Hello
We have some (free) first class train tickets on GNER and would like to take a trip to one of the above places. We had similar tickets once before and went to Inverness, but whizzing through the countryside around these places we thought we would like to return but not go as far north this time. My question is do any of these 3 places have car rental near the Station. I am assuming Pitlochry is our best bet, being considerably larger, but I've spotted a B and B I really fancy in Blair Atholl. We are keen walkers and love the outdoors, but if the weather was foul we would like a car to go exploring. Any suggestions for places to visit, B and B's, restaurants etc in this area - we don't know it at all. Many thanks for any help.

Pitlochry would be your best bet -- but I would do it a bit differently.

Perth is much larger and has several car rental agencies. You could pick up a car there and have a much better choice. Then you can drive up to base yourselves in Dunkeld (my choice) or Pitlochry for your walking holiday.

My family and I rented a house for a week in Pitlochry several years ago. The memories are a bit hazy, but we found it to be a bit commercialized and lacking in the wildness of the western coast. We did make many car trips from there to visit castles, and you can do that fairly easily using Pitlochry as a base. The golfing was also good in Pitlochry. There was also a good clothing store with lots of tartan items.

I can't tell you much about the car rentals, as we had rented our car in Edinburgh and were making a wide tour of Scotland.

All the best!

Thank you for the replies. Brilliant suggestion Janis (I've checked the train stops there!). Out of interest why would you choose Dunkeld?

We spent several days in Dunkeld in May 2004 and absolutely loved it! Just a nice little town on the River Tay with a lovely little town square and a beautiful (huge) cathedral, part of which is in ruins and part that still is in use today. We stayed at the Atholl Arms (great restaurant and popular with the locals) with a river view room. Right next to the hotel is an old church that has been converted into an antique shop. We spent a few hours looking around and bought a wonderful colored print of the old cathedral. We took nice long walks along the river after dinner and made a day trip to Kenmore, returning via the Sma' Glen which I highly recommend.

I would return to Dunkeld in a minute.

http://www.visitdunkeld.com/

http://www.perthshire-scotland.co.uk/dunkeld2.htm

Bettyk beat me to it - but IMHO Dunkeld is just so much nicer than Pitlochry. Smaller for one thing - but that isn't my main reason. It is just a lovely place on the bank of the Tay w/ the partially ruined cathedral and the square w/ the houses preserved by the Nat'l Trust. Just all around a prettier and more scenic place than Pitlochry.

My feelings about Pitlochry is sort of a "mini-inverness" or "mini-FtWilliam". Nicer than both of those places and not nearly so big of course, but just lots and lots of B&Bs and coach tours drawn by the theatre etc.

It is a good place to stop but not that good a place to stay. All subjective of coursebut my 2 pence worth.

Ditto on Dunkeld. We found the local use of flowers in people's window boxes to be exceptionally charming. Very different from Pitlochry.

We were walking along the river near the cathedral and saw a lovely cherry tree in bloom. My husband was taking my picture when a man who had been working in his garden nearby started chatting with us. He told my husband to come into his yard and go up the outside stairway so he could get a better picture of me with the tree and river in the background. We found the people in Dunkeld to be especially nice and friendly.

I stayed in Dunkeld last year at the Royal Dunkeld Hotel & it was horrible - don't stay there ! If I were going back to the area I'd stay at the Moulins Inn outside Pitlochry, which has great food.

I would also cast my vote for Dunkeld. I'm more fond of Pitlochry than some other contributors, but the town centre (the only bit most tourists probably see) is very busy and the shops mainly cater for tourists who don't have time to see they're being ripped off. One exception is the whisky shop near the south end of the town. OTOH Pitlochry is bigger so it might be easier to get accommodation.
I'm surprised at Caroline's bad experience in the Royal Dunkeld Hotel as friends who have eaten there thought it was OK, but having a meal and staying several nights are not the same thing. Royal Dunkeld Hotel is not the same place as Dunkeld House Hotel (part of the Hilton group) which is outstanding but with prices to match.

Depending on what you're after, on balance I would agree about Dunkeld, for the reasons given. The Atholl Arms in Blair Atholl is nice too, but there's just much more to do in Dunkeld after the shops are shut