Kirkmichael

Kirkmichael is a village located in Strathardle, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is 13 miles (21 kilometres) north-northwest of Blairgowrie and 12 miles (19 kilometres) east-northeast of Pitlochry on the A924 Bridge of Cally to Pitlochry road, and is linked to the A93 Perth to Aberdeen road by the B950. The village is centred around Kirkmichael Bridge over the River Ardle. The name Kirkmichael means church of (Saint) Michael; the Gaelic name is Cill Mhìcheil. The village dates back over a thousand years and was at one time an important market in the cattle trade between the Highlands and Lowlands with various drove roads converging on the village. The holding pens were on the rough ground known as the Market Moor near Whitefield and the market itself was on the grass area of Williamston, once common ground but now privately owned. Money traditionally had to be exchanged over running water and this was done at the nearby Sillerburn. The area became popular as a holiday resort following Queen Victoria's building of Balmoral Castle in nearby Deeside and many of the local shooting lodges, or "big houses" as they are known, were built at that time. Traditionally they were occupied for "the season" of August and September, which included the all-important Glorious Twelfth, when grouse shooting started.