This straightforward circular walk from Aberfoyle climbs mystical Doon Hill, reputed home of the faerie folk. It passes through beautiful native woodland, open countryside and riverside.
Waymarked tracks and paths, some fairly steep ascents.
Buses to Aberfoyle.
Aberfoyle car park.
Start from the far end of the car park (the furthest point from the Wool Centre) and turn left to cross the old bridge over the River Forth. Follow this road passing some houses on the right and Aberfoyle Cemetery on the left. The restored building of Kirkton Church can be seen through the splendid iron railings.
In the graveyard is the grave of the Reverend Robert Kirk who was minister here between 1685 and 1692. An academic, the Reverend Kirk was interested in local folklore and supersitions and wrote a famous book telling the secrets of the fairies. Later this walk visits the scene of the fairies revenge. For now keep following the road as it bends round to the right and crosses pleasant countryside. Keep left at a fork in the road (signed for Doonhill Trail), continuing past a house. Follow the road as it becomes a rougher track; the route is marked in green and blue. The track narrows and heads slightly downhill. Pass a green metal gate.
Turn left at the junction beyond, and then look out for a green waymarked path heading off right. Take this path that climbs up through the woods of Doon Hill. Legend has it that the fairies, fed up with Rev Kirk's revelations about them, kidnapped him and encased his soul in the pine tree on top of the hill. The canny fairies put a changeling in his place, thereby allowing people to believe the Reverend had died of a heart attack on the hill and allowing his burial in the graveyard passed earlier
The path up the hill meanders through the trees, many of them oak. Just before the summit the green waymarked path heads off right - but first visit the great tree on the top of the hill. From it people hang clouties (rags) in the hope that as the cloutie rots the illness affecting the person on whose behalf the cloutie was placed would also vanish. To descend from the top take the green waymarked path that heads down to the right. It descends steeply to reach a track - turn left along this, now following blue markers for the rest of the walk.
After a while the track crosses a bridge and turns left at a junction. The other routes are mainly used by cyclists and the husky sled teams. Follow the track across open ground with good views of Doon Hill to the left. Soon there's a path off to the right, waymarked in blue - take this. It climbs uphill and soon approachs a bend in a track - turn sharp left here, ignoring the track. The path continues through the trees.
The oakwoods on this section are particularly fine. After some ascent the path eventually heads downhill once more and emerges on a track. Turn right here, pass a metal barrier, and then turn sharp left to follow a path upstream with a river on your right.
When a track is met at a t-junction, turn right along it. Further on, at another junction, turn right to soon cross an arched wooden footbridge. Beyond this the old railway line is reached - turn left along this to head back towards Aberfoyle.
There are good views to the hills ahead on the approach to the village. Pass some pretty cottages and continue straight on, crossing a bridge and entering the car park near the Wool Centre.
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