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Coordinates: 56°37′05″N 3°51′56″W / 56.618134°N 3.865500°W
| Aberfeldy | |
  Aberfeldy
Aberfeldy shown within Scotland |
|
| Population | 1,895 [1] (2001 census) est. 1,940[2] (2006) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Council area | Perth and Kinross |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ABERFELDY |
| Postcode district | PH15 2xx |
| Dialling code | 01887 |
| Police | Tayside |
| Fire | Tayside |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Aberfeldy (Obar Pheallaidh in Gaelic) is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, on the River Tay.
Aberfeldy is a small Scottish market town located at the heart of Scotland in Highland Perthshire with a population of around 2000. Wade's Bridge (its most notable construction) was built in 1733 to the design of architect William Adam, father of the more famous Robert Adam. General Wade considered his bridge at Aberfeldy to be his greatest accomplishment. Next to the bridge you will also find the Black Watch memorial commemorating the raising of the world famous regiment. There is an 18 hole golf course and large public putting green. A new award winning children's play park opened in June 2007.
Aberfeldy is also home to a variety of shops, many of which are centred around The Square. There are two independent bookshops, a garage with a good shop within, Co-op supermarket, deli, solicitors, estate agents, the famous highland outfitters P&J Haggarts, two art galleries and many other speciality and traditional shops. Aberfeldy also has a collection of eateries and restaurants to choose from - cuisine ranges from traditional coffee shops and take-away fish & chips, to Indian, Chinese, traditional Scottish, contemporary, French and continental. The area's deer farming activities ensure a plentiful supply of world-class venison for the local establishments.
Robert Burns featured the town in his poem, The Birks of Aberfeldy, and it is mentioned in the traditional Loch Tay Boat Song.
On 27 November 2002, Aberfeldy was granted Fairtrade Town status. This status was renewed by the Fairtrade Foundation on 15 December 2003.
In 2005 a new church centre for the Parish Church was opened in the former Breadalbane Church in Taybridge Road, serving the congregations which previously worshipped in the former St Andrew's Church in Crieff Road, the former Congregational church in the Square, and the former Free Church in Chapel Street. Mark Drane was inducted as the new COS Minister on 30 April 2007. There is a newly built Catholic Church in the town in Home street. All churches welcome visitors.
Breadalbane Academy school is located in Aberfeldy. The school provides full educational resources from Nursery through Sixth Year Higher Still grades (Primary and Secondary), and services a large part of Highland Perthshire. Aberfeldy has several Hostels which accommodate students who have to travel considerable distances to receive schooling.
The Aberfeldy Footbridge over the River Tay was the world's first bridge constructed entirely of composite materials. It connects two holes of a golf course on either side of the relatively wide, and deep, river.
Breadalbane Cricket Club, founded in 1869, play home matches at Victoria Park in Aberfeldy. The team are the Perthshire Cup Winners for 2007 and 2008, and Strathmore Cricket Union Division One Champions in 2006 and 2008. The club now has a strong youth training programme available. Any new players are always welcome
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Geographical Location
Aberfeldy is situated in the Tay Valley on the upper reaches of the River Tay (around 300 feet asl). The River Tay begins up-valley from Aberfeldy at Loch Tay, and carries on south and east from Aberfeldy until it discharges at its estuary east of Perth at the Firth of Tay. Lying in a U-shaped valley, the terrain in and around Aberfeldy is of gently undulating character with farming and agriculture bordering the town in the valley floor. However, areas further outside of Aberfeldy (particularly to the north and west) give way to the extensive Grampian Mountains, with scenic peaks such as Creag Odhar, Farragon (780m), Schiehallion (1083m), Ben Lawers (1214m) and Sron Mhor punctuating the landscape. Ben Lawers is Scotland's 9th highest peak and is renowned for its wild flowers - there is nothing higher to its south.
It is possible to reach both Scotland's east and west coasts in a few hours from Aberfeldy, and the town is about an hour and a half from Edinburgh and two hours from Glasgow.
Glen Lyon, which is widely regarded as one of Scotland's most stunning and least-visited valleys, lies barely 8km from the outskirts of Aberfeldy. At the mouth of Glen Lyon lies the village of Fortingall, legendary birth place of Pontius Pilate and home to the world-famous Fortingall Yew Tree - a tree reputed to be over 5,000 years old.
Aberfeldy lies at the intersection of two A roads - the A826 to Crieff and the A827, which leads east and south towards the main trunk road of the A9, and to Perth and points southwards. Aberfeldy is easily reached from southern locations via the A9, and then taking the Ballinluig exit and the A827 to get to the town. Owing to its location off the A9 trunk road - Aberfeldy is less geared for tourists than its close cousin town, Pitlochry.
The entrance to The Birks of Aberfeldy - a very well known gorge and scenic walk made famous by the poet Robert Burns - lies on the southern outskirts of Aberfeldy on the A826. The Birks is classified as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), and contains many varieties of flora and fauna, some of which are protected.
Education
Aberfeldy has a Primary and Secondary school: Breadalbane Academy. Both are currently being rebuilt.[3]
Celebrities
Aberfeldy's first moment in the spotlight came with the world-renowned Scottish Poet Robert Burns. An excerpt from his poem "The Birks of Aberfeldy" reads:
"Bonie lassie, will ye go, Will ye go, will ye go, Bonie lassie, will ye go To the birks of Aberfeldy!
Now Simmer blinks on flowery braes, And o’er the crystal streamlets plays; Come let us spend the lightsome days, In the birks of Aberfeldy!"
The Actor Alan Cumming was born in Aberfeldy in 1965 but rarely visits preferring to live in Skinflats, near Falkirk.
Author J. K. Rowling purchased a 19th century estate house, Killiechassie House, on the banks of the River Tay, near Aberfeldy.
See also
References
- ^ "Comparative Population Profile: Aberfeldy Locality". Scotland's Census Results Online. 2001-04-29. http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/browser/profile.jsp?profile=Population&mainArea=aberfeldy&mainLevel=Locality. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
- ^ http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data
- ^ Breadalbane Academy's page on Scottish Schools Online
External links
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