APRIL 2016
Price 50p
The
The Voice of Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, Strathyre & St Fillans
Announcing The BLiSS Trail 2016
If you see a life sized multi-coloured bull standing outside the Lochearnhead Hotel at the end of the month, don’t panic! It’s just Bill. He was designed by metal artist Kevin Paxton - who put the metal thistles into Edinburgh Airport. Bill the Bull is one of 13 art installations that LETi has linked together for the BLiSS trail to celebrate Visit Scotland tourism Year of Innovation Architecture and Design 2016 (#IAD2016). LETi aims to encourage visitors to stop, smile and enjoy time out in Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, Strathyre and St Fillans. The name BLiSS was suggested by Kenny Higgins of Strathyre Outdoors. Derived from the capital letters of our villages, the ‘i’ then represents the international tourist information symbol and innovation from #IAD2016. The collection includes works by artists Rob Mulholland, Kevin Paxton, Heather Gray, June McEwan, Iain Chalmers, Lynne
Shroder and Jeremy Cunningham as well as architects Ruairidh Moir, Daniel Tyler and Angus Ritchie. In addition LETi is working with a third year art student from Perth College UHI, on a contemporary art team project for a new degree course. In addition to The Lochearnhead Hotel, artworks will be promoted beside Loch Lubnaig, The Broch Café and recreation area, Airlie House B&B, Balquhidder Village Hall, Monachyle Mhor, The Golden Larches, Mansewood Country House, Lochside Lodges garden on Loch Earn, The Four Seasons Hotel and The Achray Hotel. A number of ornamental features will also be mapped along the route including an elephant, lions, stag, signposts, cow and red phone box. Our communities are exemplary in welcoming visitors. Please help to promote the BLiSS trail. We would love to see your photos on Twitter @robroycountry. Tell your friends and family on Facebook and
other social media pages. Use hashtag #BLiSStrail. Offer to take photos of visitors standing beside the artworks, using their cameras. We aim to encourage more visitors to eat, drink, stay, shop and play here. We want them to ask about the artworks and recommend the BLiSS trail and our friendly hospitality to others. The official launch date is 27th April 2016 at The Broch Café, Strathyre. We will announce the trail to invited journalists and guests from the public and private sector of tourism during the morning. Highland Glen Travel will drive journalists around the trail following a presentation and slide show. Villagers will be most welcome to drop in during the afternoon from 1pm and chat to LETi members about the trail. The Broch Café will be open for business; though we suggest that you pre book if you wish to eat, to ensure that they can cater for you comfortably.