Highland Highlights: Part 1 (of 2)

Where and when: Scotland, April 2025

We visited Scotland for an extended weekend break over Easter, and we came across a number of hidden gems during our time there. So rather than do a usual day-by-day post, I’ve decided to do a couple of posts highlighting these.

Radstone Hotel

We stopped at Radstone hotel on day 1, on our way upto Scotland. It is located just off the Junction 8 of the M74. We broke our journey here mainly because of the Electric car charging facilities, but the hotel itself was a lovely surprise. It is nestled in extensive grounds overlooking the scenic Clyde Valley and the interior of the hotel was beautiful. The restaurant served a great afternoon tea at short notice.

So if you are ever in this part of the World and want a break from your journey it’s a great alternative to run-of-the mill service stations.

Fonab Castle Hotel

We stayed at Fonab Castle hotel for 4 nights. The hotel is located 90 minutes North of Glasgow, on the banks of River Trummel, in the town of Pitlochry. The oldest part of the hotel (that looks like a castle) dates back to 1892 but has since been extended.

Hotel has 42 rooms, good spa, great restaurant and a Whisky lounge with a great selection of Whiskys.

The hotel has a lot going for it – first off the location – it is very centrally located, being only a couple of hours from Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Oban, Aberdeen, Inverness and Balmoral Castle. So if you are exploring Scotland, this would make an excellent base. If you are traveling from England to the very North of Scotland, it would be a good overnight stop as well.

Town of Pitlochry is just short walk away on the other wide of the river, and offering lots of places to eat and drink (More on this later). The staff are great and very welcoming.

The hotel’s restaurant boasts an excellent dinner menu, but for me, the real highlight is the breakfast – beautifully presented and served at your table with stunning views of the River Trummel.

Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder

Hotel is right next to the small hydro power station on the River Trummel and the Salmon ladder. Pitlochry Dam was constructed between 1947 and 1951. The station generates enough electricity to power 15000 homes.

The Pitlochry Fish Ladder was created to allow for 5,000+ salmon each year to pass upstream. The ladder is 310 metres in length and has 34 pools, 3 of which are resting pools. Underwater cameras are linked to a screen on the banks of the river through which you can see the salmon making their way up the river.

Pitlochry

Pitlochry a town in the Perth and Kinross council area of Scotland, lying on the River Tummel. It is historically in the county of Perthshire, and has a population of 2,776, according to the 2011 census.

Pitlochry is a small unassuming little town, but it is very centrally located. The Caledonian sleeper from London makes a stop here, so you can even come here by train. The high street is full of good restaurants, pubs and tourist shops. During the day it gets busy as there are many coach parties that stop here on the way further up Scotland, but evenings and nights are quieter. There is a beautiful theatre by the banks of the river and a couple of Whisky distillery within walking distance.

Another place in Pitlochry worth a stop is the “Wee choo choo” – this is a Thai restaurant in a converted railway carriage. The carriage has a starrting role in the Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning movie.

Afterwards, it was purchased by the current owners and converted to a Thai restaurant. The food and drink here is delicious and the service is excellent. A bonus was meeting the owner who regaled us with the story of how the restaurant came to be, and the challenges they had to overcome in getting the planning permission to convert the carriage and open the restaurant in its curent location.

Killiecrankie

Killiecrankie is a village about 5 miles North of Pitlochry on the banks of the River Garry. On our second day, we walked from the Fonab Castle hotel, following the path upriver to Killiecrankie and back – about 12 miles in total.

On the way we passed more beautiful scenery, another hydro power station, several bridges and an aqueduct.

This stretch of the river is also popular for many water sports like kayaking and tubing. For the more adventurous, there is opportunity to bungee jump off one of the bridges.