Expect to cover approximately 10-15km a day, across varied terrain with regular ascents and descents.
The season for this holiday is:
01 April 2025 - 31 October 2025
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We've picked the Scottish Highlands as one of our top 10 for 2025 as our updgrade hotel option in Blair Atholl, The Old Manse of Blair, has earned a spot in the Michelin Guide 2025! Feast on dishes made from locally foraged ingredients in what the Michelin Guide describes as "Scottish to the core". |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| °C | 5 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 6 |
| mm | 120 | 86 | 82 | 73 | 73 | 77 | 86 | 98 | 74 | 114 | 110 | 100 |
We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.
6 nights: 01 April 2025 - 31 October 2025
Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above
| Starting | Price | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 23 - 31 Jul 2025 | £973 | £0 |
| 1 Aug - 30 Sep 2025 | £873 | £0 |
| 1 - 25 Oct 2025 | £828 | £0 |
Included travel: transfer Blair Atholl-Aberfeldy to collect car
Please note: dogs are not permitted on Inntravel holidays
6 nights, staying at Knockendarroch Hotel & The Old Manse of Blair: 01 April 2025 - 31 October 2025 & 01 April 2026 - 31 October 2026
Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above
| Starting | Price | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - 30 Apr 2025 n/a | £1755 | £785 |
| 1 - 15 May 2025 n/a | £1855 | £825 |
| 16 May - 31 Jul 2025 n/a | £1900 | £840 |
| 1 Aug - 25 Oct 2025 n/a | £1850 | £835 |
| 1 - 30 Apr 2026 n/a | £1855 | £830 |
| 1 - 15 May 2026 n/a | £1960 | £870 |
| 16 May - 31 Jul 2026 n/a | £2005 | £885 |
| 1 Aug - 25 Oct 2026 n/a | £1955 | £880 |
| 3rd & 4th person discount | -£110 to -£116 | |
| Single traveller supplement | £110 to £116 |
Included travel: transfer Blair Atholl-Aberfeldy to collect car
Please note: dogs are not permitted on Inntravel holidays
Room upgrades (£ per person per night)
| Balnearn House, Aberfeldy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Suite: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 | £8 |
Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room
| Craigatin House, Pitlochry (B&B) | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 | £90 | £165 |
| Ptarmigan House, Blair Atholl (B&B) | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 | £89 | £178 |
Room upgrades (£ per person per night)
| Balnearn House, Aberfeldy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Suite: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 | £8 | |
| Suite: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2026 | £8 |
| Knockendarroch Hotel, Pitlochry | ||
|---|---|---|
| Balcony: 01 Apr - 13 May 2025 | £21 | |
| Balcony: 14 May - 31 Oct 2025 | £18 | |
| Balcony: 01 Apr - 13 May 2026 | £22 | |
| Balcony: 14 May - 31 Oct 2026 | £19 | |
| Premier: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 | £48 | |
| Premier: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2026 | £51 |
Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room
| Knockendarroch Hotel, Pitlochry (B&B) | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Apr - 13 May 2025 | £180 | £360 |
| 14 May - 31 Oct 2025 | £205 | £410 |
| 01 Apr - 13 May 2026 | £190 | £380 |
| 14 May - 31 Oct 2026 | £216 | £432 |
| The Old Manse of Blair, Blair Atholl (with dinner) | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 | £270 | £500 |
| 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2026 | £285 | £528 |
Connecting travel options - via Edinburgh
| Outward route | Price per person |
Latest arrival time |
|---|---|---|
| taxi Edinburgh airport to hotel (1h40) | £115 | flexible |
| Homeward route | Price per person |
Earliest departure time |
|---|---|---|
| taxi hotel to Edinburgh airport (1h30) | £115-£117 | flexible |
Connecting travel options - via Pitlochry
| Outward route | Price per person |
Latest arrival time |
|---|---|---|
| taxi Pitlochry station to hotel (0h30) | included | flexible |
| Homeward route | Price per person |
Earliest departure time |
|---|---|---|
| taxi hotel to Pitlochry station (0h15) | included | flexible |
If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?
We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >
We had a lovely time walking from Aberfeldy to Blair Atholl. We really enjoyed the walk from Acharn to Aberfeldy. It was easy to get the bus to Acharn to start the walk. We recommend the KB's Italian Kitchen in Aberfeldy.
When we were staying in Pitlochry, we did the Ben Vrackie circular walk which goes up to the loch and then around it and back down to the town. It was a beautiful hike and an alternative option for those less interested in doing the final hike to the top of Ben Vrackie.
As other reviewers have noted, the second half of the walk to Blair Atholl is along a road - a bit less pleasant than the other walks but mostly quiet and lots of sheep on the hillside. We recommend the Loft restaurant in Blair Atholl.
All in all, we really enjoyed our walking holiday. This is not a remote area and is not truly "Scottish Highlands" as one experiences around Fort William and Glencoe, but lovely all the same and more gentle walking.
Bring good rain gear as it rained every day ( in case people only see blue skies in photos of Scotland). Get hiking poles (we left ours at Ptarmigan, and hope they lend them out). Enjoy the full breakfast. Oh, and if you time it right, trains do stop at Blair Atholl, only 3 mins ride from Ptarmigan, and saves the journey back to Pitlochry.
We enjoyed beautiful weather on our May trip. Our accommodations were all nice, and we especially enjoyed the provided meals. Hikes were long but not terribly strenuous, except for the Ben Vrackie hike which was quite a climb but worth the effort. Footing on all the hikes was gravel or softer grass paths.
Aberfeldy: We stayed at the Townhouse Hotel. Service there was welcoming and breakfast was very nice. The restaurants in this small town were servicable but not notable.
We were able to take advantage of local bus service to begin our hike in Acharn. This was helpful and quite inexpensive. There was a charming honor bakery at the beginning of the hike, with toilet facilities--very welcome. We walked through the Birks of Aberfeldy at the end of this walk. It was a lovely park, but made for a quite long day.
The hike from Aberfeldy to Pitlochry was pleasant, particularly the stop midway to enjoy chocolates and the lovely Grandtully Hotel.
The Knockendarroch Hotel in Pitlochry was lovely. Our room was large and comfortable. The breakfasts and included dinner here were excellent. Service was thoughtful as well. Our other meals in Pitlochry (at Victoria's and Fern Cottage) were servicable, typical for a more touristy area. We tasted whisky at Robertson's--they were set up for free tastings or you could book a paid experience. We opted for the free tasting.
The hike up Ben Vrackie is not to be missed. That was a very nice hike. We benefitted from outstanding weather. We stopped for lunch after the hike at Moulin Brewery and Inn. They had lovely outdoor space.
The hike from Pitlochry to the Old Manse of Blair:
We enjoyed the first half of this hike but would recommend trying to catch the bus at Killiecrankie as the second half was a bit tedious, following a tarmac road and then near a busy road with a lot of traffic noise. We would have preferred to conserve our energy to better enjoy Blair Castle and the grounds. Lunch at the Old Mill in Blair Atholl was quite nice. We ate lunch there both days. The bus from Blair Atholl to Pitagowan will drop you at the Old Manse if you ask. The bus runs infrequently so you have to time it right. On the second day, we walked on the road (also a busy bicycle route) which was preferable to the longer walk and/or extra expense of walking through Blair Castle.
Our stay at The Old Manse of Blair was also lovely. We were at first taken aback by the very small garden room, set closer to the road and away from the main property. It was difficult to organize our luggage in the very small space. However, we found the meals here outstanding and the service very attentive. We also enjoyed the small patio outside our garden room.
The last hiking day, Day 5 Option C (Glen Banvie Trail and Blair Castle).
The first half of the hike through the commercial tree farm was quite dull and the clear cut areas were a bit jarring visually. The second half however was quite pleasant and interesting.
We had a lovely time walking from Aberfeldy to Blair Atholl. We really enjoyed the walk from Acharn to Aberfeldy. It was easy to get the bus to Acharn to start the walk. We recommend the KB's Italian Kitchen in Aberfeldy.
When we were staying in Pitlochry, we did the Ben Vrackie circular walk which goes up to the loch and then around it and back down to the town. It was a beautiful hike and an alternative option for those less interested in doing the final hike to the top of Ben Vrackie.
As other reviewers have noted, the second half of the walk to Blair Atholl is along a road - a bit less pleasant than the other walks but mostly quiet and lots of sheep on the hillside. We recommend the Loft restaurant in Blair Atholl.
All in all, we really enjoyed our walking holiday. This is not a remote area and is not truly "Scottish Highlands" as one experiences around Fort William and Glencoe, but lovely all the same and more gentle walking.
Bring good rain gear as it rained every day ( in case people only see blue skies in photos of Scotland). Get hiking poles (we left ours at Ptarmigan, and hope they lend them out). Enjoy the full breakfast. Oh, and if you time it right, trains do stop at Blair Atholl, only 3 mins ride from Ptarmigan, and saves the journey back to Pitlochry.
We enjoyed beautiful weather on our May trip. Our accommodations were all nice, and we especially enjoyed the provided meals. Hikes were long but not terribly strenuous, except for the Ben Vrackie hike which was quite a climb but worth the effort. Footing on all the hikes was gravel or softer grass paths.
Aberfeldy: We stayed at the Townhouse Hotel. Service there was welcoming and breakfast was very nice. The restaurants in this small town were servicable but not notable.
We were able to take advantage of local bus service to begin our hike in Acharn. This was helpful and quite inexpensive. There was a charming honor bakery at the beginning of the hike, with toilet facilities--very welcome. We walked through the Birks of Aberfeldy at the end of this walk. It was a lovely park, but made for a quite long day.
The hike from Aberfeldy to Pitlochry was pleasant, particularly the stop midway to enjoy chocolates and the lovely Grandtully Hotel.
The Knockendarroch Hotel in Pitlochry was lovely. Our room was large and comfortable. The breakfasts and included dinner here were excellent. Service was thoughtful as well. Our other meals in Pitlochry (at Victoria's and Fern Cottage) were servicable, typical for a more touristy area. We tasted whisky at Robertson's--they were set up for free tastings or you could book a paid experience. We opted for the free tasting.
The hike up Ben Vrackie is not to be missed. That was a very nice hike. We benefitted from outstanding weather. We stopped for lunch after the hike at Moulin Brewery and Inn. They had lovely outdoor space.
The hike from Pitlochry to the Old Manse of Blair:
We enjoyed the first half of this hike but would recommend trying to catch the bus at Killiecrankie as the second half was a bit tedious, following a tarmac road and then near a busy road with a lot of traffic noise. We would have preferred to conserve our energy to better enjoy Blair Castle and the grounds. Lunch at the Old Mill in Blair Atholl was quite nice. We ate lunch there both days. The bus from Blair Atholl to Pitagowan will drop you at the Old Manse if you ask. The bus runs infrequently so you have to time it right. On the second day, we walked on the road (also a busy bicycle route) which was preferable to the longer walk and/or extra expense of walking through Blair Castle.
Our stay at The Old Manse of Blair was also lovely. We were at first taken aback by the very small garden room, set closer to the road and away from the main property. It was difficult to organize our luggage in the very small space. However, we found the meals here outstanding and the service very attentive. We also enjoyed the small patio outside our garden room.
The last hiking day, Day 5 Option C (Glen Banvie Trail and Blair Castle).
The first half of the hike through the commercial tree farm was quite dull and the clear cut areas were a bit jarring visually. The second half however was quite pleasant and interesting.
Walking notes were perfect. the scenerary was varied and beautiful. Accommodations were lovely, all with great beds and outstanding hospitality.
Our weather was quite good with very little rain, except for the last day. We would suggest keeping a rain poncho in your pack. It covers more than a coat including your pack.
We had an excellent week walking the routes on the Heart of Scotland holiday. We were very fortunate with the weather so able to fully enjoy the fabulous Scottish countryside. The guest houses were all very welcoming and helpful. The rooms were comfortable and spacious given that moving on every couple of days meant we were living out of our suitcases.
Inntravel has provided us with another splendid walk in Highland Perthshire, Scotland with their Heart of Scotland tour. It was easy to moderate walking with many options to choose from. We are three 70-somethings. We did not need poles, and wore short hiking shoes. The weather went from sunny to overcast, and no rain. We had great accommodations with welcoming and helpful innkeepers.
We combined the Heart of Scotland with the Edinburgh add-on. We recommend opting for a couple days in Edinburgh, a very walkable and interesting city. Some of the sites to see would be the castle, Arthur's Seat, the National Museum of Scotland, and the botanical garden. We also enjoyed Dovecot Studios.
We chose both option B and C walks in Aberfeldy. They can be done in one day. The Birks of Aberfeldy was a favorite walk for all of us. Castle Menzies is worth the admission and walking across one-lane Wade’s Bridge to get there was entertaining.
The walk from Aberfeldy to Pitlochry was wonderful, with the trek across the moors the best part. On your way to Pitlochry, treat yourself to some fine chocolate at the chocolatier's. As you sit and rest by the river, keep your eyes open for rafters.
We would recommend checking with Inntravel to find out if you can add an extra day in Pitlochry even though Pitlochry is crowded and touristy. That way you could choose the better of the two days to climb Ben Vrackie, and have a slow day the other day doing option B and a distillery tour. Ben Vrackie was in the clouds the day we were there, so we left with it undone. The Blair Athol Distillery tour was a favorite activity.
In Blair Atholl, Blair Castle and gardens were well worth our visit. We went through the gardens, Diana’s Grove with enormous trees, and up the hill for a nice walk through farm land with far ranging views. We were even treated to watching sheep being moved from one field to another by a farmer and his border collies. On Monday night, the Atholl Arms pub was the only place in town that we could find open to get something to eat.
This week seemed as much about history and culture as walking. The Scots we met were very friendly. We were close to roads for some of the time and the road noise was unpleasant. But all in all, this was a lovely holiday.
Really enjoyed this holiday blessed with some spectacular autumnal weather which highlighted the magnificent scenary brilliantly. We found the walks beautiful and the right distance to make the most of the day's walking without being too arduous. We enjoyed the mix of terrain (woods, waterfalls, lochs, moors and mountains), historic sites and the contrast between the peace of the trails and the warm welcome in the towns and villages we stayed in. It was the perfect combination of invigorating and restful.
Good value for money, and great accommodations. Good options for the walks and lots of information and maps provided.
We traveled as a family of 3 with different athletic abilities this type of hike and route variability worked well. The inn choices were well selected. The variability in sites to see, ranging from hiking up to highland peaks to following river valleys kept the views and scenery changing.
Personal highlights were the very varied walks, all with spectacular scenery (apart from our walk over the hills to Pitlochry where the weather was so bad we couldn't see more than a few meters in front of us!). The length and difiiculty was just right for all four of us and we enjoyed the different hotels and ate some fabulous meals. The arrangements were all seamless and made for a relaxing yet envigorating holiday.
Very enjoyable holiday, in a beautiful part of Scotland. Accommodation was excellent. One point to note is that dinner options in Blair Atholl are very limited on Monday & Tuesday, with most options referenced in Inntravel notes closed. It would be helpful if this is highlighted when booking holiday.
This was our 10th and 11th walk with Inntravel so we are devoted fans. As we live in the rainy Pacific Northwest of the US, it was the first time that we haven't traveled to a warmer climate. We learned our lesson near the end of the first walk by being so determined to walk that we walked in the rain all day. The problem is there is no shelter to rest or eat. It wasn't that hard of a walk but we were tired and disheartened afterwards. Aside from that little lesson learned, we wore out the word "wow" in response to the beauty of our Scottish walks. On the first day of our circular walk from Peebles there were whole choruses of birds singing in the power lines overhead. We felt part of a magical kingdom. Our host at Caddon View suggested walking directly to Traquair House and then doing the walks laid out on the maps there. After doing the suggested Inntravel walk, we would recommend doing so. One note, the cafe at Traquair House closes at 3:00. Perhaps because Traquair House has been continuously inhabited, the history there felt alive. Mary, Queen of Scots became a person when I saw the cradle that held her son.We walked to Melrose after heavy rains and flood warnings. A muddy, fast moving Tweed just below the level of the path gave us a different experience from the magical kingdom of our first days. We enjoyed Melrose Abbey despite it not being safe to be inside. After the disturbing high levels of the Tweed the day before we sat in the garden across from the Abbey in the sunshine with books and ice cream and felt very fortunate to be in such a beautiful place. It was a privilege to experience the Borders in all its moods.We then transferred to Aberfeldy to start the Heart of Scotland walk. The description of the Birks of Aberfeldy did not prepare me for the majesty of the site. Don't miss it. We shortened the walk to Pitlochry by catching a taxi to Grandtully and walking from there. After purchases at the Iain Burnett chocolate shop we enjoyed our hike up over the moors. The descent in slippery, shoe sucking mud was hard on joints.The day we were supposed to climb Ben Vrackie had uncertain weather. Inntravel suggested taking the train to Blair Atholl so we were able to delay the climb until the next day. In our mid 70s, climbing Ben Vrackie was the most important part of this trip. Happily we made it close to the top before I succumbed to vertigo. Now I know that as I'm susceptible to motion sickness, looking up at fast moving clouds near the top of a mountain isn't a good idea. I am so grateful to Inntravel for making it possible for us to climb Ben Vrackie. It's a memory for a lifetime. The Old Manse is the most pleasurable hotel of all our travels. Walking from our guest room up to the house for meals or help felt like coming home. While it is a very fine accommodation, there is simply warm hearted friendliness. We added an extra night at The Old Manse and visited the Falls of Bruar the day after Ben Vrackie. During our two Scottish walks we ran out of superlatives for the beauty that we experienced. Our host said it was safe to walk along the road on our return from The Falls of Bruar, and indeed cars gave us a wide berth and we felt comfortable. One note - our host at The Old Manse said the retail shops at the Bruar of the Falls specialize in shipping purchases. Had we known, we would have been able to enjoy more Scottish treats on our return home. The next day we visited Blair Castle. It's a noteworthy castle with the worst cafe food we experienced. We walked into Blair Atholl for eatable food (where the only ATM in the area was not working in case you need cash) and then walked home through the castle grounds to The Old Manse feeling on top of the world with gratitude that Inntravel makes it possible for us to explore places we would never know to go.
I read recently that after a year purchases lose their ability to give us happiness while experiences gain in pleasure as time goes by. That is certainly our experience with hiking and Inntravel.
INNTRAVEL NOTE: This customer combined our walking holidays 'The Tweed & the Scottish Borders' and 'Heart of Scotland'.
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