Blair Castle – Playgrounds in the Woods, Deer and the Dog
A day.
The route
Blair Castle stands white against the woods at Blair Atholl, and its grounds make a whole day out for a family with a dog.
There are adventure playgrounds hidden among some of the tallest trees in the country, red deer to watch, a ruined kirk to find and a walled garden with ducks and geese on its ponds. The castle rooms are for another day, but the dog is welcome everywhere outside on a lead.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Milton of Kincraigie in Blair Atholl, a mile away. Sleeps 4.
Book the Gardens Only ticket online before you go: it is cheaper than the ticket office, which takes cards only.
The day
Blair Atholl
A long play in the woods, the deer at feeding time and a wander round the walled garden, with lunch at the picnic tables so the dog can stay with you.
About five hours
Blair Castle
An attraction
Blair Castle & Gardens is up the castle drive in Blair Atholl, with free parking 100 metres from the castle. It opens every day from 1 April to 30 October, 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 3.45pm. For a day with the dog, take the Gardens Only ticket. Online it's £10 an adult, £6.75 a child aged 5 to 16 and £33 for two adults and up to three children at the time of writing, a little more at the ticket office, which takes cards only. Only assistance dogs may go inside the castle, but in the gardens and grounds dogs are welcome on a short lead. The adventure playgrounds are hidden in Diana's Grove, two acres of tall trees beside the castle. The under-5s have a space of their own, and the 6 to 16s have an assault course among the trees and a wooden castle fort. Look for red squirrels in the treetops, and cross the Banvie Burn (a stream) to the ruined St Bride's Kirk. At weekends the red deer are fed at 12.30pm and 2.30pm in the deer park near the Banvie Hall; ring ahead, as the times can change. Pick up a free Garden Explorers sheet at the ticket office for the nine-acre Hercules Garden, with its sculptures, ponds and ducks and geese on their little islands. Keep a close eye on children by the burn and the ponds. Lunch is outdoors, so the dog stays with you. Dogs can't go inside the Tullibardine Restaurant, but it packs its soups, sandwiches and hot dishes, served from 11am to 3pm, to take out to the picnic tables. The Cannon, a cabin on the lawn between the car park and Diana's Grove, sells hot drinks, home baking and ice cream every day, weather permitting, by card only. Or bring a picnic for the benches on the castle green. The restaurant has high chairs and baby changing, and it's shut on Saturday 24 October 2026 for an event. The paths have mixed surfaces and some slopes, and this is a working estate with livestock on the trails, so keep the dog close on the walks.
If it rains
This is a day out of doors. In heavy rain the castle rooms are the dry answer, but only assistance dogs may go in, so with a dog keep the day short: the playground's picnic area in Diana's Grove is sheltered, and the Cannon sells hot drinks.
Blair Atholl Watermill, bakery in a watermill.
