DJI Mini 3 Pro visits Dunalastair House Tummel Bridge Scotland

Flying at Dunalastair House was months in the planning that then led to years (lockdown) anyway finally got a chance to fly at one of my Bucket List locations. In a  channel first the music track has been scored completely by AI. I asked for an Exciting, Tense, Cinematic track. Listen for yourself and let me know what you think

https://www.dunalastair.com/History-of-Dunalastair-Estate

Dunalastair is a large ruined baronial mansion dating to the mid 19th century and occupying a prominent site (if now overgrown) overlooking the eastern end of Loch Rannoch, where the River Tummel leaves it. The site is actually a promontory site, and footpaths lead to it from the main road past the burial ground of the Robertson Clan. It is not signposted and is fenced off for safety reasons since the building is definitely in a dangerous condition. I have been advised by the estate to highlight that vehicular access from the B846 road is not permitted as the track is privately owned.

The house was built to a design by Andrew Heiton and son (clearly influenced by his time with the better known Burn and Bryce, who he worked for between 1842 and 1848) and is dated 1852. It consists of a large baronial mansion with a central round tower containing the main entrance door, and wings extending to the rear enclosing a central courtyard. It was occupied until 1952 and then abandoned; the owner is reported to have said that he would like to see the building restored, although this is going to be difficult to achieve since he is also reported as not wanting to see parts of the estate subject to adverse development (ie not able to be converted to flats or a hotel) and would probably want to limit the amount of land to be sold with the house. The majority of the roof has collapsed and the first floor joists are in a perilous condition as well – with the rest of the roof looking distinctly dubious, I am inclined to think the building will be a shell fairly soon.

Dunalastair House was built for General Sir John Macdonald of Dalchosnie, who purchased the estate from George Robertson, the chief of the Robertsons in 1853. He ordered the demolition of the previous house, Mount Alexander, which stood on or nearby the site of Dunalastair. Alastair Macdonald, his son, sold Dunalastair in 1881, and it was sold again in 1891 to the great grandfather of the present owner. After World War I there were insufficient staff available to run the house and estate, and it was requisitioned in World War II to be used as a school for Polish children. In the mid fifties it was abandoned, and the lead from the roof was stolen in the sixties, leaving the interiors exposed – the reason for the decay of the building to its current condition.

The previous house, Mount Alexander, was a large square tower in crenellated style with a central projecting bay, a turret accessing the roof, and small wings to either side.