Tucked away on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, Killiecrankie is a village steeped in history and surrounded by some of Scotland’s most breathtaking natural beauty. It’s also home to Killiecrankie House, the award-winning destination restaurant and guesthouse co-owned by Matilda Tsappis, Head Wine and Sake Sommelier, and her husband Tom. In this edition of My Town, Matilda shares her favourite local spots, what drew her to this slice of Highland paradise, and why she thinks this tiny village in the heart of Scotland offers something truly extraordinary.
Killiecrankie House
1. Tell us about the area that you live in and why you chose to make it your home.
I live just on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park in Highland Perthshire, in a tiny but historic village called Killiecrankie. It’s positioned right at the centre of Scotland and is an area bursting with wildlife, lochs and rivers, rolling hills and ‘munros’, and plenty of lush greenery. It’s all rather idyllic. As soon as we set our eyes on it, we knew this was a special spot.
2. Where are your favourite places to eat and shop?
If we’re in Pitlochry, we’ll pop into Explore Chocolate for a treat and then wander a few doors down to Foot of the Mountain Records and pick up a vinyl to add to our collection. The Aran Bakery in Dunkeld is always worth a pitstop, and while we’re there, we’ll pick up a bottle from Redwood Wines and take a look around Lon Store, where I’ll immediately want to buy one of everything. We enjoy a Sunday roast at the Inn at Loch Tummel with the most breathtaking views. On Saturdays in the summer, if we’ve got a rare day off, we’ll head down to Wasted Degrees brewery for a pizza and a pint. And of course the Michelin-starred Glenturret Lalique and Andrew Fairlies at Gleneagles are always worth the splurge.
3. How would you spend a perfect day in your town/city?
On a sunny day, there’s nothing better than sitting in our kitchen garden enjoying a leisurely BBQ that lasts all day. We also love having a walk at the Hermitage, followed by a slap-up lunch at the Taybank in Dunkeld.
4. What is your favourite thing about your town/city?
It feels a lot more remote than it is; when you’re here, you feel a million miles away from any hustle and bustle, but really you’re only an hour and a half from Edinburgh (which is how long it used to take me on my daily commute when I lived in London!). It’s incredibly peaceful and calming.
Killiecrankie House
5. Any other local insider secrets we should know about?
There’s a great coffee roastery called Glen Lyon Roasters in Aberfeldy. You can pop in for a coffee there, but also a lot of the local cafes and restaurants, including our own, buy their beans, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for that as they make delicious coffee!
About Mathilda
Matilda Tsappis is Co-owner and Head Wine & Sake Sommelier at Killiecrankie House, Perthshire. Having grown up between Scotland and Japan, Matilda was exposed to incredible food from a young age – whether that be produce of the former or the high-quality food culture of the latter – and her interest in viniculture stems from her father, an early pioneer of wine in China. Last year Matilda was admitted to the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers, a mark of distinction within the wine and hospitality industry. After completing her degree in History at Oxford, Matilda moved to Japan which is where she met Tom, her husband and co-owner of Killiecrankie House. Together, Matilda and Tom shared a keen interest in food, exploring the culinary landscape of Japan and beyond. Following a three month coast-to-coast trip to America, Matilda and Tom returned to London where they continued to pursue their respective careers, all while running a supper club from their flat on weekends. The couple took a leap of faith to pursue the culinary world full time by returning to Scotland – the place of Matilda’s upbringing – at Killiecrankie House, operating as a country hotel since 1939. @matildatsappis
Tucked away on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, Killiecrankie is a village steeped in history and surrounded by some of Scotland’s most breathtaking natural beauty. It’s also home to Killiecrankie House, the award-winning destination restaurant and guesthouse co-owned by Matilda Tsappis, Head Wine and Sake Sommelier, and her husband Tom. In this edition of My Town, Matilda shares her favourite local spots, what drew her to this slice of Highland paradise, and why she thinks this tiny village in the heart of Scotland offers something truly extraordinary.
1. Tell us about the area that you live in and why you chose to make it your home.
I live just on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park in Highland Perthshire, in a tiny but historic village called Killiecrankie. It’s positioned right at the centre of Scotland and is an area bursting with wildlife, lochs and rivers, rolling hills and ‘munros’, and plenty of lush greenery. It’s all rather idyllic. As soon as we set our eyes on it, we knew this was a special spot.
2. Where are your favourite places to eat and shop?
If we’re in Pitlochry, we’ll pop into Explore Chocolate for a treat and then wander a few doors down to Foot of the Mountain Records and pick up a vinyl to add to our collection. The Aran Bakery in Dunkeld is always worth a pitstop, and while we’re there, we’ll pick up a bottle from Redwood Wines and take a look around Lon Store, where I’ll immediately want to buy one of everything. We enjoy a Sunday roast at the Inn at Loch Tummel with the most breathtaking views. On Saturdays in the summer, if we’ve got a rare day off, we’ll head down to Wasted Degrees brewery for a pizza and a pint. And of course the Michelin-starred Glenturret Lalique and Andrew Fairlies at Gleneagles are always worth the splurge.
3. How would you spend a perfect day in your town/city?
On a sunny day, there’s nothing better than sitting in our kitchen garden enjoying a leisurely BBQ that lasts all day. We also love having a walk at the Hermitage, followed by a slap-up lunch at the Taybank in Dunkeld.
4. What is your favourite thing about your town/city?
It feels a lot more remote than it is; when you’re here, you feel a million miles away from any hustle and bustle, but really you’re only an hour and a half from Edinburgh (which is how long it used to take me on my daily commute when I lived in London!). It’s incredibly peaceful and calming.
5. Any other local insider secrets we should know about?
There’s a great coffee roastery called Glen Lyon Roasters in Aberfeldy. You can pop in for a coffee there, but also a lot of the local cafes and restaurants, including our own, buy their beans, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for that as they make delicious coffee!
About Mathilda
Matilda Tsappis is Co-owner and Head Wine & Sake Sommelier at Killiecrankie House, Perthshire. Having grown up between Scotland and Japan, Matilda was exposed to incredible food from a young age – whether that be produce of the former or the high-quality food culture of the latter – and her interest in viniculture stems from her father, an early pioneer of wine in China. Last year Matilda was admitted to the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers, a mark of distinction within the wine and hospitality industry. After completing her degree in History at Oxford, Matilda moved to Japan which is where she met Tom, her husband and co-owner of Killiecrankie House. Together, Matilda and Tom shared a keen interest in food, exploring the culinary landscape of Japan and beyond. Following a three month coast-to-coast trip to America, Matilda and Tom returned to London where they continued to pursue their respective careers, all while running a supper club from their flat on weekends. The couple took a leap of faith to pursue the culinary world full time by returning to Scotland – the place of Matilda’s upbringing – at Killiecrankie House, operating as a country hotel since 1939. @matildatsappis
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