Map: Between Inverness & Edinburgh
Pitlochry • Stirling
To break up the trip between Inverness and Edinburgh (3 hours by car, 3.5 hours by train), consider stopping over at one of these two worthwhile destinations. The town of Pitlochry, right on the train route, mixes whisky and hillwalking with a dash of countryside charm. Farther south, the historic city of Stirling boasts an impressive castle, a monument to a Scottish hero (William “Braveheart” Wallace), and one of the country’s most important battle sites (Bannockburn).
Visiting both Pitlochry and Stirling on a one-day drive from Inverness to Edinburgh is doable but busy (especially since part of Pitlochry’s allure is slowing down to taste the whisky).
Pleasant Pitlochry is well-located, a quick detour off the main A-9 highway from Inverness to Edinburgh (via Perth) or an easy stop for train travelers. The town deserves an overnight for whisky-lovers, or for those who really want to relax in small-town Scotland. Though many find the town of Pitlochry appealing, it lacks the rugged Highlands scenery and easy access to other major sights found in Oban and Glencoe.
Stirling, off the busy A-9/M-9 motorway between Perth and Edinburgh, is well worth a sightseeing stop, especially for historians and romantics interested in Scottish history. (If skipping Stirling, notice that you can take the M-90 due south over the Firth of Forth to connect Perth and Edinburgh.) Stirling also works well as a stop-off between Edinburgh and points west (such as Glasgow or Oban)—just take the northern M-9/A-80 route instead of the more direct M-8.
This likable tourist town, famous for its whisky and its hillwalking (both beloved by Scots), makes an enjoyable overnight stop on the way between Inverness and Edinburgh. Just outside the craggy Highlands, Pitlochry is set amid pastoral rolling hills that offer plenty of forest hikes (brochures at TI). A salmon ladder climbs alongside the lazy river (free viewing area—salmon can run April-Oct, best in May and June, 10-minute walk from town).
Plucky little Pitlochry (pop. 2,500) lines up along its tidy, tourist-minded main road, where you’ll find the train station, bus stops, TI, and bike rental. The River Tummel runs parallel to the main road, a few steps away. Most distilleries are a short drive out of town, but you can walk to the two best (see my self-guided hillwalk). Navigate easily by following the black directional signs to Pitlochry’s handful of sights.
The helpful TI provides bus and train schedules, has Internet access, books rooms for a £4 fee, and sells good maps for walks and scenic drives (July-early Sept Mon-Sat 9:00-18:30, Sun 9:30-17:30; early-Sept-June Mon-Sat 9:30-17:30, Sun 10:00-16:00; exit from station and follow small road to the right with trains behind you, turn right on Atholl Road, and walk 5 minutes to TI on left, at #22; tel. 01796/472-215, www.perthshire.co.uk, pitlochry@visitscotland.com).
Bike Rental: Escape Route Bikes, located across the street and a block from the TI (away from town), rents a variety of bikes for adults and kids (£16-35/5 hours, £25-40/24 hours, price varies by type of bike and includes helmet and lock if you ask, Mon-Sat 9:00-17:30, Sun 10:00-16:00, shorter hours and sometimes closed Thu in winter, 3 Atholl Road, tel. 01796/473-859, www.escape-route.biz).
If you’ve ever suspected you were a hobbit in a previous life, spend an afternoon hillwalking from downtown Pitlochry to a pair of top distilleries. The entire loop trip takes two to three hours, depending on how long you linger in the distilleries (at least 45 minutes to an hour of walking each way). It’s a good way to see some green rolling hills, especially if you’ve only experienced urban Scotland. The walk is largely uphill on the way to the Edradour Distillery; wear good shoes, bring a rain jacket just in case, and be happy that you’ll stroll easily downhill after you’ve had your whisky samples.
At the TI, pick up the Pitlochry Walks brochure (£1). You’ll be taking the Edradour Walk (marked on directional signs with the yellow hiker icons; on the map it’s a series of yellow dots). Leave the TI and head left along the busy A-924. The walk can be done by going either direction, but I’ll describe it counterclockwise.
Within 10 minutes, you’ll come to Bell’s Blair Athol Distillery. If you’re a whisky buff, stop in here (described later, under “Sights in Pitlochry”). Otherwise, hold out for the much more atmospheric Edradour. After passing a few B&Bs and suburban homes, you’ll see a sign (marked Edradour Walk) on the left side of the road, leading you up and off the highway. You’ll come to a clearing, and as the road gets steeper, you’ll see signs directing you 50 yards off the main path to see the “Black Spout”—a wonderful waterfall well worth a few extra steps.
At the top of the hill, you’ll arrive in another clearing, where a narrow path leads along a field. Low rolling hills surround you in all directions. It seems like there’s not another person around for miles, with just the thistles to keep you company. It’s an easy 20 minutes to the distillery from here.
Stop into the Edradour Distillery (also described later). After the tour, leave the distillery, heading right, following the paved road (Old North Road). In about five minutes, there’s a sign that seems to point right into the field. Take the small footpath that runs along the left side of the road. (If you see the driveway with stone lions on both sides, you’ve gone a few steps too far.) You’ll walk parallel to the route you took getting to the distillery, and then you’ll head back into the forest. Cross the footbridge and make a left (as the map indicates), staying on the wide road. You’ll pass a B&B and hear traffic noises as you emerge out of the forest. The trail leads back to the highway, with the TI a few blocks ahead on the right.
Distillery Tours—The cute Edradour Distillery (ED-rah-dower), the smallest in Scotland, takes pride in making its whisky with a minimum of machinery. Small white-and-red buildings are nestled in an impossibly green Scottish hillside. Wander through the buildings and take the £5 guided tour (3/hour in summer, 2/hour in winter, 50 minutes). They offer a 10-minute video and, of course, a free sample dram. Unlike the bigger distilleries, they allow you to take photos of the equipment. If you like the whisky, buy some here and support the Pitlochry economy—this is one of the few independently owned distilleries left in Scotland (May-Oct Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-17:00; Nov-April Mon-Sat 10:00-16:00, Sun 12:00-16:00 except Dec-Feb, when it’s closed on Sun; last tour departs one hour before closing, tel. 01796/472-095, www.edradour.co.uk). Most come to the distillery by car (follow signs from the main road, 2.5 miles into the countryside), but you can also get there on a peaceful hiking trail that you’ll have all to yourself (follow my “Pitlochry Whisky Walk,” earlier).
The big, ivy-covered Bell’s Blair Athol Distillery is more conveniently located (about a half-mile from the town center) and more corporate-feeling, offering 45-minute tours with a wee taste at the end (£6, Easter-Oct tours depart 2/hour daily 10:00-17:00, July-Aug until 17:30, possibly closed Sun in spring, last tour departs 1 hour before closing; shorter hours, fewer tours, and closed Sat-Sun off-season; tel. 01796/482-003, www.discovering-distilleries.com/blairathol).
Pitlochry Power Station—The station’s visitors center, adjacent to the salmon ladder, offers a mildly entertaining exhibit about hydroelectric power in the region.
Cost and Hours: Free, salmon viewing and exhibit open April-Oct Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00, closed Sat-Sun except Bank Holidays and in July-Aug, closed Nov-March, tel. 01796/473-152.
Getting There: Walkers can reach this easily in about 15 minutes by crossing the footbridge from the town center. Drivers will head east out of town (toward Bell’s Blair Athol Distillery), then turn right on Bridge Road, cross the river, and backtrack to the power station.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre—From about May through October, this theater presents a different play every night and concerts on some Sundays (tickets cost £26-30 for Mon-Thu shows and Sat matinee, £28-33 for Fri-Sat shows; purchase tickets online, by phone, or in person; visit Just the Ticket, in town at 89 Atholl Road, or the theater—same price, box office open daily 10:00-20:00, restaurant, tel. 01796/484-626, www.pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com).
Explorers Garden—Adjacent to the theater, this six-acre woodland garden features plants and wildflowers from around the world.
Cost and Hours: £4, April-Oct daily 10:00-17:00, last entry at 16:30, tel. 01796/484-626, www.explorersgarden.com.
Balmoral Castle—The Queen stays at her 50,000-acre private estate, located within Cairngorms National Park, from August through early October. The grounds and the castle’s ballroom are open to visitors part of the year, but they’re overpriced.
Cost and Hours: £9, audioguide requires £5 deposit, April-July daily 10:00-17:00, last entry one hour before closing, closed Aug-March, tel. 013397/42534, www.balmoralcastle.com.
Getting There: Balmoral is on the A-93, midway between Ballater and Braemar, about 50 miles northeast of Pitlochry and about 75 miles southeast of Inverness.
Nearby: For a free peek at another royal landmark, stop at Crathie Kirk, the small but charming parish church where the royal family worships when they are at Balmoral, and where Queen Victoria’s beloved servant John Brown is buried. The church is just across the highway from the Balmoral parking lot.
$$ Craigroyston House is a quaint, large Victorian country house with eight Laura Ashley-style bedrooms, run by charming Gretta and Douglas Maxwell (Db-£94 July-Sept, less off-season, family room, cash only, Wi-Fi, above and behind the TI—small gate at back of parking lot—and next to the church at 2 Lower Oakfield, tel. & fax 01796/472-053, www.craigroyston.co.uk, reservations@craigroyston.co.uk).
$ Pitlochry’s fine hostel has 53 beds in 12 rooms, including some private and family rooms. It’s on Knockard Road, well-signed from the town center, about a five-minute walk above the main drag and offering nice views (£18 bunks in 3- to 6-bed rooms, Db-£60; £2 more for non-members, breakfast-£4.50-6, packed lunch-£5.50, closed Nov-Feb, pay Internet access and Wi-Fi, self-service laundry, kitchen, office open 7:00-10:00 & 17:00-23:00, tel. 01796/472-308, www.syha.org.uk, pitlochry@syha.org.uk).
Plenty of options line the main drag, including several bakeries selling picnic supplies. For a heartier meal, try Victoria’s restaurant and coffee shop, located midway between the train station and the TI (£5-9 sandwiches, £9 pizzas, £8-12 lunches, £11-20 dinners, daily 9:00-20:30, patio seating, at corner of memorial garden, 45 Atholl Road, tel. 01796/472-670), or Fern Cottage, just behind Victoria’s (pre-theater £18-22 dinner specials 17:30-21:00, Ferry Road, tel. 01796/473-840). Port-na-Craig Inn is a fancy option across from the theater (tel. 01796/472-777).
The train station is open daily 8:00-18:00 (may have shorter hours in winter).
From Pitlochry by Train to: Inverness (every 1.5-2 hours, 1.5 hours), Stirling (every 1.5-2 hours, 1.25 hours, some transfer in Perth), Edinburgh (7/day direct, 2 hours), Glasgow (11/day, 1.5-1.75 hours, some transfer in Perth). Train info: tel. 08457-484-950, www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Once the Scottish capital, the quaint city of Stirling (pop. 41,000) is a mini-Edinburgh with lots of character and a trio of attractions: a dramatic castle, dripping with history and boasting sweeping views; the William Wallace Monument, honoring the real-life Braveheart; and the Bannockburn Heritage Centre, marking the site of Robert the Bruce’s victorious battle.
Stirling’s old town is situated along a long, narrow, steep hill, with the castle at its apex. The TI is near the base of the old town, just inside the gates of the touristy Old Town Jail attraction (daily 10:00-17:00, Internet access—£1/20 minutes, St. Johns Street, tel. 01786/475-019, stirling@visitscotland.com).
Getting Around: The city’s three main sights (Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument, and the Bannockburn Heritage Centre) are difficult to reach by foot from the center of town, but are easily accessible by frequent public bus (the bus station is a short walk from the train station) or by taxi (about £5 to each one).
“He who holds Stirling, holds Scotland.” These fateful words have proven, more often than not, to be true. Stirling Castle’s strategic position—perched on a volcanic crag overlooking a bridge over the River Forth, the primary passage between the Lowlands and the Highlands—has long been the key to Scotland. This castle of the Stuart kings is one of Scotland’s most historic and popular. Offering spectacular views over a gentle countryside, and a mildly interesting but steadily improving exhibit inside, Stirling is worth a look. The castle’s highlight is the recently refurbished Renaissance palace where Mary, Queen of Scots spent her childhood.
Cost and Hours: £13, daily April-Sept 9:30-18:00, Oct-March 9:30-17:00, last entry 45 minutes before closing, Regimental Museum closes 45 minutes before castle, café, tel. 01786/450-000, www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk.
Information: Posted information is skimpy, so a tour or audioguide is important for bringing the site to life. You can take the included 45-minute guided tour (generally hourly 10:00-15:00, less off-season, depart from the well outside the Fort Major’s House), or use the very good audioguide that’s included with your admission (pick up from kiosk near ticket window). Knowledgeable docents posted throughout can tell you more. You can also take a tour of Argyll’s Lodging, a 17th-century townhouse (£2, 3/day, ask on arrival but usually at 11:30, 14:00, and 15:15).
Getting There: Similar to Edinburgh’s castle, Stirling Castle sits at the very tip of a steep old town. If you enter Stirling by car, follow the Stirling Castle signs, twist up the mazelike roads to the esplanade, and park at the £4 lot just outside the castle gate. In summer, there’s also a park-and-ride option: Leave your car at the Castleview Park-and-Ride off the A-84 and hop on the shuttle bus (£1.20 round-trip, runs June-Sept 9:00-18:15, 15-minute ride, check castle website to make sure this service is running in 2013). Without a car, you can either hike the 20-minute uphill route from the train or bus station to the castle, or you can take a taxi (about £5).
Background: Stirling marks the site of two epic medieval battles where famous Scotsmen defeated huge English armies despite impossible odds: In 1297, William Wallace (a.k.a. “Braveheart”) fended off an invading English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. And in 1314, Robert the Bruce won the battle of nearby Bannockburn. Soon after, the castle became the primary residence of the Stuart monarchs, who turned it into a showpiece of Scotland (and a symbol of one-upmanship against England). But when the Crown moved to London, Stirling’s prominence waned. The military, which took over the castle during the Jacobite Wars of the 18th century, bulked it up and converted it into a garrison—damaging much of its delicate beauty. Since 1966, the fortress has been undergoing an extensive and costly restoration to bring it back to its glory days and make it, once again, one of Britain’s premier castles.
Visiting the Castle: From the parking lot at the esplanade, go through the gate to buy your ticket (ask about tour times, and consider renting the audioguide), then head up into the castle through another gate. If you have time to kill before your tour, dip into the grassy courtyard on the left to reach an introductory castle exhibition about the history of the town and its fortress. Historians at Stirling are proud of the work they’ve done to rebuild the castle—and they’re not shy about saying so.
Then head up through the main gateway into the Outer Close. Just to your right, near the Grand Battery, you can see cannon-and-rampart views. Down the hill along this wall is the Great Kitchens exhibit (where mannequin cooks oversee medieval recipes); below that, the North Gate leads to the Nether Bailey (dating from the castle’s later days as a military base). Back in the Outer Close, at the top of the courtyard (to your left as you enter), is a narrow passageway lined with exhibits about Stirling’s medieval craftspeople.
Hike up into the Inner Close, where you’re surrounded by Scottish history. Each of the very different buildings in this complex was constructed by a different monarch. Facing downhill, you’ll see the Great Hall straight ahead. This impressive structure—Scotland’s biggest medieval banqueting hall—was built by the great Renaissance king James IV, grandfather of Mary, Queen of Scots. Step inside the grand, empty-feeling space to appreciate its fine flourishes. The Chapel Royal, where Mary was crowned in 1543, is to your left and also worth a visit.
To your right is the recently restored Royal Palace, where you can see six ground-floor apartments colorfully done up as they might have looked in the mid-16th century. Costumed performers play the role of palace attendants, happy to chat with you about medieval life. Kids can feel the fabrics used in the costumes, learn about how crushed beetles were used for dyes, and try out musical instruments.
Behind you is the King’s Old Building, with a regimental (military) museum.
Commemorating the Scottish hero better known to Americans as “Braveheart,” this sandstone tower—built during a wave of Scottish nationalism in the mid-19th century—marks the Abbey Craig hill on the outskirts of Stirling. This is where Wallace gathered forces for his largest-scale victory against England’s King Edward I, in 1297. To learn more about William Wallace, see here.
From the base of the monument, you can see Stirling Bridge—a stone version that replaced the original wooden one. Looking out from the same vantage point as Wallace, imagine how the famous battle played out, and consider why the location was so important in the battle (explained in more detail inside the monument).
After entering the monument, pick up the worthwhile £1 audioguide. You’ll first encounter a passionate talking Wallace replica, explaining his defiant stand against Edward I. As you listen, ogle Wallace’s five-and-a-half-foot-long broadsword (and try to imagine drawing it from a scabbard on your back at a dead run). Then take a spin through a hall of other Scottish heroes. Finally, climb the 246 narrow steps inside the tower for grand views. The stairways are extremely tight and require some maneuvering—claustrophobes be warned.
Cost and Hours: £8, £1 audioguide, daily July-Aug 10:00-18:00, April-June and Sept-Oct 10:00-17:00, Nov-March 10:30-16:00, last entry 45 minutes before closing, café and gift shop, tel. 01786/472-140, www.nationalwallacemonument.com.
Getting There: It’s two miles northeast of Stirling on the A-8, signposted from the city center. You can catch a public bus from the Stirling bus station (a short walk south of the train station) to the monument’s parking lot (several buses run on this route, 10/hour, 9-15 minutes). Taxis cost about £5-7. From the parking lot’s Visitors Pavilion, you’ll need to hike (a very steep 10 minutes) or take a shuttle bus up the hill to the monument itself.
Just to the south of Stirling proper is the Bannockburn Heritage Centre, commemorating what many Scots view as their nation’s most significant military victory over the invading English: the Battle of Bannockburn, won by a Scottish army led by Robert the Bruce against England’s King Edward II in 1314.
In simple terms, Robert—who was first and foremost a politician—found himself out of political options after years of failed diplomatic attempts to make peace with the strong-arming English. William Wallace’s execution left a vacuum in military leadership, and eventually Robert stepped in, waging a successful guerrilla campaign that came to a head as young Edward’s army marched to Stirling. Although the Scots were greatly outnumbered, their strategy and use of terrain at Bannockburn allowed them to soundly beat the English and drive Edward out of Scotland for good. For more about Robert the Bruce, see here.
This victory is so legendary among the Scots that the country’s unofficial national anthem, “Flower of Scotland”—written 600 years after the battle—focuses on this one event. (CDs with a version of this song performed by The Corries can be purchased at the heritage center. Buy one and learn the song, and you might soon find yourself singing along at a pub.)
The heritage center, though small, has excellent exhibits and a worthwhile film about the battle and events leading up to it. You can even try on a real chainmail shirt and helmet.
Cost and Hours: £6, March-Oct daily 10:00-17:00, April-Sept until 17:30, last entry 45 minutes before closing, closed Nov-Feb, tel. 0844/493-2139, www.nts.org.uk.
Getting There: It’s two miles south of Stirling on the A-872, off the M-80/M-9. For non-drivers, it’s an easy bus ride from the Stirling bus station (a short walk south from the train station; several buses run on this route, 8/hour, 9-15 minutes).
From Stirling by Train to: Edinburgh (roughly 2/hour, 1 hour), Glasgow (3/hour, 30-45 minutes), Pitlochry (every 1.5-2 hours, 1.25 hours, some transfer in Perth), Inverness (every 1.5-2 hours, 2.75-3 hours, some transfer in Perth). Train info: tel. 08457-484-950, www.nationalrail.co.uk.