Scottish Vacations And 3 Interesting Visitor Attractions to Visit Near Pitlochry
July 6th, 2009 by Henry, under Airport Hotels, Vacations. No Comments
Vacations in Scotland are amazingly popular at this time due, most likely, to the strength of the US dollar against the pound making vacations to England, Scotland and Wales great value, especially if travelling from outside the area. In the article below we examine 3 delightful places to visit in Pitlochry, Blair Castle, the Killiecrankie Visitor Centre and the Scottish Hydro Electric Visitor Centre.
Scottish Hydro Electric Visitor Centre
A power station is a pretty strange location for a visitor center, however this is just where you will discover the Scottish Hydro Electric Visitor Center. The visitor center is found within the resplendent Pitlochry Power Station, and features interactive exhibits tracing the history of hydro power in Scotland, from the 1940′s up until the present day. The Pitlochry Dam, which was built between 1947 and 1951, gives visitors the thrilling chance to watch the amazing salmon ladder through three viewing chambers. Inside the center, you will discover audio-visual presentations (interactive) which explains in detail this natural spectacle. The turbine hall of Pitlochry Hydro-Electric Power Station can also be viewed from inside the Visitor Center.
Blair Castle
Dating back to the thirteenth century is Blair Castle, which is the ancestral seat of the Earls and Dukes of Atholl. The building of Blair Castle began in the year 1269, under the leadership of John I Comyn, the Lord of Badenoch, a nearby neighbor of the Earl of Atholl. The Earl was away from home, fighting in the Crusade’s, when his neighbor began construction of Blair Castle on his land. When he returned, the Earl bitterly complained to King Alexander III of Scotland about the interloper, and his lands were returned. Rather than demolishing the tower than John I Comyn had built, the Earl decided to merge the tower into his own castle. A Great Hall and a series of vaulted chambers were added to the castle over the centuries, by various Earls. It was the 2nd Duke of Atholl who, in 1740, decided to restore the castle as a Georgian Mansion.
Killiecrankie Visitor Centre
During the Jacobite era Killiecrankie, not a great distance from Pitlochry, found itself filled with the noise of battle. The government soldiers were soundly defeated by the rebel army of the Jacobites, under the the direction of Bonnie Dundee. During the bloodthirsty battle an escaping soldier leapt across the River Garry, which became known as, Soldier’s Leap. The area of the gorge and pass were a popular haunt of Queen Victoria.
To find out about the infamous battle one can pay a visit to the Killiecrankie Visitor Centre. The Visitor Centre has a number of otherdisplays and services, which include; guided walks, ranger service’s and a natural history of the area, amongst others.
If you are thinking about having a Scottish vacation based in Pitlochry then you can discover Pitlochry hotels online by by placing “Pitlochry hotel accommodation” in your favorite search engine.
