Birks of Aberfeldy – Highland Perthshire

Today we headed steadily uphill from Aberfeldy through a (mostly birch) forest🌳 and past small waterfalls. The weather was kind to us today and didn't listen to the forecast for once 🤣. After this short hike, we naturally went to the Aberfeldy Distillery, where we treated ourselves to a tasting 🥃😀.

Short and easy classic hike to Aberfeldy, the short loop in a wooded gorge leads to a beautiful waterfall.

It's been a long time since we've done a hike without any flat sections. "Short and sweet" is what you'd call it 😉 📍Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet, is said to have written "The Birks of Aberfeldy" here between the village and the waterfall, the lyrics to an old melody. About as many people in Scotland know it as we know the Erlkönig... (The first few lines, of course 😉 ) Anyway, Mr. Burns did what we did: he vacationed in the Highlands. He was so inspired by "the birches of Aberfeldy," including the waterfall and gorge, that the muse kissed him 💋 Until a few years ago, a particularly pretty statue of him sat here on his favorite bench. 🪑 Then it disappeared, and no one knows where 😔 Today we're hiking the loop on the well-maintained paths, which has the same name as the song. It's not an insider tip, but it's not too crowded either. You have to decide here: left or right? Left means up the steps, down the gravel. Right means the other way around. Somehow I imagine going up the steps 🪜 is more pleasant. Maybe that was a mistake?!? In any case, it'll be a sweat orgy like the time I wore an FFP2 mask on the treadmill at the gym 🏃 The walk is definitely worth it, and everyone and their dog has already been here and loved it. What else can I say? The pictures show it: it's sooooo romantic. I'm sure there have been a few marriage proposals 💒 there. But I don't want to take the stairs anymore... "Man thinks, God directs" 🤫 There will be more stairs - later 😉🤷