Last year I finally did something I’d promised myself I’d do for years – visit the outdoor sound and light spectacular The Enchanted Forest.
My only regret is wishing I’d visited sooner because it was wonderful, an outdoor experience that let me see and enjoy the beauty of Highland Perthshire in a whole new light.
I’m already booked up for this year’s event, which takes the theme Cosmos.
And, as the show’s creative producer Zoe Squair revealed, it seems I’m not the only one making a return visit.
“More than 80,000 people visit Highland Perthshire to enjoy the experience and we know almost all our customers travel quite a long way to come and see us and we’re so thankful they do.
“We have lots of loyal visitors who come year after year, and that’s what drives us as we want to find new ways to show off what we have here while giving people an amazing experience.
“As a first-time visitor you get a sense of wonderment, while return visitors should always get a new experience.
“In 2017 the show focused on water; then last year we looked back to the forest with a show centred around woodlands.
“This year we’ve taken the opportunity to ground ourselves within our beautiful forest and get people to look up through the canopy of the trees and beyond.
“In life, we can find ourselves looking down far more than we ever look up.”
Billed as a sound and light spectacular, the event is also a feast for the senses, which are heightened as you walk through Faskally Woods, which hugs Loch Dunmore.
Trees, plants and rocks take on a whole new look thanks to spectacular, creative lighting, and everywhere you look there’s something fascinating to see.
In several areas, viewing platforms are created to allow visitors to stop and enjoy light and sound shows lasting several minutes.
“We try not to repeat ourselves too much and work with different collaborative artists,” said Zoe.
“A lot of the lighting we put in and around the forest is tailored to match what it is we’re doing across the site, so the background palettes will be different each year, while the artists all bring something quite different.”
Without giving too much away, Zoe revealed that with at least one installation, visitors will be able to put their head in the stars, while the loch will once again be the focus of some amazing scenes.
Visitors follow a winding trail past the mysterious loch before delving deeper into the woods to explore the sight, sounds and scents of the cosmos.
“My best advice is to wrap up warmly, wear suitable footwear and enjoy seeing this beautiful part of Scotland in a different way.”
This year, The Enchanted Forest has partnered with Blair Atholl Distillery to make life easier for visitors with disabilities by introducing a new accessibility bus, which may suit customers who have specific access needs but don’t need disabled parking on site.
Older visitors and families travelling with autistic children may also use the new service.
This year’s event takes place from Thursday October 3 until Sunday November 3.
Tickets are on sale now and buying in advance is recommended.
It takes place in Forestry Commission Scotland’s Faskally Wood near Pitlochry.
Within the forest there’s a range of high-end food and drinks stalls and magical on-site entertainers.
Everyone attending is transported there and back via shuttle buses which leave directly from New Fishers Hotel on Atholl Road in Pitlochry.
Contact: www.enchantedforest.org.uk
