Monday 26 September 2011

The Famous Glenshee Devil's Elbow

Landscape photographer Colin Prior and BBC's Dougie Vipond continue their exploration of the ever-changing Scottish landscape. Dougie attempts to negotiate Glen Shee's notorious double hairpin bend known as the Devil's Elbow in a traditional form of transport which has royal approval.


The original photo they use shows the Queen’s Daimler being driving up the Devil’s elbow with Prince Philip at the wheel.




The road leads up to the Cairnwell Pass, the UK’s highest main road, travelling along the Devil’s elbow was quite an adventure.  This is how the old road looks today:



The sharp hairpin bends and the 1 in 3 gradient where not for the faint hearted.

In the 1960’s the road was straightened, but some of the original road is still visible next to the main road.



The Devil's Elbow was the name given to the double hairpin road as it steeply climbs through Gleann Beag near its highest point at the Cairnwell pass.


 
In the space of 5 miles (8 km) the height above sea level doubles from 335m (1100 feet) at Spittal of Glen Shee to 670m (2200 feet) at the highest point on the road from Blairgowrie to Braemar. The old road was bypassed by a wider modern road without such dramatic hairpin bends.

This historic road is a lonley forgotten place today, overgrown with weeds and slowly disappearing, yet still heavy with the memories of its earlier life.

Sunday 25 September 2011

Pitlochry 10k Road Race - 25th September 2011

The annual Pitlochry 10k road race got underway this afternoon, with a large national field all ready to run from
Pitlochry to Killiecrankie and back!


Team Craigatin House came home in 62 minutes, all ready now for a lazy afternoon in front of the television!



Tuesday 20 September 2011

Wedding Cars at Craigatin House & Courtyard - Pitlochry



We recently had two beautiful 1930's style Beauford cars collect a bride to be from Craigatin House and Courtyard.



Wish I had one of them tucked up in the Craigatin garage!



Friday 16 September 2011

The Enchanted Forest Wins Top Award

The Enchanted Forest swept the floor at last night’s prestigious Scottish Event Awards, beating off stiff competition from some of Scotland’s finest events to scoop the Event Man...agement Grand Prix, alongside the awards for Best Cultural Event and a commendation for Best Large Event.


GREAT NEWS for the Etape Caledonia,


GREAT NEWS! Etape Caledonia, an IMG Challenger World event, today announced Marie Curie Cancer Care as its new charity partner as registrations opened for the hugely successful closed road cycle sportive which will now take place on Sunday May 13, 2012


Thursday 15 September 2011

Stay at Craigatin for £1.20 per night - in 1964!

Stay at Craigatin for £1.20 per night - in 1964!
A fascinating insight into the... B&B and Hotel landscape of 1960's Pitlochry.
A time when Craigatin's phone number was "89" and all of Craigatin's then 8 rooms had both hot AND cold water! Woo Hoo!



Craigatin House and Courtyard Pitlochry B&B Hotel

Monday 12 September 2011

Craigatin House & Courtyard Visits Stanley Mills

We've just returned from a fantastic afternoon at Stanley Mills,
an old mill just a few miles south of Pitlochry.


Stanley Mills is one the best-preserved relics of the 18th-century Industrial Revolution.
.

It was established as a cotton mill by local merchants, with support from the English cotton baron Richard Arkwright.


Textiles were produced here for 200 years.


The mills were built in 1786 at a hairpin bend in the River Tay, where tremendous water-power was available. Machinery was powered initially by water wheels, and latterly by electricity generated by water-powered turbines.




As the market changed and new technologies developed, buildings were added, adapted, expanded, shut down, reopened and demolished.







Highly reccommended attraction by
Craigatin House & Courtyard Pitlochry.

Saturday 10 September 2011

Pitlochry Highland Games Opening Parade

The 2011 Pitlochry Highland Games got underway this afternoon with the fantastic opening parade of pipers. 

If you weren't there, have a look at the attached video from Craigatin House to give you a taste:



www.pitlochryhighlandgames.co.uk/

Craigatin House dine at The Barley Bree


Just returned from a delicious dinner at
The Barley Bree restaurant in Muthill, near Crieff.
This fantastic little restaurant has two red rosettes for its food and is definately worth the 60 minute journey from Pitlochry.
Highly recommended by Craigatin House & Courtyard Pitlochry!

Craigatin Review from Scottish Field


Craigatin House and Courtyard have just received a great review in this months Scottish Field Magazine (October Issue) from two of our recent guests John & Jane Beaton. 
The review is attached below.

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Craigatin House and Courtyard - Log Delivery



With Highland Night now finished for another year, the leaves all starting to turn gold and our first log delivery of the year made yesterday, autumn is definately here!

 

Still lots to look forward to with Highland Games, Winter Lights, Perthshire Amber and The Enchanted Forest,
come and see us in Pitlochry soon! www.craigatinhouse.co.uk

Monday 5 September 2011