This 5 mile walk
should take about three hours to do mainly on forest paths and minor
roads.
lt starts from Tulipan Crescent and can be reached by car. Turn right
after the 2nd set of pedestrian lights on the A84 in the direction of
Crianlarich and from the A81/A84 Town Centre junction in Callander.
Follow the Crags Path sign and turns right again following the Forestry
Commission sign marked The Crags.
After climbing two sets of steps, cross a wooden footbridge and
descends a set of steps onto a narrower path.
Just before the car park on the Bracklinn Falls road, take the narrow
path on the right downhill to the right and at the house gardens turn
left, cross a wooden bridge and descend a set of steps to Ancaster Road
into Callander. The walk crosses the road
onto
another path and an old railway track to North Church Street. Go
through the
Main Street past the church and police station on South Church Street
before crossing the River Teith footbridge. This is a lovely stretch of
water.
The route turns left around the side of a rugby pitch and through some
stone pillars to climb a short hill to the A81. It turns right and
after a short distance crosses a busy road to enter Coilhallanwood.
This is the 2nd of the wooded areas and on circling round to follow the
sign, “Coilhallan Car Park” provides lovely views of the Crags on the other side of Callander
and of Ben Ledi. On leaving the wood,
the walk turns left onto Invertrossachs Road and passes by the fish farm
and cycle hire before reaching the hump stone bridge
junction on the right.
Here the walk can be shortened as it returns to cross the bridge. It is
recommended however that the walk continues ahead on the single track
road to reach the picturesque views of Loch Venachar surrounded
by Ben Ledi, Ben
Venue and the Menteith Hills. The
bench seats at the lochside provide an ideal picnic spot and are also
perfect for relaxing
and taking in the panoramic view.
Returning to cross the hump bridge and the River Teith, the walk
continues ahead to cross the A821 ( Aberfoyle / Callander ) and enters
the Glen Finglas Estate at Milton. The walk takes the right hand path
to pass under the seemingly precariously perched Samson's Puttin’
Stone, a relic of the ice age ( a narrow path can be taken to the Stone
for a
bonus of highline views looking over to the Loch and the Teith Valley ).
Afier passing through two high fence gates, turn left and just after the
entrance to Bochastle Car Park, take the narrow path on the right to
drop down and around to the left to walk alongside the road. Cross
the A821 at the old railway track and under the bridge along the track
beside the River Lennie. The path then crosses a farm track and a
footbridge
over the river before turning left uphill to cross the A84 and back to
the start.
