Get explo-ring!

The award-winning ‘hop on, hop off’ Ring of Breadalbane Explorer bus is returning for the 2014 season, with routes commencing on the 1st June, running every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday until 19th October 2014, and extending its timetable to include Saturdays during July and August.

The Explorer service, the promotion of which has received funding through the VisitScotland Growth Fund, takes passengers through the stunning highland scenery of Breadalbane, passing through beautiful towns and villages and stopping at key visitor attractions along the route.

The service is also highly popular with local residents having a day out or as a public transport service. Known widely as “Rob Roy” country, the Breadalbane area is actively promoted by the Breadalbane Tourism Co-operative who developed the Ring of Breadalbane Explorer service and have won a Scottish Thistle Award for their innovative approach to opening up the area to visitors.

The service connects the towns and villages of Crieff, Comrie, St Fillans, Lochearnhead, Killin, Kenmore, Acharn and Aberfeldy on a circular route, providing easy access to the area’s top tourist attractions including Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre, Dewar’s World of Whisky, the Birks Cinema, the Scottish Crannog Centre and Highland Safaris.

Running both clockwise and anti-clockwise four-times daily to a scheduled timetable, the bus offers visitors and residents the means to have a perfect day out in Breadalbane, accommodating space for bikes, buggies and well behaved dogs at no extra cost. With their 8-bike trailers and passing by many popular walk locations, the Explorer opens up the area to linear walks and cycle routes which otherwise can only be undertaken using two cars.

With major events such as the 2014 Ryder Cup literally taking place on their doorstep later this year, organisers expect there will be a rise in demand for the service as more visitors than ever are expected to flock to the area.

Thomas McGonigle of the Breadalbane Tourism Co-operative commented: “We are delighted that the third season of the Ring of Breadalbane Explorer is underway, opening up this beautiful area of the Highlands for a fantastic day out which doesn’t involve driving. With such an enormous number of activities to get involved in from each bus stop, visitors will definitely see the best that Breadalbane has to offer.”

Mairi Bell from Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, which the route passes through, said: “The Ring of Breadalbane Explorer is a great example of businesses in the local community coming together to provide an excellent service that showcases the local area and improves access for all.

“Any service that opens up Scotland’s beautiful countryside to more visitors is to be applauded and, in the Park, we have some stunning scenery to show off, particularly in the Killin and Lochearnhead areas where the Explorer bus stops. We’re delighted to see it return for a third season and look forward to working with the Breadalbane Tourism Co-operative to make sure it continues to be a success.”

The 2014 Explorer service is funded by: Transport Scotland Bus Investment Fund, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Perth & Kinross Council, Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership (tactran) and the Breadalbane Tourism Co-operative.

The Co-operative is further enhancing the visitor experience this year by launching The Rings of Breadalbane, complementing the Explorer bus service with a number of walking, cycling, golfing and angling circular routes to guide visitors through the stunning highland scenery of Breadalbane.

The project has secured funding from VisitScotland’s Growth Fund to assist with its promotion. For more information visit www.breadalbane.org, join us on Facebook www.facebook.com/seeBreadalbane or follow us on Twitter @seeBreadalbane