40 new parking places at Perthshire beauty spot in £1.3million visitor services boost

The improvements at Grandtully Station Park have been designed with visitors and locals in mind

By Morag Lindsay

October 8 2024, 5:10pm

Stuart Smith, Carol Anderson, Councillor Jack Welch, Stephen Leckie, Lynn Hamilton and Roger Holmes at the official opening of the Grandtully visitor facilities. Image: Perth and Kinross Council.

Visitors to a popular Perthshire beauty spot will benefit from a host of new facilities designed to ease pressure on locals.

The improvements at Grandtully, near Pitlochry, include 40 extra parking spaces, toilets, showers and upgraded camping options.

They are part of a £1.3 million investment in the area, which is big draw for fans of water sports.

And it follows consultation with locals who identified parking shortages and a lack of facilities for visitors as key concerns.

The new services are at Grandtully Station Park, Paddle Scotland’s multi purpose site next to the River Tay.

They include:

• An additional 40 car parking spaces to accommodate increased visitor traffic;

Group of people walking through Grandtully Station Park — Grandtully Station Park manager Carol Anderson giving guests a tour of the new facilities. Image: Perth and Kinross Council.

• Accessible facilities, including six accessible toilets and a state-of-the-art ‘Changing Places Toilet’;

• Toilets, showers, and changing rooms available for day visitors and campers;

• Enhanced camping options and an active travel hub. These are intended to promote sustainable tourism and reduce inappropriate camping;

• Six fast electric vehicle (EV) charging points, as well as a campervan service point;

• Improved visitor information, including interpretation signs and a bike shelter with a maintenance point.

Residents key to Grandtully improvements

The £375,000 works represent phase two of a three-part project at Grandtully.

Phase three will involve an education centre focused on water safety and outdoor skills training.

Timber building at Grandtully — The new Grandtully visitor hub. Image: Perth and Kinross Council.

It is a collaboration between Perth and Kinross Council, Paddle Scotland (formerly the Scottish Canoe Association) and 12 other funding partners.

”Stephen Leckie, chairman of VisitScotland, performed the official opening.

He said: “The project at Grandtully is a fantastic example of how working together to improve the infrastructure can help both visitors and residents alike.

“The new facilities will help alleviate pressure on parking, improve accessibility, and encourage visitors to get out and about and explore the area on bike or foot.”

Grandtully is a magnet for fans of activities such as canoeing, kayaking, white water rafting, abseiling, gorge walking, canyoning and mountain biking.

The surrounding countryside also makes it popular with walkers, runners and cyclists.