day trips from pitlochry scotland

THE 10 BEST Day Trips from Pitlochry

Day trips from pitlochry.

• Pitlochry to Fort Augustus
• Pitlochry to Drumnadrochit
• Pitlochry to Blair Atholl
• Pitlochry to Perth
• Pitlochry to Glenfinnan
• Pitlochry to Scottish Highlands
• Pitlochry to Callander
• Pitlochry to Fort William
• Pitlochry to Inverness
• Pitlochry to Aberfeldy
• Pitlochry to Errol
• Pitlochry to Newtonmore
• Pitlochry to Stirling
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Likely to Sell Out
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Private Day trip to Loch Ness and Scottish Highlands via Glencoe

2. Loch Ness, Highlands Tour, Glencoe & Pitlochry 1 Day Tour

3. Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

4. Private Guided Tour in Scottish Highlands

5. Scottish Highlands Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

6. Loch Ness Private Day Tour in Luxury MPV from Edinburgh

7. Private Harry Potter, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highlands tour Glasgow

8. Full-Day Tour to the Scottish Highlands

9. Private Highland whisky tour - Build your own tour!

10. Highlands Whisky Lovers Tour of Oldest and Highest Distilleries from Edinburgh

11. Private Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe and Highlands from Edinburgh

12. Loch Ness Private Day Tour in Luxury MPV from Glasgow

13. Perthshire Highlands: Private Land Rover Tour

14. Full Day Private Tour to Loch Ness With Boat Trip Included

15. The Heart Of Scotland Full-Day Private Tour

16. Highlights of Scotland Private Day Tour With Scottish Local

17. Exclusive Loch Ness & Glencoe Private Tour

18. Scottish Whisky, Castles, Lochs and Waterfalls

19. Casks & Chronicles: A Day Trip of Scottish Whisky Distilleries

20. City Escape: Loch Ness Private Day Trip

21. Best of Scotland in a day and Edradour Whisky Distillery Tour

22. Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

23. Private Harry Potter, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highland Edinburgh Tour

24. Private Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe and Highlands from Glasgow

25. Scotch whisky Tour

26. Speyside Scottish Highlands Whisky/Whiskey Trail Private Bespoke Edinburgh Tour

27. Private Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness Tour from Edinburgh

28. Loch Ness Private Day Tour up to 8 passengers

29. Private Perthshire Tour from Edinburgh

30. Lochs & Legends: A Private Day Trip to Loch Ness

What travellers are saying.

• Perthshire, Kinross & Angus , Top Locations in Scotland

Pitlochry is a small town in Scotland that is abundant in charm and scenery. Many visitors love Pitlochry, returning here yearly to enjoy the wide range of attractions and activities. From the Festival Theatre, Pitlochry golf course, and natural landscapes, you’ll undoubtedly find that there are many things to do in Pitlochry.

In the heart of Scotland, Pitlochry is considered one of the most beautiful towns to visit. The town has a quaint charm in its design and the surrounding area, and the locals are amiable too! Best of all, many attractions are an easy walk away from the excellent self-catering guest houses and hotels.

Dive into the history and curiosities that make Pitlochry such a favourite destination!

In This Post

Things to do in Pitlochry

There is a reason why Pitlochry is such a tourist hotspot – there is so much to do here! This quaint Victorian town has lots to offer its guests; fine food, rich whisky, traditional Scottish hospitality and breathtaking scenery. There are lots to see and do in this beautiful part of Scotland.

Many know the town for its Festival Theatre, others love to visit its salmon ladder, and some come to tackle its surrounding mountains- Vrackie and Schiehallion. Hiking is also a big part of the Pitlochry culture, making sense when you realise it sits at the foot of the Cairngorms National Park.

But if hiking is not your holiday of choice, worry not! Pitlochry is buzzing with arts and culture and is a centre point of theatre performances in Scotland (especially the Atholl Pipe Band during the Highland Nights). You can shop in the high street and peruse the excellent selection of shops, distilleries, restaurants and more!

There is a lot to do in Pitlochry, overwhelmingly so. See our list for the top things to do in Pitlochry!

See the River Tummel

If you are visiting Scotland during your next holiday, stop off for the day at the River Tummel. This well-known destination in Scotland attracts thousands of tourists yearly thanks to its camping and fishing.

The River Tummel is a natural beauty and a tributary of the River Tay system. It is well known for having Scottish salmon during springtime and the early summer months, but you’ll stay because of the fantastic atmosphere you can find at its caravan parks.

Whether fishing or camping, the River Tummel is an excellent attraction that you should put on your to-do list.

Queen’s View

Named after Queen Victoria, who visited the attraction in 1866, The Queen’s View offers spectacular views of the town’s scenery.

After working up an appetite climbing up to the Queen’s View, grab a bite to eat at the visitor centre where you can brush up on your knowledge of Perthshire and its surrounding areas, learn about Queen Isabella, World War II, and the part that Pilochry played in Scottish history.

Queen’s View is a great attraction to enjoy and one of the favourite things to do in Pitlochry.

Falls of Bruar

Fifteen minutes outside of Pitlochry, past Blair Atholl, is a cracking wee woodland walk up to a stunning bridge and waterfall. It doesn’t get better than this on a sunny day with clear views of Schiehallion in the background.

Two bridges take you up to the magnificent falls in comparable times and offer even more stunning scenery of the river below. Immerse yourself in the lively woodlands, and you may even see some of Scotland’s wildlife along your short stroll.

House of Bruar

Before setting out for the Falls of Bruar, spend some time at the established House of Bruar, which graces the beginning of the trail.

Here you will find fantastic local produce and outdoor wear – just because you’re in the outdoors doesn’t mean you can’t look great while doing so! You can even pick up local produce and snacks cultivated on the nearby Atholl estate to take with you.

There is an abundance of Scottish options for clothing and will serve as a stylish and practical choice for your trips out in Pitlochry.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Scotland’s “Theatre in the Hills” is the creative hub within the town. With regular performances held at this venue, visit their website to see what’s on during your visit.

Art lovers will enjoy visiting here as the theatre also holds the  Festival Gallery,  which displays the work of leading Scottish artists. There are over 200 artworks on display here throughout the year, depicting everything from the rolling landscapes, wildlife, and cultured people.

Ben Vrackie

Ben Vrackie towers over Pitlochry to the North. Often overlooked (it misses the Munro mark by just over 70 meters), it has incredible views North and east towards the main bulk of the Cairngorms, west towards Schihallion, Glen Lyon and the Lawers group.

However, the main point of attraction lies north towards the Beinn A’ Ghlo group. There is no better view of these three mountains than the summit of Ben Vrackie.

The walk is relatively easy by hillwalking standards but make sure you pack the right gear. You can reach Ben Vrackie’s summit within 4 hours in normal conditions, but it’s always better to set aside an entire morning for this ascent.

Moulin Village and Brewery

On the way to the car park at Ben Vrackie in Moulin Village, a wee visit here should be top on your things to do in Pitlochry list.

Moulin is steeped in history with evidence of settlements dating as far back as the Bronze Age, a fascinating period of Scottish history!

However, possibly the best attraction here is the Moulin Brewery. Any keen hillwalker will agree that there is nothing like a nice cold drink after a day in the hills. Stop off at the Moulin Brewery, one of Scotland’s first Microbreweries, for a nice cold pint!

Schiehallion

The flat surrounding area gives superb views across the Loch Rannoch towards Glen Coe. The majority of the Cairngorms and the Glen Lyon group of Munros and Ben Lawers Group can be seen.

Another stunning mountain accessible from Pitlochry is Schiehallion, an almost perfect conical shape that makes it a popular location and attraction to enjoy while in Pitlochry. This mountain is utterly unique and sits alone at Loch Rannoch’s head.

Schiehallion is one of the more accessible Munros (mountains in Scotland over 3000ft), and the climb starts at Braes of Foss, so make sure to wake up early!

The Hermitage

The Hermitage is a magical collection of Scotland’s most delicate natural beauty and is yours to explore amidst the towering Douglas Firs that stretch into the sky beyond comprehension.

The main attraction of The Hermitage is the Black Linn Falls, whose pounding waters can be heard throughout the refreshing pines and earthy woodlands. But that’s not all you can see, so keep an eye out for the scurrying red squirrels and decorated totem poles.

The Hermitage is a portion of the Perthshire Forest that many consider genuinely magical and one attraction you should heavily consider visiting.

Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre

Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre celebrates the marvels of hydroelectrical renewables. The visitor centre itself has fantastic views back up the river Tummel and across Loch Faskally.

The dam is a true engineering marvel right in the heart of Highland Perthshire. During the construction of Scotland’s hydro scheme, 300 kilometres of tunnels were dug, 54 power stations built, and 12000 staff employed at their peak.

What’s best about this attraction is that it is a free day out!

Pitlochry Salmon Ladder

Salmon jump from pool to pool to bypass the dam whilst gaining height at the impressive Pitlochry Salmon Ladder!

The Salmon Ladder was built to keep salmon moving through the Tummel river after the dam was built. Sitting next to Pitlochry dam, thousands of people visit the salmon ladder every year to see Scottish salmon leap up the small pools to reach their birthplace.

Blair Castle & Gardens

Home of the Atholl family for over 700 years, Blair Castle has stood firm through peace and times of strife.

The castle is in Blair Atholl, a 10-minute drive from Pitlochry. Blair Castle is open from the 1st of April until the 30th of October. The interior is designed in the 18th-century fashion, and the castle displays fine examples of baronial architecture.

Blair Castle gardens are perfect on a sunny day. Here you have Hercules Garden, Diana’s Grove, St Bride’s Kirk and a fantastic woodland circuit walk around the castle and Blair Atholl:

Hercules Garden

Hercules Garden is named after the life-size statue of Hercules, which sits above the garden looking down.

Visitors can enjoy landscape ponds, a folly, a Chinese bridge, an authentic orchard of 100+ trees and a herbaceous border within the garden itself.

Diana’s Grove

Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting, guarding the woods.

Named after the Roman Goddess of Hunting, Dianna’s Grove is a two-acre wooded area within the Atholl Estate.

Visitors can enjoy mesmerising Grand Fir, Japanese Larch, and Red Fir. The grove is a homage to the great ‘Planting Dukes’ of Atholl, who planted over 27 million trees within the surrounding glens.

St Bride’s Kirk

St Bride’s Kirk sits upon a mound within the grounds of Blair Castle.

Here visitors can discover the old Kirk’s structure, a memorial to the 6th Duke of Atholl, an ancient burial stone and a monument to John Graham.

Iain Burnett Highland Chocolatier

Just outside Pitlochry, in Grandtully, lies one of Scotland’s hidden treasures!

The shop is a chocoholic’s dream with handmade truffles and pralines. The store also has a free chocolate exhibition that looks at the chocolate-making process, history, and facts. You can also watch master chocolatiers in action.

The Highland Chocolatier has chocolate tastings, which is excellent for those visiting Pitlochry that don’t drink. The chocolate tastings introduce you to the world of artisan gourmet truffles – this is one of the top things to do in Pitlochry.

Explorers Scottish Plant Hunters Garden

Over the last two hundred years, Scotland has produced some of the world’s most famous plant hunters, including George Don, David Douglas and Robert Fortune.

Plant Hunters Garden has a host of beautiful flowers all year round. Make sure to view their flowering timetable for more information about when you should be attending.

Atholl Palace Museum

The Atholl Palace Museum sits on the eastern outskirts of Pitlochry, and you will most likely pass this when coming into Pitlochry from the south.

This museum forms part of the Atholl Palace Hotel and is a tribute to that hotel.

Visitors can learn about the history of the estate and hotel. Indeed, this is the only museum in Scotland dedicated to a hotel in Scotland and was the only museum dedicated to a hotel in the UK when it opened in 2005.

Black Spout Wood

Black Spout wood sits to the east of Pitlochry and takes its name from the Black Spout Waterfall.

You can do a 1.5-hour walk starting in Pitlochry, taking you to the Black Spout Waterfall and Edradour Distillery. Admire this nearly 190-feet waterfall after a brief stroll, which is undoubtedly one of the unique attractions you can find in Pitlochry.

Black Spout Wood makes for an incredible journey through the woodlands of Perthshire.

Heather Gems

Situated in the town centre, this unique jewellery shop offers visitors jewellery made from Scottish heather.

Heather is a plant that grows in abundance in the Scottish Highlands. At certain times of the year, the hills look purple and brown due to the heather colour.

The company shapes compress and lacquer pieces of heather before appending them to jewellery parts.

Pass of Killiecrankie

Also known as the Killiecrankie Gorge, the Pass of Killiecrankie Gorge sits between Ben Vrackie and Tenandry Hill.

This pass is one of the most impressive wooden gorges in Pitlochry and a favourite pastime for naturalists and walkers. These magnificent woodlands are most impressive in Autumn but offer a refreshing journey no matter what time of year you visit!

Continuing ahead, you will come to the footbridge crossing the River Garry, where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Gorge.

Enchanted Forest

Visitors from across the UK travel to Pitlochry to see the wonder of Faskally Wood in Highland Perthshire. Every Autumn, the woodlands become “The Enchanted Forest”.

This award-winning sound and light show has received many accolades from critics, including the UK’s Best Cultural Event, Best Outdoor Festival, and Scotland’s Best Large Event.

This unique event is a must-see experience if you are visiting the town during the Autumn months.

Faskally Woods

Faskally Woods is where the Enchanted Forest event takes place every year. However, Faskally Wood itself is worth a visit outwith the Enchanted Forest Event.

Sitting one mile north of Pitlochry, Faskally Wood is incredibly vibrant in Autumn with bright colours and marked paths for walking.

If you are into geology, there are several interesting rock formations, including iron pans formed above Dalradian mica-schist within the Faskally woods.

Edradour was renowned as the smallest traditional distillery in Scotland, and the distillery lost this title in 2013 when the smaller Strathearn Distillery opened its doors.

During the tour, you will get the chance to taste Edradour whiskey. A knowledgeable guide will also show you around the distillery and gain insight into how whiskey is produced in this small distillery.

The best time to visit is between April and October, but tours are still available from November to March.

Blair Athol Distillery

Please note: the Blair Athol Distillery is not in Blair Athol but Pitlochry, just as you come into the town from the A9 heading North.

If you plan a trip to the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, do not miss Blair Athol Distillery. This well-known whisky brand is based in the south of Pitlochry in the foothills of the Grampian mountains.

You can choose between a guided tour or a tasting experience at Blair Athol, a working distillery founded in 1798. Although, we won’t blame you for choosing both!

As an interesting note, the spelling of Athol has only one ‘l’ here, as opposed to the double ‘l’ in Blair Atholl, the village.

Exploring the hinterlands of Blair Atholl is a rare treat that few get to experience when visiting Pitlochry.

This expansive glen stretches for 11 miles and offers the chance to see the best of the Perthshire scenery and wildlife. For avid hikers, Glen Tilt is a paradise with a steep heathery, charming waterfalls and pools, and a host of a beautiful assortment of wildlife, including red squirrels, birds, and roe deer!

The Glen can also accommodate walkers, hikers, and cyclists, with many kilometres of way-marked trails and cycle routes.

Atholl Country Life Museum

The Atholl Country Life Museum can take you back in time to the time of simpler country life in Pitlochry’s past with a series of outstanding exhibits and artefacts.

This quaint museum is an excellent way to spend a morning before you venture out to the broader region of Pitlochry. It is elevated even further by the fantastic guides, so the Atholl Country Life Museum are a wealth of knowledge and history that will make any visit to Pitlochry more insightful.

Just a short trip away from the town of Pitlochry, make sure to stop by and enjoy the incredible history steeped in this small building.

Dunfallandy Stone

Sitting across from Pitlochry, a short trip over the River Tummel, is the mighty Dunfallandy Stone, an old Pictish cross-slab that was carved at some point in the 700s!

This incredible stone structure once graced the tomb of Lieutenant-General Archibald Fergusson of Dunfallandy, who died in 1834 and is now viewable in its Shetler for all to see. Those who visit will be treated to a magnificent collection of iconic symbology and pictures, giving a glance back to a world over 2,000 years ago.

Dunfallandy Stone is a great attraction worth a trip as you explore the Scottish countryside.

Soldier’s Leap

Soldier’s Leap is a beautiful nature walk that ends with information about some of the fascinating history in Pitlochry.

The walk is beautiful, with the trail leading you through the bountiful woodlands of Pitlochry, shallow ponds with clear waters, and waterfalls. At one point, you’ll see Soldier’s Leap, with an informative sign that details one of Scotland’s most daring escapes. As the story goes, on a retreat, the soldier lept across 18-feet across the Garry River!

Recalled in the memorial, you can see the evidence of these epic tales when walking the beautiful trail that ends at Soldier’s Leap.

Garry Bridge

Want to unwind after a long day of adventuring? Why not enjoy a walk through the stunning scenery provided by the woodlands around Pitlochry.

Garry Bridge is the best place to see the flowing Garry River, and for those who want a bit more adventure, feel free to book a session of bungee jumping off the bridge itself! No matter the season, the views from the bridge are magnificent, but Autumn undoubtedly brings some of the best sights amidst auburn leaves.

There are many gorgeous views in and around Pitlochry’s woodlands, but the trails near Garry Bridge are some of their best.

Adventure at Freespirits

Freespirits Online is your ticket to a fun-filled morning or afternoon, and there’s no doubt about it! Book a trip and go white-water rafting, canyoning, or even bungee jumping.

Suppose you’re feeling particularly adventurous on your holiday or planning to have a stag/hen while enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds of Pitlochry. In that case, having a session at Freespirits will undoubtedly make some memories that will stick with you forever.

Your next trip to Pitlochry should include at least one session with the experienced guides at Freespirits, and it’ll be the most fun you’ll have – although you may need a wee dram to gain the confidence to do so.

Linn of Tummel

In the heart of big tree country sits Linn of Tummel, which takes you on a journey through the breathtaking scenery that will refresh you from your regular life.

Outdoor activities are some of the best things to do in Pitlochry, and Linn of Tummel ranks highly as one of the fantastic outdoor trails walks you need to partake in while you’re here. Soak in the fresh air and delightful sights around you as you explore a hidden sanctuary protected by the National Trust.

You’ll have the chance to see a whole host of wildlife, including otters, red squirrels, kingfishers, and even a pine marten! Also, don’t miss out on an obelisk commemorating a visit from Queen Victoria and a fish ladder.

Pitlochry Golf Course

Make sure to set aside some time to enjoy one of Scotland’s finest inland golfing facilities if you plan to practise your swing game while on holiday in Pitlochry.

Set with sweeping views of Tummel Valley and an excellent clubhouse, you can quickly lose a day teeing off against the 18-hole, 69-par course. Afterwards, you can relax and unwind after lower your handicap with some refreshments and light meals from the clubhouse restaurant.

No doubt, out of all the Pitlochry things to do, this golf course with stunning views ranks as one of its highest.

Enjoy Loch Tummel

Loch Tummel stretches out and provides the most picturesque views you can find around Pitlochry, especially from Queen’s View.

All around Loch Tummel are the woodlands that collectively make up part of Perthshire’s ‘Big Tree Country’ – perfect for a short walk or long hike overlooking Pitlochry! It’s not uncommon to see avid anglers in the early morning and dog-walkers gracing the Loch’s shores in the afternoon, all contributing to the Loch’s serenity and atmosphere.

A trip to Loch Tummel is short and gives any visitor the feeling that they’ve genuinely escaped into a magical wonderland.

The River Garry and River Tummel make up the lifeblood of Pitlochry and Perthshire, so it’s only natural to try fishing while on holiday here!

The ‘Heart of the Highlands’ has all kinds of fish to catch, but salmon, trout, and grayling are the most common to reel in – and the most delicious! April and May are considered the best fishing months for salmon, especially since they’re making their way up the salmon ladder. You can even hire a fishing boat or join the Pitlochry Fishing Partnership to get the tips of expert anglers.

Pitlochry is home to fantastic seafood, even better when you capture them yourself!

Pitlochry Accommodation

Pitlochry is ideally situated in the heart of Perthshire and is a popular tourist destination. Visit our Pitlochry Accommodation page below to discover local accommodation nearby.

View Our Top Picks For Pitlochry Accommodation

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THE 10 BEST Day Trips from Pitlochry

Day trips from pitlochry.

• Pitlochry to Fort Augustus
• Pitlochry to Drumnadrochit
• Pitlochry to Blair Atholl
• Pitlochry to Perth
• Pitlochry to Glenfinnan
• Pitlochry to Scottish Highlands
• Pitlochry to Callander
• Pitlochry to Fort William
• Pitlochry to Inverness
• Pitlochry to Aberfeldy
• Pitlochry to Errol
• Pitlochry to Newtonmore
• Pitlochry to Stirling
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Likely to Sell Out
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Private Day trip to Loch Ness and Scottish Highlands via Glencoe

2. Loch Ness, Highlands Tour, Glencoe & Pitlochry 1 Day Tour

3. Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

4. Private Guided Tour in Scottish Highlands

5. Scottish Highlands Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

6. Loch Ness Private Day Tour in Luxury MPV from Edinburgh

7. Private Harry Potter, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highlands tour Glasgow

8. Full-Day Tour to the Scottish Highlands

9. Private Highland whisky tour - Build your own tour!

10. Highlands Whisky Lovers Tour of Oldest and Highest Distilleries from Edinburgh

11. Private Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe and Highlands from Edinburgh

12. Loch Ness Private Day Tour in Luxury MPV from Glasgow

13. Perthshire Highlands: Private Land Rover Tour

14. Full Day Private Tour to Loch Ness With Boat Trip Included

15. The Heart Of Scotland Full-Day Private Tour

16. Highlights of Scotland Private Day Tour With Scottish Local

17. Exclusive Loch Ness & Glencoe Private Tour

18. Scottish Whisky, Castles, Lochs and Waterfalls

19. Casks & Chronicles: A Day Trip of Scottish Whisky Distilleries

20. City Escape: Loch Ness Private Day Trip

21. Best of Scotland in a day and Edradour Whisky Distillery Tour

22. Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

23. Private Harry Potter, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highland Edinburgh Tour

24. Private Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe and Highlands from Glasgow

25. Scotch whisky Tour

26. Speyside Scottish Highlands Whisky/Whiskey Trail Private Bespoke Edinburgh Tour

27. Private Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness Tour from Edinburgh

28. Loch Ness Private Day Tour up to 8 passengers

29. Private Perthshire Tour from Edinburgh

30. Lochs & Legends: A Private Day Trip to Loch Ness

What travellers are saying.

THE 10 BEST Day Trips from Pitlochry

Day trips from pitlochry.

• Pitlochry to Fort Augustus
• Pitlochry to Drumnadrochit
• Pitlochry to Blair Atholl
• Pitlochry to Perth
• Pitlochry to Glenfinnan
• Pitlochry to Scottish Highlands
• Pitlochry to Callander
• Pitlochry to Fort William
• Pitlochry to Inverness
• Pitlochry to Aberfeldy
• Pitlochry to Errol
• Pitlochry to Newtonmore
• Pitlochry to Stirling
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Likely to Sell Out
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Private Day trip to Loch Ness and Scottish Highlands via Glencoe

2. Loch Ness, Highlands Tour, Glencoe & Pitlochry 1 Day Tour

3. Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

4. Private Guided Tour in Scottish Highlands

5. Scottish Highlands Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

6. Loch Ness Private Day Tour in Luxury MPV from Edinburgh

7. Private Harry Potter, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highlands tour Glasgow

8. Full-Day Tour to the Scottish Highlands

9. Private Highland whisky tour - Build your own tour!

10. Highlands Whisky Lovers Tour of Oldest and Highest Distilleries from Edinburgh

11. Private Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe and Highlands from Edinburgh

12. Loch Ness Private Day Tour in Luxury MPV from Glasgow

13. Perthshire Highlands: Private Land Rover Tour

14. Full Day Private Tour to Loch Ness With Boat Trip Included

15. The Heart Of Scotland Full-Day Private Tour

16. Highlights of Scotland Private Day Tour With Scottish Local

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28. Loch Ness Private Day Tour up to 8 passengers

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35 things to do in Pitlochry, Scotland: a highland escape

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Here are 35 lovely things to do in Pitlochry, Scotland, a pretty stone-built Victorian town known as ‘the gateway to the highlands’. This guide should give you a good flavour of Pitlochry and the surrounding area, and of course plenty of ideas for things to see/eat/drink. Pitlochry has loads of attractions within easy reach if you’re driving. And if you’re coming by rail, the town has its own station and you can experience some gorgeous scenic lines. 

Pitlochry is located in Perthshire, on the River Tummel. It’s in a unique setting, surrounded by big rivers, lush glens and imposing mountains, including Ben Vrackie and Schehallion with its cone-shaped summit. Breathtaking scenery aside, the town is idyllic in its own right. Pretty Victorian-style covered shopping areas are lined with colourful, overflowing hanging baskets of flowers. Stylish independent cafés sit side-by-side with quaint old pubs, all serving good local food and a surprising amount of excellent vegan options. And Pitlochry has some cute independent shops where you can buy unnecessary nice things as souvenirs for friends back home (or for yourself; let’s be realistic). There’s also the hydroelectric dam and two whisky distilleries.

If this all sounds up your street, read on for more detail on some of my recommendations for lovely things to do in Pitlochry, Scotland. Pour yourself a whisky (if you don’t hate the stuff as I do!) and get planning…

Things to do in Pitlochry, Scotland

1. explore the picturesque town centre .

I had to start this list with the most obvious but important thing: taking in the town. If you’re anything like me, you’ll do a lap of a new place when you arrive to get your bearings. Pitlochry’s pretty Victorian centre is full of bright floral displays, covered shopping areas, and small green spaces.

When I visited recently, there was a lot of ‘yarn bombing’ going on. If you’re not familiar with that trend, it’s when people cover things in colourful crocheted patterns to make an art installation. There’s quite a bit around the war memorial and garden, so look out for that.

Wherever you are when exploring the town centre, you’re never far from a view of the surrounding mountains. If you hadn’t noticed the wonderfully clear and fresh air, the hills peeping through chimney pots as you wander the side streets will remind you you’re properly up in the highlands now, even if there is a Greggs right next to you.

2. Do the short but steep hike up Craigower 

One of the more active things to do in Pitlochry early on in your trip (while you still have plenty of energy and haven’t eaten your own bodyweight in local grub yet) is to tackle Craigower. I decided the bigger and mildly daunting Ben Vrackie wasn’t for me as it’d have taken the best part of a day. Craigower is much more achievable but you still earn yourself a cake afterwards for effort. It’s steep, okay?

Most websites say the walk takes about 2 hours but it took me less than that. I’m not really a speedy walker, either. The route takes you through pretty woodland owned by the National Trust for Scotland, up to a summit with good views across two lochs. It starts at Craigower car park , which is more of a small clearing for about four cars next to the road rather than what I’d call a car park. You cross a golf course to start the walk but don’t let that put you off. It gets better. Unless of course you get hit by a golf ball and die. Try to avoid that.

Once you’re into the woods, the ascent begins. I’m not going to talk you through the whole route as I’m not best qualified and would probably make you get lost. I really recommend a two-pronged approach of using the excellent Ordnance Survey app on your phone and following the instructions from Walk Highlands , one of my favourite blogs (should I be mentioning a rival blog?! It’s great but please don’t abandon Pack The Suitcases for it).

3. Enjoy the best lunch and cake at Cafe Calluna

Like most popular Scottish towns, Pitlochry has more than its fair share of cafés and tearooms to choose from. It can be overwhelming trying to pick somewhere for lunch or for tea and cake. What a terrible problem to have, eh?

My favourite is definitely Cafe Calluna . You have to try it, but I recommend you come wearing a loose dress or elasticated trousers. I was drawn to it by its fairy lights twinkling through the window when I first walked past and when I saw the number of vegan treats on the menu, I was sold. (It also does plenty of gluten-free food too, if you need that). 

The soup of the day is always vegan and comes with bread, oatcakes (when in Scotland…), or various panini. There are also plenty of sandwiches/toasties and salads. But the main deal is the cake, of course. I highly recommend the carrot cake but I’ll be sampling the Lotus Biscoff cake next time too. The café is also dog-friendly so as well as people-watching while you eat, you can also dog-spot, which is even better.

4. See what Queen Victoria loved so much about Queen’s View

Queen’s View is, as the name suggests, a specific view over Loch Tummel that Queen Victoria took a liking to back in 1866. It’s either named after her or Queen Isabella of Scotland, who enjoyed it about 500 years before she got there. Either way, it’s royally pleasing to the eye and definitely worth a visit.

Queen’s View has even got its own visitor centre , run by the National Trust for Scotland, where you can learn about the area or visit the café for sustenance before a walk. You can head off on several different walks of varying lengths and difficulty from it. While at the visitor centre, keep an eye out for the bench amusingly engraved with the words ‘The Queen’s Pew’. A photo opportunity if ever there was one.

The view itself is reached by trotting from the visitor centre (about a minute’s walk, nothing exciting) to a little viewing platform where you can elbow other tourists out of the way. It really is a pretty spectacular view, especially if you get it on a clear day. The loch is perfectly framed by lush green forests and the cone-shaped Schehallion mountain. And although it’s an obvious tourist area, this does at least mean you have people around who might be willing to take your photograph with it. Instant profile picture, I promise.

5. Treat yourself to fish and chips

I think fish and chips end up being an inevitable part of any local UK-based trip. Even though you can easily get them at home, it’s somehow better when you’re away. And if you’re doing self-catering, a chippy tea on your first night is the law. As you can probably tell from my face in this picture, I’m very pleased about this law.

There are two options for chippies in Pitlochry:

• Try McKay’s on the main road in good weather because you can sit outside and watch the world go by while stuffing your face. 
• The Plaice to Be is a reliable choice and always has a queue, for good reason.

You can also get fish and chips as an option in pretty much every pub in Pitlochry but there’s something infinitely better about having them from a proper chippy, isn’t there? 

6. Sample a wee dram of local whisky on the Blair Athol Distillery tour

I’ll admit I can’t stand whisky. But when in Scotland, and especially in the highlands, you have to get into the spirit (pun intended) of things.

Pitlochry is home to one of the oldest distilleries, Blair Athol, which has been whisky-ing since 1798. And yes that’s Blair Athol with one L, despite the nearby town having two. You find out about this deliberate typo on the tour.

Pitlochry is a good place to make whisky due to the beautifully clear water flowing from highland springs. Blair Athol’s water source is the Allt Dour (the ‘burn of the otter’). This burn runs through the grounds of the distillery, and apparently you can sometimes see otters there. Their logo even has an otter on it. I think I was more interested in the prospect of cute otters than the whisky, tbh.

I recommend doing a tour though, even if you hate whisky too. It smells nice, and the history and process are interesting. Amusingly, when I did the tour recently, almost everyone else on it also didn’t like whisky and was just there out of interest. We all still forced the three samples down at the end, though. This was the £14, 45-minute tour. You get a wee shot glass to take home (which will never see whisky again in my house). I really enjoyed it. It’s a good thing to do on a cooler day as a lot of it is indoors, and the 4pm tour could fill time in the late afternoon/early evening before you go to eat. Make sure to call into the on-site bar as well; it’s a really attractive setting for a drink.

Check the official Blair Athol Distillery website for opening times and to book tickets.

7. Visit the beautiful Blair Castle and Gardens 

As a horsey person, I’ve known Blair Castle and Gardens for years as being home to the massive Blair International Horse Trials. This is one of the highlights of the UK’s equestrian calendar and I’ve always wanted to go. It’s still on my list, but at least now I’ve actually visited the beautiful grounds and castle where it takes place.

I really recommend going to Blair Castle, even if you’re perhaps on a longer trip through Scotland and are feeling a bit castled-out. The castle is such a stunning white building, not grey stone like many other Scottish castles. And it’s set against a dramatic backdrop of mountains. There are gorgeous red deer on the grounds as well as some fantastic walled gardens to wander through.

Anyone with an interest in Scottish history will enjoy finding the slightly eerie ruins of St Bride’s Kirk in the grounds. This is where the grave of Viscount Dundee, known as Bonnie Dundee, is. He was killed at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. The castle interior is also excellent and has the usual massive room full of antlers, which as we all know is as prolific as an open-plan kitchen for any ancient Scottish castle.

I’m dead into gardening so the walled garden is my thing, and I’m particularly impressed by their excellent shady borders, which gave me a few ideas for my own garden. The big pond in the middle makes it a relaxing place to sit for a bit and watch the ducks (featuring adorable ducklings at the right time of year).

8. Try the incredible vegan tasting menu at Saorsa 1875: one of the best things to do in Pitlochry for foodies

Oh hello, unexpected vegan fine dining in small Scottish town. Who needs a big city to have an exquisite five-course tasting menu? I honestly cannot recommend this enough. Even if you’re not vegan and don’t normally dabble in the plant-based life, you need to experience this if you’re in Pitlochry. 

I was completely blown away by Saorsa 1875 . It’s actually a boutique vegan hotel (slightly out of my price range tbh) but you can just go for the tasting menu of an evening and don’t have to be staying there. This is £50 a head for five courses. I’ve probably had more vegan tasting menus on my travels than I care to admit, but this means I can confirm it’s well worth the money. I hate to think how much it’d cost in Manchester or London.

All the ingredients are fresh, local and carefully chosen by an incredibly talented chef. It’s clearly heading towards a Michelin star if it carries on like this. And because of the food being so good and the chef coming out at the end to chat, you might end up talking to other diners like I did, which sounds like it’d be awful but is actually lovely, trust me.

You can wash all the amazing food down with some local beer from Wasted Degrees Brewery (see further on in this list) or some gorgeous wines and cocktails.

Consumables aside, the restaurant is beautiful. I loved the styling and slightly fancy but relaxed feel to it. You’d be fine putting a dress and heels on but equally okay in jeans. There are plants everywhere and lots of mid-century furniture. Don’t miss the ‘naughty corner’ chair by the front door!  Oh and there are dogs in reception. Have you booked it yet?

9. Spot the salmon heading up the fish ladder at Pitlochry Dam

You might have already seen photos of Pitlochry Dam as it’s quite a landmark. It’s very close to the centre so will naturally be one of the first places you explore on your visit. When the hydroelectric dam was constructed (between 1947 and 1951), people worried it would ruin the quaint town. But the opposite has happened and it’s become an attraction in itself. It’s really impressive and worth spending a bit of time in. 

The dam obviously blocks the way up the River Tummel for the fish who live in it, namely the thousands of salmon who leap their way upstream to breed. That’s why it also has a special ‘fish ladder’ as part of it. This is a series of 37 steadily rising pools, a bit like a lock for boats to go up through a canal, where the fish can ‘climb’ up to the top and be on their way.

You used to be able to watch the salmon through glass panels inside the dam building, but sadly this has been closed due to safety issues. You can still watch on live webcams, but it’s not quite the same. Hopefully they’ll sort it out at some point. Even without this, it’s still good to see.

There’s also an excellent café and a visitor centre . This has loads of information and exhibitions on hydroelectricity, the local area, and – of course – salmon.

10. Walk round the tranquil and picturesque Loch Rannoch: one of the best things to do in Pitlochry on a sunny day

Loch Rannoch, about a 40-minute drive from Pitlochry, is a must-do. The drive there is stunning in itself and the loch is truly spectacular. 

There are walks of varying length that you can do to take it in from various angles and heights, most of which are listed in detail on the Perth and Kinross Country Trust site as well as the OS Maps app (my trusty friend).

If you want to drive around the 22-mile circumference of the loch, you can stop off at various points (going anti-clockwise) to follow the Clan Trail . The trail features different information boards that tell the stories of clans that used to live in the area, with interesting and sometimes bloody and grim insights. You’ll spot various clan-based scenery as you go, such as an artificial island on the west side of the loch, which was built in the 18th century for the MacGregor clan to hide out in.

Even if you’re not up for walking or learning about clans, it’s vital that you at least go and look at Loch Rannoch. It’s a magical place and, if you get a quiet spot, a haven of tranquillity where you can only hear nature and the water… Until you give in to temptation and start skimming stones, of course.

11. See the soldier’s leap and trains going over the viaduct at Killiekrankie 

In the Pitlochry area, leaping is a big hobby. Originally coined by salmon, it was later picked up by soldiers. If you’re wondering whether I’ve lost the plot, bear with me.

Killiekrankie Pass is a beautiful wooded gorge over the amusingly named River Garry. I think Garry is a great name for a river.

The pass is at its best in autumn, when the trees lining the gorge are just on fire with red, gold and orange. It’s a photographer’s dream. But it also has an interesting history (of leaping).

Start off at the visitor centre , which has good info on local wildlife and geology. It’s then a short walk to the Soldier’s Leap. In 1689, during the Battle of Killiekrankie, a Redcoat soldier called Donald McBane was legging it from the Jacobite army. As you would. He found himself with no choice but to leap across an 18-foot gap over the raging river (our Garry). Remarkably, he made it. Now tourists flock to see where his inconceivable feat took place. Poor Donald was deffo born in the wrong era. If he’d been around today, we’d be seeing him compete in the long jump at the Olympic Games.

Although the Leap is interesting, it’s not the most spectacular thing scenery-wise in Killiekrankie. If you continue along the path, you’ll pass a viaduct where you can get down to the river. Wait about 15 minutes there and you’ll hopefully catch a train going past. Give it an obligatory wave and the driver might toot back (they did for me, anyway!).

Carry on along the path and in about a mile you’ll reach a footbridge over the river. The views from the bridge are glorious. From there, you can actually walk the 3 miles to Pitlochry, or turn round and follow the river back.

12. Stuff yourself with cheesecake at Hettie’s Tearoom

It’s impossible to miss the blue facade of Hettie’s Tearoom on the main road in Pitlochry. I was drawn in by the signs for homemade scones and cheesecakes, which are both essentials when you’ve been doing loads of walking.

The cakes are huge and they do plenty of vegan options (and some gluten-free). There are SO many varieties of tea on the menu, sadly wasted on me as I only really love normal English breakfast tea. But if you were more adventurous, you could have a field day. They also do savoury food, which looks great, but I’ve only sampled the cakes so far.

Like many places in Pitlochry, it’s dog friendly so you can hopefully spot a few pooches while you tackle your delicious cake(s).

13. Stock up on foodie treats from House of Bruar 

The House of Bruar is an independent Scottish department store, which looks more like a repurposed stately home than your average Debenhams (RIP). Like most department stores, it does clothes, homewares and food. But not as you know it. This is all country style to the max . If it doesn’t feature tweed, antlers and/or Fair Isle, it probably won’t be in stock here.

Tweedy clothing is very much not my cup of tea. But as a horse person, I clocked that House of Bruar stocks a few equestrian brands (Ariat, Dubarry, Musto). They don’t sell their riding stuff but they have the ‘country’ lines, including yard boots. If you’re horsey too, I recommend having a browse.

Anyway, most people can easily ignore all the eye-wateringly expensive tweed and head straight for the food hall. The food hall is where it’s at.

Who knew you could fill a whole wall with different types of honey?! There’s a great gluten-free section and plenty of vegan things too. I stock up on lots of amazing cakes/biscuits/crackers/preserves (all long use-by dates) from independent Scottish brands. You can even get clootie dumplings, a traditional Scottish pudding you never see anywhere. There’s local fish/meat/cheese etc on the deli counter, and a whole room of booze.

I can easily spend a few hours at House of Bruar perusing jars of fig jam. I’d say it’s one of the unmissable things to do in Pitlochry for foodies. And if you’re staying in a self-catering cottage, you could do a shop at House of Bruar and eat like royalty for the week.

14. Treat yourself in Pitlochry’s independent shops

Pitlochry could easily just have shops selling tourist tat, given the footfall of visitors. But instead there are a very nice handful of independent shops selling proper local stuff that you can’t get anywhere else. You don’t have to buy a(nother) novelty tartan hat as your only souvenir. Phew.

I always have to pop into these lovely places and buy something for friends and family myself:

• Honest Thistle – this is my favourite shop in Pitlochry, selling independent/artisan pretty things; stock changes but look out for the most gorgeous dressing gowns/kimonos, handmade greeting cards, and tea-towels with prints on by Scottish artist Cath Waters (I have one hanging in my kitchen as we speak!). There’s a resident Westie dog too.
• Flùr – this is actually a florist, but it also sells gorgeous plants, candles and plant-themed books. Definitely worth a browse.
• Handam – this is the local zero-waste shop and refill station, which also sells fresh fruit/veg/eggs. If you’re staying in a self-catering cottage and you need anything, you could get your shampoo, herbs and spices, rice, tea etc here. They sell oat milk in glass bottles too, which is brilliant. If I was a local, I’d be in here all the time.
• The Highland Soap Company – I always go in here to buy a soap or shampoo bar or two; everything is handmade and beautiful but the wild raspberry and honeysuckle ranges are the best-smellers if you ask me.
• Robertsons of Pitlochry – if you’ve developed a taste for local booze, this is the place for you. It’s a whisky/gin/spirits shop, but it also sells some of the local craft beer from Wasted Degrees and ale from the Moulin Brewery just down the road.

There are other independent shops in Pitlochry too, but these are the ones I like. If you have opposite tastes to me – for example, silver jewellery and tartan jackets! – you’ll still find plenty to buy.

15. Take in the varied scenery on a walk through Glen Tilt

One of my favourite but possibly lesser-known walks in the Pitlochry area is the Glen Tilt viewpoint walk. As I said earlier, I won’t risk getting you lost by attempting to describe the exact route so I’ll leave that to the OS Maps app and the fabulous Walk Highlands site .

It takes just over two hours and you start by walking just above the raging River Tilt, so you can look down on the rapids from your forest track. You then head upwards past some gorgeous cottages until you eventually come out to see glorious views of Glen Tilt. Finally, you mooch through some beautiful woodlands, with only the sound of birds around you. When I did it, I didn’t see another soul; well, other than three very cute ponies. If you’re there at the right time of year (August is ideal), your way will be punctuated by rowan trees dripping with bright-red berries.

I love the variety of landscapes on this walk, which make it a bit different from the usual forest or hill routes.

16. Gorge on delicious Indian tiffin and local gins at Cidsin

As regular readers will know, I live near Stockport in Cheshire. Manchester isn’t too far away and that probably has the highest concentration of Indian food anywhere in the country on its famous ‘Curry Mile’. So I very rarely seek out an Indian restaurant on my travels.

But Cidsin Indian Bistro and Gin Bar caught my eye in Pitlochry because it does Indian tiffin, the street food from Mumbai that workers get delivered in silver stacking containers. It’s a bit different and I love it. And Cidsin does it so well! I had one of the best Indian meals I’ve ever had, and definitely the best naan bread. The fact that they also specialise in my favourite tipple, gin, is a bonus. There’s a whole gin menu, which has plenty of Scottish options on it.

Don’t be put off by the short uphill walk to the hotel where Cidsin is located. It doesn’t look much from the outside – just a normal hotel – but once you’re inside, it’s one of those places where you just know it’s going to be good. The staff are lovely too. I

It’s easy to get sick of pub grub when you’re on a Scottish trip, no matter how good it is. Cidsin is a nice change and I’d be a regular if I lived in the area. For the sake of my jeans fitting, I’m sort of glad I don’t.

17. Get yourself a bargain at Pitlochry Station Bookshop

If you’re anything like me, the prospect of rummaging around a secondhand bookshop will fill you with joy. Even more so when you know that most of the books are mostly £1 or a couple of quid tops and the money all goes to charity.

Pitlochry Station Bookshop is the perfect place to pass some time while waiting for your train if you’re doing a day trip somewhere. It’s located on the railway station’s platform 1, so once you’ve downloaded your train tickets you can head in and find something to read on the journey.

It’s a real treasure trove, despite being small, with a great Scottish section. You might find some bargains about the local area. Oh and you can also bring your own used books to donate, so if your luggage is feeling full you can make room (for more books?).

18. Spot a cute red squirrel

I grew up in Formby, Merseyside, which is home to one of the few remaining red squirrel reserves in England. Our house was very close to it so we had red squirrels in our garden every day and I loved watching them. Unfortunately, I now live somewhere inhabited only by the hideous grey ones, and it’s a daily disappointment. So if I’m on my travels around the UK and have even a minuscule chance of spotting an adorable red squirrel, I am ALL over it. One of the reasons I like Pitlochry so much is that it has loads of places you’re almost guaranteed to see them.

Here are some spots the little cuties frequent in the Pitlochry area:

• Blair Castle and Gardens , which is where I saw one on my most recent Pitlochry trip! He was scampering around by the edge of the nearby caravan site. I managed not to scream.
• Faskally Woods , if you hover around where they have the feeders on trees.
• Black Spout Woods , especially near the waterfall area as people leave nuts for them.
• Killiekrankie , where they’ll probably be doing some leaping.

If you like red squirrels as well, you might also like to read about another of my favourite places in Scotland, Dumfries & Galloway , which happens to be another good area to see them.

19. Walk round the dramatic Falls of Bruar waterfalls

The Falls of Bruar are a set of very dramatic waterfalls on Bruar Water, which if you’re a Scottish poetry geek you might recognise from the works of Robert Burns. After visiting the area, he wrote ‘ The Humble Petition of Bruar Water ‘ as a request to the 4th Duke of Atholl to do some serious landscape gardening ASAP. He was unimpressed with the barren stony countryside around the Falls and told the Duke to tidy the place up and ‘shade my banks wi’ tow’ring trees, and bonie spreading bushes’. The Duke took Robbie’s gardening advice and did some heavy planting. Unfortunately, this was a) after Robbie had died and b) all cut down in WW2 for timber. Thankfully, it was later replanted. And so we get to enjoy rowan, birch and willow trees as we walk up.

The Falls of Bruar are about a 20-minute walk from the House of Bruar, so you can combine a trip to both in one. The ever-helpful Walk Highlands explains the route. It only takes about an hour, even if you stop for plenty of photos, so you get a lot of stunning scenery for relatively little effort. Excellent.

Oh and apologies for the stock image in this section. My photos all came out absolutely dreadful due to mizzle and gloomy skies, and I’d have been embarrassed to use any on here. I can assure you the falls are beautiful in any weather but go on a clear day if you want to do any decent photography.

20. Make use of the picturesque train line and do a day trip to Perth

The fact that Pitlochry has its own train station should not be taken for granted. There are so many wonderful places in the Scottish countryside that can only be accessed by car. In this age of needing to travel in a greener way, a train station is a real plus. As an added bonus, Pitlochry Station is very pretty, with lots of massive colourful hanging baskets of flowers, and is also home to the aforementioned bookshop. Any day trip on the train from here is a joy.

There’s some breathtaking scenery on the Highland Mainline. One of my favourite quotes is ‘happiness is a journey, not a destination’ and this is definitely true when you’re watching gorgeous countryside roll past from a train window. Lovely stuff. 

There are several small places you can get the train to and explore for a couple of hours: Dunkeld, Dalwhinnie, or Kingussie to name a few.

But my pick for a proper day trip would be Perth, known as the ‘fair city’, which is about 30 minutes away. It’s a decent size for a full day out: not too big, not too small. Perth is quite picturesque with its riverside location. It has lots of places to eat and drink, including an independent craft beer bar and shop and an amazing vegan cafe called 269 Vegan . There are a few good museums and some independent shops (look out for my fave, Boo Vake ), so it’s good for a rainy day. And if it’s a warm day, you can walk up to the gorgeous hillside garden, the National Trust’s Branklyn Garden , by following the river and crossing the bridge.

I’m considering writing a whole other blog post about Perth, so do keep an eye out for that.

21. Admire the cone-shaped Schehallion: one of the best things to do in Pitlochry for keen photographers

Schiehallion is known as ‘the fairy hill of the Caledonians’. How magical and lovely is that? You can spot it by its almost perfect conical shape when viewed from the west, and it’s set a bit apart from the other mountains so really stands out.

Schiehallion forms an important part of the aforementioned Queen’s View but it’s spectacular to view from a few different places. I took this photo of it with the clouds encircling the cone while on the drive back from Loch Rannoch. It was one of those moments where you have to pull the car over because something is THAT good. 

If you want to climb Schiehallion , it’s apparently one of the easiest Munros to ‘bag’. If you’ve never heard of Munro-bagging, this is something hill-walkers call getting to the top of as many of Scotland’s mountains as possible, as long as the summit has an elevation of 3,000 feet minimum. At a six-hour round trip, if that’s one of the easiest then I don’t think Munro-bagging is for me… I bet the views are cracking though.

22. Drink some local craft beer from Wasted Degrees Brewing

If you think there’s even one city, town or village in the UK that has yet to have its own hipster craft beer, think again. Even diminutive Blair Atholl has a really cool brewery in a warehouse on an estate (Sawmill Yard) a short hop (pun intended) from the village.

Wasted Degrees does small batches of very high-quality beer. Quality over quantity for sure. Their name comes from the two owners being accused of ‘wasting’ their uni degrees by going into brewing, which amuses me. 

Naturally, I was very happy when I spotted Wasted Degrees, and even happier when I found their shop was open when I was passing and there was a cute dog. They also have an on-site taproom where you can go for drinks, which is open on Fridays and Saturdays over the summer.

I really like their Kveik Session IPA, as you can tell from the empty glass in the photo. I definitely recommend calling in, especially if you’re tired of pretending to like whisky and want to try a local drink that tastes nice.

23. Walk to Black Spout and Edradour for spectacular views across farmland and Pitlochry

For a fairly short walk with loads of stunning views for relatively little effort, head past the Black Spout waterfall and Edradour Distillery , ending next to the Atholl Palace Hotel. You could call in at the hotel bar for a drink to reward yourself for doing some exercise.

This walk takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, or about 2 hours if you keep stopping to take photographs of the scenery…

Black Spout Wood, as mentioned earlier, is a good place to keep your beadiest of eyes out for a red squirrel. And the Black Spout Waterfall has its own viewing platform, which is a lovely photo spot. You’ll pass the tiny Edradour Distillery too. At the time of writing, this is sadly closed for visitors due to the ‘rona. But it’s still nice to see from the outside as it’s made up of gorgeous whitewashed buildings with red details.

I think the best bit of this walk, though, is the view across the fields over Pitlochry with the forests and mountains framing it. 

24. Have a drink in the Old Mill Inn beer garden

What could be better than sitting in a cosy pub garden, listening to the river roaring past while supping a pint? Doing that with a heater next to you? Well, the Old Mill Inn in Pitlochry centre very wisely has plenty of heaters. Even in the height of summer in Pitlochry, you may want heaters blasting you. I’ve started judging all pubs by their heating arrangements these days. What a time to be alive.

I’m really impressed by the Old Mill outdoor drinking area, which you get to over a small bridge strewn with fairy lights. It has a proper buzz to it and always seems to be busy but not heaving. You can get local beer, brewed just up the road in Moulin. It’s a lovely place to pop in of an evening. 

25. Learn about local history at the Atholl Country Life Museum

As soon as I saw the large statue of a horse above the Atholl Country Life Museum , I knew I had to go in. Anything with an equestrian element to it, and I’m like a moth to the flame.

This small but jam-packed museum will take you about 30 minutes to walk around. It costs £5 to get in. It’s something worth doing early on in your visit because it gives you a good idea of the history of the area, from the agricultural past to the impact of the railways. It’s very well done and gives you a proper insight into what normal local people’s lives were like, rather than just focusing on the rich lords and whatnot like many museums do. Fellow horsey people will like seeing the old harnesses and details of the famous Highland ponies from the area, some of whom were important in Highland-breeding history. Another interesting bit is the reconstructed old Post Office, which was once a big part of village life.

And there’s a Perthshire Sports Hall of Fame, featuring local successful sportspeople. You’ll notice that lots of them are curlers due to the area once having a curling rink. My favourite was Jean (pictured above), who smashed it in both highland dancing AND volleyball. What a combo. I hope she found a way to do both at once.

Oh and if you’re not sold on all this, there’s a stuffed Highland cow. You’re welcome.

26. Keep an eye out for pretty toadstools

This is a bit of a weird one I know, but the Pitlochry area is known for its fungi and I photographed loads of really unusual ones on my recent trip to research for this guide. I actually started looking them up to find the names. Perhaps I’ve been locked up in the house for too long, but many of them are really pretty, so keep your eyes peeled on walks. 

Pitlochry has plenty of damp and humid woodlands, which obviously make the ideal conditions for these little ‘fun guys’ to thrive. I’ve seen fairy circles on the way through Faskally Wood and some great red spotty toadstools en route up Craigower. And Killiekrankie visitor centre informs me that the gorge is a hotspot for rare mushrooms.

Good luck becoming a champignon (!) mushroom hunter.

27. Have a meal at Fern Cottage Restaurant

Right in the centre of Pitlochry, Fern Cottage Restaurant does Scottish food with a bit of a Mediterranean twist. It’s definitely a restaurant and not a pub, which is a nice change if you’re spending a few days or a week eating out in the area (there are a lot of pubs!). The atmosphere is really good and because it’s not a pub, you can wear a dress/jumpsuit and heels and not feel overdressed, which I obviously love. 

I recommend the veggie kebab, which comes with delicious bulgar wheat, something I LOVE but haven’t seen in a restaurant since I was in Moscow . They have a full vegan menu as well as the main menu (which features some local Perthshire venison and smoked salmon from Dunkeld). The food is delicious.

You can book online, so if you’re like me and want to avoid making a phone call at all costs, you’ll be happy.

28. Pick a beautiful cottage or house you’d like to move to

Who doesn’t find themselves staring at an estate agent’s window while on holiday? Ooh, I can see us in a converted barn here, Keith. Etc etc.

Well in Pitlochry, you can do that and then go and spot gorgeous cottages on all the walks in the area. There are SO many beauties. They probably won’t be for sale, mind, but we’re living in a fantasy here so it doesn’t matter.

I think this cottage I saw on the walk through Glen Tilt was probably the winner for me. It was the stunning landscaped garden complete with small orchard that did it. The sage-coloured door was a real selling point too. Imagine that with pink roses growing around it in summer… Straight off a Pinterest board.

29. Do brunch at the Escape Route Cafe

Escape Route Cafe is part of a bike shop in the centre of Pitlochry. It’s one of the best places for breakfast or brunch, with really decent vegan options. As you might imagine, the interior is all quirky, bicycle-themed and really nicely done. The lunch menu and cakes look great but I can only vouch for the exquisite vegan breakfast, which features a potato scone: my favourite thing about Scottish brekkies.

It’s a good one to do maybe on your last morning there so that you round the trip off nicely and leave with a (very) full stomach if you have a long drive home. 

30. Go for a walk in Faskally Woods: one of the best things to do in Pitlochry with dogs

Faskally Woods is a beautiful place for a walk. For a short visit, either the 30-minute Dunmore Trail or the hour-long Forester Trail are perfect. The woodland is absolutely stunning, with plenty of pine trees for the local red squirrels, and Loch Dunmore with colourful wildflowers blooming on its shore. If you’re there at a quiet time, you might even spot a kingfisher hunting for fish. 

The woodland has an interesting history, being human-made and very much not as ancient as it feels. In the 19th century, Faskally House was used as a Forestry Commission School, where aspiring foresters were trained to repair woodlands that had been destroyed by felling for the war. The wood was used for testing their ideas for forestry.

I always wish I had a dog with me when I’m here as there are loads of places for them to explore, sniff and rootle in. It’s definitely one of the best things to do in Pitlochry if your four-legged pals are visiting with you. 

In the autumn, Faskally Wood is home to The Enchanted Forest, a light and music show among the trees. I’ve never been while this is on, but think I’ve said I’ll have to return to Pitlochry in autumn about 100 times during this post. So there’s another reason to.

31. Drive some of the scenic roads and pull over to gawp at the views

Regular readers of Pack The Suitcases will know I’m a very reluctant driver and hardly ever drive, preferring to walk and do trains. I’ll do anything to avoid a road. But even I quite enjoyed some of the magnificent scenic drives in the area.

The best I’ve experienced is definitely the route from Pitlochry to Loch Rannoch, with breathtaking mountain scenery all around. I have to pull over several times for photo opportunities and just to take in the fresh air and silence. Magical.

You can apparently drive past Loch Rannoch and carry on to visit the well-known Rannoch Station, a wild and remote outpost on the West Highland Railway. It looks absolutely stunning, with mountains and moorland stretching as far as the eye can see. Annoyingly, I’d run out of daylight to go further on my recent trip but it’s on my list for next time (apparently it also has a tearoom, so I’m there).

32. Mooch around Kinloch Rannoch

Kinloch Rannoch, meaning ‘end of the loch’, is a picturesque village on the edge of Loch Rannoch. The main draw is the striking scenery and peaceful remote-ness. Photographers will be in their element. Kinloch Rannoch has a number of walks you can do from the centre, including an hour-long nature trail that would be good for a short visit.

In the village itself, you’ll find a church, a café, a small shop selling some local baked and smoked goods, and the rather swanky Dunalastair Hotel Suites , which would be a fabulous place to stay (sadly a bit out of my price range). Tucked away down a side passage, don’t miss The Shed Gallery . This is where local photographer Ian Biggs showcases his fantastic work, and where I purchased a book of Rannoch-based photography on my recent trip because it was so stunning. The gallery also does calendars, which would be a nice souvenir to take home. 

You’ll most likely want to head straight to the shore of Loch Rannoch once you’ve explored the small village; this is only a short stroll away. The bridge you walk over to get to the loch is an excellent photo spot to capture the river and stone cottages. You’ll also walk past an old church and graveyard, which is very atmospheric with the mountains looming behind it. What a place.

33. Visit the tiny Edradour Distillery

As mentioned earlier, at the time of writing, the tiny Edradour Distillery is sadly closed for visitors due to the ‘rona. But it’s still nice to see from the outside. As you can see from the photo, the picturesque whitewashed buildings and red doors make it look like a wee fairytale village next to the stream.

In normal times, you can do an hour-long tour of the distillery and find out about the history and process behind their whisky. It used to be the smallest distillery in Scotland and it’s still a real dinky one. They focus on small-batch, high-quality whiskies and friendly service. I’ll definitely do a tour next time I’m in Pitlochry as it looks really interesting (although I can’t promise I’ll ever stop hating the taste of whisky).

34. Have lunch at Blair Atholl Watermill

Blair Atholl Watermill is a working watermill built in the 1590s. Well, I say working. It was actually not running when I visited as part of the research for this guide. Typical. Flashbacks of the Vatican being shut when I went to Rome, albeit on a slightly smaller scale! I’m assured that the mill is very often going though, depending on the river’s water level. And it’s a good place to visit anyway as it’s mainly a tearoom these days. I can’t say no to a tearoom.

Everything in the tearoom is homemade fresh and much of it is from local produce. Of course, the baked treats are made with grains from the on-site mill. You can get a local (Dunkeld) smoked salmon bun and delicious lentil soup for lunch. If it’s a nice day, sit out in their pretty cottage-garden seating area, which has several bird-feeding stations. These were teeming with sparrows and bluetits when I was there, which was a nice distraction from writing up notes for this blog post.

35. Tackle the climb up Ben Vrackie for the views

Ben Vrackie (‘speckled mountain’) is just north of Pitlochry and forms part of the beautiful view from the town. I’m afraid I’ve used a stock image for this (something I very rarely do!) because I have not yet managed the Ben Vrackie hike myself so don’t have any of my own photos from it. I usually only recommend things I’ve actually done myself, so I nearly left Ben Vrackie off this guide. But I think I’d be crucified by commenters and emails if I didn’t include it in a list of great things to do in Pitlochry, so here it is.

According to the internet, Ben Vrackie takes about 4 hours to complete and has some bits described as ‘quite steep’. But it does have decent paths, which always make walking up steep ascents easier (and paths also encourage people not to stray from them and erode more of the ground, which is good). Perhaps I’ll conquer it on my next trip to Pitlochry, especially if that happens to be in the autumn. It looks like there are some absolutely brilliant views and the autumnal photos I’ve seen from it are outstanding. I know I need to do it!

If you’ve climbed Ben Vrackie, please do let me know in the comments below so I can feel inadequate. Many thanks.

Things to do in Pitlochry, Scotland – useful information for your trip

Where to stay in pitlochry.

Pitlochry has loads of accommodation to choose from. As it’s so popular and a good base for exploring the highlands, hotels can be rather on the expensive side, so doing some research (or reading an excellent travel blog, ahem) will pay off.

Here are a few of my hand-picked options for you.

• If you’re after self-catering , I massively recommend booking the lovely, cosy Oakbank Cottage . It’s an easy walk into town and perfect if you want to feel like you live in Pitlochry. It’s so much like a real little home rather than a soulless space designed for tourists. The kitchen has everything you need, including oil (which is often missing from self-catering places, I find). Most importantly, there’s a chair by a mirror to do your face/hair in the morning and the shower gets a 10/10 from me. It’s just over £100 a night and worth every penny.
• A traditional guesthouse , Cuil-An-Daraich , is a great budget option at around £60 a night.
• A hotel option with the wow factor is Fonab Castle Hotel . I think I could get used to staying in an actual castle. It’s a bit of a splurge at about £280 a night but for a special occasion, it’s ideal. 
• Another hotel that’s a bit kinder to the bank balance would be Tigh Na Cloich Hotel , which is around £135 a night.

How to get around Pitlochry

Once you’re there, everything in the town itself is walkable. For getting out and about to local attractions, you’re sadly best with a car. However, there’s the excellent trainline and a few bus services for doing things nearby, so a public transport holiday is entirely doable with a bit of planning.

When to go to Pitlochry

Autumn is the obvious time to visit Pitlochry for the amazing colours in all the woodland and moorland. But summer is also great, as long as you avoid school holidays with a bargepole for obvious reasons. Remember that Scottish school holidays are different times compared with Wales and England, so check online. Summer is when all the photos for this post were taken, and I loved it in the sunshine.

Even more things to do in Pitlochry, Scotland…

I’ll end this guide by saying that of course I’ve only covered some of the things to do in Pitlochry. There will be many more! I only ever write about things that I’ve tried and tested myself so that I know they’re good enough to recommend to you, my lovely readers. Feel free to let me know in the comments if you have your own favourite things to do in Pitlochry, whether that’s a walk or a pub or whatever. I might check them out whenever I next visit, which I’m sure will be soon as I love it so much.

Save and share: 35 things to do in Pitlochry, Scotland

If you enjoyed this blog post on 35 things to do in Pitlochry, Scotland, why not pin it to your Pinterest board? 

I also have plenty of posts about other areas in Scotland:

• The best day trips from Edinburgh by train or bus
• 20 things to do in North Berwick, Scotland
• A guide to Circus Lane, Edinburgh’s prettiest photo spot .

… And I have a specific Dumfries and Galloway collection , which covers the following areas:

• Kirkcudbright
• Castle Douglas
• Gatehouse of Fleet
• Rockcliffe and Kippford
• Carrick Bay
• Sweetheart Abbey in New Abbey
• Portpatrick .

If you’ve used one of my travel guides and enjoyed it, you can also buy me a drink . Cheers. 

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18 comments.

Last time I was in Scotland I didn’t get a chance to really explore the highlands as much as I wanted to. Saving this for when I get a chance to go back!

So many fab things to do! I would love to explore this area, do a few hikes and pop into Blair castle. Such a scenic place. It seems that Scotland is sometimes harder to get to from within the UK, than some places on the continent, but I must make more of an effort to get up there and check it out.

Pitlochry, Scotland is so charming and beautiful! Love this guide of the top things to do. I would love to hike around for those stunning views…and the red squirrels are so cute!

Oh wow never heard of Pitlochry but there really seems like so much to do! I loveee finding secondhand bookshops in travels too—I try to find at least to visit in every town/ city I go to 🙂 Problem is, I have way too many books as a result haha. But won’t keep me from stopping by this one if I’m ever in the area 😉

So many great options…especially for food! The waterfalls look absolutely amazing. I would love to spot a squirrel as well…any animal is super cute!

I had no idea there were so many things to do here! I pass through Pitlochry every time I go for a drive in the Cairngorms, but I only ever walk through the town centre. Next time I’ll have to check out some of the things on your list!

Scotland really does have the best of everything!! Castles, lakes, walks, amazing foodie spots… I feel so inspired to visit Pitlochry, it looks wonderful!!

We only did a quick stop there for lunch but loved what we saw! Now reading your article just makes me wanna go back and explore more *w*

Have only been there the once but thoroughly enjoyed the town and its surroundings – well worth a trip !

As usual a really useful and witty guide. We have been to Pitlochry and completed about half of your recommendations so loads to do next time! A few that we would add Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Aberfeldy (short drive after Queens view) for a great walk immortalised by Burns “The Birks o Aberfeldy” and a wonderful Bookshop / cafe at the Watermill. Dunkeld a few miles south has some good independent shops and an old church by the river The Hermitage is just before Dunkeld and is a National Trust site with a roaring river, short walk and a unique building over the river (find out why for yourselves)

Thank you! Aberfeldy and Dunkeld are definitely on my list for next time.

Haha you ate at a LOT of places. 😉 I absolutely love Pitlochry! But this has made me realise there’s lots more I need to do. I haven’t even been up Craigower. I also never knew about the clan trail around Loch Rannoch, will have to check that out. A walk around Faskally wood is always a delight, especially this time of year… might have to stop off there next weekend now as we’ll be passing. And the Hermitage too, which is another good place to see red squirrels. 🙂 Great guide, as always!

Dunkeld (slash Birnam) is tiny but very lovely – and it has BEAVERS! A reason to go in itself. Really liked Aberfeldy too. Lots of lovely places in Perthshire.

We nearly went to Dunkeld but ran out of time. Next time! x

Did Ben Vrackie several years ago when somewhat younger and definitely fitter. Do it on a fine day — you can literally see for miles: with binoculars, I even say the outline of Buchaille Etive Mhor, some 50 miles away. Definitely worth the effort and you can reward yourself with a pint in the Moulin pub on the way back into town

Been wanting to visit Pitlochry for some time. Since its been about seven years ive been regular visitor to Dundee and Perth. Its long long story but i was born Dundee but age two always lived down in England. However ive gradually been visiting Perth Blairgowrie areas since my birth family hail from those locations. ( i am adopted ).. Pitlochry is next visit for me. Anyway come across this fantastic detailed Blog by your self called Pack the Suitcases. Cant thank you enough for the very detailed information on what to see and what to visit and what to eat and drink etc. Fantastic and so glad reading valuable information. Cant wait to visit Pitlochry soon. Thank You. Roland

Hi Roland, really chuffed that you like the blog and I hope it comes in handy during your visit. Perth is another place I like in Scotland and I keep meaning to do a blog post on it but don’t have quite enough research done (yet). Hope you have a super time in Pitlochry when you get there!

Did I miss mention of the theatre in Pitlochry?

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THE 10 BEST Day Trips from Pitlochry

Day trips from pitlochry.

• Pitlochry to Fort Augustus
• Pitlochry to Drumnadrochit
• Pitlochry to Blair Atholl
• Pitlochry to Perth
• Pitlochry to Glenfinnan
• Pitlochry to Scottish Highlands
• Pitlochry to Callander
• Pitlochry to Fort William
• Pitlochry to Inverness
• Pitlochry to Aberfeldy
• Pitlochry to Errol
• Pitlochry to Newtonmore
• Pitlochry to Stirling
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
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• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
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• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

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6. Loch Ness Private Day Tour in Luxury MPV from Edinburgh

7. Private Harry Potter, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highlands tour Glasgow

8. Full-Day Tour to the Scottish Highlands

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10. Highlands Whisky Lovers Tour of Oldest and Highest Distilleries from Edinburgh

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13. Perthshire Highlands: Private Land Rover Tour

14. Full Day Private Tour to Loch Ness With Boat Trip Included

15. The Heart Of Scotland Full-Day Private Tour

16. Highlights of Scotland Private Day Tour With Scottish Local

17. Exclusive Loch Ness & Glencoe Private Tour

18. Scottish Whisky, Castles, Lochs and Waterfalls

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20. City Escape: Loch Ness Private Day Trip

21. Best of Scotland in a day and Edradour Whisky Distillery Tour

22. Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

23. Private Harry Potter, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highland Edinburgh Tour

24. Private Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe and Highlands from Glasgow

25. Scotch whisky Tour

26. Speyside Scottish Highlands Whisky/Whiskey Trail Private Bespoke Edinburgh Tour

27. Private Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness Tour from Edinburgh

28. Loch Ness Private Day Tour up to 8 passengers

29. Private Perthshire Tour from Edinburgh

30. Lochs & Legends: A Private Day Trip to Loch Ness

What travellers are saying.

THE 10 BEST Day Trips from Pitlochry

Day trips from pitlochry.

• Pitlochry to Fort Augustus
• Pitlochry to Drumnadrochit
• Pitlochry to Blair Atholl
• Pitlochry to Perth
• Pitlochry to Glenfinnan
• Pitlochry to Scottish Highlands
• Pitlochry to Callander
• Pitlochry to Fort William
• Pitlochry to Inverness
• Pitlochry to Aberfeldy
• Pitlochry to Errol
• Pitlochry to Newtonmore
• Pitlochry to Stirling
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Likely to Sell Out
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Private Day trip to Loch Ness and Scottish Highlands via Glencoe

2. Loch Ness, Highlands Tour, Glencoe & Pitlochry 1 Day Tour

3. Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

4. Private Guided Tour in Scottish Highlands

5. Scottish Highlands Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

6. Loch Ness Private Day Tour in Luxury MPV from Edinburgh

7. Private Harry Potter, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highlands tour Glasgow

8. Full-Day Tour to the Scottish Highlands

9. Private Highland whisky tour - Build your own tour!

10. Highlands Whisky Lovers Tour of Oldest and Highest Distilleries from Edinburgh

11. Private Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe and Highlands from Edinburgh

12. Loch Ness Private Day Tour in Luxury MPV from Glasgow

13. Perthshire Highlands: Private Land Rover Tour

14. Full Day Private Tour to Loch Ness With Boat Trip Included

15. The Heart Of Scotland Full-Day Private Tour

16. Highlights of Scotland Private Day Tour With Scottish Local

17. Exclusive Loch Ness & Glencoe Private Tour

18. Scottish Whisky, Castles, Lochs and Waterfalls

19. Casks & Chronicles: A Day Trip of Scottish Whisky Distilleries

20. City Escape: Loch Ness Private Day Trip

21. Best of Scotland in a day and Edradour Whisky Distillery Tour

22. Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Private Day Tour with Scottish Local

23. Private Harry Potter, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highland Edinburgh Tour

24. Private Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe and Highlands from Glasgow

25. Scotch whisky Tour

26. Speyside Scottish Highlands Whisky/Whiskey Trail Private Bespoke Edinburgh Tour

27. Private Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness Tour from Edinburgh

28. Loch Ness Private Day Tour up to 8 passengers

29. Private Perthshire Tour from Edinburgh

30. Lochs & Legends: A Private Day Trip to Loch Ness

What travellers are saying.

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Edinburgh Expat , Travel Tales

Fun things to do in pitlochry scotland + why you should visit.

This page may contain affiliate links, for which I could earn a small commission. You can review my full disclosure  here .

My favorite things to do in Pitlochry reflect a microcosm of Scotland at large. Whisky, epic vistas, standing stones, history, walks, castles…Pitlochry has it all!

I recommend you visit Pitlochry for an ideal addition to your Scotland travel itinerary, especially if this is your first visit to the country.

Planning a trip to Scotland can be overwhelming with so many options.

But I can tell you from personal experience living in Scotland and traveling around to various areas that there are so many typically Scottish things to do in Pitlochry. You’ll love it!

I was an American expat in Scotland for years and I loved exploring my adoptive home!

Quick Overview of Pitlochry

Pitlochry is filled with stunning natural beauty, intriguing history, and locally-made products galore, making it the perfect spot to maximize your Scottish experience.

A small town resting in a valley about 70 miles north of Edinburgh, Pitlochry has been on the map as an ideal stop between the highlands and the capital since the Victorian Era.

There are plenty of things to do in Pitlochry itself, while the surrounding area offers even more depth.

Both a major highway (motorway, in Scottish-speak ) and a rail line run directly into Pitlochry.

So whether you’re driving, taking a tour, or hopping on board the train, you’ll enjoy handy convenience from major points in Scotland.

If you’re starting off your Scotland trip in Edinburgh, I recommend you plan for a night or two in Pitlochry.

You could do a day trip from Edinburgh , but I think Pitlochry has too much to offer for just a few hours!

Pitlochry is a typical small Scottish town. There’s a main street running the length parallel to the railway line, plus multiple smaller side streets branching off.

A walk from one end of town to the other won’t take too long, unless you stop at every shop and cafe along the way!

As it is well-established with both local and foreign tourists, you’ll find ample accommodation options in Pitlochry. Small hotels and bed & breakfasts abound, while rental homes and Airbnbs are also plentiful.

I’ve stayed with friends and in B&Bs in Pitlochry during my multiple overnight stays. I’ve also done day trips from where I live just outside of Edinburgh. I just can’t get enough of visiting Pitlochry!

Find your own Pitlochry accommodations on booking.com .

You’ll also find plenty of restaurants and cafes in Pitlochry, though don’t anticipate a lively night scene. This is a small town, after all.

There are traditional pubs and you’ll find plenty of places to enjoy a drink. But this is more of a quiet holiday town than one for a late night out.

Why Visit Pitlochry During a Scotland Trip

This town encompasses much of what makes Scotland so incredible. There are just so many things to do in Pitlochry!

Easy access by rail or road makes it accessible and convenient. But Pitlochry is also enviably located at the doorstep of the famous Scottish Highlands.

Stopping here between Edinburgh and the Highlands is an ideal itinerary option, in my opinion!

In Pitlochry, you can tour distilleries, sample local fare, buy locally-made products, and walk around the whole town easily. You can get just outside of town for castles, epic vistas, and ancient standing stones.

You can also enjoy some of Scotland’s famously stunning scenery without having to travel far at all!

There are so many things to do near Pitlochry, from castles to bagging munros to extreme sports and more.

With a river running through town and the largest national park in the British Isles on its doorstep, there are countless outdoor, fun things to do around Pitlochry.

Just a short drive from the town center brings you to the Queen’s View, Blair Castle, Soldier’s Leap at Killiecrankie, or the Hermitage.

All of these are beautiful locations with interesting history to offer.

Pitlochry is far enough from the urban centers of Glasgow and Edinburgh to feel more rural, without being desolate. It boasts amenities and natural beauty in spades.

And, if that’s not all reason enough to visit Pitlochry, this town is right on the doorstep of the Cairngorms National Park!

That makes Pitlochry the ideal stopping point if you’re headed to the park for more outdoor adventures. Think: hillwalking, skiing, and traipsing around castle hunting!

Fun Things to Do in Pitlochry

The main draw to Pitlochry is its convenient location paired with its stunning natural beauty.

You can do plenty of easy walks along the water or into the hills, or go bag a munro just up the road!

“ Bagging a munro ” means summiting one of the tallest mountains in Scotland . A munro is anything over 3000 feet, while a corbett is between 2500 and 3000 feet.

Grab all the trail details you need for walks in and around Pitlochry , then grab your hiking boots to manage the terrain!

One of the other fabulous things to do in Pitlochry is right in the heart of town. Walk along the River Tummel for some pretty views, as well as an opportunity to learn about Scotland’s emphasis on Green Energy.

Walk towards the Pitlochry Dam – built in the 1940s – to start a nice, easy stroll along fairly flat ground.

Before crossing over the dam, pop into the Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre to learn about how and why this dam exists.

I love Scotland’s focus on hydroelectricity and wind energy – this beloved expat country of mine is making positive changes!

On the other side of the dam, take a look down at the fish ladder along the side. You might spot salmon making their way from box to box to reach the other side of the dam.

Not much farther along the river, you can cross back toward town via the green suspension bridge.

Distilleries to Tour

You can also walk to two distilleries in Pitlochry: Edradour Distillery and Blair Athol Distillery .

We did the Edradour tour and loved learning from this tiny distillery – one of the smallest in all of Scotland!

The scenery was enchanting and the education was admirable. The walk there from Pitlochry was also a stunner!

Edradour is now my go-to whisky cream, replacing the more famous Bailey’s.

I’m genuinely working on my acceptance of whisky. As an American adopted by Scotland, I feel it’s my duty to at least try!

Until I get to that stage, those whisky creams are delightful.

2021 edit: I can now happily say that I have several different whiskies I enjoy these days! That enjoyment certainly makes distillery tours much more fun. And there is no shortage of those here in Scotland!

Shopping Locally

I personally love  Heathergems , a jewelry production center where local heather (and other flowers of Scotland) is pressed into beautiful gem-work.

You can visit and watch the actual production in this headquarters location. You’ll also likely spot plenty of Heathergems being sold in shops all around Scotland.

There are loads of other shops in Pitlochry, some offering local produce or artwork, others being a bit more generalized. Puddles & Sun is a super cute, independent shop for all the kiddos in your life!

I recommend you purchase locally-produced items to make your trip extra special.

While the big shops in Edinburgh might be cheaper, they also are mostly imported items that don’t support Scottish artists, producers, or entrepreneurs.

If you’re traveling to experience another culture and place, you can be a better tourist by supporting local industries. Shop local, think global!

Things to Do Near Pitlochry

There are also plenty of things to do near Pitlochry! Some are accessible by bus while others might require a taxi or day tour.

There are so many things to do around Pitlochry. It’s an area that boasts beautiful vistas plus many points of historical significance. I am particularly fond of the epic Queen’s View.

For a customized tour, I highly recommend you book with  Highland Travel  and ask for Jurgen. He was my driver during my DIY writing retreat nearby and offered a wealth of knowledge and adoration for this country.

Located just outside of Pitlochry, Queen’s View is not, in fact, named for Queen Victoria (although she did admire and love this spot).

The lookout point is a popular one, so try to get there in the off-hours (or low season) to have a little more tranquility to accompany your sprawling vista.

Another thing to do near Pitlochry bears astounding historical significance.

You know all those standing stones that make Scotland popular among Outlander fans? Well, they may not be famous, but you can find some small standing stones remaining from Pictish times just up the hill from the River Tummel in Pitlochry.

They’re in a quiet spot so no tourist crowds will bother you.

Another beautiful place with standing stones is the Isle of Arran . I *highly* recommend you spend a weekend there, too!

Further outside of town, but still a great thing to do near Pitlochry, is one of Scotland’s most prominent castles.

Blair Castle boasts extensive grounds and a large estate home to explore. The walled garden offers a lovely place to stroll and you can even enjoy a picnic out on the grounds to pretend like you own the castle!

Another popular thing to do near Pitlochry is to visit Killiecrankie and the Soldier’s Leap spot, where a Redcoat jumped 18 feet to escape his Jacobite pursuers.

From Pitlochry, you can also easily access Cairngorms National Park for hillwalking, animal sightings, and winter sports.

This is the largest national park in the British Isles with stunning topography to explore!

South of Pitlochry, en route from Edinburgh, you could opt to stop into the Hermitage near Dunkeld for a beautiful wooded walk.

This is best done by car or on a private tour from Edinburgh, like this option with Rabbie’s .

Visit Pitlochry for Events

Pitlochry also boasts several fabulous annual events that you won’t want to miss.

The last weekend in May is a bank holiday weekend in the UK and, conveniently, Memorial Day Weekend in the US, too.

That’s when you’ll see the Highland Games at Blair Castle. These are some of the most popular games in the whole of Scotland.

The Atholl Highlanders Parade and Gathering is a spectacle you don’t want to miss, so be sure you plan to visit Pitlochry during this time if you can.

If you miss those games, head to the Pitlochry Highland Games in September instead! We did a quick day trip to enjoy this spectacle. It was my first Highland Games and quite a fun day out despite the dreich weather.

During the autumn,  visit Pitlochry for The Enchanted Forest . It’s an event I absolutely adored and hope you will all get to see someday!

It takes place each year for most of October, so try to book a weekend in Pitlochry to coincide with this fun event.

Tips for Traveling to Pitlochry

Traveling to Pitlochry from Edinburgh is easily done by train. The journey is around 2.5 hours and offers both pretty views and glimpses of various towns and cities along the way.

While a day trip from Edinburgh is certainly an option, I recommend taking longer to really enjoy all that Pitlochry has to offer.

Stay at least one night to maximize your opportunities. The town itself has plenty to do, but the surrounding area is also lovely to explore.

If you are traveling by public transport, you can take buses to several of the locations outside of town. You could also book a private guided tour with Highland Travel .

Quick Tips For Visiting Pitlochry

Where to stay:, things to do in town:.

• Edradour Distillery
• Blair Athol Distillery
• Moulin Bar and Hotel
• Heathergems Jewelry
• Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre

And these are nearby:

• Queen’s View
• Blair Castle
• Killiecrankie
• Cairngorms National Park
• The Enchanted Forest

How to get there and around:

• Visit Scotland
• ScotRail Train
• Highland Travel guided tours
• Rabbie’s tours that visit Pitlochry: Loch Ness, Inverness and the Highlands or  Highland Lochs, Glens & Whisky

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Amanda Walkins

Amanda Walkins was an expat for more than a decade and has been a travel and tourism professional since 2013, a fully remote worker since 2015, an international house and pet sitter since 2016, and a writer since she learned to read. Join her for whatever the next adventure may entail!

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