The town of Pitlochry, in the highlands of Perth and Kinross, boasts dramatic scenery, and an equally dramatic past. The nearby village of Killiecrankie was the scene of a battle in 1689, where government forces were overwhelmed in a matter of minutes by an army of highlanders. This was a significant moment in the Jacobite Rising, but is better remembered for a historic jump. It is said that Donald MacBean, a government soldier, fled the advancing army on horseback and horse and rider leapt over 5 metres across a rocky gorge where the River Garry crashed in the depths. It was a courageous and death defying feat if it really happened, and you can pull off an equally epic stunt, a bungee jump, within sight of the so-called Soldier’s Leap. Of course, bungee jumping is more about height than length. The jumper ascends to an elevated position above a clear drop, is fastened to a highly elastic bungee cord, and jumps off.

Where to do bungee jumping in Pitlochry?

The venue in the Pitlochry area is one of the most unique in the country, allowing you to experience the thrill of freefall in the stunning surroundings of the Killiecrankie Pass. The platform itself is a disused railway viaduct which has been converted into a facility that can support various kinds of acrobatics, all located 40 metres above the waters of the River Garry. It’s further away than crane-based experiences in city centres around the country, but it’s well worth the journey and the money.

Kinds of jumps

- Individual jump: It’s one thing to stand on the banks above the River Garry and admire this lively river as it tumbles down from the highlands to the sea. It’s something quite different to stand on a viaduct with the water 40 metres below your feet and jump! But that’s the prospect which is on offer here. Luckily, you’ll have a bungee cord attached to waist and ankle harnesses, which will be calibrated to your weight to allow you to complete a beautiful swan dive, accelerating into freefall before being slowed by the elastic. The bouncing around that follows is not quite as elegant, but by that time your body will be full of adrenaline and endorphins, and you’ll want to go back and do it all over again. You'll be happy to know that you can do exactly that, if you buy a multi-jump package.

- Tandem jump: Completing this experience isn’t for everyone, but if you need just a little more encouragement to persuade you to have a go, a tandem jump might be the thing for you. This modality means sharing the experience with someone else. You’ll be fastened together, face to face, to the same bungee cord, and psyche each other up to take the leap of 40 metres from the viaduct. One thing to bear in mind is that, although you’ll have someone to hold your hand, there’ll also be more weight on the cord, and that means more momentum and more speed!

- The Highland Swing: This is a truly innovative aerial adventure that’s been dreamed up by the fanatics of this sport in Pitlochry with the aim of taking you through the beautiful landscape in a way that a bungee jump can’t. Strapped into a full body harness, you’ll be released on one side of the viaduct jump platform, drop like a stone for about 15 metres, then enter a wide, swinging arc through the arch of the bridge. You’ll reach almost the height from which you were released, before swinging back under the bridge, and back again, until you come to a stop when your jump master will winch you back to the top.

How to make the experience extra special?

As we’ve mentioned above, you can organise a session that includes more than one jump. When you consider that the sensation of freefall which one jump gives you only lasts a couple of seconds, it makes sense to take advantage of your time here to get the most adrenaline out of it.

But that’s not the only upgrade you can make to your experience. Even though the endorphin hit can’t last a lifetime, if you choose a package with photos and videos included, the memories can. Your stunt will be captured on camera, featuring you in the role of the main character of an action movie, and the highland landscape of the Pitlochry area as the backdrop.

Finally, there’s the opportunity here to up the ante and turn your jump into a once in a lifetime thrill that’s not available at any other location in the country. We’re talking about a night time jump. If this activity isn’t for people who are afraid of heights, then doing it at night also rules out those with a fear of the dark. Only the bravest complete this kind of feat - will you be one of them?

Requirements to do this activity

This is an intense experience, which involves overriding your survival instincts and experiencing some strong forces as gravity pulls you down and the bungee drags you back up. For these reasons, it’s reserved for people over 14 years of age. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t bring the kids for an exciting experience here, because the Highland Swing, which doesn’t involve such strong forces, is suitable for everyone over 10 years old.

The activity provider team needs to know your weight when they prepare your jump, so that they can use the right kind of bungee cord and make sure that it stops you in just the right place. There are some limits on the effectiveness of the equipment, so you need to weigh between 6.2 and 18.9 stone, that’s 40 and 120 kilograms, to complete the Highland Swing, and less than 22.8 stone, or 145 kilograms, to do the traditional adventure.

Feel your heart in your mouth above the torrid waters of the River Garry here, and take away a memory that will last a lifetime.