Doors Open in Pitlochry Area for Skill Seekers

Businesses in the Blair Atholl area have created a skills trail allowing the public to observe them in action plying their trades. The trail features a dozen very different small enterprises ranging from sugar modelling to horse gymnastics, and was hailed as a great success by James Rattray secretary of Blair Atholl Tourism Association. James Adams of the Old Smiddy, Blair Atholl, puts a knot in a metal bar. “We were really impressed by the skills on display,” Rattray said, “and they were a great credit to themselves and the area. “Even though we live in the area we just did not appreciate the depth of talent that would be on display on the skills trail. Every venue we went to we learnt something new. You can say that our expectations were far exceeded. It was time really well spent.”

He added: “I hope this will be the first of many years the skills trail will operate. I can see the concept extending beyond Blair Atholl in future years. I would like to say well done to everyone that participated and to the hard-working small team who came up with the concept and for organising the trail.”

Kathleen Rattray, his wife, said: “I found it fascinating to see the blacksmith show us how he ties a knot in a metal rod. How a kilt is made and learning about the origins of today’s kilts. The bookbinding was very well set up, which made me think about binding some of our old family letters. I never realised how old the Blair Atholl watermill is. Seeing all the working parts of the mill brought it home to me how intricate these mills were, all powered by water, very eco-friendly in today’s climate. The demonstrations at the local Country Life Museum were fascinating. We were only able to go round one of the two gardens on the trail as we ran out of time; it was absolutely lovely.”

The Blair Atholl Area Skills Trail involved twelve separate businesses in ten separate locations from Killiecrankie to Blair Atholl and Calvine. The venues included walled gardens, Scotland’s oldest working watermill, horse gymnastics, a kiltmaker, a smiddy, bookbinding, fly tying, exquisite sugar modelling, an artist, bowls, a picture framer, Blair Atholl’s Country Life Museum and a personal exerciser.