The large village of Aberfoyle sits on the banks of a nascent River Forth, within the boundaries of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park. Traditionally part of Perthshire, local services in Aberfoyle are provided by Stirling Council. The 1270-feet summit of Craigmore glowers over the flat plain below. Nicole and I had been to Aberfoyle many times before. We like the walking trails and bird hides in the nearby Queen Elizabeth Forest Park and the centre of the village is always bustling. The local economy now depends heavily on outdoor pursuits as the traditional slate quarrying industry died out in the 1950s.
Today I fancied having a crack at Craigmore and then taking the more leisurely option of the Three Lochs Forest Drive. Before that, I followed the loop from the village centre to Doon Hill - which features a mysterious clootie well. The trail passed the remains of Kirkton Church (built in 1744) and its associated graveyard. A new place of worship for the townsfolk was unveiled in 1870 and Kirkton had its roof removed - leading to an inevitable period of decay. By the mid-1990s the building was a virtual ruin, with trees growing out of the stonework. Recent renovations have improved its condition and the site can be explored with ease. The trail took me into the woods and up the modest elevation of Doon Hill. I passed tree stumps with embedded coins before arriving at the atmospheric clootie well in a clearing close to the summit. The strips of cloth (cloots) are traditionally hung from branches as an act of healing. As the material degrades, the sickness departs the afflicted person. The origins are most likely Pagan. Clootie wells have a unique ambience and my humble opinion is everyone should visit one before they die. There is a legend intertwined with the Aberfoyle site. Robert Kirk was a local minister who penned a notorious book "The Secret Commonwealth of Elves and Fairies" in 1691. Not long afterwards, the author mysteriously disappeared and his body was later found on Doon Hill, clad only in a nightgown. It is said he had angered the little people by revealing their secrets in the publication. Legend insists the ancient pine tree in the middle of the clootie well site contains a doorway to an underground Fairy Queen's palace, where the reverend's spirit was trapped following the murder. It certainly is a macabre tale and who knows whether the fairies disposed of poor old Robert Kirk. I don't think they are to be trifled with. Just make sure you show the appropriate level of respect if you ever drop by.
The top of Doon Hill was heavily wooded but you can often find a gap in the trees and this indeed proved to be the case. I was able to look over a swathe of forest towards Craigmore. I descended by a different path and retraced my steps to the car-park in the village centre. The next mission required a short drive up the steep road leading to the Forest Lodge visitors centre. Starting my ascent of Craigmore from here would lessen the climb and the hill path started directly opposite the entrance. There was a longer (and probably more forgiving) route via the trails inside the forest park but I took the direct option. The initial stage took me through a patch of woodland but I was soon winding my way among the ferns on the open hillside. Spectacular views were revealed as I gained height and there was a clear path to follow. After much huffing and puffing, I reached the trackbed of an old tramway cut into the hillside. A lone (and leaning) telegraph pole stood on the slopes and served as a clear indicator that industry was once present here, as did the foundations of an old building. The tramway conveyed men and freight from the slate quarries to the branch line down below. The stone was in high demand as a roofing material and was then transported across Scotland. Aberfoyle received its branch rail connection in 1882 and the tramway was up and running within three years. The demise of the industry led to the final closure of the line in 1959. Passenger traffic had ceased at the beginning of this decade due to business being abstracted by motor bus and increasing car ownership. I walked along the old tramway until reaching a path junction with a sign that pointed upwards to Craigmore summit and downwards to the visitors centre. I had been the only person ascending my chosen route but I now encountered others who had obviously followed directions from the lodge.
The path was muddy in places and some very minor scrambling was required. Otherwise it was a straightforward climb and I emerged upon an undulating plateau. I think the true peak lay further ahead but I was happy to end my mission at a hillock which presented an incredible vista of Loch Ard down in the valley. I surmised I wouldn't get a better view than this and did I really matter whether I continued to the highest point to see a pile of stones? Loch Ard is sometimes cited as the source of the River Forth, although maps often pinpoint the confluence of the loch outflow and the Duchray Water as the beginning of the mighty river. Either way, wouldn't it be fabulous if a walking trail could one day be established all the way to the North Sea? The Forestry Commission maintain existing paths alongside the loch, therefore the first stage is in place! I've heard such a plan for our longest river - the Tay - is currently in the embryonic stages. After pausing to rest and appreciate the panorama, I began to make my way downhill by the reverse route, to arrive back at the car-park for the forest lodge. The complex hosts the longest overhead zip line in the UK, run by a company called Go Ape. You often see or hear figures passing above the tree canopy when exploring the woodland around the visitor centre. The Highland Boundary Fault - which splits Scotland into two distinct geographical regions - runs close to Aberfoyle and Sir Walter Scott actually designated Doon Hill as a boundary marker between the Highlands and Lowlands on his travels to the area in the early 1800s. His poem Lady of the Lake is said to have prompted a tourist boom in the Trossachs area and Aberfoyle was a main gateway. It's a nice theory, and Scott himself was not averse to romanticising the past. I'll buy into it!
My next port of call was the entrance to the Three Lochs Forest Drive - two miles further up the A821 (also known as the Duke's Pass). Nicole and I had attempted to tackle the 7-mile circuit a few years back but we found the route closed for maintenance. The Forestry Commission website stated the drive was open to the public between 9am and 4pm and a charge of £3 applied. I envisaged some type of barrier and made sure I had sufficient coins as well as my bank card. In the event, the entrance road was wide open but I stopped at the payment machine to obtain a ticket. As I did so, a couple of cars just headed straight in. Fair enough, but I was more than happy to part with a few quid as I do support the work of the Forestry Commission and these facilities wouldn't exist if everyone simply freeloaded. Perhaps the drivers of the vehicles that passed me had purchased an annual ticket for £40. Three Lochs is a slight misnomer for the tour as the first body stretch of water - encountered almost immediately - is little more than a pond, known officially as Lochan Reoidhte. The road surface was good and there were ample parking bays where you could stop to admire the scenery. I pulled over alongside Loch Drunkie (pictured) and Loch Achray. There are walking loops within the driving compound and a large car park in the middle had toilet facilities and picnic tables, while an ice cream van was doing a brisk trade. The exit took me back on to the A821, about a mile and a half further north. What an action-packed day!
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