In 1725 General George Wade set up his headquarters at Weem adjacent to Castle Menzies on the north bank of the river Tay. His task was to build roads into the Highlands to bring in cannon to subdue the rebellious clans. The roads were built, the clans remained rebellious but the town of Aberfeldy grew up by his magnificent bridge, the first across the river Tay.
Today the town thrives. Its Watermill and Art gallery wins national awards and is symptomatic of the quality of the visitor experience in this beautiful strath.
Turn off the A9 at Ballinluig, drive through the park-like countryside, through Grandtully, where the river rapids form the best kayaking in the country, and you will pass Dewar’s Distillery with its huge copper stills as you enter Aberfeldy. Six miles further on lies Kenmore on the lapping shore of Loch Tay. This model village was built in the 18th century by the fierce Earls of Breadalbane to serve their seat of Taymouth Castle. They lost their castle and their lands in 1922.
Cross Wade’s Bridge and the road heads to historic Fortingall, another model village rebuilt by the architect James Maclaren, now recognised as a precursor of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, in 1886. Here stands the famous Yew tree, said to be 5,000 years old and the oldest living thing in Europe.
Beyond the village stretches Glen Lyon, originally Glelann Cam an Clachan - the Crooked Glen of Stones - which winds more than 30 lonely miles through the hills, making it the longest and perhaps the most beautiful of the Scottish glens.
This area lies in the dead centre of Scotland, its beautiful heartland, and, in fact, the original website promoting the area was titled ‘Heartlander’.
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