Cultybraggan Camp
Comrie’s Second World War POW camp is a surprising source of inspiration for both locals and those who were interred there
THE prisoner of war camp at Cultybraggan near Comrie could have been one of the most secure camps in the Second World War. Who would want to escape from a completely idyllic part of Perthshire, nestling beneath the rugged Aberuchill Hills alongside the Water of Ruchill?
The camp – which is the only Second World War POW camp in Scotland available to the public – is open all year round and visitors are welcome to browse the 13.8 hectare (34 acre) site.
Highlights of the camp’s heritage tour include a recreation of prisoner accommodation, the Cultybraggan cartoon collection – 66 pictures drawn by a POW in 1944/45 – and the recently-renovated jail block which can be hired for presentations, film shows, meetings, catering and special events.
The camp is also headquarters for the local Cubs and Beavers group and provides an outdoor area for children to enjoy, giving the old rifle range a completely different use.
When you visit this camp you’re catching up with the past while embracing the future. The lines of Nissan huts which once housed up to 4500 German captives during the war are now flourishing businesses, making the camp a viable part of the Comrie community.
These include an award-winning cheese maker, artisan baker, potters, vehicle bodywork repairers and furniture restorers. Many of these sell their wares direct, or else in the shops up the road in Comrie itself.
Alastair Wood runs a bespoke woodwork business, Wild Wood Bros, with his brother Hamish.
“There is a real sense of camaraderie here,” Alistair says. “Each business helps support the other.
“I grew up in Crieff but my grandparents lived in Comrie, so Cultybraggan was always part of life for us. It is great to see it evolve, and for a new generation to recognise its past and serve its community in so many different ways at the same time.”
There are also 30 allotments which offer locals the chance to grow their own produce, as well as a community orchard which is located in the former camp assault course.
Every October, the orchard hosts an Apple Day, where the fruit is turned into delicious juice.
A visit to Cultybraggan will make a life-long impression for the better, just as it did for many of the inmates interred there during the war. Heinrich Steinmeyer, a member of Adolf Hitler’s infamous Waffen SS, was particularly impressed and said that his experience at Comrie changed his outlook on life totally. He returned to Comrie after the war and made lasting friendships there.
So much so, he donated his life savings to the village on his death in 2014 and asked for his ashes to be scattered on the hills above the camp. Part of his bequest helped establish one of Cultybraggan’s most popular attractions, the Men’s Shed where like-minded chaps can interact, teach and learn from each other.
Cultybraggan is a unique attraction that will both charm and beguile you.
“There is a real sense of camaraderie here”