Things to see and do Pitlochry

750 years of Scottish history, celebrated precisely in 2019, await you here. Dating back to the 13th century, Blair Castlehas undergone many renovations and refurbishments over the years, finally displaying the elegance it enjoys today. Its past is linked to that of Mary Queen of Scots, the Three Kingdoms War, the Jacobite uprisings and even Europe's only legal private army, the Atholl Highlanders, which of course has only a ceremonial role and was authorised by Queen Victoria.

Castle. Inside, you will see sumptuous rooms, exceptional pieces of furniture - Chippendale furniture, for example - and a vast collection of weapons, as well as numerous paintings, especially in the impressive staircase. Raise your head to the ceiling and you'll also see some magnificent decorations. There are a total of 30 rooms in the castle to visit, with exhibitions in the last ones.

Park and gardens. The landscapes are varied around Blair Castle. You will visit the walled garden, called Hercules Garden, restored to its original Georgian design. Pond, Chinese bridge and orchard adorn it. Follow a carved walkway, explore Diana's Grove, a wooded area with some of Scotland's tallest trees, discover the ruins of St Bride's Church, in a site that was already a place of worship in Celtic times. Finally, you will see deer in a large park.

It was here, during the first Jacobite revolution, that the men of the Highland clans opposed the Orangemen on July 27, 1689. The victory was Scottish. This small visitor centre of the National Trust traces its history, while providing valuable information about the nature of the surroundings and their landscapes. The place lends itself perfectly to walking and hiking, with a footbridge offering superb views, a wooded and flowery gorge...

Claimed as the smallest distillery in Scotland, Edradour was created in 1825 and produces only a little more than 90 000 litres of whisky per year. The visit lasts 90 minutes and includes a tasting time, including the 10-year-old, a silky single malt with hints of peppermint and walnut. What is perhaps most striking is how here, the spirit of the place and the soul of the whisky are linked. The tasting bar is exclusively open to visitors of the distillery and offers an exceptional range of Edradour single malt.

In the heart of Pitlochry, Blair Athol Distillery started its activity for the first time in 1798, but quickly stopped, before starting again in 1826. Today it is one of the oldest in the country and attracts 30,000 visitors every year. Its production is used for bottling single malts but also supplies the blended industry and Bell's in particular. The classic visit ends with a tasting of the 12-year-old, a round and smooth whisky with a 43% strength, with notes of spices and candied fruits.

This site invites you to discover hydroelectricity, on the very site of a dam. Several exhibits allow those curious about science and technology to understand how the Pitlochry Dam, which produces electricity for 15,000 homes, works. It is also a site for discovering the life of the salmon and sea trout that have the difficult task of bypassing the dam. The salmon ladder, with its 34 pools, allows them to pass safely.