Introduction to Pitlochry

114km (71 miles) NW of Edinburgh, 44km (27 miles) NW of Perth, 24km (15 miles) N of Dunkeld

A popular resort, Pitlochry is a good base for touring the Valley of the Tummel. Ever since Queen Victoria declared it one of the finest resorts in Europe, it has drawn the hordes. It's also home to the renowned Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Scotland's theater in the hills.

Pitlochry doesn't exist just to entertain visitors, although it would appear that way in summer -- it also produces Scotch whisky. And it's a good overnight stop between Edinburgh and Inverness, 137km (85 miles) north. You can spend a very busy day in town, visiting its famous distilleries, seeing its dam and fish ladder, and budgeting some time for the beauty spots in the environs, especially Loch Rannoch and the Pass of Killiecrankie, both ideal for walks. At Blair Atholl stands one of the most highly visited and intriguing castles in the country, Blair Castle.