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Blair Castle and Hercules Gardens

Blair Atholl, Pitlochry PH18 5TL, Scotland
01796 481207
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Ranked #2 of 13 attractions in Pitlochry
Type: Gardens, Historic Sites, Castles
Owner description: Discover magnificent Blair Castle, the ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl, Scotland’s most visited historic house and the home of the... more » Owner description: Discover magnificent Blair Castle, the ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl, Scotland’s most visited historic house and the home of the Atholl Highlanders, Europe’s only remaining private army. Blair Castle is at the hub of a breathtaking historic landscape most of which was laid out in the 18th century and features a 9 acre walled garden, a peaceful wooded grove, a ruined kirk, a red deer park and a whimsical gothic folly. « less
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279 reviews from our community

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Glasgow, United Kingdom
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 May 2013 NEW

Just returned from a visit to Blair Castle and must admit I was quite disappointed in it. I have been wanting to visit here for a couple of years but now that I have been I would not rush back. Cant see how you can spend a full day here as I got round it all in a couple of... More

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New York City
Senior Contributor
28 reviews 28 reviews
26 attraction reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
265 helpful votes 265 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 May 2013 NEW

When I visited Blair Castle it was undergoing a renovation. Although parts of it were covered by scaffolding, I could see how beautiful the facade of this baronial style structure was. It didn't always look like this. In the thirteenth century, when the Earl of Atholl went off to a crusade, a man named John Comyn squatted on his land... More

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Clacton-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Top Contributor
66 reviews 66 reviews
29 attraction reviews
Reviews in 38 cities Reviews in 38 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 May 2013 NEW via mobile

The castle is tremendous, lots of family history is shown and the items displayed are diverse and very interesting especially the personal items and photographs. An audio guide would be a useful addition. Do not miss the trees in Diana's Garden, they include some of the largest trees I have ever seen! Overall a must see if you are in... More

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BlairCastle, Public Relations Manager at Blair Castle and Hercules Gardens, responded to this review
15 May 2013

Thanks so much for your feedback on the Castle and Gardens. I'm really glad you enjoyed your tour and Diana's Grove. The grove holds some of Europe's tallest trees and we had the 2nd largest tree until it was blown over recently during a particularly windy day! More

Preston, Lancashire
Senior Contributor
30 reviews 30 reviews
9 attraction reviews
Reviews in 20 cities Reviews in 20 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2013

Cost £9.50 per adult for entrance to the Castle and Gardens. Very informative. I would like to see hand held devices telling the story as you go round. Some guests are a little impatient when you are stood reading. There is a lot to read on A4 sheets. Staff very helpful. Gardens are beautiful. You can easily spend the day... More

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See 5 more reviews by HVSNessy for Pitlochry
BlairCastle, Public Relations Manager at Blair Castle and Hercules Gardens, responded to this review
15 May 2013

Thank you so much for your kind words and your feedback about the hand held devices. I'm glad you had an enjoyable day and I will definitely bring up your recommendation at our next operations meeting. More

London England
Top Contributor
186 reviews 186 reviews
84 attraction reviews
Reviews in 51 cities Reviews in 51 cities
112 helpful votes 112 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

Blair Castle and grounds gives you a perfect combination of history & culture, wildlife & nature and also offers you the chance to take a picnic down the grounds and spend hours wandering through the Sequoia groves and around the vast network of paths that surround the castle. The entry fee for both the castle and the grounds is reasonable... More

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See 7 more reviews by xboxmarkster for Pitlochry
BlairCastle, Public Relations Manager at Blair Castle and Hercules Gardens, responded to this review
15 May 2013

Thank you for your review. The walk up the castle drive from the train station is one of my favourites. The Lime trees that line the castle drive date back to the 18th Century and at the moment, there are a lot of lambs in the fields before you arrive at castle- delightful! More

York, United Kingdom
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 May 2013

Set in beautiful surroundings.Fascinating history,pity it was a wet and cold day or we would have spent time walking the grounds more.An excellent coffee shop.

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BlairCastle, Public Relations Manager at Blair Castle and Hercules Gardens, responded to this review
15 May 2013

Thanks so much for your feedback. Really glad you enjoyed your visit, and sorry about the weather- it's just typical Scotland. Luckily there's plenty to see inside the castle when it's not so nice outside. The restaurant is a nice stop after the castle tour. My favourite are the coconut slices- very addictive! More

London, Canada
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 April 2013

I was recently married at Blair Castle and it was a truly amazing day. The staff was incredibly helpful and accommodating and they made the whole process run effortlessly. The entire day was perfect from the ballroom to the food to the staff. The castle itself is also wonderful and is worth a visit for anyone in the area. The... More

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See 2 more reviews by McNaughtonJ for Pitlochry
BlairCastle, Public Relations Manager at Blair Castle and Hercules Gardens, responded to this review
15 May 2013

Thanks for your feedback Jason! We're so glad you had a nice day. We love hosting weddings in the Victorian Ballroom as it's such a great space for fine dining and dancing. We're also looking forward to seeing the photos of your wedding as there were some truly original ones taken in the castle's various rooms and up at St... More

Burlington, Canada
Senior Contributor
30 reviews 30 reviews
16 attraction reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 April 2013

Loved the garden and the grounds as well. The graveyard and old ruin of a church proved to be very interesting as was walking through the forest with the very tall pines planted over 200 years ago. The water falls and river running through was just beautiful and the peacocks were very intriguing as well. Well worth visiting - spent... More

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Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 April 2013

Loved the castle, and the grounds well worth a visit. Guides very informative. Coffee lounge lovely.

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Texas
Senior Contributor
39 reviews 39 reviews
15 attraction reviews
Reviews in 18 cities Reviews in 18 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 April 2013

The castle itself was incredible. We enjoyed it so very much... but then we spent some time walking on the grounds, and I honestly can say it's one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It was cold when we visited. I wish we lived close enough to pop over on a warm, sunny day, and enjoy a... More

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See 2 more reviews by pugbee for Pitlochry

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