Aberfoyle and Rev Robert Kirk grave

 28 October 2025

It is a long time since I last posted, much has happened in the interim. I had a major cancer operation at the start of May followed by a diagnosis of heart failure so in all many weeks in hospital followed by a lengthy convalescence. I am still nothing like fit but I am getting there. I expect however that my hillwalking will be severely curtailed in future; just as well that there are lots of countryside walks and places of interest for me to do and visit. It will be important that I keep walking as part of my heart failure treatment.

Anyway, my first trip away yesterday, to Aberfoyle. The objective was to follow up on the story (fable!) of the Rev Robert Kirk and the faeries. The story in summary:

Robert Kirk was the Minister in Aberfoyle in the 17th century. He was also very interested in the habits of faeries and in 1691 he published a book titled "The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies". One evening he failed to return from a walk. His body was found at the top of Doon Hill and it was concluded that the faeries had stolen his spirit for revealing their secrets. It was also believed that the Ministers spirit had been imprisoned in a tree which still stands at the summit of the hill. This tree has gathered a lot of trinkets and messages over the years ( as has Rev Kirks' grave in the old graveyard in the village) although on the last occasion that I was up Doon Hill most had been removed on environmental grounds.

The old graveyard was really interesting. All of the stones are numbered and there is an information book containing details of the person buried there. Everything was being tidied up when I was there and it looks as though the intention is to use the Rev Kirk story to attract more visitors to the village.

I also had a wander round the village. There are views to Ben Lomond in the west and the village is overlooked by Craigmore which is a fabulous viewpoint. I have included a photo of the tree on the top of Doon Hill, taken on a previous visit.

Main street Aberfoyle......

Craigmore......

Distant Ben Lomond......

The old church with Doon Hill background.....

Inside the old church.....

Rev Kirk grave.....

The tree on top of Doon Hill......

More information.....