Birnam, Perth and Kinross

Birnam, is a town in Perthshire, Scotland. The town originated from the Victorian era with the coming of the railway in 1856, although the place and name is well known because William Shakespeare mentioned Birnam Wood in Macbeth.

Location

Birnam lies on the bank of the River Tay, in Perthshire’s 'Big Tree Country' and is located along the A9 road, the main tourist route through Perthshire.

Dunkeld, which is thought to date back to the sixth century when a monastery was founded, and where Kenneth MacAlpin, the first King of Scotland, moved the bones of St. Columba around the middle of the 9th century, lies on the opposite bank of the river.

History

It is claimed that Birnam Wood was used as camouflage for Malcolm Canmore’s army before the battle at Dunsinane with MacBeth. There is an ancient tree, the Birnam Oak, standing a few hundred metres from the centre of Birnam. It may well have been part of Birnam Wood at the time of the battle 900 years ago, and remains part of the legend. In the past it was also less poetically known as "The Hangman's Tree". [Smout, T.C. MacDonald, R. and Watson, Fiona (2007) "A History of the Native Woodlands of Scotland 1500-1920". Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748632947. p.78.]

Well-to-do Victorians took their holidays in the Perthshire area, including John Everett Millais, who painted many local landscapes, and Beatrix Potter, who visited regularly with her family from their Lake District home. Birnam and Dunkeld are said to have inspired Potter to write her stories of Peter Rabbit during her countryside walks in the area.

Transportation

Birnam is approximately one hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, and two hours from Inverness by car.

There is access by rail at Dunkeld and Birnam railway station, on the London to Inverness route.

There are regular bus and coach services to Birnam and Dunkeld.

Attractions

Birnam has The Beatrix Potter Exhibition and Garden, and The Birnam Institute, a community run arts and performance centre with library.

References

External links

* [http://www.dunkeldandbirnam.co.uk Dunkeld and Birnam Tourist Association]
* [http://www.perthshire.co.uk/index.asp?lm=49 Dunkeld & Birnam at VisitScotland Perthshire]
* [http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/dunkeld/birnam/index.html Birnam at Undiscovered Scotland: The Ultimate Online Guide]
* [http://www.birnamhighlandgames.com Birnam Highland Games]