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Blairgowrie
& Rattray Situated either side of the River Ericht, a tributary of the rivers Isla and Tay, in East Perthshire, the towns of Blairgowrie & Rattray has a population of 10,000 - the second largest community in Perthshire. (The separate towns were joined in 1928 by an Act of Parliament). In the 18th century, “Blair” had around 400 inhabitants but, in the following century, grew into a major manufacturing town when the River Ericht powered 12 textile mills. Keathbank Mill had the largest water wheel in Scotland. During this period, the area also gained the title as the “Berry Capital of Scotland” with its prodigious yields of soft fruits. Itinerant workers flocked to work in the rich fertile fields around Blairgowrie, bringing with them a strong-oral tradition. of songs and stories. This formed the revival of Scottish Folk Music in the 1940s and 50s. Today, these bustling Perthshire towns mainly rely on tourism for its prosperity offering a host of restaurants, hotels, pubs and shops. Blairgowrie and Rattray is the perfect base from which to explore the beautiful surrounding countryside with its choice of outdoor activities - golfing (Blairgowrie Golf Club boasts 2 renowned championship courses), fishing on the Ericht and nearby lochs, walking the “Cateran Trail”, with many other designated paths/routes and winter sports, in-season. Its location provides easy access north to Glenshee, Braemar, the Cairngorms, northwest towards the highland towns of Dunkeld and Pitlochry and, just 30 minutes south, the county town of Perth.
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