Fortingall churchyard, Fortingall, near Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland
Fortingall Yew Tree
Unusual place
Place photograph
5.8
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
Free
Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
5.8A ring of living yew stems marks the remains of a tree thought to be between 2,000 and 5,000 years old. It was already ancient when a church was first built beside it.
This is a rare encounter with deep time: a living tree whose hollowed trunk has become a ring of twisting stems, set in the historic churchyard at the mouth of Glen Lyon. The experience is brief, but the tree’s age and visible form make it an extraordinary stop.
Atmospheric · Ancient-feeling · Peaceful
Find your way
Open mapFortingall churchyard, Fortingall, near Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland
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Know this place a little better?
The experience
Visit the churchyard to see the ancient yew within its enclosure. The same site’s graveyard map and searchable churchyard records offer a way to explore the historic grave markers.
Things to do
View the yew’s ring of stems
From the viewing openings in the enclosure, look at the separate stems formed as the ancient trunk split and hollowed.
15–30 minutes
Explore the graveyard records
Use the churchyard website’s searchable graveyard database and map to find recorded gravestones.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
See the ancient yew
- 01
Visit Fortingall churchyard.
- 02
View the yew from the designated openings in its enclosure.
- 03
Look for the separate stems and the posts marking the former reach of the trunk.
Half day · 1–2 hours
Explore the churchyard
- 01
See the Fortingall Yew and the church beside it.
- 02
Use the churchyard website’s graveyard map to locate a gravestone or explore the records.
- 03
Allow time to look at the churchyard’s historic markers.
Verified history
The Fortingall Yew stands in the churchyard beside Fortingall Church. Its age is uncertain: supplied sources describe estimates ranging from roughly 2,000 to 5,000 years, while the official churchyard website calls it over 3,000 years old. Its trunk has split and hollowed, leaving a ring of separate stems. The churchyard website also records local history and provides a searchable map of gravestones.
Folklore & legend
Local legend says Pontius Pilate was born beneath the tree, the son of a Roman envoy. This is a legend, not established history.
Hidden details
Posts mark the old trunk’s reach — Look for posts set in the grass that indicate where the great trunk once extended.
Search the churchyard map — The graveyard website offers a detailed map and records for locating individual gravestones.
When to go
January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December · Daylight, for seeing the tree’s structure and churchyard details.
The main attraction is a living tree and historic churchyard, so the visit is not tied to a particular season.
The site is outdoors. Check local conditions before travelling; current surfaces and access conditions are not specified in the supplied sources.
Worth pairing with
Glen Lyon
The road west from Fortingall leads into Glen Lyon. The supplied source describes it as Scotland’s longest enclosed glen.
Kenmore
A nearby estate village at the eastern end of Loch Tay, listed by the supplied source as around 6 miles away.
The Scottish Crannog Centre
A nearby museum and visitor attraction listed by the supplied source, around 7 miles away.
What to look for
Notice the ring of separate stems where the trunk split and hollowed, and the posts marking where the great trunk once reached. The churchyard website also provides a graveyard map and searchable records for individual gravestones.
The story
Archaeology
Best time to go
All year
The churchyard is described as open at any time. Go when you have good daylight to make out the yew’s separate stems and the churchyard details.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
History lovers · Photographers · Families
Before you go
Address
Website
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
The yew stands inside a walled enclosure in the churchyard. The supplied listing describes wheelchair-accessible parking and entrance; check current access arrangements before visiting.
Check before visiting
Parking
The source row reports a wheelchair-accessible car park. Check local parking arrangements before visiting.
Check before visiting
Toilets
Check before visiting
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Food & drink
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Dogs
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Check before visiting
Accessibility
The source row reports a wheelchair-accessible car park and entrance. The yew is inside a walled churchyard enclosure; check current access and surface conditions before travelling.
Check before visiting
Cost
Free
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Fortingall Yew Tree
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
