This short circular waymarked trail climbs through Weem Wood to St David's Well which has a good view over Aberfeldy and Strathtay and then descends past crags and through native woods.
Bog Factor
Excellent waymarked path; a fair amount of short but quite steep ascents and descents, some steps.
Weem Wood car park near Castle Menzies.
Weem is served by local buses from Aberfeldy.
NN839497
Turn onto the entrance for Castle Menzies from the Weem Road, then fork right before reaching the castle to head to Weem Wood car park. Start the walk by taking the path to the right following red waymarkers. The path climbs gently behind the houses of Weem and then turn left to climb more steeply through Weem woods. These woods contain many specimen trees planted by the Menzies family to provide a pleasant backdrop to the nearby castle. At this time, in the early 19th century, plant collecting from abroad was just beginning to be popular in this area and there was renewed interest in Scottish forestry. Keep on the main path as it zig-zags uphill, ignoring paths to right and left.
The path weaves up between large boulders amongst the trees before eventually reaching a very short detour to the left onto level ground on top of a crag, where there is a good view out over Strathtay and modern 'cup and ring' carvings on the rocks.
Return to the path and follow the path until a large crag, riddled with caves and St David's Well is reached. It is marked with a modern carved celtic cross. This was a hermit's retreat, used by St Cuthbert in the early days of Christianity. It is named after David Menzies, the laird's son from Castle Menzies who occupied it when he took on an austere religious life in the fifteenth century.
Continue past the high crag and soon the path descends a flight of steps with a wooden handrail. At the bottom of the slope turn right at a T junction opposite a red waymarker.
The path undulates as it returns towards the car park at a lower level. Ignore a path directly downhill to the left which leads to the centre of Weem, instead climb slightly and pass behind the backs of more Weem houses.
A break in the trees provides a good view over Strathtay. Continue on the path, keeping right at a path junction to climb slightly again before turning left when the outward path is rejoined to head downhill and back to the start.
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