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Birks of Aberfeldy Circular Walk

1.86 miles (3 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap Enjoy a series of beautiful waterfalls and peaceful woodland paths on this lovely walk in Aberfeldy, Perthshire.
The walk starts in the car park in Aberfeldy and follows a good footpath along the Moness burn to the Falls of Moness. It's a lovely area with a shaded gorge, the rushing sound of the waterfalls, pretty little wooden bridges over the burn and a variety of birdlife to look out for and listen to. You'll also pass Burns' Seat where Robert Burns is said to have been inspired to write the poem 'The Birks of Aberfeldy' in the late 18th century.
To continue your walking in the area pick up the Aberfeldy to Kenmore Riverside Walk. This will take you west along the River Tay to Kenmore where the river enters the stunning Loch Tay.

Postcode

PH15 2BJ - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Birks of Aberfeldy OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Birks of Aberfeldy Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Walks near Aberfeldy

  • Aberfeldy to Kenmore Riverside Walk - This walk takes you from Aberfeldy to Kenmore along the River Tay and the River Lyon
  • Loch Tay - Enjoy a short walk to Loch Tay from the town of Killin in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
  • Falls of Dochart - This short walk takes you from the village of Killin to the beautiful Falls of Dochart
  • Rob Roy Way - Follow in the footsteps of Robert Roy MacGregor, famous Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century
  • Ben Lawers - Ben Lawers is one of the most popular climbs in Scotland due to the beauty of the surrounding area
  • Glen Ogle - This lovely cycling and walking trail takes you along National Cycle Route 7 through the beautiful Glen Ogle
  • Loch Earn - Explore the eastern end of Loch Earn and climb to a lovely viewpoint on this short walk
  • Loch Freuchie - This walk visits Loch Freuchie in Glen Quaich in Perth and Kinross. 
  • Falls Of Acharn - This walk visits the delightful Falls of Acharn in the village of Acharn in Perthshire.

Dog Walking

The gorge is a popular place for dog walkers so you'll probably meet other owners on your visit.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

Near Kenmore there's the delightful Falls Of Acharn to visit. The scenic spot includes a Victorian 'Hermit's Cave' and some great views back to Ben Lawers from Acharn village.
To the west you can explore the beautiful and peaceful Glen Lyon. The route takes you along the River Lyon to Loch Lyon with a visit to the lovely post office cafe in Bridge of Balgie at the start.

Photos

Bottom of the Birks - geograph.org.uk - 108706

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

Moness Burn - geograph.org.uk - 173955

Moness Burn. Woodland walks in Birks of Aberfeldy

Birks of Aberfeldy - geograph.org.uk - 507185

One of the many cataracts which tumble down the Moness Burn below the Falls of Moness. The big glacier in the main valley (The Tay) created a deep trough and after the ice melted at the end of the Ice Age the rivers tumbled down the tributary valleys to form gorges. This is a very beautiful, and easily accessible place. The circular walk has recently been renovated - it takes around 1.5 hours and is an easy walk.

The Birks of Aberfeldy, Robert Burns statue - geograph.org.uk - 1195252

Robert Burns statue. A recently installed statue of Burns by the Urlar Burn commemorates his poetic tribute to the Birks.

The Birks of Aberfeldy - geograph.org.uk - 2672929

The Birks of Aberfeldy

Lower path, Birks of Aberfeldy - geograph.org.uk - 4358799

Lower path, Birks of Aberfeldy

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Birks of Aberfeldy.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Birks of Aberfeldy.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)