Scottish vacations are incredibly popular at this time due, probably, to the strength of the US dollar against the £ making vacations to England, Wales and Scotland pretty cheap, especially if visiting from from the U.S.A.. In the article below we introduce three fascinating 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 site for a tourist attraction, however this is just where you will discover the Scottish Hydro Electric Visitor Center. The center is situated inside the splendid Pitlochry Power Station, and features interactive exhibits describing the development of hydro power in Scotland, dating from the nineteen forties to the present day. The Pitlochry Dam, which was constructed between 1947 and 1951, gives you the interesting opportunity to watch the renowned salmon ladder via 3 observation areas. Within the visitor center, you will also discover audio-visual presentations and interactive which explain this natural spectacle. The turbine hall of Pitlochry Hydro-Electric Power Station can also be observed from inside the Visitor Center.
Blair Castle
Blair Castle can be dated as far back as the thirteenth century and is the ancestral seat of the Earls and Dukes of Atholl. The building of Blair Castle began in 1269, under the guidance of John I Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, a nearby acquaintance of the Earl of Atholl. The Earl was away, fighting in the Crusade’s, when John I Comyn began construction of Blair Castle on his land. As soon as the Earl returned he bitterly complained to Alexander III, the king of Scotland about his neighbor, and won back his lands. Rather than destroying the tower than John I Comyn had erected, the Earl decided to merge the tower into his own castle. A Great Hall and a number of vaulted chambers were incorporated into the castle over the centuries, by subsequent Earls. It was the 2nd Duke of Atholl who, in 1740, decided to remodel the castle as a Georgian Mansion.
Killiecrankie Visitor Centre
During the era of the Jacobites Killiecrankie, not too far from Pitlochry, was full of the crys of battle. The government soldiers were heavily overwhelmed by the rebel soldiers of the Jacobites, under the leadership of Bonnie Dundee. During the bloodthirsty battle a soldier evaded capture by leaping over the River Garry, which gained the name, Soldier’s Leap. The area around the Pass and gorge were a favorite haunt of Queen Victoria.
To learn about the infamous battle you can visit the Killiecrankie Visitor Centre. The Visitor Centre has a number of otherdisplays and services, which include; ranger service’s, guided walks and a natural history of the area and much more.
If you are thinking about having a vacation in Scotland based in Pitlochry then you will find Pitlochry hotels online by by placing “Pitlochry hotel accommodation” in your favorite search engine.
