It was in
1787 that Robert Burns penned his famous invitation to ‘Come let us spend the
lichtsome days in the Birks of Aberfeldie’. Accept
the offer of Scotland’s National Poet and you too will experience at first hand the
unspoiled character and charm of this spectacular part of Perthshire.
And
that’s not all! Combine this with the
thriving but gentle pace of Aberfeldy and its surrounding communities – its
historic castle, a watermill, its distillery, a reconstructed 2,500 year old crannog – and at every turn, the
glorious landscapes of Highland Perthshire.
For lovers of traditional fayre, Aberfeldy Distillery has been in production since the 1840s and offers tours by arrangement. Aberfeldy Water Mill is now a beautifully restored art gallery, book shop and coffee shop.
Every visitor
to Aberfeldy should walk over the famous bridge, which provided the vital crossing of the
River Tay for General Wade’s network of military roads – Wade’s Bridge.
Nearby you
will also find the Black Watch memorial commemorating the raising of the world-renowned
regiment. Having soaked up the history of
this area take a walk into the centre of bustling Aberfeldy where you will find an
excellent range of retail outlets; here
traditional service prevails and local craft products adorn shop fronts. Browse and pick up that special souvenir.
Take an
afternoon to enjoy family favourites on Aberfeldy’s putting green and in the
town’s Victorian Park. Just outside
Aberfeldy close to Weem lies historic Castle Menzies waiting to welcome you. Two gardens are open to the public; one nearby at
Bolfracks, noted for its flowering bulbs and stream garden, and another at Cluny House
which is one of Scotland’s best woodland gardens.
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The district
around Aberfeldy is rich in natural heritage and folklore, typified by the picturesque
thatched cottages of Fortingall. Look out for
the yew tree in the churchyard. Here you will
be looking at what is believed to be Europe’s oldest living thing, at some 3000 years
old.
If you find yourself in Fortingall you will also be at the mouth of
Glen Lyon. The longest enclosed glen in Scotland stretching 34 miles in length. Some of Perthshire’s finest scenes can be
captured there. Once a populous community
there are now only a few folks still living in the Glen that becomes more uninhabited as
it runs west towards Loch Lyon.
At Bridge of
Balgie stands mighty Ben Lawers, Perthshire’s highest and most fascinating mountain
at 3984 feet tall. The National Trust for
Scotland now protects the mountain which is home to possibly the finest selection of alpine flowers.
If you are feeling adventurous set out for the summit but remember to prepare with
proper clothing and footwear. You
needn’t feel you have to climb to the summit to find out more; instead spend some
time at the visitor centre and nature trail at the base of Ben Lawers.
The
magnificence of Ben Lawers does not stand alone. It overlooks a magnificent stretch of water and
Perthshire’s largest loch, Loch Tay, some 14 miles long. Today it is hard to believe that ancient settlers
one lived on Loch Tay, on their very own manmade islands or crannogs. The remains of 18 such islands are still preserved
on the loch. Your imagination is brought to
life at the Scottish Crannog Centre, a wonderfully reconstructed crannog built on the
loch, which paints a fascinating picture of early Iron Age life. At the eastern edge of Loch Tay lies the pretty whitewashed conservation village of Kenmore where you can enjoy unrivalled views of Loch Tay. Wonderful walks are plentiful, ranging from the cascading waterfalls at the Birks of Aberfeldy, forest walks at Weem and Drummond Hill, to serious high level walking around Glen Lyon and the hills of Breadalbane. The House of Menzies near Weem or the Courtyard in Kenmore offer excellent food for a relaxing lunch.
Angling
around Aberfeldy is renowned as is golf. Golfers
can choose from challenging 18 holes around Taymouth Castle, the 18 hole layout at Aberfeldy or the attractive 9 hole courses at Kenmore and Strathtay. High adrenaline activities are not far away
however, and two centres on Loch Tay offer a wide selection of water sports including
canoeing, river rafting and windsurfing. |
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