If Pitlochry just conjures up images of tour buses and tartan shops, it’s time you took another look at this Highland Perthshire town. Today this old Victorian resort sports bungee jumping, bakeries cultivating sourdough and bright new cafés, with a fresh gallery opening this autumn and a craft brewery moving in from Blair Atholl. And unlike some of the Highlands, Pitlochry does not close down for winter.
Long gone are the days when Pitlochry – a resort that first became popular after Queen Victoria’s visit in the 1840s – shut up shop after its wildly popular Highland Games in September. The Enchanted Forest has been critical in the newfound autumnal popularity: this sound and vision extravaganza is estimated to bring in an estimated 85,000 visitors this year.
Nela Popovic, executive director of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, explains the positive effects: “The event showcases Scotland’s natural landscape at its Autumnal best, an incredible boost to the local tourism economy in and around Pitlochry, delivering an estimated economic impact of £73 million since 2002. It has been a key driver in transforming a traditionally quiet time of the year into a significant period of tourism.”
It’s not just The Enchanted Forest, nor the Pitlochry Winter Lights – which are turned on in time for The Enchanted Forest and burn on brightly into the new year – that have turned this Highland Perthshire resort town into a year-round destination. Eddie Thomson, owner of tourism guiding business Heartland Tours, and proud Pitlochry resident, has seen a wider renaissance: “I used to be involved in The Enchanted Forest and it’s had a huge positive effect. But Pitlochry’s success in traditionally quieter seasons is about much more. It really looks its best in autumn and winter and backing that up is a resort town that definitely and defiantly now stays open year-round with lots of dynamic businesses.”
Pitlochry does indeed do much more than just stay open. Yes there are those twee shops, but also the sort of butchers and wine and spirit emporiums (Robertsons and Drinkmonger) that most of us would like to see where we live. And an impressive wave of new blood. On the west side of Atholl Road within metres I find Jessie’s and The Garden Café, two sparkling cafés with young teams that both opened this year.
There is that baker with the sourdough, artisan coffee now gives traditional high teas a run for their money and, sticking with gourmet beans, Pitlochry now has a newly-opened top notch ‘Bean to Bar Chocolatier’ in Explore Chocolate. These aren’t isolated developments. Explore’s owner Matthew Green tells me about collaborations with Robertsons (who also bottle their own whisky and do superb value tastings) and the local Blair Athol Distillery, one of Scotland’s rare town distilleries. Old and new seamlessly intertwine to create visitor experiences that bring out the best in both. Look out too for Explore Chocolate’s new whisky-themed advent calendar.
Near a railway station that ratchets up Pitlochry’s already high nodality index (the A9 of course runs nearby) is another hybrid newcomer. The striking blue railway carriage may look like it has just been shipped in from France, but owner Mia McCallum actually sourced it from Norway. The French livery comes from its stint as a memorable location for that infamous Mission Impossible scene when Tom Cruise did battle on its roof. Seriously. Choo opened as a restaurant this summer, now a location for a mean pad thai and lip-tingling curries a world away from plain scones.
The new attractions keep coming. Unveiled this month is the long-awaited marker for the end of the Rob Roy Way, the seriously underrated 79-mile long distance walking route that scythes across some of Scotland’s most dramatic scenery from Drymen to Highland Perthshire. It seems eternal rover Rob Roy MacGregor was seeking Pitlochry all along and these days it’s easy to see why. He wouldn’t have needed to put his feet up for good either as there are miles of documented local trails as part of the Pitlochry Paths Network initiative, ranging from three miles to 12 miles. Local hotelier Struan Lothian, the owner of Knockendarroch Hotel, sees Pitlochry today is a destination in its own right rather than just a handy staging post.
“I came here 15 years ago and just love it,” he smiles as he casts his arm over a town set in an impressive natural amphitheatre. It’s a place that just seems to get better and better. The Enchanted Forest has turned October into as good a month as any and I cannot think of another Victorian resort town in Scotland that stays so consistently popular outside summer. And people have high expectations so our menu changes every night to meet those.”
I hear more positivity from Jennifer Wheatley, proud owner of the about-to-open Perthshire Gallery. “I’ve always dreamed of opening a gallery in Highland Perthshire,” she beams by a spectacular live edge wood table fashioned a few miles away in Dunkeld. “Pitlochry is perfect. There is a real community and tourists too, plus a lot of artistic talent to showcase all around the region.”
It does not end there. Blair Atholl’s acclaimed young craft brewers Wasted Degrees are setting up in Pitlochry soon, so look out for tastings and tours. And in the woods and waterways around the town Nae Limits take adrenaline seekers out bashing through the whitewater and, yes, bungee jumping too. The wee boating shed down on Loch Faskally rents out kayaks, too, for a more sedate experience easing around Big Tree Country.
Pitlochry never seems content to rest on its laurels. Just as I’m leaving town news breaks that Alan Cumming has been appointed the new artistic director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre, chiming in with Burns that his “heart is in the Highlands” and cementing his oft declared love for his birthplace of Highland Perthshire. It’s a gloriously ambitious appointment, the polar opposite of the old coach party and tartan twee images of Pitlochry; another sign of a resort that these days engagingly manages to be all things to all people, year-round.
FOODIE PITLOCHRY
Sandemans
Settle in for a tasting menu at this fine dining oasis in stately Fonab Castle. Hand-dived Orkney scallops and Isle of Lewis halibut star alongside Aberdeenshire beef, with Perthshire’s famous soft fruits lifting the desserts alongside Perthshire cheese. Good value wines to match are served by a sommelier who knows his stuff.
www.crerarhotels.com/fonab-castle
Jessie’s
This is named after the owner’s grannie who used to cook pancakes on her farm. Those secret recipe pancakes star alongside creative all-day breakfast options. It’s eclectic – they do a delicious Reuben sandwich that would pass muster in New York alongside veggie breakfasts – and homely too with a farmhouse vibe and welcoming communal tables.
www.facebook.com/jessiespitlochry
The Garden Cafe
The enthusiastic, welcoming owners run a tight ship with hearty Cullen Skink an autumn delight, best accompanied by one of Mayo’s homemade cheese scones. His cakes are superb too. Lovely local vibe.
www.facebook.com/gardencafepitlochry
The Old Mill
They smoke their own salmon, have their own beer brewed for them and add a personal touch to a large, hearty inn-style venue.
The Old Mill manages the tricky task of being all things to all people with some aplomb, whether you just want a cheery pint and a bowl of soup with live music, or a full-on dinner alive with fresh, local produce.
www.theoldmillpitlochry.co.uk
BED DOWN IN PITLOCHRY
Fonab Castle Hotel & Spa
This is the place to stay. Savour sweeping views of Loch Faskally from this lavish castle, enjoy its multitude of dining options (including an outdoor pod overlooking the castle and forests) and bubble away in their outdoor hot tubs.
www.crerarhotels.com/fonab-castle
Atholl Palace Hotel
You can enjoy unbeatable views from this Victorian pile perched high on a bluff overlooking Pitlochry. It’s perhaps a little on the faded grandeur side for some tastes, but those views and welcoming staff help make this a solid base.
www.athollpalace.com
Knockendarroch Hotel & Restaurant
This lovely old stone dame purrs just under the radar – just the way its many repeat guests like it. It has only 18 rooms, with most boasting views of the town from its lofty redoubt, a refined country house vibe, a welcoming team and a restaurant worth staying in for.
www.knockendarroch.co.uk
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