When Fergus visited The Birks of Aberfeldy

A day for walks. First the Birks of Aberfeldy. This walk can be started from Aberfeldy or from the car park just out of the town centre. The Birks walk is circular in a tree lined gorge with lots of waterfalls.

"The Birks of Aberfeldy" is a song lyric written to a pre-existing melody in 1787 by Robert Burns. He was inspired to write it by the Falls of Moness and the birch trees of Aberfeldy during a tour of the Scottish Highlands with his friend William Nicol

Tune: The Birks of Abergeldie.

    Chorus.-Bonnie lassie, will ye go,
    Will ye go, will ye go,
    Bonnie lassie, will ye go
    To the birks of Aberfeldy!

    Now Simmer blinks on flowery braes,
    And o'er the crystal streamlets plays;
    Come let us spend the lightsome days,
    In the birks of Aberfeldy.

    While o'er their heads the hazels hing,
    The little birdies blythely sing,
    Or lightly flit on wanton wing,
    In the birks of Aberfeldy.

    The braes ascend like lofty wa's,
    The foaming stream deep-roaring fa's,
    O'erhung wi' fragrant spreading shaws-
    The birks of Aberfeldy.

    The hoary cliffs are crown'd wi' flowers,
    White o'er the linns the burnie pours,
    And rising, weets wi' misty showers
    The birks of Aberfeldy.

    Let Fortune's gifts at randoe flee,
    They ne'er shall draw a wish frae me;
    Supremely blest wi' love and thee,
    In the birks of Aberfeldy.

We walked into town and had lunch at the Watermill bookshop and cafe.

In the afternoon we drove round to Weem, and went round the forestry walk by Castle Menzies in Weem woods. Not a long walk but steep !

My great great grandfather (paternal) was born in 1824 and his birth entry states at Castle Menzies, Weem, Perthshire. I assume his father worked for the estate rather than him being born in the castle ! My recent family history research revealed that his grandfather was a brother of the John Dewar who founded the whisky distilling company which built the Aberfeldy distillery.

To recover, we drove along to Highland Safaris in Dull (twinned with Boring, Oregon, USA) for some tea and scones. This small village is where my Dewars seem to be from. It is rather picturesque, situated in a lovely river valley. Good farmland ... and looked anything but Dull to me !

DMC-LX7 f/2.8 1/200 sec. ISO-80 5mm (35mm focal length 24mm)

Extras:
Apothecary7 and Fergus with Robert Burns
Fergus and I with Robert Burns
The Falls at the top of the Birks Gorge