Hotels being
built.
1878 - Atholl Palace Hotel was opened under
its original name Athole Hydropathic. The
Pitlochry Hydro
Hotel opened around the same time.
1873 - Moulin Church was destroyed by fire,
it was rebuilt soon after to a new design.
1884 - Pitlochry Church of Scotland was
completed.
1884 - Pitlochry Baptist Church was
built.
1892 - Fonab Castle was built on the
outskirts of Pitlochry for Sanderman, the Port
and Wine Merchants.
1913 - the Suspension Footbridge was built
over the River Tummel. The Ferry stopped
operating on the day the Bridge was
completed.
1947 - the construction of Pitlochry Dam
began as part of the Tummel Hydro-Electric
power scheme. The Dam at Pitlochry is claimed
to produce enough power for around 15,000
homes.
The damming of the River created Loch
Faskally, flooding a large area north of the
town, including the old Recreation Park.
1949 - the Blair Atholl Distillery was taken
over by Arthur Bell and Sons, with Bells
becoming one of the top names in Scotch
Whisky.
1949 - St Bride's Roman Catholic Church was
built by Loch Faskally, mainly for people
working on the Dam.
1951 - Pitlochry Festival Theatre was
founded by John Stewart.
1960s - Sir Robert Watson-Watt, an inventor
of Radar, and his wife, began living at their
Summer House in Pitlochry. Both are buried in
the Churchyard of the Holy Trinity Episcopal
Church at Pitlochry.
1981 - the large A9 Tummel Bridge was built
as part of the Pitlochry Bypass. Views from the
Bridge when traveling south are amazing,
looking down over Loch Faskally and the large
Green Park Hotel.
1989 - Moulin Church was closed.
2002 - Fonab Castle was bought by the
Clark's to be converted to a luxury Hotel with
Lodges in the grounds.
2006 - Moulin Church is opened as the
Pitlochry and Moulin Heritage
Centre.
2009 - Pitlochry was awarded a Gold Medal
from the Britain in Bloom horticultural
contest.
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