BIG Five Big Trees in Highland Perthshire

Fortingall Church and Yew Tree

The parish church is on an early Christian site, dedicated to Coeddi, bishop of Iona (d. 712), probably founded about 700 AD from Iona itself as a daughter monastery.

Though undocumented, crop-marks of surrounding ditched enclosures have been identified from the air, and the church's unusual dedication and fragments of several finely carved cross-slabs preserved in the church all point to an early origin as a major church site. Also preserved in an alcove in the church is an early hand-bell in Irish style (iron with bronze coating), dating from the 7th-8th centuries, one of several to have survived in Highland Perthshire. Several slabs with simple incised crosses (best paralleled at Iona and other west of Scotland sites) and a massive early font are to be seen in the churchyard.

The attractive white-harled parish church (built 1901-02), notable for its fine woodwork, is open in summer. Its 'arts and crafts' style was designed to harmonise with the rest of the village. A permanent display on the cross-slabs and the early church was recently installed in the building. Fortingall has one of the largest collections of early medieval sculpture in Scotland.

The Fortingall Yew is an ancient tree in its own walled enclosure within the village churchyard. Its age is estimated to be between 2000 and 5000 years, and it may be the oldest living tree - perhaps even the oldest living thing - in Europe. Place-name and archaeological evidence hint at an Iron Age cult centre at Fortingall, which may have had this tree as its focus. The site was Christianised during the Dark Ages, perhaps because it was already a sacred place.

Diana's Grove at Blair Castle

Diana's Grove is a tranquil wooded area situated near to Blair Castle within the grounds of Atholl Estates. Visiting is a unique opportunity to enjoy some of the country's finest and tallest trees in a space of just two acres. Diana's Grove is the home of a Grand Fir which is the UK's second tallest tree measuring at 62.70 metres, Japanese Larch which is the tallest in the UK at 44 metres and a Red Fir which is the tallest in the UK at 39 metres.

Diana's Grove is named after the Roman Goddess of Hunting. Blair Castle is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Atholl, known as the 'Planting Dukes' in the 18th & 19th centuries, by 1830 the family had planted over 27 million trees within the Atholl Glens.

Cluny House Gardens

This 2.4ha Himalayan/North American woodland garden overlooking the scenic Strathtay valley, was planted and developed by the late Bobby and Betty Masterton from 1950. A feature of Cluny is its natural appearance, with many woodland plants regenerating and expanding freely beneath a canopy of rhododendrons, acers, rowans and birches. Giant Himalayan lilies, blue poppies, exotic arisaemas, skunk cabbages and copious numbers of candelabra primulas grow in profusion in the marvelous leaf litter and acidic soil. No chemicals are used in the garden and weeding is carried out by hand to avoid disturbing interesting seedlings and allowing some native plants their place in the garden.

The garden is a haven for birds such as Long-tailed Tits, Siskins, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Blackbirds, Robins, Woodpeckers, Jackdaws, Starlings & Treecreepers. Buzzards & Sparrowhawks Ravens can be seen overhead and visit the garden sometimes. an abundance of bumble bees is normal within the garden however this is weather dependant. Resident Red Squirrels are very much at home in the garden, actively feeding near the car park in the morning, they enjoy playing and running around the trees!

The Hermitage

Follow in the footsteps of notable visitors of the past including Wordsworth, Mendelssohn and Turner as you wander around this magnificent designed landscape with it's dramatic natural features.

Discover Ossian's Hall, a folly overlooking the Black Linn Falls. Refurbished in 2007 with sliding panels, secret handle and mirrored artwork to recreate the illusions of shock, surprise and amazement, the aims of its original design.

Marvel at the massive stand of Douglas Fir trees, including one of the tallest trees in the country. Enjoy the wildlife as you walk along the river Braan, with the dark foaming pool and the spectacular Black Linn waterfall. Let your imagination run wild as you admire the Totem pole, carved from a Douglas Fir tree by a native Canadian from the Squamish Nation.

Extend your walk by linking in to one of the trails of the Dunkeld walks network.

Gallery Images: © Copyright Deirdre O'Neill & Mike Pennington and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The Birnam Oak

The Birnam Oak, a sessile oak, so called because its acorns are not on stalks (the Latin word sessilis means stalkless), is believed to be a remnant from the great forest celebrated in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. However, it probably isn’t old enough to have itself been the source of greenery to camouflage Malcolm’s army in 1057 but it is one of the oldest trees in the area. It's possible Shakespeare may have visited the area in 1599 with a troupe of touring players sent by Elizabeth I after a request from King James IV.

The massive sycamore close to the Birnam Oak is thought to be about 300 years old. Its gnarled shape may be a result of pollarding, where the upper branches are cut regularly leaving a tall stump to sprout back. This was common practice in the past to increase the supply of young, straight stems.