Aberfoyle is a village in the region of Stirling , Scotland , northwest of Glasgow . The town is situated on the River Forth at the base of Craigmore -LRB- 420 metres high -RRB- . Since 1885 , when the Duke of Montrose constructed a road over the eastern shoulder of Craigmore to join the older road at the entrance of the Trossachs pass , Aberfoyle has become the alternative route to the Trossachs and Loch Katrine ; this road , known as the Duke 's Road or Duke 's Pass , was opened to the public in 1931 when the Forestry Commission acquired the land . Loch Ard , about two miles -LRB- 3 km -RRB- west of Aberfoyle , lies 40 metres above the sea . It is three miles -LRB- 5 km -RRB- long -LRB- including the narrows at the east end -RRB- and one mile -LRB- 1 1/2 km -RRB- broad . Towards the west end is Eilean Gorm -LRB- the green isle -RRB- , and near the north-western shore are the falls of Ledard . Two miles northwest is Loch Chon , at 90m above the sea , 1 +1 / 4 mi long , and about half a mile broad . It drains by the Avon Dhu to Loch Ard , which is drained in turn by the Forth . As late as 1790 , all the residents in the parish of Aberfoyle spoke Scottish Gaelic . The slate quarries on Craigmore which operated from the 1820s to the 1950s are now defunct ; at its peak this was a major industry . Other industries included an ironworks , established in the 1720s , as well as wool spinning and a lint mill . From 1882 the village was served by Aberfoyle railway station , the terminus of the Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Railway which connected to Glasgow via Dumbarton or Kirkintilloch The station closed to passenger traffic in 1951 , and the remaining freight services ceased in 1959 . The above industries have since died out , and Aberfoyle is supported mainly by the forestry industry and tourism . Visitors were first attracted to Aberfoyle and the surrounding area after the publication of The Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter Scott in 1810 . The poem described the beauty of Loch Katrine . Aberfoyle describes itself as The Gateway to the Trossachs , and is well situated for visitors to access attractions such as Loch Lomond and Inchmahome Priory at the Lake of Menteith . A tourist information office run by VisitScotland sits in the centre of town , offering free information , selling souvenirs and acting as a booking office for many of the local B&B 's and hotels . Aberfoyle Golf Club was built in 1860 and is located just south of town near the Rob Roy restaurant . Aberfoyle is also part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park . Aberfoyle is also home to the largest Go Ape adventure course in the UK , featuring the longest zip-line in the UK . Aberfoyle has connections to many historical figures such as Rob Roy and Mary , Queen of Scots . Robert Roy MacGregor was born at the head of nearby Loch Katrine , and his well known cattle stealing exploits took him all around the area surrounding Aberfoyle . There currently stands a tree in the village that MacGregor was reputed to have climbed and hid in to escape the clutches of the law . Also , Mary , Queen of Scots , visited nearby Inchmahome Priory often as a child , and during her short reign . She also used the priory during her short reign , particularly in 1547 , where she felt safe from the English Army . However , the most local historical figure is the Reverend Robert Kirk , born in 1644 . It was the Rev. Kirk who provided the first translation into Gaidhlig of the Book of Psalms , however , he is better remembered for the publication of his book `` The Secret Commonwealth of Elves , Fauns , and Fairies '' in 1691 . Kirk had long been researching fairies , and the book collected several personal accounts and stories of folk who claimed to have encountered them . It was after this , while Kirk was minister of Aberfoyle parish , that he died in unusual circumstances . Kirk had long believed that the local Doon Hill , was the gateway to the `` Secret Commonwealth '' , or the land of the Fairies . It was a place that Kirk visited often , taking daily walks there from his manse . The story goes that the Fairies of Doon Hill were angry with the Rev. Kirk for going into the domain of the Unseelie court , where he had been warned not to go , and decided to imprison him in Doon Hill -- for one night in May 1692 , the Rev. Kirk went out for a walk to the hill , in his nightshirt . Some accounts claim that he simply vanished , however he suddenly collapsed . He was found and brought home , but died soon afterwards . He was buried in his own kirkyard , although local legends claim that the fairies took his body away , and the coffin contains only stones . The huge pine tree that still stands at the top of Doon Hill is said to contain Kirk 's imprisoned spirit . Kirk 's cousin , Graham of Duchray , was then to claim that the spectre of Kirk had visited him in the night , and told him that he had been carried off by the Fairies . Having left his widow expecting a child , the spectre of Kirk told Graham that he would appear at the baptism , whereupon Graham was to throw an iron knife at the apparition , thus freeing Kirk from the Fairies ' clutches . However , when Kirk 's spectre appeared , Graham was apparently too shocked by the vision to throw the knife , and Kirk 's ghost faded away forever . Today , visitors to Doon Hill write their wishes on pieces of white silk , or other white cloth , and tie them to the branches of the trees for the Fairies to grant . It is also said that if one runs around the great pine tree at the summit seven times , then the Fairies will appear . In recent years the largest of the trees , Kirk 's `` Minister 's Pine '' , has been damaged by vandals who have hammered coins into the bark . Other Scots pines in the surrounding area are increasingly commonly festooned with tied bits of plastic , crisp packets and the like rather than ` white pieces of silk ' .