Pitkeathly Wells

Pitkeathly Wells is a hamlet near Bridge of Earn, in the Perth and Kinross area, just north of the Ochil Hills. Back in the 19^th Century, Pitkeathly Wells had become a popular spa for which many healing properties were claimed, as Victorian visitors flocked to the area to take the waters drawn from these wells. The spa was originally established during the 1780’s, when water from the Dunbarney Well was used, but this in turn was fed by 4 other wells in that same area in and around Pitkeathly (East Well, West Well, Spout Well and South Park Well), and then this location grew in popularity over the next hundred or so years.

Back in 1848, the nearby Bridge of Earn railway station (on the Perth to Glenfarg/Kinross line, or the Perth to Newburgh and Kirkaldy line) was operational for passengers (and in 1892 they built a new station just to the west of the original junction), which was run by NBR (North British Railway), and then as a result an abundance of hotels, guest houses, tearooms, and even tennis courts sprang up around these wells and the railway station. In fact, the water from these wells became so popular that by 1876 it was being bottled and sent all across Britain (to be sold as mineral water by chemists).. Then in 1910 the soft drinks giant Schweppes took over the ‘Pitkeathly mineral springs’, and subsequently bottled the water in a plant at that location. Then sadly, a devastating fire at this plant in 1927 ended the bottling operation. The mineral spa suffered a decline in visitors, there was a World War, and eventually the spa closed down in 1949, while Bridge of Earn railway station finally closed down for passengers on 15^th June 1964, and then a year later for goods, with the Perth to Glenfarg railway line/route closing down altogether by 1970 (as part of the infamous Beeching Report from 1963.).. That all being said, the reality is that the now almost forgotten Pitkeathly Wells Health Spa was a popular attraction here in Perthshire for around 175 years! (from the 1780's till 1949)

Schweppes, and that rush of Schweppervescence..

Schweppes was formed in 1783, initially selling soda water, who then re-located to Bristol in the UK, to go on and become a global company selling soft drinks/carbonated mineral waters (they received their British royal warrant in 1836).. Schweppes was the official drink of the 1851 Great Exhibition held at the Crystal Palace in London.. After soda water, Schweppes products would then include Ginger Ale (from 1870), Tonic Water (‘the first carbonated tonic’ – from 1871) and Bitter Lemon (from 1957).. so although they may be more famous today for that Gin & Tonic combo, it was their ginger ale (a great mixer with scotch by the way) that came first! 😉

It was from 1910 till 1927 that Schweppes bottled their mineral water from their plant at Pitkeathly Wells near Bridge of Earn and Perth.

The term "Schweppervescence" was first used by Schweppes on banners advertising the brand during the VE Day celebrations in London on 8^th June 1946, a year after WW2 and the end of hostilities in Europe, but this parade also served as a reminder that the war in the Pacific against Japan was actually still ongoing (Japan had surrendered to the Allied Powers on 2^nd September 1945, but some Japanese Troops across Asia had continued fighting; some even held out in places like Indonesia, Guam, Dutch East Indies, and The Philippines till the 1970’s!?).. As for the art or that rush of "Schweppervescence", the fizzy phonetics of the founder’s name is the base of several internationally successful ad campaigns; “All the best siphons say Sss…ch…weppe…ss.“ (was from 1931), while in addition to those aforementioned banners in 1946, they also used the phrase “Schweppervescence lasts the whole drink through” during their advertising campaigns in the 1950's.

In 1969, the Schweppes Company merged with Cadbury to become Cadbury Schweppes.. it was then later acquired by the Coca-Cola company.

Pitkeathly Wells is on the route of some of our bike tours that depart from Perth.

All photos by HBT - Pitkeathly Wells, banner image at top of page; view during cycle from Pitkeathly Wells to Dron/the M90 in Perthshire, Schweppes adverts from Schweppes