Discover the Enchanting Magic of Kinclaven Bluebell Wood

A fine and subtle spirit dwells

In every little flower,

Each one its own sweet feeling breathes

With more or less of power.

There is a silent eloquence

In every wild bluebell

That fills my softened heart with bliss

That words could never tell.

-'The Bluebell' by Anne Brontë

Ancient woodlands are incredible places to explore. In fact, they are some of our favourite locations to wander about. Can you just imagine the stories that the trees could tell us if they could speak? Well, we believe that if you listen very carefully, the woodland stories can be heard- whispered by the delicate winds that stir the branches and flowers. For this exploration, we are going to see a woodland filled with bluebells (Hyancinthoides non-scripta), a magical flower that fills the ancient woodland of this week’s destination- the aptly named, ‘Kinclaven Bluebell Wood’. So, join us- including our Golden Retriever adventurers, Walter and Arthur, as we head to Perthshire on an exquisite ‘explore and discover’ mission!

In Scotland, ancient woodland is defined as land that is currently wooded and has been continually wooded, at least since 1750. According to the Woodland Trust, they acquired Kinclaven Bluebell Wood- the “ancient oak woodland and several neighbouring fields in 2017 thanks to a generous gift from a supporter. The wood was once named Court Hill and fields to the south retain this name. Most of these fields were wooded until the 1940’s when trees were felled. Between 2018 and 2020 the fields were planted with over 34,000 native trees, increasing the size of the wood by half”.

Kinclaven Bluebell Wood is located near Murthly in Perthshire. It is just under 11 miles from Perth and lies in the middle of a bend of the River Tay. The Woodland Trust highlights that “the area surrounding Kinclaven Bluebell Wood is steeped in history. Nearby Kinclaven Castle was burnt down by the famous knight William Wallace during a siege in 1297. Its remains are still visible in the undergrowth. The castle treasure was taken to nearby woodland where Wallace and his men hid. The Old Kirk Road to Kinclaven Church runs through the wood, an ancient right of way once known as ‘Court Road’. It is believed that criminals were once marched along this road to be hanged from the trees”.

There are different paths and loops you can take, including a chance to follow the Old Kirk Road to Kinclaven Church. However, we decided to save that route for our next visit and stayed in the woodland for this exploration so that we could walk along the paths that guide you through the carpets of bluebells.

The bluebell, also known as the common bluebell, makes its appearance every spring (usually end of April/early May). While their name implies a blue colour, they have more of a brilliant purple hue. Anyone who has seen our Wee Walking Tours colours (which you can see on Walter’s and Arthur’s vests) wouldn’t be surprised to find out that this flower is one our favourites. Yet, we must tread carefully as we enter the Woodland as all is not as it seems.

You see, bluebells mark the boundary between the human and fairy realms. Some say that the fairies hang their spells on bluebells to dry. Therefore, you must never disturb bluebells, or you risk facing the wrath of the fairies (you don’t want to suffer a similar fate to the piper that we told you about in our Castle Campbell post).

All of us in the Wee Walking Tours family (human and canine) respect the fairies and Mother Nature. Therefore, we were extra careful on this walk through Kinclaven Bluebell Wood. This is good advice for anyone who walks through areas populated by bluebells. You should always stick to the established paths and areas clear of these magical flowers so that your feet (or paws) do not trample the bluebells. With that advice established, let's explore some more of this ancient woodland!

Throughout our walk, there were often bluebells as far as the eye could see. It was simply stunning.

There were many times when Walter and Arthur would just look out at the bluebells as if they were also admiring their beauty. Or maybe they were listening to the whispers of the fairies.

Some of the trees in Kinclaven Bluebell Woodland are quite impressive. Walter seemed like he was trying to absorb the wisdom from this tree’s amazing roots.

He also wanted to show his extra appreciation for Mother Nature by giving a wee hug to this tree.

He couldn’t resist the chance to show off his posing skills on this wee stump.

Here are a few more photos from our visit:

Well, that’s going to do it for this week’s exploration. We hope you have enjoyed your time in Kinclaven Bluebell Wood. You can visit the Woodland Trust’s website for more information on that woodland as well as many more throughout Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

Be sure to follow us on our various social media platforms- Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube- as we love to share our adventures around Scotland! If you happen to be in the capital city, you can book one of our historic Edinburgh walking tours with Sami (our human tour guide) who is often accompanied by our Golden Retriever tour guide, Walter.

Until next time- Explore & Discover!

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