Explore Highland 2016 Tourism News Explore Scotland News By James Rattray We have heard via the grapevine that we are retiring. Well this is not true and has never been part of our thought process, we are still on track with our reorganisation of Explore Scotland, as we reported to you in last year’s Highland Perthshire News. It does make me wonder how and where these rumours start! The Explore Scotland Network. We are pleased to say that there are now five different people/businesses running the various areas of the Explore Scotland Network. The areas covered by the network are:-
Western Isles
Oban
Mull
Inverness
St Andrews
Stirling
Highland Perthshire (run by Kathleen and myself 100% of our time).
The new members of the Explore Scotland Network — what excites us about the Explore Scotland Network is that each area is now run by people who focus on their area. The new members of the Explore Scotland Network have all brought different expertise, skills and ideas on how to develop and strengthen the network in the months and
years ahead. Our Explore Scotland Network.Agreement means being part of the Explore Scotland Network, we all agree to cooperate together whereever possible, from the guides and web sites style, to web linking, social media promotions, combining print to maximise cost benefits, while running our own areas.
more time for ourselves, but with a Highland Perthshire focus. I love what we do!!
Print run—This year our total Explore Scotland Network print run is 485,000 four, eight and twelve page guides. We hear people tell us that print is out of date and there is no demand for it. Well I can assure there is still massive demand for Our Pitlochry Perthshire Scotland FaceBook our Explore Guides, (we do not want to print has over 3,200 Likes, in 2 years. one guide extra than demand requires.) Why do they work? Well I suspect you are all better qualified to answer this. My own view is the maps are absolute key, people always want maps to help find their way about and, dare I say ‘explore’ an area they do not know. They are produced by local people, not some faceless organisation. I also believe the way the information is organise is crucial. It is not in the form of graffiti advertising (as I call it), where everyone buys some space through different fonts, sizes, Our Highland Perthshire Scotland FaceBook and images on it endeavouring to promote has over 2,300 Likes. their business. Our largest Face Book reach in a single As you know our Explore Guides have a very week was 272,000 people on the Pitlochry distinct style and layout, so everything is in FaceBook Page three months ago. the form of information. We do encounter Our priority —is to promote Aberfeldy, Blair holiday makers who ask how we pay for the Atholl, Dunkeld, Kenmore, Pitlochry and guides? When I tell them it is paid by the Rannoch at every opportunity via print, Soadvertising, they look perplexed and ask cial Media and our two web sites and to where are the adverts work with everyone who wants to work with In conclusion— we very much are not reus promoting tourism across Highland tired, yes we plan to slow down and have Perthshire. 1
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Explore Inverness Tourism Newsletter 2015
Hilltop Venues at Highland Safaris an authentic, Scottish feel with wool rugs, carefully chosen exhibits of bygone bothy visitors and a magnificent Red Deer antler chandelier! Larger groups enjoy the Hilltop Marquee situated at 1600ft in an exclusive location high above the Appin Valley with dramatic views of Glen Lyon, Scotland's longest glen and onto Schiehallion.’ ‘Even more exciting is the addition of new picnic options’, Julie Highland Safaris, now in its 25th year, has continued, ‘including a Highland Safaris long been offering picnics in their Mountain Soup and Cheese Platter with freshly made Bothy, much to the delight of leisure visitors Soup of the Day and a trio of Scottish and corporate groups who have chosen this Cheeses. Safari option. Also on offer is a Tasting Platter As any business keen to exceed customer which includes some of the best expectations will know, constant innovation of Scottish produce including and improvement is essential just to stand Smoked Duck and Chicken from still in a competitive environment. Rannoch Smokery, Dunkeld Hot Highland Safaris Director, Julie Riddell, Smoked Salmon and Venison knows this only too well and has upgraded Salami from Great Glen Chauctheir popular Hilltop Bothy and Food offerterie which is served on individing to create a fresh new feel. ual wooden trays or on chunky Oak sharing boards. Food is Julie said ‘We were keen to retain the charsuch an important element to acter of the bothy so the aim was to create the visitor journey, we wanted to
offer something really special that when eaten within the breath-taking natural environment of Highland Perthshire, that winning combination creates a thoroughly memorable food experience.’ The thought and care that has gone into these Hilltop Venues will ensure Highland Safaris continues to be the destination of first choice for Groups having weekends away for birthday celebrations, hens and stags seeking quality experiences and couples looking for a different type of wedding day. Highland Safaris Tel 01887 820071 www.highlandsafaris.net
Atholl Country life Museum News Hello Everyone,
names in Atholl & Lude.
Once again it is time to update you with our activities.
To assist our very helpful group of volunteers, we would be pleased to hear from anyone with an interest and knowledge of photography who could work on the digitisation of our collection . Publicity is another subject we need informed help with. Any offers would be appreciated.
We had two very interesting displays during the summer. Schools from Blair Atholl & Logierait and Grandtully set up some exceptionally creative art work, commemorating the first World War. This included a model of a trench, complete with rats ! The Birch Bark letter display showed a letter clearly written on birch bark in 1906 from D. McBeath, in Ontario, Canada, to his family in Orchil Farm, Killiecrankie, telling of his recent voyage and first employments in Canada. The Voices of Atholl audio visual project is now live with interviews of local residents remembering life in Atholl during the last 80 years. In February, Hugh Mackintosh gave a talk, built around his collection of black & white photographs of Blair Atholl, a
fascinating reminiscence of Village life and his child hood memories. Architect, Jamie Troughton’s illustrated talk on local architecture in March highlighted surprising facts on the dynamics of the growth of the village. Polly Freeman, Atholl Estates Countryside Ranger provided a very informative evening in November on the Wildlife of Glen Tilt with wonderful slides showing many of its treasures. Also a talk by Dr Simon Taylor of Glasgow University is on the Gaelic place 2
Very Best wishes from us all at Atholl Country Life Museum.
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The Loft Restaurant – Blair Atholl. Meet the new owners. where I wanted to be with my wife.
My wife and I would like to introduce ourselves and send you our personal initiation to come and try out our first business venture together. We open on Sunday 20th March. Who are we? My name is Adrian, I was the head chef at Victoria’s Restaurant in Pitlochry, and prior to that I worked as a chef on Cruise Liners for many years. I trained in catering back in my home country, Rumania. As an aside I had another life as an athlete, competing for my country between 1984 and 1994 winning Gold and Silver medals in the European Athletics Championships 3,000 metres, 5,000 metres, steeple chase and cross country. My decision to come to Scotland started in 2003, when the ship I was working on, docked in Edinburgh and I saw Scotland for the first time, I just loved it and felt this is
Languages - One of our front of house team, speaks five languages, Italian, Spanish, In 2006 I came to Scotland working in VicFrench, German and English, so if you have toria’s as the Sous Chef. My wife Nicoletta any guests who would like speak in their joined me in Scotland in 2007. Many of you own language and have a great meal, this is may already know Nicoletta through her the place for them. Prestige Organic Dry Carpet Upholstery Cleaning business. Nicoletta is trained in Opening – The Loft Restaurant will be open Hotel and Hospitality Management in Mifrom Sunday 20th March for Easter. 11am ami, also working on Cruise Liners. to 8.30pm each day with tea, coffee scones to 5pm, lunch and snacks from 11.30am to The Loft Restaurant. 5pm. Evening meal served from 5.30pm to It has always been our dream to own and 8.30pm, with later opening in the main run our own business and we are very excitseason. We will be open 5 days each week ed about it. Wednesday to Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday). Our Telephone number is 01796 I realise the Loft is a small restaurant, as the chef I have many ideas of what I can do, 481377. but what is most important to me, is that we Your invitation - Nicoletta and I invite you to provide the right meals for our customers. come to the Loft Restaurant and let us So our menu will contain the popular dishes know what you think. We are very keen to such as Breaded Fish and Chips, Traditional receive your comments to help us build the Steak Pie, Local Game and there will be restaurant to cater for your needs all year regular changing Chef Specials, based on round. produce that is in season and also to try out different dishes to see what our customer’s reaction is. We will have separate lunch time menu and evening menus. The Loft will also welcome families, with a separate children’s menu. We cater where ever possible for special dietary requirements, please advise when booking (as giving us notice allows us to be better prepared for you). We will not have an alcohol license at the start, but will get one as soon as we can.
Pictures by two local artists on our walls.
400 new wetsuits + fleet of high quality mountain bikes New experiences include a rafting, biking and lunch trip. A morning of white water rafting on the scenic River Tay from Aberfeldy to Grandtully followed by a easy cycle back to Aberfeldy along the riverside cycle path just in time for a great late lunch to cure the hunger pains in Aberfeldy town. Splash White Water Rafting have invested in just under 400 new wetsuits for the coming season and also a complete new fleet of high quality mountain bikes.
We have also recently invested in a fleet of 20 Stand Up Paddle Boards that are suitable for both loch and river paddling. This new sport is 3
more laid back than our normal high adrenaline activities but the feedback from guest has been great. River Tay Rafting Experience call 01887 829706 or email info@rafting.co.uk
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Eventful 2016 for the Scottish Crannog Centre wheat flour and turning them into delicious pancakes over an openfire. Tasters of pancakes plus other seasonal goodies will be available and, as the smoke from our wood fire drifts over the site, visitors can see, smell and taste the Iron Age.
demonstrations by craftspeople and specialists as well as our team of expert guides. Resonating with this year’s theme of Innovation, Architecture and Design, they are always educational, inspirational and informative - not to mention fun!
For more information on our events or how to volunteer to assist us at an event, please In addition, would-be Crannog visit www.crannog.co.uk or contact us at bakers can knead and form bread info@crannog.co.uk , or telephone 01887 dough into rolls and bake them in 830583. our clay ovens. While waiting, try churning butter to spread on the rolls once they’re cooked. This is a great family pastime as it takes As Easter arrives early this year, the Scottish th quite some effort to go from cream to butter Crannog Centre will be opening on the 26 when it is so cold outside! March for the 2016 season. We are looking forward to welcoming back core staff and All events include entry to museum exhibits, introducing some new faces, including a full- talks around a log-fire in the Crannog roundtime Manager who will be taking over the house, demonstrations and hands-on experiday to day running of the Centre. ence of ancient crafts which are great ways to stay warm and work up an appetite! Celebrating the earlier-than-usual opening, we launch our new events programme with Events at the Scottish Crannog Centre are the Easter Sunday Pancake Eggstravaganza inspired by discoveries in Loch Tay by our from 10.30 to 4.30pm. Throughout the day underwater archaeologists from the Scottish our Iron Age chefs will be preparing duck Trust for Underwater Archaeology, registered eggs as well as hen eggs mixed with spelt charity number SCO18418. They feature
FREE Rafting for Perthshire Tourism Business Owners And Their Staff Teams Splash White Water Rafting would like to invite all the owners of Tourism businesses and of course their staff teams to come and experience a FREE rafting trip on the River Tay during March and April 2016. You can book by calling 01887 829706 and speak to Kevin, Chris or Donas by emailing info@rafting.co.uk The rafting happens every week on Wed 1400hrs Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun at 0930hrs and 1300hrs so plenty of different dates and timings in order that you can get your staff out to see us and experience the River Tay rafting experience but also essentially carry on running your business.
All we ask in return is that you take away a pack of our marketing leaflets for your guests for the coming season. You will also get included photography of your experience with us which is your to download from the internet again free. A great way to reward your hard working staff teams and get them motivated for the coming season to deliver outstanding service to you guests all at no cost. To book your FREE Perthshire tourism business River Tay Rafting Experience call 01887 829706 or email info@rafting.co.uk
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The Struan Inn, Calvine – Back on the Map on they are proud of the results so far.
were all instrumental in the renovation work. The new rooms have been finished to an extremely high standard and feedback from guests has been excellent.
Initially there were only three letting rooms and the first year concentrat- The next phase is to establish a larger team ed on bringing these up of staff and extend opening hours, so reto four-star standard. cruitment will be key this Spring to take the Inn forward for 2016. It has been a busy The focus then shifted to three years, but Mary-Ann and Bob both food with Chef Garth agree that it has been worth it to see the Reid joining the team in Struan Inn ‘back on the map’! 2013. Garth has a wealth of experience The Struan Inn is open to non-residents and a passion for tradi- Tuesday to Saturday 6-8.30pm, bar closing Mary-Ann and Bob Pirie took over the Stru- tional Scottish food – exactly what Maryat 11pm, from mid-April to October. From an Inn, Calvine at the end of August 2012. Ann and Bob wanted the Inn to be about. November to mid-April the Inn is open on Constructed in 1863, the Inn was purpose- Beer and lager were also put back on tap Friday and Saturdays only 6-8.30pm, bar built to serve the former Struan Railway and the bar and restaurant re-opened to closing at 11pm (closed over Christmas and Station and over the years has passed non-residents. New Year). Pre-booking for dinner is advisathrough many hands. Latterly, the Inn had ble. In November 2013, an eight-seater minibecome more of a family home and the bar bus was acquired to provide and restaurant had closed to non-residents. courtesy transport for diners Bob being a local lad, however, remembers living or staying within a six-mile it in its heyday and this has been the inspiradius. This has proved extremeration to return the Inn to its former glory. ly popular amongst locals and Surprisingly, neither Mary-Ann nor Bob have tourists alike, especially with the a background in the hospitality industry. new drink-drive limit. Bob works full-time as Gamekeeper on Finally, in February 2015, the Auchleeks Estate at Trinafour and Mary-Ann remaining three bedrooms were is a Chartered Engineer who started her merged to create two new encareer in the defence industry as a manusuite rooms. Bruar Construction, facturing engineer, moving latterly into acaMcDonald & Buist (plumbers), demia and consultancy. Their diverse backPeter Clint Electrical and Keith grounds, however, have come together to Walker (painter and decorator) help them re-invent the Inn and thee years
Spirit of Wood 2016 is shaping up to be another success- ing ranges and will continue to offer great ful year at Spirit Of Wood. We have added prices and service to local business owners. stylish new furniture collections to our exist- Our new ranges include several oak, pine & painted furniture collections. All British made and available to order to customers exact measurements. We have also added new ranges of sofas, occasional chairs and zip & link divan beds. Again British made and available in a wide choice of colours and fabrics. Perfect for b&bs, hotels & self catering. We pride ourselves on giving our customers a personal service, combined with quality products at unbeatable prices. With our extensive warehouse facilities we can coordinate customer orders in advance and organise free delivery and installation. For more information please contact Conor on 01887 829899 www.spirit-of-wood.com 5
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Victoria's Restaurant Other news on the food front is that we are members of the prestigious Scotch Beef Club who strictly vet their members to ensure their food provenance is top notch.
Here at Victoria's Restaurant we're very much looking forward to a busy season ahead and are delighted to bring you an update on what's in store this year.
We were absolutely delighted to reach the finals of the Tayside & Fife Scottish Thistle Awards last year in their Best Informal Dining category. Thank you to everyone who nominated us - we were absolutely thrilled at the recognition and proud that you love what we do here so much. out the year. Look out for a few new recipes which she's been trying out on us - it's a hard life!!
Susan, Marius and the team all remain the same, so those friendly faces you know and love will be on hand to look after you and your customers over the year.
We will be continuing to offer gluten free options on our menu and we also cater for customers with allergies.
We'll be giving our menu a tweak here and there to make use of the wonderful new local suppliers that come on board each year - look out for details in our start of sea- Malwina's baking continues to go from son letter which we'll be sending before strength to strength and her cakes and Easter. bakes will be adorning our cabinet and delighting customer's taste buds through-
Finally, we'd like to thank you all for your loyalty and for your custom and all the business you have referred to us over the years. It is gratefully welcomed and appreciated and we will continue delivering our hallmark, consistently excellent food & service in years to come. Hope to see you all soon!
Scottish attractions visitor numbers up 5.5% in 2015 This is an article you might have read recently in the papers and on line. The figures are not I believe were reflected across Highland Perthshire in 2015. Generally the view from the businesses I spoke to, was that turn over had held up to 2015 but was not much better over the whole 12 months than 2014. The exception were businesses were the new developing businesses in their 2nd, 3rd or 4th year of business (which I would put this down to normal early stage growth in any good businesses development). James Rattray.
visitor numbers last year, with Edinburgh Castle the most popular. VisitScotland hailed the "spectacular" figures, which exceeded the UK average increase of 3.2%. More than 1.5 million people paid to visit Edinburgh Castle, while the National Museum of Scotland was the most visited free attraction. The figures were published by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA). The National Museums of Scotland - including the National Museum of Scotland, National War Museum, National Museum of Rural Life and National Museum of Flight saw a combined total of 2,338,240 visits. Exhibitions featuring works by MC Escher and Roy Lichtenstein contributed to a double-digit increase in visitors to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
Edinburgh Castle remained Scotland's top visitor attraction
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, meanwhile, saw a 10% rise which it credited to its Lights programme in the winter months.
Visitor numbers to the Kelvingrove Art GalScotland's attractions enjoyed a 5.5% rise in lery and Museum were up 12.4% 6
Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum enjoyed an increase of 12.4% to 1,261,552 visitors. The city's Riverside Museum also moved up the rankings, welcoming more than 1.1 million people - an increase of 7.8%. VisitScotland chief executive Malcolm Roughead said: "These really are spectacular results for Scotland's leading visitor attractions and it is wonderful to see this country performing above the UK average. "Our attractions play a vital role in Scotland's visitor economy, with accommodation providers, restaurants, cafes and numerous other businesses also reaping the benefits of this continued growth." ALVA director Bernard Donoghue said: "2015 continued to be a record year mainly due to our members continuing to show how diverse the UK is to both domestic and overseas visitors. "The current weakness of the pound to the dollar and euro is making the UK a more affordable destination and 2016 is on target to be another memorable year for ALVA members, notably the National Museum of Scotland will see 10 new galleries open on July 8."
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Highland Perthshire Whats On By James Rattray Highland Perthshire has a wealth of events and activities organised by a wide range of organisations for our visitors and locals alike. It amazes me just how many events there are and I know these events are very important in contributing to visitors’ enjoyment when they stay in the area.
If you would like to add your name to the list, please e-mail me james@explorescotland.net What many Hotels, B&Bs and Guest Houses do is print off a copy and have it at their reception for their guests to refer to. As one accommodation provider said, “If the guests want to take it with them, that is fine, we just print off another”.
Each month end we pull together all the events we have on HighlandPerthshire.com into a simple What’s On Guide for the following month.
We keep the What’s On as simple as possible (not too many images) so it is easy and cost effective to print for your guests.
We send this out by mail to over 1,000 subscribers, many of whom are Hotels, B&Bs, Guest Houses, Self Catering providers and Caravan Parks.
If you would like it personalized for your business please let me know and we can discuss ways of doing this.
Have you considered adding your business to HighlandPerthshire.com?
Hotels, B&Bs, Guest House, (£20 +VAT) + (£10 +VAT) per bedroom. Starts at £30+VAT for a one bedroom B&B. Maximum £125 +VAT Self Catering / Caravan Sites – (£20 +VAT) + (£20+VAT) per chalet/cottage. Starts at £40+VAT for one chalet/cottage. Maximum £125 +VAT Each business has its own unique page. On the web site . E-mail your text and images to james@explorescotland.net
Monthly Visitor Traffic ‘Visits/Sessions’ year on year, since it was launched. 2011/201 2 4,444 4,480 3,514
2012/201 3 5,085 5,221 4,557
2013/2014
July August September
2010/20 11 701 1,021 1,473
2015/2016
7,112 7,608 6,092
2014/201 5 9,061 9,089 7,350
October November December January February March April May June TOTAL
2,152 1,571 1,413 2,380 2,209 2,711 2,380 3,422 3,380 24,879
4,113 3,125 2,671 3,836 3,841 3,466 3,720 4,177 4,172 45,566 (+183%)
5,141 3,807 3,193 4,662 3,876 4,750 5,076 5,816 5,918 57,102 (+25.3%)
7,952 4,527 4,815 6,364 5,359 6,248 7,219 7,359 6,938 77,593
9,956 5,410 5,603 6,972 6,030 6,565 6,959 7,554 6,764 87,313
8,391 4,865
(+35.9%)
(+12.5%)
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9,405 8,985 7,487
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Taymouth Marina Restaurant Cullen Skink, to stone baked pizzas, freshly made sandwiches or a main course meal. Dinner tends to be more relaxed with guests enjoying their meal whilst watching the sun set with a bottle of wine. The menu reflects our desire to keep everything local by only using Scottish suppliers. Javen’s favourite word is consistency and this is something that Chef and Lindsay are proud to provide. Food and service at Taymouth Marina Restaurant is consistently great Taymouth Marina Restaurant opened in with the restaurant being rated number 1 August 2013 and has been going from on Trip Advisor within Kenmore with a score strength to strength. Located on the shore of Loch Tay right beside the Scottish Crannog Centre we arguably have the best view in Highland Perthshire and possibly even the whole of Scotland! On a warm sunny day where could be better than the terrace at Taymouth Marina to enjoy a delicious meal or a drink from our bar. We even serve Stewart Tower Dairy ice cream from our adjoining gift shop, there is something for everyone! Our menu has been designed to appeal to all tastes and appetites. Lunch can range from a bowl of soup or Chef’s very popular
of 4.5 out of 5. We received a certificate of excellence from Trip Advisor last year and hope to build on that success. With such a beautiful location we are fast becoming a wedding venue and the feedback we received from the weddings since we opened has been entirely positive. With the use of a marquee on the lawn area adjacent to the restaurant we can comfortably cater for up to 150 guests for a sit down meal. This year we have a number of weddings booked including one to be held in a tipi. Anything is possible here! We have a website and Facebook page that are updated regularly with our current menus and events. Table reservations can be made online or by calling us on 01887 830450. Javen, Lindsay and the rest of the team look forward to welcoming you to Taymouth Marina Restaurant throughout the year.
Start of season News from Blair Atholl Bike Hire family can go along. For 2016 there are for. Ideal for those staying in the caravan even more kids’ bikes to choose from, folparks and self catering cottages. lowing a successful family orientated 2015. Blair Atholl Bike Hire is in the centre of Blair Blair Atholl Bike Hire provide maps and Atholl, in the new Gateway Centre, next to the Museum, the Information centre and Moving into its 4th season, Blair Atholl Bike guidance on routes for all levels of cyclist, whether it be a family who want an enjoyaFood in the Park Fish and Chip and Pizza Hire is busier than ever, with a fleet of Restaurant, with plenty of free parking. brand new mountain bikes just in for 2016! ble days cycling in the hills or an experiSo there’s even more reason to get cycling enced off road cyclist looking for some chal- For further details on Blair Atholl Bike Hire lenges. All safety, spares and security on some of the very best cycle routes in visit http://www.blairathollbikehire.co.uk or equipment is provided with your bike for a Scotland! call 01796 481500 anytime! Blair Atholl safe and fun experience. Bike Hire, Museum Car park, Blair Atholl, As before, Blair Atholl Bike Hire are gearing One of the things that sets Blair Atholl Bike Perthshire, PH18 5SP up (excuse the pun!) for a busy 2016, not only with holiday makers but also for provid- Hire apart from other bike hire providers is that they are located within Food in the ing their bikes to charity groups and sponPark Restaurant and Café, so you can sored adventurers taking on the Munros. order a packed lunch to take with you if Many hill walkers who wish to climb the you fancy lunch in the glens, or you can Munros will hire a bike and cycle to the pre book your lunch or evening meal in base of the Munro to cut their walk to a their cosy sit-in or take away Fish & bear minimum. Chip and Pizza Restaurant for your reBlair Atholl Bike Hire have a great range of turn – well you earned it, burning off all TREK and Saracen Mountain bikes availathose calories on your bike ride! ble with frame sizes to suit everyone. They also have hybrid bikes for the easier ground Blair Atholl Bike Hire hires out mountain and most of their bikes can be fitted with a bikes and hybrids for half days (9am – baby seat, tag-along or trailer so the whole 1pm) or full days (9am – 6pm) with no limit on how many days you hire them 8
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News Blair Atholl Water Mill A big thank you to all who visit the mill and ing equipment and products made by local craftsmen. We have a stall at the local come to the farmers markets! farmers markets which run throughout the The Blair Atholl Watermill has been working season. since at least 1590s. We are one of the few mills left in Scotland that still produces There are several dates for our Basic and stoneground flour and oatmeal which pre- Intermediate Bread Making Courses which have become very popular. Due to demand serves the goodness and unique taste. we have added a Sourdough course this Last year we also started milling rye and season. All the details can be found on our spelt grain which has become incredibly website www.blairathollwatermill.co.uk or popular as well. The mill viewing is free so just ask in the tearoom. you can watch the milling process and guided tours are available on certain days. We wish you a lovely holiday in the area and hope to see you at the Blair Atholl WaEveryday our artisan bakery produces delitermill! cious bread, bagels, focaccia, cakes and much more all made with our flour and oatmeal. These can be enjoyed in our tearoom or in the mill garden beside the lade if it’s nice weather! Our aim is to produce wholesome simple food with local produce wherever possible. The tearoom serves breakfast until 1130 and our light lunch We are now in our sixteenth year of running menu from 1130 – 4pm. the Blair Atholl Watermill and have enjoyed Our small shop sells all the flours and oatexpanding the business and welcoming our meal we produce as well as our fresh bakregulars and new customers over the ing and packaged biscuits which make years. ideal presents! We also stock bread mak-
Taste Perthshire News –located beside the A9 at Bankfoot able to us. It is our mission to bring the very best produce that Perthshire and Scotland has to offer under one roof and much time has been spent sourcing new local suppliers. The work has not gone un-noticed and we are delighted that customers keep coming back to sample our great home-cooking in the Restaurant and to make purchases from our food & drink larders and shops. 2015 was a year of great change at Taste Perthshire with Calum and Jane MacLellan taking over ownership and breathing new life into what was Perthshire Visitor Centre. After what felt like months of developments with a new website, new branding and signage, uniforms and all the bells and whistles that went with the change, Taste Perthshire was unveiled to the world in September.
2016 holds exciting times ahead with even more developments in store including the forthcoming launch of a local loyalty card, attendance at food markets and events and the development of our online shop.
Since then we have seen great support for the new direction in the business and we would like to thank each and every customer that has walked through our doors - your loyalty and support is invalu-
We are keen to develop and strengthen links with local businesses too, as each and 9
every one of you are a vital part of the local community & economy. When you are passing next please do pop in and say hello. We also have some leaflets on Taste Perthshire being printed for the 2016 season and if you'd like a bundle just say and we'll drop some off to you. Whilst we develop and grow as a business, we can assure you that the same friendly faces are here to welcome and look after you and we very much look forward to welcoming you to Taste Perthshire time and time again in 2016.
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News from the Pitlochry Golf Clubhouse Team soon as you walk through the door. You don’t have to be a golfer to love THE CLUBHOUSE. Socialise over drinks on the decking with amazing views of the course and Ben-Y-Vrackie, watch golfers playPitlochry Golf Clubhouse Team would like to ing their approach shots to the 18th green, thank all our members, loyal customers, enjoy tea, coffee, wine, beer, traditional local B&B’s, hotels, businesses and visitors British and international food and a first for their continued support – hugely appreclass service in our relaxing Clubhouse. ciated. Dishes are cooked to order in a simple but For those who havetraditional way. Grilled, smoked, roasted or n’t found us yet, we marinated to enhance the flavour, whether would very much like it is a casual bite or dining on steaks, we to tell everyone that use only the freshest, seasonal ingredients, we are OPEN TO ALL sourced locally in Perthshire for you all to and a warm Pitlochry enjoy. Golf welcome awaits you. With our friendly Throughout the year we run our very own approach to custom- Curry Club. This runs every Wednesday from er service, you will be 5pm until 9pm, with six different curries made to feel like a from around the world on offer and as it’s valued customer as an ‘all you can eat buffet’ for only £9.99
this is becoming a very popular night. Every Thursday is our Steak & Grill Night which offers a selection of meat, fish and vegetables all grilled to your liking. We also have a very popular Sunday Carvery for both golfers and diners. Simply get your family and friends together and give mum a day off and join us for our traditional Sunday roast (where there’s no washing up!). If you would like our new menus to be dropped off please do email Kasia on marketing@pitlochrygolf.co.uk and she will arrange it for you. We hope to see you soon at Pitlochry Golf Clubhouse Bar & Restaurant and wish you all a prosperous 2016 season.
Thyme at Errichel Conferencing New for the 2016 season at Thyme at Errichel & Errichel House & Cottages. Conferencing facilities are available for groups from 8 – 40. Errichel is nestled in the hills above Aberfeldy in the Heart of Highland Perthshire. Offering accommodation & first class dining set to the backdrop of glorious Perthshire. At Errichel we take the time to ensure your conference is everything you want it to be; with our tranquil location, superb customer service and attention to detail you can relax knowing that your guests will be enjoying their experience and you can focus on fulfilling the aims of your conference. Whisk your team away for a single day or a longer stay and let us take care of the details while you take care of business. For more information call 01887 820850 or email fionasloan@errichel.co.uk
The Restaurant As you enter the Roundhouse, Thyme at Errichel Restaurant you know you are in for an evening of truly outstanding food with friendly and informative service; a specially selected Wine List, delicious Cocktails & specialist Spirits all chosen to enhance your dining experience. Our Chef / Patron Paul Newman prides himself on rearing Rare Breed Shetland Beef & Large Black Pork and sourcing the best in local & regional produce; with flavours & influences from around the world to showcase Scotland’s Larder. Open Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings booking is advisable on 01887 820850 or email fionasloan@errichel.co.uk for more information. Thyme at Errichel is also available for Private Dining, Weddings, Functions & Celebrations. Web www.errichel.co.uk 10
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Crafting the Atholl Palace Hotel Game As part of the extensive refurbishment of the Atholl Palace Museum, situated in the former servants’ quarters of the Atholl Palace Hotel, a Minecraft map and game has been commissioned.
doors and floors will be open within this digital world of blocks. Through the game visitors can learn more about different fascinating aspects of the hotel’s history and even climb up a turret or two”.
The Atholl Palace Hotel is the first hotel in Scotland with a museum dedicated to celebrating its long history of hospitality and celebrating its loyal workers through the ages and will re-open in summer 2016 after the eleven exhibition spaces and rooms undergo a full redesign.
Helping to craft nine storeys of Scottish Baronial architecture into thousands of Minecraft blocks and textures is the creative educational team, Immersive Minds. Within the Atholl Palace Museum, there are tales of bankruptcy, colourful entrepreneurs, memorable weddings, unusual and torturous spa treatments, and evacuees turning hotel to school. Visitors can delve behind the scenes of life for Victorian hotel servants including maids, porters, chauffeurs and gardeners, many of whom lived in the servants’ quarters where the museum stands.
Through a Minecraft game, visitors to the museum and Atholl Palace guests will be able to explore a virtual hotel floor by floor, era by era playing a fun and engaging mini-game.
For more information about weddings in the heart of Scotland at a historic venue visit www.athollpalace.com or contact the hotel’s dedicated Marketing and Events Manager, Gillian Gordon on 01796472400 or email.
Graeme Strachan, General Manager for the hotel and museum said: “We have a rich heritage of welcoming guests through our doors since 1878. The Minecraft game, within our museum offers a twist, as all our
Changes to Mckays hotel bar and restaurant 2015 was a great year with lots of changes and new additions to Mckays hotel bar and restaurant. During the last few years, McKays has become one of the top places to visit in Pitlochry.
KY TASTING with our very own local distillAcross the road, our sister restaurant ery, Bells Blair Atholl. On Wednesdays we Strathgarry is being slowly transformed into serve BURGERS FROM AROUND THE a Bistro offering fantastic value for money. WORLD. Thursdays you can enjoy our HOOTENANNY with live traditional Scottish music. Friday is our FAMOUS STEAK NIGHT, when you can tuck in to a juicy steak while tapping your toes to some of the very best Folk musicians in Scotland. Great music continues on Saturday and Sunday. In McKays you can also watch lots of sports or just relax and enjoy the ambience of a lively Scottish bar serving great beers, ales, premiums spirits and delicious cocktails.
We are becoming famous for our locally produced Aberdeen Angus steaks and pub classics, Scottish favourites, like fish and chips, steak and ale pie and now our wonderful haggis collection.
Feeling sleepy? You can now stay overnight in one of our stylish rooms or in our Victorian self catering cottage. That’s not all, if you are feeling hungry, give yourself a break from cooking, you can enjoy a delicious fish and chips and much more, from our newly renovated CHIPPY (just next door).
McKays bistro will be offering classic bistro food, like beef bourginonne, succulent steaks, fantastic fish and chips as well as patisserie, superb coffee and snacks. The new set lunch and dinner menu will offer a variety of dishes at exceptional prices.
This year we are launching a new menu, with an emphasis on local and Scottish produce. We serve a variety of dishes, to cater for every ones taste.
We are all looking forward to another busy season ahead and we would like to thank all our loyal customers, local hotels, B&B’s , businesses and visitors for your continued support.
We are now open from 9am every day serving yummy breakfast and our full menu is served from 11am till 9pm. Throughout the season, every Tuesday we host FREE WHIS-
McKays Hotel Bar & Restaurant Team, 138 Atholl Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5AG. www.mckayshotel.co.uk Tel: 01796 473888 11
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‘Food in the Park’ Fish and Chip + Pizza Restaurant + Coffee House - Blair Atholl to have him on board again for this coming season. Steve knows what it takes to keep on top of our busy chippy and he even knows how to do it with a smile and some seriously cheeky banter!
‘Food in the Park’ Fish and Chip & Pizza Restaurant and Coffee House in Blair Atholl enjoyed some great feedback from its customers in 2015 since its makeover! The new oak chairs and tables were enjoyed by record numbers last year as Food in the Park raced through its busiest season ever! The new colour schemes on the walls worked well, and this year a new floor will be going in to complement the cafe’s paint job! As the summer hotted up the unique Yo! Frooty Frozen Yoghurt and Smoothie unit, which was positioned at the front of Food in the Park, did a roaring trade and was awarded a renewal on its ‘Healthy Living Award’, which is rolled out by NHS Scotland. Dave proudly picked up the award in a ceremony at the end of March last year! For 2016 Food in the Park has appointed a new Manager – Steve Cormack re joins the team after a successful season with them in 2013 and Sally and Dave are very happy
We have 5 very dedicated assistants returning for a 3rd and 4th season with us plus 1 new full time staff with a wealth of previous experience in the catering trade, so we are very excited about being able to continue the high level of customer service that has been enjoyed in past years. The cafe at Food in the Park will also be welcoming back Nel Davidson and Zuzanna Cwik, our scrumptious cake makers, who delivered above and beyond last year in terms of quality and taste on a wide range of delicious cakes!
Atholl; For the 4th year in a row they will play host to cyclists from Lands End to John O’Groats completing the Wooden Spoon Challenge, plenty of Munroe baggers, and many more individual charity challengers for 2016! Blair Atholl will welcome back the International Scout Jamboree in 2016 too, which happens here every 2 years. Food in the Park will be leaving its doors open later during these busy 2 weeks and will aim to open until around 10pm most nights – or until the last Scout leader comes back from the pub! The usual number on which to place an order is 01796 481484 so you can preorder your meal and pick it up later in the day or night. Bookings can also be taken on this number to enable you to reserve seats in our restaurant, if you have a large party. You can keep up to date with what’s happening at Food in the Park by ‘Liking’ them on their Facebook Page. REMEMBER! There is a HUGE car park, facilities to eat in or sit outside in one of the two alfresco areas with views of the river and mountains, or you can take – away . There is also a large garden ideal for kids to run around in and work up an appetite! And don’t forget that you can hire bikes from Blair Atholl Bike Hire, which is situated within Food in the Park!
In 2014 we were bombarded with questions from customers regarding the best route to cycle, hike or run to get to AvieFood in the park is open 11am until 8pm more, Braemar or beyond,. So in 2015 we (9pm in the Summer Holidays) 01796 commissioned a huge OS map of The Cairn481484 gorm National Park to adorn the wall in the cafe! This has been a huge success and we will be leaving it up for 2016 alongside our ‘memories’ wall, on which hangs historic photos of days gone by in Blair Atholl... some faces on these photos from when the Museum next door was still a school can still be seen running around Blair Atholl today! As always Food in the Park will be catering for and supporting quite a number of charity events that are passing through Blair
Strathgarry Restaurant is changing to McKays Bistro Strathgarry is now changing into McKays serie , superb coffee and snacks. Bistro. It will be offering fantastic value for money. Our set lunch and dinner menus offer a variety of dishes at exceptional prices. Mckays Bistro offers up classic bistro food, like beef bourginonne, succulent steaks, McKays Bistro 113 Atholl Road, Pitlochry fantastic fish and chips as well as patis- PH16 5BH. Tel 01796 472469 12
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Hettie’s are doing it the “Olivers” way from early to 4pm every day! Of course you can add a Cakeaway and a Tea or Coffee away too. There will also be home-made soup available everyday too. We are currently in the process of producing an APP so you can order and pay in advance! You can also order on our order hotline too (aka telephone)! Our soup will be posted on all our social media sites each morning so If you are old enough to remember the Scottish fore-runners of the ‘made your way’ sandwich, Olivers, you will remember huge big, stuffed to the brim sandwiches full of loveliness. This Summer Hettie’s is making an attempt to recreate that nostalgia. For those of you lucky enough to be too young to remember Oli-
vers….please DON’T think Subway, we are talking quality all the way! Here’s how it works. You will choose your bread from a selection of 6 or 7 different options (including GF)– mostly baked on the premises… then you will choose your spread – butter, mayo, no fat, low fat, spicy, full fat.. you choose. After that go ahead and select your delicious filling (or 2 or 3) - there are 15 to choose from!! Add some salad if you fancy and there you have it! Your very own, perfectly designed and lovingly constructed sandwich to go! We are calling this new (old) venture, Deli T’Go at Hettie’s and we will be operating
ing for better quality tea and are comfortable and knowledgeable around loose leaves! We have added to the range over time and this winter have added 5 further flavours making a total of 31 teas in all.
you can make up your mind early doors what to have for lunch. We provide cool bags for a small deposit if you want to take a full Picnic!
Of course 26 Blends of Tea was not enough!!
We have sent tea to every continent, with the USA and Europe our current biggest markets. We toyed with supplying the trade and retail stores, (I was even approached by Amazon) but up to press have stuck pretty much to Hettie’s Teas being exclusive to Hettie’s. Our new teas have seen us taking a step towards ‘tea for health”. In the new range we have a detox tea – and after a wee competition where “Flush It Oot Brew” did not win… we opted for “Squeaky Clean”.
When I first opened Hettie’s in 2010, I almost drowned! Well sort of… I had tried so many different types of Tea to try and make Hettie’s a bit different, I thought I would actualy drown. I was left wanting, ever felt like that? You know what you want but it is just not out there. So I set about trying to find myself someone who could help me blend our own Our tea to help you slim is called “Skinny teas… Hettie’s Teas were born … 18 of Malinky”… and for your heart health “My them to start with. Heart Will Go On”. Training staff on loose leaf tea was tough… A really fruity new tea is “Come On Raspberry Baby”…. If you are in an expectant state, you’ll know exactly what this one is good for!
but training customers proved even tougher! However 6 years on and times have definitely changed. Our customers are look13
Rest assured we have not scrimped on flavour – Hettie’s is ALL about flavour. And finally, as we are only a stone’s throw from arguably the best berries in the world, we have blended a Sri Lankan Black Tea with Raspberries and Strawberries… no name yet … any suggestions? Why not stop by sometime and take a look and have a sniff of our wonderful teas?
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The Old Mill Inn, Pitlochry tinually grateful for your kindness. At our end, we are continuing the re-invest in the Old Mill with more refurbishment completed over the winter months. We have just one bedroom left to do now and they'll all be complete!
have been recognised by TripAdvisor's Green Leaders scheme where we have been awarded their bronze level. Other awards news includes the title of Friendliest Pub in Tayside & Fife at the Scottish Thistle Awards and the Scottish Hotel Awards - we're waiting with baited breath to see if we are named outright winner for Scotland at the National Thistle Awards in March - wish us luck! Lastly - just a reminder about our loyalty scheme at The Old Mill Inn. If you've not joined up, then please do get in touch on 01796 474 020.
Wow, what a rollercoaster year it has been! The Old Mill Inn continues to go from strength to strength and we are absolutely delighted with the following we have gathered.
Hope to see you all soon - Fiona & Angus
We strive to offer great food & drink, friendWe'll shortly be launching a new menu for ly and efficient service, fantastic live music the season featuring our Scotch Beef club and top rate accommodation and from what accreditation and other exciting new dishes. you are telling us we're getting it right. The old favourites aren't going anywhere Thanks must go to the locals and local busi- though, so don't despair! nesses who are our ambassadors and help As a business we try to be as environmento spread the good word about The Old Mill tally friendly as possible and our initiatives Inn - you are all wonderful and we are conin place from Biomass heating to recycling
Public Sector Organised Crime Pays? A friend sent me this cartoon and I thought I it as a necessity, as a means of redistribwould share it with you along with my own uting wealth and funding our public institurant on this subject. tions. Politicians want us to focus on tax Dodgers, especially in this global market. Yet many avoid paying taxes using the laws that our politicians set. I am pleased to see governments now starting to bring our tax laws up to date to deal with the global economy. The real story that politicians do not want us to talk about is what they do with our taxes and how they are recklessly wasted.
The caption underneath read “I personally would suggest Government Sector as they never go to jail!”
ple’s eyes constitute very dodgy use of public funds. I believe there is a saying that goes something like:‘Evil exists because good people stand by!’
So what is the solution? Well here is my two pence worth:1.
All publicly funded organisations MUST have total transparency (funds and operation). They are funded by our hard earned money after all.
2.
We should all be able to leave our comments. (In the private sector we have a thing called Trip Advisor, why do we not have the same thing for government institutions?)
3.
All private organisations, charities etc that receive public funds (our taxes) must be subject to a similar scrutiny to 2 above. Often we can all see questionable things going on, but are powerless to comment or do anything. We are in the Internet age, we all must make our voices heard.
I have now worked in the tourism Industry for almost 20 years (we started our journey in September 1996).
I have met many many businesses across Scotland in that time. I have heard many ‘Income tax was announced in Britain by times stories of public sector waste of reWilliam Pitt the Younger in his budget of sources. Indeed I have seen it many times, December 1798 and introduced in 1799, to I am sure we all have. pay for weapons and equipment in preparaI have seen some very dubious goings on, tion for the Napoleonic Wars.‘ Wikipedia indeed I would go further and say I have We now all take tax for granted, indeed see seen first hand what I am sure in most peo14
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Errichel House At Errichel we take the time to ensure your experience with us is everything you want it to be; with our tranquil location, superb customer service and attention to detail you can relax knowing that your guests will be enjoying themselves and you can focus on making the most of everything Errichel has to offer.
As soon as you step into reception at Errichel House you know you have arrived somewhere special. With friendly staff, luxurious accommodation and truly outstanding food; all set to the backdrop of the glorious Tay Valley in the hills above Aberfeldy. At Errichel it really is all about the customer. Whether you are with us for dinner with friends, a stay in one of our luxurious 4 & 5* cottages or our 4* Bed & Breakfast or the biggest day of your life Errichel offers the comfort, service levels and dining experiences which sees our guests returning again and again.
Errichel House & Cottages Errichel House & Cottages, nestled in the valley just above Aberfeldy with panoramic views of the beautiful Tay Valley. STAY in one of our unique 4 & 5 star luxury holiday cottages or enjoy the comfort and hospitality of our 4 star Bed and Breakfast Rooms in tranquil Errichel House and start your day with our fabulous Errichel Breakfast. With friendly service, luxurious accommodation and spectacular grounds you are sure of a relaxed break in fabulous surroundings.
Thyme at Errichel Weddings & Functions
friendly relaxed service. With our Front of House Manager there to help you every step of the way, you can relax and enjoy your special day knowing every little detail is being looked after. We also offer a Bespoke Outside Catering Service; you can enjoy the first class standards of Thyme at Errichel in your own chosen setting. For more information call 01887 820850 or email fionasloan@errichel.co.uk Web www.errichel.co.uk
Thyme at Errichel & Errichel House and Cottages offer Bespoke Weddings and Functions. Your special occasion – your way. We offer a unique and bespoke service whether you are planning a small family Last year Errichel & Thyme at Errichel had a gathering, birthday celebration or Wedding fantastic year building a Bespoke Wedding Day for over 100 guests. & Function Business and 2016 see us introducing Conferencing & Outside Catering to We can provide you with stunning settings the services we already offer. for your celebration with individually tailored Menus, specially selected Drinks and
Prince of India — Pitlochry Great value 3-course lunch £7.95 and children under 12 eat for £4.95, 12noon to 4.00pm (2pm winter). Main menu 5pm to 11pm. 10% discount on all Take Away meals. OPEN 7 days a week all year. 5 - 7 Station Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5AN To book a table or take away call 01796 472275. 15
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Café Biba Pitlochry tage/conservatory atmosphere, informal
Café Biba Pitlochry – looking forward to 2016 – come and join us! A long established and successful restaurant on the Pitlochry eating out scene we are delighted to continue with our key values of • Value for money • Great Food
enjoy the experience for e.g. bacon roll and latte in the morning, hearty homemade • Friendly service soup and sandwich for lunch, tea cake or • £4.99 kids menu including 2 courses and pancakes in the afternoon to a pizza and cheeky glass of wine for dinner – offering a drink comprehensive menu we are positive there • Specials of the day will be something for everyone! Sourcing our meat from the local Pitlochry Opening Hours – Monday – Sunday 9.30am butcher McDonalds we are proud to make – 9.30pm from Easter to November our products on site and deliver them to the 9.30am – 5.30pm Winter. table with a smile. Tele: 01796 473294 – 40 Atholl Road, Launching a new menu this Spring we are Pitlochry delighted to retain the old favourites and add some exciting new dishes from scamp provencale to ratatouilles with mozzarella baked to perfection atop a crispy baguette. Two new additions to the wee bowls have been added. So whatever the occasion be sure to pop in and
• Cosy cot-
Drummonds of Pitlochry This is our 17th year having would prefer. their dogs by their side. opened on Highland Games Day This year we are continuing our 1999. offer of great value High Teas — two courses for £11 and three courses £13 — that surely is hard to beat! We have had great reaction to this especially for those not wanting to have fancy dining every night of their holidays. Drummonds is a family restauThere is outside seating, well rant in every sense of the word, away from the smoker’s area, with members of the family workwhich is proving to be popular We are proud to say all our food with visitors during the warmer ing at the front of house and in is sourced locally using the local days and also those who want the kitchen. We take great care butcher, it is basic good old in ensuring everything we do is home cooking without all the done to the very best of our abilfrills and fancy twirls of modern ity. restaurants. We are open from 10am to The kid’s meals are freshly prepared and cooked to order, also they can have half portions off the main adults menu too, if they
11pm all year round. We are under the railway arch just to the left of Pitlochry War Memorial and gardens. 16