BLAIR CASTLE ..accomodation .Help!

[FREESTYLER]

We have tickets, my first trip to Scotland...been on my bucket list for ...years so we are going for Sat/Sunday, updated our "Green Godess" hoss box living quarters, (still can take 2 x 16hh in case I find a few whilst on my visit ...BUT would really like a place to stay at night with shower/toilet facilities..as we decided not to have these on board as most of the events we go to have these facilities, alas our trip to Scotland was last minute so all the site for touring vehicles appear to be full...unless someone has a site that is not on the internet and can let me know be much appreciated. We are willing to pay, do not stay up past 9pm and will be up and away by 7am ish!! most mornings

 

[Jeni the dragon]

It's probably best to look a bit further away. Will mean a bit more travelling but it might be the only way to find a space! I think there is somewhere at Faskally or Pitlochry? Aberfeldy or Dunkeld are quite a lot further, though Dunkeld is just off the A9.
I'm staying outside Aberfeldy. It's a really beautiful area round Blair! Definitely worth seeing a bit more of it!

 

[FREESTYLER]

Hi thanks Jeni, looked at Pitlochry but cannot find anything...willing to travelling an hour to Blair each day...I am soo excited...going on to Inverness after...and Fortworth ...anyone along the way or who will be there be great to catch up and say hi!

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Aberfeldy is easily done in 40 minutes I would say.
Bit of googling has brought me a Erigmore caravan site, near Dunkeld. Grandtully campsite, Milton of Fonab, there is one at Perth race course, plus Scone, Faskally, Five Roads site at Blairgowrie, Nether Craig at Blairgowrie, Tummel Valley at Pitlochry!
I've no real experience of any of them but would all be worth a wee phone!

 

[Poingsettia]

If you are on Facebook, try asking on the Highland Horse chat and trading page for weekend camping tickets or accommodation. You may get lucky. The tail backs in traffic between Perth and Dunkeld, due to the dialling roadworks, would put me off trying to travel daily from that direction.

I'm travelling down from Inverness and expect it to take about 2 hours, due to roadworks.

 

[FREESTYLER]

Thanks Jeni I tried those and there is no room at the Inn. ?
Thanks Pauline thats good to know about roadworks, maybe we may look at somewhere further up and drop back down. Do you know where the roadworks end please? Thanks very much. i shall have a look on facebook too cheers

 

[Poingsettia]

There are several patches of roadworks as you head towards Inverness. The duelling is around Bankfoot, but the traffic is often affected as far back as the south side of Perth. For example, I was at Knockhill in Fife 2 weeks ago. We hit traffic about a mile before the Broxden roundabout, which is the first one as you enter Perth from the south. It was crawling only until Dunkeld. It’s not so much the actual roadworks, but the road reduced in places to one lane. Some people just can’t merge in traffic!
Traffic Scotland might show the current roadworks. I’m sure some were to start around Aviemore.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

I'd forgotten about the roadworks! Sorry!
North isn't really my area so much so can't really help. But I'll ask and see if anyone I know has any suggestions!

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

If you really get stuck try Witches Craig caravan camping site on the A91 which is Stirling/Bridge of Allan. We have travelled daily to Blair from there when we lived there (tear sliding down cheek).

 

[FREESTYLER]

Thank you all For your advice and assistance. Still looking so if anyone knows anyone who can help be fab… do you think they would mind if we stayed at the castle ????

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Don't see why not!?

 

[Northern Hare]

Are there any spaces left on the Blair Horse Trials campsite? I've got a feeling that when some friends camped in a horse box up there that there were showers on site - maybe worth checking?

 

[FREESTYLER]

Hi unfortunately not Fully booked up x

 

[Gamebird]

If you are on Facebook, try asking on the Highland Horse chat and trading page for weekend camping tickets or accommodation. You may get lucky. The tail backs in traffic between Perth and Dunkeld, due to the dialling roadworks, would put me off trying to travel daily from that direction.

I'm travelling down from Inverness and expect it to take about 2 hours, due to roadworks.

Definitely watch the roadworks. When I rode at Blair my parents missed my XC round due to them. They were coming from between Dundee and Perth, use the A9 regularly and left in (what should have been) plenty of time, but still didn't make it in time. (they've been working on that stretch of road for years!)

 

[AnShanDan]

I think you'd be better looking north of blair, rather than south. The A9 up from Perth will be slow, there is ongoing work being done and it is extra busy this year because everyone is holidaying in the UK. I went up to Forres a month ago on a Saturday mid day and it was stop start all the way from Perth to Pitlochry.
Even on a good day it can be slow getting into Blair, esp. from the south. I know the spectator numbers may be down this year but everyone I am speaking to seems to be going.
Honestly, if it was me, I'd be looking for somewhere near to park up for the 2 nights and resigning myself to waiting for a shower. I'm just back from a trip to Warwickshire for a horse event and quite a few of us survived un-showered for 48 hours

 

[gallopingby]

You definitely want to be north of Blair as the roadworks are always challenging and it can take a long time to get up the road in the morning. There are quite often accidents and can be long diversions on that stretch of the A9 Highland horse chat On FB might bring up results, could be someone who’s let you park overnight which would probably be your best option for a couple of nights. You might get a cancellation accomodation if you contacted the tourist info in Pitlochry but it would be very much last minute and you’d have to find somewhere to park.

 

[TPO]

https://www.shower-in-a-can.co.uk/ ?

 

[TPO]

Geography is not my steong point but probably about 3 yrs ago there was a diversion in place for Blair. It was the tiniest, twistiest (new word) roads and was in a 3.5t, it would have been even less fun in something bigger.

Definitely better heading north and coming down towards Blair

 

[AnShanDan]

..... about 3 yrs ago there was a diversion in place for Blair. It was the tiniest, twistiest (new word) roads and was in a 3.5t, it would have been even less fun in something bigger.

Definitely better heading north and coming down towards Blair

There was a very bad accident near Ballinluig in the morning and the A9 was shut all day into the evening. It was chaos with all the Blair traffic. That's the problem with the A9, it's a busy road and there are effectively no decent alternatives.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

I think the diversion was in place for the Europeans as there was more traffic expected and they didn't want them queuing to turn right! It went through Killiecrankie.
Keep an eye on Facebook as there are occasional passes for sale!

 

[TPO]

I think the diversion was in place for the Europeans as there was more traffic expected and they didn't want them queuing to turn right! It went through Killiecrankie.
Keep an eye on Facebook as there are occasional passes for sale!

Yeah that sounds right and I think I managed to miss a turn so ended up on an even worse road ??‍

I remember the accident you mean @AnShanDan. I was camping but other friends that headed home were caught in it for hours.

Only going doe the Saturday this year so everything crossed for a clear run there and back ?

 

[Northern Hare]

As a "Plan B", if you don't manage to find a site, there's an App called Park4Night that will help you find a quiet place to park up for the night as near as possible to Blair.

I appreciate you don't have a shower or toilet, but perhaps you could make do without a shower for your stay (with the help of baby wipes / Shower in a Bottle etc!), and campervan owners and campers often rely on a "Portapotty" which are around £70 to buy. You could pop that in your horse area, and hey presto you've got ensuite facilities! ? You would then also have it to take with you to future events.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thetford-P...07&hvtargid=pla-562385689902&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

 

[FREESTYLER]

Definitely watch the roadworks. When I rode at Blair my parents missed my XC round due to them. They were coming from between Dundee and Perth, use the A9 regularly and left in (what should have been) plenty of time, but still didn't make it in time. (they've been working on that stretch of road for years!)

thanks will take that into consideration for sure as do not want to miss anything!

 

[FREESTYLER]

I think you'd be better looking north of blair, rather than south. The A9 up from Perth will be slow, there is ongoing work being done and it is extra busy this year because everyone is holidaying in the UK. I went up to Forres a month ago on a Saturday mid day and it was stop start all the way from Perth to Pitlochry.
Even on a good day it can be slow getting into Blair, esp. from the south. I know the spectator numbers may be down this year but everyone I am speaking to seems to be going.
Honestly, if it was me, I'd be looking for somewhere near to park up for the 2 nights and resigning myself to waiting for a shower. I'm just back from a trip to Warwickshire for a horse event and quite a few of us survived un-showered for 48 hours

yup I believe a "top and tail" will suffice ...doubt anyone will be that close to me anyway lol...

 

[FREESTYLER]

You definitely want to be north of Blair as the roadworks are always challenging and it can take a long time to get up the road in the morning. There are quite often accidents and can be long diversions on that stretch of the A9 Highland horse chat On FB might bring up results, could be someone who’s let you park overnight which would probably be your best option for a couple of nights. You might get a cancellation accomodation if you contacted the tourist info in Pitlochry but it would be very much last minute and you’d have to find somewhere to park.

thank you ...think we will just be parking up somewhere...quite self sufficient and by 8/9pm we will be zzzzz lol!!!

 

[FREESTYLER]

Geography is not my steong point but probably about 3 yrs ago there was a diversion in place for Blair. It was the tiniest, twistiest (new word) roads and was in a 3.5t, it would have been even less fun in something bigger.

Definitely better heading north and coming down towards Blair

thanks will be doing this I think...thanks for info cheers

 

[FREESTYLER]

There was a very bad accident near Ballinluig in the morning and the A9 was shut all day into the evening. It was chaos with all the Blair traffic. That's the problem with the A9, it's a busy road and there are effectively no decent alternatives.

I think we will be parking up close by.....if anyone is going be good to say hi ! xx

 

[FREESTYLER]

As a "Plan B", if you don't manage to find a site, there's an App called Park4Night that will help you find a quiet place to park up for the night as near as possible to Blair.

I appreciate you don't have a shower or toilet, but perhaps you could make do without a shower for your stay (with the help of baby wipes / Shower in a Bottle etc!), and campervan owners and campers often rely on a "Portapotty" which are around £70 to buy. You could pop that in your horse area, and hey presto you've got ensuite facilities! ? You would then also have it to take with you to future events.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thetford-P...07&hvtargid=pla-562385689902&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

sounds like a plan thank you x

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Have a look on the FB at the Horse B&B and long distance routes page. They have a sticky map which has all the places you can stay with your horse but may have a yard you can just park in if you explain or even a place to stay.

 

[FREESTYLER]

thank you soooo much for all your help much appreciated and if any of you are there and see someone with red hair...be great to meet up ..say hi!!...given the fact many now do have red hair...I may have to change my colour as this was how I was recognised at events lol!!!..hope to see some of you there xx