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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