Tour The Unspoiled Charm Of Aberfeldy

Tour Aberfeldy on the best Scottish Tours. Welcome to my Aberfeldy web site, I hope you enjoy your stay. All the links on the left-hand side of the page will lead you to my pages on Clans, Culture, History, Poetry, People, Cookery, Scottish Travel tips and my own Small Group Tours of my native homeland. All the links on the right will lead you to my pages on Aberfeldy, beautiful Perthshire, and all of bonny and historic Scotland.

In 1787 Robert Burns penned his famous invitation to " Come let us spend the lichtsome days in the Birks of Aberfeldie." Visit Aberfeldy and experience the beauty of this area.

The Birks of Aberfeldy, a wooded den surrounding the Falls of Moness, has been maintained as a scenic walk for almost 200 years, first by the Moness Estate, and now by local government. It was visited by Robert Burns on August 30th, 1787, inspring him to write the " The Birks of Aberfeldy " describing the beauty of the area.

There is a long tradition of illicit distilling in the Aberfeldy area, but the present legal distillery was established on its present site in 1898, and lies just to the east of Aberfeldy overlooking the River Tay.

And that's not all ! Combine the charm of the area with the thriving but gentle pace of Aberfeldy and its surrounding area, its historic castle, mill, distillery, the nearby 2,500 year old crannog which paints a fascinating picture of early Iron Age life, and, at every turn, the glorious landscape of Highland Perthshire.

It is at nearby Kenmore where you can enjoy unrivalled views of Loch Tay. The location of Kenmore, the point at which the river leaves the loch, has always been of importance as a ferry crossing. The ferry was known as the Cobil Croft (Boat Croft), operated by a boatman who also kept a small plot of land to make ends meet. Kenmore Church was built in 1759 and the village as it appears today was laid out in the 18th century by the 3rd Earl of Breadalbane.

One of the main entrances to Taymouth Castle estate, the West Gateway, was built in 1857 and leads directly off the Kenmore village square. The Estate dates back thousands of years, while the castle was originally built in the 1500's and demlolished in 1806 to make way for the present structure. The grounds were landscaped throughout the ages. The Taymouth Castle Golf Course was designed by the famous James Braid and laid out throughout the parkland. The second course in the area, Kenmore Golf Course, was opened in 1992 on converted farmland by the banks of the silvery Tay. The mildly undulating fields, the natural mounds with mature Scots Pine and the ditch and dyke boundaries allow the layout to follow and utilise the natural features.

The Scottish Crannog Centre is situated at Croft-na-Caber just south of Kenmore. Crannogs are artificially created or modified islands, the earliest of which dates back some 5,000 years. Crannogs provided safe havens from wild animals and human enemies, whilst also acting as refuges for friendly travellers as well as providing for the ability to control waterways and trade routes. The Scottish Crannog Centre features an authentic replica of an early Iron Age crannog based on the underwater excavations of the 2,500 year old "Oakbank Crannog" located off the village of Fearnan.

There is a very fine stone circle at Croftmoraig, on the Aberfeldy road 3 miles to the east of the town. It is one of the most complete groups of standing-stones in Perthshire.

Robert Burns, 1787

Now simmer blinks on flowery braes,
And o'er the crystal streamlet plays;
Come, let us spend the lightsome days,
In the birks of Aberfeldie!

Chorus:
Bonnie lassie, will ye go,
Will ye go, will ye go,
Bonnie lassie, will ye go
To the birks of Aberfeldie!

If you would like to visit this area as part of a highly personalized small group tour of my native Scotland please:

E-Mail me today

Send an email if you would like a link on this site: Sandy Stevenson