A POPULAR beauty spot in Perthshire is set to benefit from a range of new facilities designed to ease pressure on locals from travelling visitors.
The improvements at Grandtully, near Pitlochry, which were unveiled on Wednesday are part of a £1.3 million investment in the area, which is popular with fans of water sports and other outdoor activities.
Some of the new facilities include 40 extra parking spaces, toilets, showers and upgraded camping options.
The improvements follow a consultation with locals who said some of their key areas of concern included parking shortages and a lack of facilities for visitors.
SNP Councillor Jack Welch, depute convener of Perth and Kinross Council’s economy and infrastructure committee, spoke highly of the new improvements to the area.
He said: “It’s a great example of how we can manage increased visitor numbers while protecting and preserving the character of rural areas like Grandtully.”
The completed work marks phase two of a three-part project at Grandtully with the final stage including an education centre which will focus on water safety and outdoor skills training.
This stage was made possible through a £375,000 award from the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF).
Perth and Kinross Council collaborated with Paddle Scotland, formerly known as the Scottish Canoe Association, and 12 other funding partners for the project.
Grandtully is a popular spot for a host of outdoor activities such as canoeing, kayaking, white water rafting, abseiling, gorge walking, canyoning and mountain biking.
Stephen Leckie, chairman of VisitScotland, said the new facilities will helpfully encourage more people to explore the area.
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.”
