CLOSE TO THE CENTRE OF ABERFELDY
the Wee Birks field
is a natural gem
Close to the hearts of many residents and a short walk from the town centre, The Wee Birks offers a place for anyone to unwind and immerse themselves in nature.
Originally part of Moness Farm – owned by Duncan Alexander Menzies – this one hectare field was offered to Aberfeldy for community use by the Duncan Menzies Trust in 2016.
After consultation with Perth & Kinross Council, Aberfeldy Community Council, and other local Trusts, it was agreed that Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust (HPCLT) would be ideally placed to own and manage the land. Legal processes were completed in November 2016, with a micro grant from SSE covering a third of HPCLT’s costs.
The Wee Birks now offers everyone the chance to relax in flower-studded grassland beneath the shade of the lime trees, enjoy the sounds of the tumbling Moness Burn, and see if they are lucky enough to spot deer and red squirrels. The site is a valuable asset for a community where not everyone has access to a garden or the ability to travel into the hills!
Community asset
Ideally placed for numerous educational activities run by HPCLT, the site has played host to many youngsters who’ve crafted insect hotels and installed numerous next boxes, all helping to increase the biodiversity of the site.
Numerous trees have also been planted by volunteers and schoolchildren, attracting yet more wildlife and offering learning opportunities along the way.
Historians will be interested in three archaeological sites identified during a 2017 survey: a stone wall, a bank of stone and earth, and the foundations of a small building believed to be the remains of a pump room used in the mid 19th century. This supplied mineral water, and evidence of this iron-rich water is still visible.
Find the Wee Birks
The Wee Birks lies between Burns Brae and the Moness Burn. Pedestrian access from the town centre is through the War Memorial garden. Access from the south is via Burns Brae. If accessing via Burns Brae, please park in the main Birks car park on the other side of the bridge over the Moness Burn and do not park on Burns Brae.
