Your safety and that of our staff are the key concern this season, followed closely by our attention to service, so your visit to Blair Castle and Blair Castle Gardens is as enjoyable and relaxing as possible.
Please do check with everyone in your party before you leave home that no one is aware of experiencing Covid19 symptoms (HTTPS://WWW.NHS.UK/CONDITIONS/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19/SYMPTOMS/). If someone is then in everyone’s best interests, please stay at home. If anyone in your party shows any symptoms of Covid-19 while you are visiting the gardens, you should advise us immediately by calling 01796 481207 whereupon further guidance will be issued.
Attention to cleanliness and hygiene is central to our Covid19 security at Blair Castle. For guests intending to visit the castle as well as the gardens, please note the joint ticket must be purchased on-line in advance of arrival so you can book into a guide led tour. For those just visiting the gardens, you can also purchase your ticket on-line or on arrival at the ticketing office but please be aware that payment is by card only. We will not be able to accept cash payment here or at any other sales point around the venue.
There will be hand sanitiser stations at the car park and at all key entry points around the venue. All touch points will be disinfected every two hours and wherever possible, doors and gates will be left open.
Our guide led tours of the castle are socially distanced with a capacity of 12 visitors but under Government regulations effective from Monday 14th September, there can be no groups on the tours large than six people and from no more than two families. The castle guide led tour will start with an introduction outside to welcome and advise how our visitors should respect each other within the venue to maintain safety and enjoyment of the experience. Visitors to our guide led tours will be asked to wear face masks while inside the venue so please do arrive prepared. The castle exhibition rooms are large and spacious so with groups no more than 12, social distancing will be comfortably straight forward however the guide will be in charge of the group to ensure everyone is well informed and maintaining that policy.
The ‘Rule of 6’ applies to groups entering the castle. gardens as well.The gardens are spacious with wide paths and long lines of sight so we have decided not to restrict your access via one way systems outside.
Children’s playground facilities are open but strictly with parental or guardian supervision. Each play area has a hand sanitiser within it and parents or guardians are asked to ensure children disinfect their hands before and after they use the equipment. We also ask that only one family use each item of play at a time.
Toilet facilities are available. We will control access so only one person or family has access at a time and there will be disinfectant available to apply to touch points before and after use. We will clean and disinfect the toilets every two hours and disinfect touch points hourly.
All visitors will be given access to the castle’s spacious ballroom where we have located our gift shop this season. Accordingly, you will be able to experience this very special building, commissioned by the 7th Duke and designed by David Bryce for the Atholl Highlanders in the late nineteenth century, while enjoying our retail experience in a very safe space.
The castle’s restaurant is open but for take-away service only, including a wide range of savoury and sweet snacks and delicious drinks, all of which can be enjoyed on the many grass banks surrounding the castle or on picnic tables in the grounds. We will disinfect the tables every two hours but you are advised to bring your own disinfectant if you wish to clean the tables before and after use. Please note the packaging from the restaurant is all recyclable and we have located a large recycle waste bin in the car park to provide for the additional refuse load resulting from the take-away service.
Please note, while inside any of our venue buildings, you will be asked to wear a mask in accordance with current Government guidelines.
The gardens and grounds do extend across a large area so we have kept our benches out and available for use, to rest and enjoy the views. The benches will be disinfected every two hours but again, if you would like to clean where you are sitting before and after use, please do bring your own disinfectant.
Finally, and we mean this most sincerely, please enjoy your visit and relax!