Arguably the most well known small town in Perthshire, Pitlochry is also well loved as a holiday destination or for a day out. With a high street full of gift shops, clothing shops and cafes, it’s the perfect place for a light lunch, a quirky souvenir or for updating your hiking wardrobe. So, that’s the morning sorted! But what about some sightseeing in the afternoon?

With its fabulous setting in the Tummel Valley, Pitlochry has an abundance of local beauty spots in every direction from town. As you drive in from the Perth end you’re met with a wonderful view of the Tummel River and dam, and just a little further is the entrance to the Black Spout walk—a short climb to a truly spectacular waterfall. The Blair Athol Distillery is also located at this end of the town.

The Pitlochry Dam Visitors’ Centre itself can easily be accessed from the centre of Pitlochry by walking down Armoury Road. With amazing views over the dam, it really is worth a visit. Don’t neglect to also walk over the dam, with views of Loch Faskally on one side and a steep drop to the river on the other, and down the other side to the fish ladder. At the right time of year, salmon can sometimes be spotted.

At this point you can simply turn around and go back the way you came, but for those inclined to walk a bit further, it’s rewarding to continue down the road and past the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. From here you can loop back towards Pitlochry’s high street, either by going over the iron suspension bridge or down Bridge Road, where you’ll come out by the Blair Athol Distillery. This is a really good circular stroll around the area, with lots of points of interest and good views.

If you’re looking a a less urban walk and maybe a picnic spot, then heading to the farther outskirts of Pitlochry to Faskally Woods and Loch Dunmore is a good option. In September and October this area is famous for holding the Enchanted Forest, but at this time of year it reverts to being a very pleasant circular walk around a small loch, with ample parking and some picnic benches.

What if, instead of going down, you want to go up? Much of Pitlochry, including its high street, sits in the valley, but it does also climb a good way up into the hills on one side. The largest of these is Ben Vrackie, which is popular with hill walkers and has a reasonably sized car park located on the Baledmund Road. For the less adventurous, the village of Moulin is a charming place to walk round, and the Moulin Inn has a reputation for good pub grub if you can get a table.

We hope this article has given you some ideas for a day out in Pitlochry, perhaps reminding you of places you’ve not seen for a while and would enjoy exploring again, or even highlighting somewhere you didn’t know about around the town. Either way, Pitlochry is a perfect place for an early spring day out.