the lovely spring goes on ! ! !

Lots of nice weather and everybody is out and about in the countryside.

Lambs are skipping round the meadows by the River Tummel.

Customers this week include more walkers, bikers and river rafters.

Pitlochry is looking pristine and groomed, thanks to the local voluntary groups and Perth and Kinross council.

16th April 2009

The hotel is full, 50 Netherlanders, holidaymakers from all over Britain too. The weather remains fine and dry. More white water rafters and canyoners are with us. They are lively in the bar. Mountain bikers hiring from escape route, along the lane.

Garden looks good, 1st plum blossom showed 15th edible cherry blossom today. Rhododendron blooms beginning.

7 reasons to stay at Dundarach

1. Service with a smile. Nothing is too much trouble for staff at the Dundarach.

2. Inependent Spirit. A family run establishment where things are just a little different from the chain hotels.

3. Great Deals. There are some high value offers circulating. Seek and you will find.

4. Pitlochry Festival. The summer fest runs from 15th May then there's the Autumn one following, in Oct.

5. Think local. The hotel uses locally sourced produce where possible. Highlights are Venison, Perthshire lamb and Angus beef. We normally use Scottish salmon, trout, sustainable haddock from the North Sea, farmed halibut from Shetland.

6. Pitlochry in Bloom. The bloom towns of Britain have enjoyed huge success from the local effort to beautify out towns and Pitlochry is no different. Hanging baskets and large landscape items are all on the agenda here in the Perthshire Highlands.

7. Easy parking. Don't leave your pride and joy on the street, park it at Dundarach and be secure in the knowledge that you are well away form the hurly burly of the main centre. 3 or 4 minutes on foot.

Easter weekend is over. Monday evening 13th April 9

Dundarach is quiet once more following on from some large groups, as well as our regular customers. A German couple who married at Gretna Green bringing 40 of their family with them, have gone on to Edinburgh.

Looking out from the restaurant the daffodil lawn , with its nodding thousands, is really very nice. The first azaleas are opening. Weather is still good, dry and sunny.

The decorated easter egg competition provided entertainment for the children, who had to collect items from the garden then they came to the kitchen where the workshop taught them how to join in and make the traditional "pasche egg";- using onion skins, flowers and daffodil leaves. Joint winners Natalie and Beth aged 8 and 9.

dundarach pitlochry hotel 10april 2009

This is the first news item from Dundarach Hotel.

Easter weekend is busy with lots of people from Scotlands central belt, Carluke, Biggar, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the oil capital, Aberdeen. Also Germany.

The highlands look great, the colours of winter are changing into the colours of spring. Lots of people are here for white water rafting, countryside walks, including hill walks and "mountain" biking.

The foreign visitors are here to see Blair castle and the malt whisky distilleries.