Weem Wood – A Steep Climb to a Hermit's Well
About a mile on foot.
Weem Wood covers the steep, rocky hillside behind Castle Menzies, just across the Tay from Aberfeldy.
It was planted to give the castle a dramatic backdrop, and a short, hard path climbs through it to a cave where one of the Menzies family lived as a hermit in the 1400s. Carved figures hide among the crags and trees on the way up, and from the top there's a fine view over the river.
- Time
- About three quarters of an hour: the Weem Forest Trail is 1.6 km (1 mile), short but steep.
- The path
- Uneven gravel with rough, narrow, rocky stretches, long steep slopes and several flights of rocky steps.
- Where to start
- Forestry and Land Scotland's Weem car park, a quarter of a mile west of Weem village, on the turn-off shared with Castle Menzies; PH15 2JD is the nearest postcode. £1 for up to an hour, £3 for the day, by RingGo; Blue Badge holders free.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. The steps are slippery when wet or icy.
- Children
- Short, with carvings to find, but steep, with steps and drops beside the path.
- Toilets
- None at the wood. The nearest are in Aberfeldy.
The walk
Forestry and Land Scotland's Weem car park is a quarter of a mile west of Weem village, near Aberfeldy. Look for the turn-off to Castle Menzies, which the wood shares. PH15 2JD is the nearest postcode. Parking is listed at £1 for up to an hour or £3 for the day, paid through RingGo, and Blue Badge holders park free.
There are no toilets, and the nearest are in Aberfeldy. The Weem Forest Trail is only a mile long, 1.6 km, and Forestry and Land Scotland allows three quarters of an hour, but it grades it strenuous. The path is uneven gravel with rough, narrow, rocky stretches, long steep slopes and several flights of rocky steps. The Menzies family, who had stood with Robert the Bruce, helped to shape Perthshire's forests, and this wood was first planted as a backdrop for their castle.
The trail climbs to St David's Well, a cave in the hillside where David Menzies, who built the Old Kirk of Weem, left the family home in the 1400s to live as a hermit. Sculptures set among the crags and trees recall the wood's stories, and higher up the trees open to a view over the River Tay. There are drops beside the path, so keep children close.
If it rains
The trees keep off a shower, but the rocky steps are slippery when wet. Leave it for a dry spell.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is The House at Dun Aluinn. Sleeps 18.
For further reading, before you go.