On 13 March 2008, it was announced that Blair Atholl (together with some other Highland Perthshire villages) would be included in the Cairngorms National Park.

His distant cousin the 11th Duke, John Murray (1929–2012), lived in South Africa, and visited annually to review the Atholl Highlanders.

The oldest part of Blair Castle, known as Comyn's (or Cumming's) Tower, a small tower-house with immensely thick walls, is claimed (perhaps dubiously) to date from as early as the 13th century.

A medieval appearance becoming fashionable again during the 19th century, the Castle, which had become known as Atholl House, was raised in height and adorned with battlements once more.

The collections of furniture, paintings, historical relics, weapons, embroidery, china, Highland artefacts and hunting trophies preserved in the Castle are among the finest in Scotland, as is the plasterwork and other décor of the principal rooms.

Notable among the features are Diana's Grove and the Hercules Garden, both laid out in the first half of the 18th century, and rare examples of their period.

Also within the Castle grounds is the hamlet and former parish church of Old Blair (NN 867 666), the original focus of settlement in the area before the present village, which was laid out from the first half of the 19th century.

The arrival of the railway linking Perth with Inverness in 1863[4] and the building of the main A9 North Road encouraged the growth of the village, though the A9 has bypassed it since the 1980s.

Blair Atholl Airfield (owned by Lude House)[6] is located to the east of the village, on the northern side of the B8079.

Scotland's largest regular Scout Camp is usually attended by around 1,200 participants, half Scottish Scouts, and half Internationals, from countries including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, Malawi, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.

In recognition of Kennedy's outstanding services, Eleanor Lyall, the Chief Commissioner for Scotland, presented him with the Silver Wolf, the highest award in adult Scouting.