Walk to Lemahamish & Lochan Spling at Aberfoyle

Saturday 1st August 2009

I was first introduced to the Aberfoyle area by my Mother & Father almost 50 years ago and since then have taken my own family back to it on countless occasions especially in the late Autumn when the leaves on the trees are Golden, Amber, & rustic in colour, preparing for the Winter months ahead.

Today though, on a lovely bright sunny August morning, 24 of the Bosco Wanderers turned out for this level ramble through the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park to visit a few of the hidden treasures that it has to offer the day walker.

The starting point was the C/park at the Edinburgh Woollen Mill outlet which at one time was the Aberfoyle Railway Station where a connection could be made for people traveling by road over the Duke's Pass to Loch Katrine and the Trossachs from Glasgow. The line was closed in 1959 and eventually over the years was turned into a footpath/cycletrack.  Walking along the track eventually took us to a bridge over the River Forth and through the Forestry Commission Caravan Park of "Cobleland" to the popular picnic area called "Lemahamish Pool" where bathing can be done with supervision and weather permitting. The path gently meandered now through some deciduous & conifer woodland taking us to the base of the Fairy Trail up "Doon Hill" where legend says that local Minister The Reverend Robert Kirk, communicated with, and was spirited away by the fairies atop the faery knowe. He died in 1692 and his remains are buried in the small churchyard in Manse Rd Aberfoyle.

 We carried on past Doon Hill to eventually exit at the Old Manse at Balleich C/Park where we took a left fork through woodland again to emerge on Duchray Rd. gateway to the home of the Grahams, Duchray Castle some 4 miles from Aberfoyle. A short walk along Duchray Rd. we took a path to the right passing the sculptured Osprey and down to meet the secluded and peaceful "Lochan Spling" where we were treated to a further two sculptures "Dragonfly and Pike" depicting the food chain within the Lochan. After spending some time admiring the art we rejoined the main track to Aberfoyle passing "Inchrie Castle" (or The Covenanters Inn) where in 1949 a group of Scots gathered there to draw up the Scottish Covenant seeking Home Rule for Scotland and whose petition received over 2 million votes. Alas to this day it has never happened, but who knows what the future holds?

We certainly all new what the future held in store for us today once our walk was over and that was, "Yes you have all guessed" our very own purveyor of fine foods "Sherpa" Sadie McGarry was waiting on our arrival back at the woollen mill to feed us with home baking tea/coffee to round off another perfect Bosco Wanderers Day out.

Joe Roche.

Last Updated Sunday 23rd August 2009

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