Page 145 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Scotland

THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS  143

Blair Athol Distillery, the home
of Bell’s whisky, offers guided
tours in the art of whisky
making (see pp36–7). One of
Scotland’s most famous stages,
the Festival Theatre, is located
in Port-na-Craig. It operates a
year-round pro gramme with
performances changing daily.
 Blair Athol Distillery
Perth Rd. Tel (01796) 482003.
Open Easter–Oct: daily; Nov–Easter:
Mon–Fri. & 8 7 limited.
∑ discovering-distilleries.com
The distinctive white turrets and façade of the ducal Blair Castle F Festival Theatre
Port-na-Craig. Tel (01796) 484626.
o Blair Castle its owners, the Dukes of Atholl, Open mid-May–Oct: daily. & for
the distinction of being allowed plays. 7 8 - ∑ pitlochry
Blair Atholl, Perthshire. festivaltheatre.com
Tel (01796) 481207. 3 Blair Atholl. to maintain a private army. The
Open Apr–Oct: 9:30am–5:30pm daily. Atholl Highlanders are still in
& ^ exc ballroom. 8 7 limited. existence today.
0 = ∑ blair-castle.co.uk
This rambling, turreted castle p Pitlochry
has been altered and exten ded Perthshire. * 2,500. 3 @ n 22
so often in its 700-year history Atholl Rd (01796) 472215.
that it now provides a unique ∑ perthshire.co.uk
insight into the history and
changing tastes of aristo cratic Surrounded by the beautiful
life in the Highlands. pine-forested hills of the
The elegant 18th-century central Highlands, picturesque
wing, with its draughty pas sages Pitlochry became a famous
hung with antlers, has a display town after Queen Victoria
that includes the gloves and described it as one of the The ruins of Dunkeld Cathedral
pipe of Bonnie Prince Charlie finest resorts in Europe.
(see p157), who spent two days In early summer, wild salmon a Dunkeld
here gathering sup port for a leap up the ladder built into Tayside. * 1,200. 3 Birnam. @
Jacobite uprising (see p151). the Power Station Dam on n The Cross (01350) 727688.
Family portraits span 300 years their way to spawning grounds
and include paintings by such up the river. Above the ladder Situated by the River Tay, this
masters as Johann Zoffany and are fine views of the artificial ancient and charming village
Sir Peter Lely. Sir Edwin Landseer’s reservoir, Loch Faskally. The loch was all but destroyed in the
Death of a Hart in Glen Tilt (1850) is popular with anglers. Walking Battle of Dunkeld, a Jacobite
hangs in the ballroom. trails from here radiate out and defeat, in 1689. The Little
Queen Victoria visited the link with the pretty gorge at Houses lining Cathedral Street
castle in 1844 and conferred on Killiecrankie (see opposite). were the first to be re built, and
remain fine examples of an
imaginative restoration.
The partly ruined 14th-
century cathedral enjoys an
idyllic setting on shady lawns
beside the Tay, against a back-
drop of steep and wooded hills.
The choir is used as the parish
church, and its north wall
contains a leper’s squint (a
little hole through which lepers
could see the altar during mass).
It was while on holiday in the
countryside around Dunkeld
that the children’s author Beatrix
Potter found the inspiration for
Townsfolk walking along the main street in Pitlochry her Peter Rabbit stories.
For hotels and restaurants see pp176–7 and pp187–9

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