A Hidden Gem

By Jenny Wilde

A Hidden Gem

By Jenny Wilde

Just a Break

Pitlochry, in the heart of Perthshire, was just a quick break in my journey between the two Scottish cities of Edinburgh and Inverness. However, when I arrived I found more than I’d expected and soon realised that Pitlochry deserved more than a short overnight stay.

A Wonderful View

Pitlochry sits in some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen. It’s surrounded by mountains and a pretty river runs through the town. Ben Vrakie may not be Scotland’s highest mountain, but it provides a glorious backdrop and can be climbed without too much difficulty from a path on the north-eastern edge of town. These hills are also popular for mountain biking and horse riding as well as walking.

A Long Way Down

We were treated remarkably well at our B&B, Tir Aluinn. When we arrived, our hosts, Dave and Kathy Chipperfield, came out to greet us with friendly smiles. The rooms were light and pleasant; dinner was served when we wanted it; and the patio, where we had breakfast, displayed the spectacular views perfectly. Dave and Kathy were also keen to pass on a wealth of local information and tips on things to do. Top of their list was the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, which shows an incredible eight performances a week. These performances are varied, from Oscar Wilde, to classic Broadway musicals like Hello Dolly, to famous rock stars like Eric Clapton.

The Fish Ladder

To get to the theatre we had to cross the River Tummel, by means of a really interesting bridge. It was built in 1913 and replaced the ferry, which had crossed the river for 800 years. If you are scared of heights, be warned—the bridge moves quite a lot and it’s a long way down!

Across the river is a dam, which created Loch Faskally. It was built to feed the electricity station, an unfortunate ugly spot in this otherwise perfect area. By the dam we saw the fish ladder built in 1952 for salmon to go upstream to breed. The builders of the dam were legally obliged to look after the fish and make sure their numbers weren’t damaged by it. Without the ladder, the fish would not be able to travel.

Before you get excited, the fish ladder doesn’t look at all like the sort you and I use to access our attics. In fact, the ladder consists of 34 pools, each 50cm higher than the last one, with three large pools for the salmon to rest. There is a fish counter to monitor how many make the journey,and in 2006, for instance, 7,238 were counted. Part of the ladder is made of glass from which we could see the salmon making this amazing effort.

One of Scotland’s Oldest Distilleries

The next day, we postponed our journey and went to Blair Atholl castle, where Queen Victoria stayed in 1842. The castle is an elegant white building, like something out of a fairy tale. There have been three main building phases in the castle’s history, as well as the building of a recent exhibition hall and period of repair. Cumming’s Tower is the earliest part of the castle and was built in 1269. In the Georgian period, all the obvious castle-like features were removed, turning it into a fashionable house. This building phase took so long that it was only completed eight years before a new one began. In the Victorian era, the castle became a castle once again; a spectacular ballroom was added, as well as modern facilities like electricity, hot water and bathrooms.

After the castle, we went on a guided tour of the Blair Atholl whisky distillery at the south edge of town. Founded in 1798, it’s one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries. After having a wee dram(a small drink of whisky) and being shown around by our friendly, kilt-wearing guide, we had to go.

What Else Would We Do?

Pitlochry is a perfect holiday destination. If we went back there we could visit Scotland’s smallest whisky distillery, Eradour. We could shop for Scottish souvenirs, such as dolls in tartan.We would explore Pitlochry’s mountains and do some biking or hiking. If I was travelling in Scotland again, Pitlochry would be the final destination—not just a quick break.

Useful link

Find out more at www.pitlochry.org

Activity 1

Match the words or phrases with a definition.

1. a hidden gem 2. backdrop 3. B&B 4. patio 5. be obliged to 6. upstream 7. phase 8. era 9. kilt 10. tartan

a.a picture behind a stage or a subject in a photo

b.a short period of time in which you do particular things

c.a long period of time often known for particular things

d.a traditional Scottish pattern of stripes crossing each other

e.an interesting or beautiful place or thing which few people know about

f.a paved area to sit outside

g.have to

h.smaller than a hotel, where you only get a room with a bed, and breakfast

i.in the opposite direction to which a river flows

j.a Scottish man’s skirt

Activity 2

Choose the best answer according to the text.

1. The best way to sum up the writer’s

attitude to Ben Vrakie is ...

a. she would have preferred to see the country’s highest mountain.

b. size doesn’t matter.

c. size matters a lot.

2. The service at the B&B the writer

stayed in ...

a. didn’t lack the personal touch.

b. lacked the personal touch.

c. wasn’t anything special.

3. The bridge on the way to the theatre …

a. was probably made of wood.

b. was probably not made of concrete or brick.

c. had been there for 800 years.

4. The builders of the dam …

a. designed the fish ladder to attract tourists.

b. might have wanted to build more fish ladders.

c. might not have wanted to build the fish ladder.

5. The writer is …

a. impressed by the fish’s activity.

b. surprised by the fish’s activity.

c. unable to find a clear reason for the fish’s activity.

6. The writer wants to …

a. describe a series of similar castles to Blair Atholl.

b. show how large Blair Atholl is.

c. show how special Blair Atholl is.

7. From a historic point of view, the major changes to Blair Atholl …

a. provided work for the locals for a long time.

b. achieved little in the end.

c. were important for Scottish architecture.

8. The Blair Atholl whisky distillery …

a. makes most of its profits from tourists.

b. is keen to persuade visitors to buy its product.

c. is keen to remind visitors of its long history.

Activity 3

Choose from the words and phrases in the box and complete the sentences. There are three you don’t need.

If I …was travelling… in Scotland again, Pitlochry …would be the final destination.

would enjoy

was going

wouldn’t bother

would stay

would be disappointed

spent

would be happy

would definitely spend

relaxed

would be the final destination

slept

were getting

would you meet

went

didn’t go

would take

was travelling

would meet

were travelling

was staying

didn’t have to

would relax

Would you go

weren’t going

would book

1. If they ………. to Pitlochry, they ………. for a week.

2. I ………. my room really early if I ………. in August.

3. They ………. it more if they ………. a bit.

4. If you ………. there in June instead of July, ………. us there?

5. If we ………. to Scotland anyway, we ………. to go there.

6. You ………. more people if you ………. more time out of your room.

7. If she ………. there again in the next couple of years, she ………..

8. If I ………. in Scotland, I ………. a couple of days there.

9. We ………. more clothes if we ………. pay extra for suitcases.

10. ………… to Pitlochry if you ………. around Britain?

Activity 4

What hidden gems are near you?

Why would you like them to stay hidden, or be discovered?