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Welcome to this Web Site, commissioned by Blair Atholl
Area Tourism Association, a community based group
dedicated to improving local tourist facilities in
this historic and scenic area of Highland Perthshire
and providing you with contact details for all Accommodation
Providers in the area as well as full information
on local Tourism Services, Events and Facilities
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Community
News |
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While this web site is intended primarily for visitors
planning to visit the Blair Atholl area, we will post information
here of interest to the local community.
If you have an item or an event that might be appropriately
displayed here, please forward details to Paul Buttress, 3 Wades Bridge Road, Old Bridge of Tilt, Blair Atholl, PH18 5TZ, Telephone 01796
481332 or send an e-mail to :-
baata@live.co.uk |
Blair Atholl Gateway Project |
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For the last few years the Blair Atholl Gateway
Committee has been working to establish how the
area should respond to its position at the A9 south entrance
to the Cairngorms National Park. This has
been put in sharper focus recently given the very likely
prospect of the Park’s boundary being revised to include
Blair Atholl and Struan next year.
These developments create a new expectation on our
communities from visitors traveling north on the A9, both
in terms of information and services. Within these expectations
are also a range of valuable opportunities. The Committee
have commissioned research, with funding from Perth and
Kinross Council, and this has culminated in a report issued
in September which provides a concept of how services could
be developed in Blair Atholl. To open a 14 Page PDF Copy
of the report and detailed Plans of what is proposed as
a Phased Project,
please click on this link.
Details of these proposals have been widely circulated
to the community for feedback. Further progress on this
project can be obtained by contacting the Blair Atholl Gateway
Committee Chairman, James Rattray on 01796 473335, or email
James at :- james@explorescotland.net
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LOCAL SKILLS TRAIL - 2010 |
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The decision to move the Local Skills Trail from a weekend,
as in 2006 and 2007, to two weekdays in August 2010 certainly
paid off with a healthy increase in visitor numbers at all
locations on the trail. The fact that August 6th was subject
to some rainfall may have been a bonus because most locations
were indoors. These featured picture framing, painting,
book binding, bag making, re-caning chairs, sugar craft,
textile art, kilt making, clock repairs, blacksmithing,
milling and an ‘00’ train layout.
Despite the vagaries of the weather on day one, there was
also plenty of interest in the outside locations featuring
drystone walling, equestrian vaulting and Western saddle
riding. The level of public support for the event was high
on both days. Said one visitor, The skills trail got
us travelling around the local area speaking to local people
and discovering some very interesting things.
Another visitor was equally enthusiastic. I have travelled
widely and have rarely encountered a local event that pulls
together the community and visitors as well as the skills
trail, she said. Absolutely superb.
The names of those who visited every location on the Skills
Trail went into a Prize Draw. Winners Mary & Bernard
MacDougall-Davis live in Oxford and holiday in Scotland
every year. Their prize was a framed photograph of Blair
Castle wreathed in Autumn colours which they intend to display
in a prominent place at home.
Many thanks to the Tourism Association for having organised
such an enjoyable, informative and excellent trail,
commented Bernard. Such variety and such a friendly
welcome from all concerned.
Encouraged by the response from Skills Trail participants
and visitors alike, The Blair Atholl Area Tourism Assn (BAATA)
will certainly stage the event again in 2009.
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PHOTO: Peter Barr, BAATA Skills Trail Convener (right) presents
a framed photo of Blair Castle to Mary & Bernard MacDougall-Davis,
visitors from Oxford and winners of the 2008 Prize Draw.
Peter Barr, Skills Trail Convener
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PHOTO: Mrs Linda Millar of Duns was the winner
of the Prize Draw at the 2007 Local Skills Trail which took
place in the Killiecrankie/Blair Atholl area on the weekend
of August 11th/12th. A framed photo of Blair Castle was
presented to Linda by Peter Barr of the Blair Atholl Area
Tourism Association (BAATA). |
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| BLAIR
ATHOLL AND PITLOCHRY PIPE BAND - 2009
REPORT |
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Pitlochry and Blair Atholl Pipe Band
The Band have spent the winter learning some new material
for this year. Our first performance of it was in March
at Pitlochry Festival Theatre where we supported the Red
Hot Chilli Pipers for three concerts. You can come and hear
for yourselves at our Celtic night at Blair Castle.
Some of the Band have already been over to Brittany in
April to compete at the Breton Championships with our twin
band Bagad Lorient. This year we hope to have some Breton
drummers compete with us at the World championships in August.
You may well hear us practise outside the village hall in
Blair Atholl, during the summer if the weather is good.
( Wednesday and Thursday evenings and some Sunday afternoons).
Our travels abroad continue in May when we shall travel
to the South of France to a place called Pau (pronounced
PO) near Biarritz to take part in their Interceltic Festival.
This is a new region for us so we are looking forward to
it very much.
We will be attending some of the games around the country
and some of the Major championships. We can also be seen
at the Celtic nights as mentioned and also at the Tourism
Association Gala nights.
Hope to see you around.
The Band’s new DVDs are now
on sale from the following local outlets:- Blair Castle,
Blair Atholl Garage, Blair Atholl Post Office. The Gem Box,
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Hydro Hotel, Pitlochry Post
Office, and
Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre. For access to Internet
Sales please contact Jill by email
for details at :-
jill@bploffice.co.uk
If you wish further information
about the Band or require the services of a piper or the
full band for your special occasion, please visit the bands
web site at
www.pbapb.org
Our picture shows a jubilant Band, led by Pipe Major
Christy Kelly (left) before leaving Ballymena in
Northern Ireland with their well won cup having come 2nd
in the 2007 British Championships out of a total
of twenty-five bands
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| Tourism
Association Competition Results - Blair Castle Horse Trials
2008 |
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Once again Committee Members of the Association manned
a display tent at the above mention 2008 Horse Trials. In
connection with the illustrated display of Tourist Attractions
in the area, a free competition was run asking visitors
to identify eight old objects supplied courtesy of John
Cameron, MBE, Atholl Country Life Museum. John again set
a hard task this year and no one from a very good entry
managed to name all eight objects but the clear winner with
seven objects correctly described was local retired shephered
James Lean from Lude Estate, Blair Atholl.
The Answers were:-
1 Vegetable grater
2 Washing tongs
3 Fence staple remover
4 Lamp wick trimmer
5 Cobbler’s tacket/pin remover
6 Soap saver/holder
7 Horse cart saddle chain – goes over the saddle
from shaft to shaft
8 Blackface ram or tup horn
Many thanks to all of you who entered the competition, completed
the form and had a bit of fun - better luck next time!
Avril MacGlashan, Event Convener.
( Click here to Email Avril)
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| Unsolicited
Testimonials |
Subject: Accolade to the Folks of Atholl
The following is an extract from an
email received from Martha Friedrich from
Florida who. with a little help from BAATA, came to Blair
Atholl in 2007 to celebrate her 70th birthday by attending
the Atholl Highlanders Parade and Atholl Gathering because
she "liked men in kilts"!
"Living over there (in Scotland), I don't know
if you can appreciate what a pleasure it was for us to be
in the crowd gathered for the Games. So different
from over here (in the USA), where it's all commercial,
often trashy (content and litter), too much careless/bad
language, mothers yell at their children, etc....and cell
phones are rife in the land. Your crowd was like here
in the fifties; the best word I can think of is 'wholesome.'
Children and dogs well behaved. I walked around
a lot, just enjoying the atmosphere.
One thing I wish to make clear - it's not like complimenting
organizers of an event (for example); it's a compliment
to the people in general - the crowd decorum. That is, not
a planned thing, but a way of life. Very lovely, a little
bit longed for. And, oh yes: one always wants to return!"
Subject: A Wonderful Holiday
"We have just returned from a wonderful holiday
in Highland Perthshire. We were staying in Blair Atholl
and went along to the Gala Evening in the Park on Wednesday.
What a great night we had. Many places we have visited have
not especially welcomed tourists but I have to say Blair
Atholl made us, as tourists, feel very welcome indeed. Even
my two daughters, aged 13 and 14, were impressed. Praise
indeed as teenagers are not so easy to please. Would you
kindly convey our thanks to those in the community for being
so friendly and welcoming.
"We also hired bikes when we were there and
spent an enjoyable afternoon discovering the area. I am
now hooked on cycling and intend to treat myself to a bike
and join my family when they venture off on their bikes.
I am so glad we decided to holiday in Highland Perthshire."
Mrs Leslie Russell, Grangemouth.
Subject: A Great Holiday
"I returned home yesterday with my family
after the four of us spent a week at Blair Atholl. Tremendous.
Peaceful. Relaxing. Beautiful. Just thought I'd let you
know we all enjoyed ourselves! I'd recommend the area to
anyone."
Regards Gareth Bowen & Family Caerphilly South Wales
Subject : A real Scottish welcome!
"My wife and I recently spent a week in a
rented cottage in Blair Atholl. We arrived about 4pm on
the Saturday and very soon we found ourselves being greeted
by the sound of your pipe band rehearsing for a future competition.
"This initial meeting was to grow into a great
friendship with your band and its members as we joined in
your rehearsals during our stay. We thank you for your time
in explaining the complexities of the bagpipes and giving
us interesting information. We also noted the discipline
that you instilled on your young members, something that
seems to be generally lacking in other parts of the UK.
The result is that you have a fine junior band section and
we left with the feeling that the future of the Blair Atholl
Pipe Band is secure.
"We were blessed with good weather during our
stay and enjoyed our short break in Scotland. Spending time
with your pipe band was the icing on the cake."
Kind regards,
David & Grace Guy, Jersey
PS: If you are on holiday in the area,
the Pipe Band usually practice at Blair Atholl Village Hall
every Wednesday night
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