Are you looking for an active holiday where you can enjoy both outdoor adventure and cultural activities? Are you looking to get off the beaten track and try new experiences? Then read our blogs on the adventures to be had when you holiday at Corriefodly Holiday Park.
Salmon, Theatre and Adrenaline-Fuelled Adventures
The town of Pitlochry and the surrounding area is a lovely day trip from Corriefodly. The drive to the park takes you through part of the Cairngorm National Park and the pretty hamlet of Moulin before dropping down into Pitlochry.
Perthshire is renowned for its salmon fishing. This has created an unusual visitor attraction in the Pitlochry Fish Ladder. Over 5,000 salmon pass through the fish ladder each year, as they head upstream to spawn. The ladder is 310 metres in length and has 34 pools, 3 of which are resting pools for the salmon. It is quite a sight to behold.
Pitlochry is home to Pitlochry Festival Theatre, known as the theatre in the hills. With Alan Cumming as Artistic Director for the Theatre, they have an exciting programme for this year.
Pitlochry has a great choice of independent shops as well as several options for a coffee stop or a meal.
At Queen’s View, just outside Pitlochry, you will get an incredible view of the glorious Loch Tummel and the mountain Schiehallion. Queen Victoria visited in 1866, but the view is named after Queen Isabella, the wife of Robert the Bruce.
For some adrenaline-fuelled adventure, Nae Limits offers a whole host of exciting outdoor activities, including canyoning, mountain biking, paintballing, quad biking, abseiling and more.
Discover Perthshire’s Beavers, Osprey and Red Squirrels
The rivers and lochs in east Perthshire are a hot spot for beavers and one of the best places to see them in the wild. The beaver population at nearby Bamff Estate was featured on the BBC’s Wild Isles programme. They are now present in all burns, rivers, and lochs in the area. Look out for gnawed trees along riverbanks and in the early evening you will often hear a distinctive ‘plop’ as they drop down into the water for safety if they hear you approaching.
There are several local wildlife companies that offer beaver safaris and wildlife watching experiences, including Danielle at Perthshire Wildlife and Nature Nuts. You can also view them from the hide at Bamff Estate.
Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve, near Dunkeld, is the perfect spot to see osprey from early April to late August. A pair of breeding ospreys nest just 150 metres from their observation hide. Interactive displays help bring the story of Loch of the Lowes to life. Get closer to the ospreys with binoculars, telescopes and live video footage. You can also get great views of red squirrels, woodpeckers and other woodland birds on the feeders at the viewing windows.
Glenshee and onto Braemar in Royal Deeside
Glenshee, famous for its skiing, is just a short drive from Corriefodly. It is well worth a visit during the summer months, too. The name Glenshee translates to the ‘fairy glen’ and is steeped in local folklore. There is a summer chairlift which will take you to the highest point of the ski centre. From the top, you can see panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
The Cairnwell chairlift is also open to mountain bikers looking to tackle the trails and tracks of Glenshee. There is a bike hook on each chair so you can sit back and relax during the up…..ready for the exhilarating way down!
If you are looking to start your journey into Munro bagging and hill walking, Glenshee is home to some great beginner ascents
If you are less adventurous, you can stop off at the Tea@TheShee Cafe and just relax!
From Glenshee, we recommend the scenic drive to Braemar. It is a lovely little village and worth making a stop and having a browse around, or you can head to Balmoral Castle. Here you can explore the formal and vegetable gardens and take in the exhibition in the Castle Ballroom. This is where the royal family enjoy ceilidhs over the summer months. There is also a cafe and opportunities for afternoon tea fit for royalty.
A stop-off at Linn o’ Dee, a favourite picnic spot of Queen Victoria, just beyond Braemar, offers some stunning photo opportunities. Visit the gorge and watch the River Dee squeeze through the gap in the rocks. There are waymarked trails along the Dee through the Caledonian pinewood and into Glen Lui for stunning views towards the Cairngorms.
