The Birks of Aberfeldy

Popularised in a song by Robert Burns, the fine circular walk up the steep gorge of the Moness burn reveals several waterfalls.

Begin along the obvious trail from the car park, bearing left to cross the large bridge over the foaming Moness burn.

This lower part of the Birks is in fact mostly a beech wood. The walk continues along the path beside the attractive burn with several small waterfalls.

“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.”

The Birks (Scots for birch trees) still cloak the steep slopes of the Moness gorge, along with oak, ash, elm and willow.

“The braes ascend like lofty wa’s,
The foaming stream deep-roarin’ fa’s
O’erhung wi’ fragrant spreading shaws
The birks of Aberfeldy”

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #89 | River

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Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

50 thoughts on “The Birks of Aberfeldy”

  1. That is such a special place. Thank you for taking us there, Jude. The path, river, water flow, and trees are all very beautifully captured.

    1. Thanks Amy. It is a very beautiful part of Scotland. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do a post about it.

        2. Yes, not something I have been able to do for nearly a decade…gone are “3000 miles in 11 days” that I used to do in September…..

        5. Well I was going to do a trip up the western side as far as North Yorkshire this year, but of course that is on hold now. Maybe I’ll stretch it a bit further!

  3. I have been there in the early 80s. Didn’t have a camera on me at the time. Nice memories, Jude.
    Best wishes, Pete. x

    1. It is quite beautiful, but quite steep and slippery in places so I didn’t make it all the way round.

  8. How beautiful! I wasn’t expecting this. Just peeped in the Reader before I switched off for the night. Lovely, Jude! Sleep tight 🙂 🙂

  9. Haven’t heard them called birks Jude – absolutely my favorite tree (except the giant redwoods of course!). A beautiful walk along the river Jude.

    1. The silver Birch is one of my favourite trees – so elegant and pretty. I wish I had then in my garden rather than the boring goat willows.

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