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Enchanting Fairy Glens
VisitScotlandAngela
Member, Moderator, VisitScotland Staff ✩
Scotland has many glens, lochs and woodlands that are associated with fairy folklore.
Doon Hill in Aberfoyle is one of my favorite walks and has a great story to go with it. Legend has it that the Reverend Robert Kirk, who lived in the town of Aberfoyle, was much loved by his parishioners as he taught him lots of things and helped them in their daily lives. There were a lot of strange and unexplained occurrences going on in Aberfoyle back in the 1600's, and the villagers believed that they were the work of the Fairies. Worried about the effect the strange things were having on his parishoners, Reverend Kirk started to investigate and record the goings on. In 1691 he published his book 'The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, fauns and Fairies'. Of course, this upset the Fairies as they did not want people knowing what they were up to, so one day when the Reverend was walking up Doon Hill mysteriously died. The Fairies stole his soul and imprisoned it in the big Scot's Pine at the top of the hill.
Today, the Fairies seem to be much more friendly and have really made themselves at home on Doon Hill. There is a fun woodland trail with wooden fairy homes carved into the trees along the way. At the top of the hill, the old Scots Pine is now known as the wishing tree where visitors leave a wee gift for the Fairies, perhaps to keep them happy!!
Whether you believe in fairies or not, I'm sure you will enjoy this magical walk. If you know of any other magical fairy walks in Scotland, or know of any stories, I would love to hear about them!!
Doon Hill in Aberfoyle is one of my favorite walks and has a great story to go with it. Legend has it that the Reverend Robert Kirk, who lived in the town of Aberfoyle, was much loved by his parishioners as he taught him lots of things and helped them in their daily lives. There were a lot of strange and unexplained occurrences going on in Aberfoyle back in the 1600's, and the villagers believed that they were the work of the Fairies. Worried about the effect the strange things were having on his parishoners, Reverend Kirk started to investigate and record the goings on. In 1691 he published his book 'The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, fauns and Fairies'. Of course, this upset the Fairies as they did not want people knowing what they were up to, so one day when the Reverend was walking up Doon Hill mysteriously died. The Fairies stole his soul and imprisoned it in the big Scot's Pine at the top of the hill.
Today, the Fairies seem to be much more friendly and have really made themselves at home on Doon Hill. There is a fun woodland trail with wooden fairy homes carved into the trees along the way. At the top of the hill, the old Scots Pine is now known as the wishing tree where visitors leave a wee gift for the Fairies, perhaps to keep them happy!!
Whether you believe in fairies or not, I'm sure you will enjoy this magical walk. If you know of any other magical fairy walks in Scotland, or know of any stories, I would love to hear about them!!
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Comments
I wrote a blog about it after a visit earlier this year.
Away with the fairies! – Scotland with the Wee White Dug
I'd definitely recommend it. I also love the spot by Loch Katrine where the Ulrisks live under giant rocks.
I love your pictures of Morag's Fairy Glen, very cute
Also thanks for the story about Doon Hill and Reverend Robert Kirk, I didn't know about it.
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Poca Ban is the resident spirit that disguises itself as a ball of wool and rolls around the glen looking for unsuspecting victims to trip up all in the name of some warped fairy fun. It seems quite fitting that a glen named after the mischievous sprite in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' has a playful spirit of its own.
Poca Ban is not the only mystical Scottish fairy that you might encounter on your walk through Puck's Glen, concealed in the trees you might spot a Ghillie Dhu, wearing clothes of leaves and moss or catch a glimpse of the nature sprites that dance in the leafy shade of the ferns.
You can read more about this magical place on my blog post
http://www.adventuresaroundscotland.com/scotland-travel-blog/pucks-glen-one-of-scotlands-most-magical-places
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It's the woodlands that are part of a walk up to Urie loch on the Isle of Arran.
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I took this picture last week....