Callander Meadows
Length: about 3½mile
Start: Meadows Car Park
Level walk. Tarmac, grit track and pavement.
This route provides a very pleasant level riverside walk with lots of wildlife. Leave from the car park by the river, walking upstream by the river bank. The kids will love the ducks, swans and pigeons by the river. Follow the river upstream towards the conical mountain (Ben Ledi) staying on the footpath by the river. Where the two rivers converge, look over the river to see the burial ground of the Clan Buchanan
Continue on the tarmac pathway until, just past a bend in the river, you meet the cycleway at which point turn left past the old railway signal. Follow the cycleway over the bridge and after about 300yards, look for the path over to the burial ground of the Buchanans, once a powerful force in Callander and the Trossachs.
If you are interested in such things then you may visit the burial ground by walking over the (sometimes very wet) track over the flood meadow and see some very old gravestones, including the burial place of Dugald Buchanan, the Gaelic poet. The inscription over the entrance arch gives the date 1214.
Otherwise, continue walking up the track and watch out on the right for the just visible remains of the Roman camp between the track and the river. Also, look to your front and you will see slightly to the left a small hill with a huge round boulder (a glacial erratic) perched near the top. This is known as 'Samson's putting stone'.
On the summit of the next hill to the left of the putting stone is 'Dunmore', an ancient hill fort which is exceptionally well preserved.
The track eventually meets the road to Brig o' Turk where you should turn right towards the main road. After crossing the river, look right to see the old Kilmahog burial ground. Over the gate hangs the old ferryman's bell from Port of Menteith, just to the south of the Trossachs. The graveyard contains some interesting memorials and the remains of a pre-reformation church.
At the main road turn right toward Callander. Walking here is safest on the left hand side to the woollen mills then cross to the right where an avenue of trees separates walkers from the road.
The Trossachs Woollen Mill and the Callander Woollen Mill are on the left, where sometimes you may see a demonstration of hand weaving. Watch out for the kilted highlander and the highland bull who sometimes stand outside to attract the visitors.
Look away over the field behind the mills to see Leny House, once the fortified home of the Buchanans of Leny and the scene of some evil deeds, which now provides self catering holiday cabins, cottages and a suite in the main castle building.
Continue towards Callander and on the left just before the start of the town you will see a wooded mound. This is the site of the old Leny Castle - of which not a trace remains. It is said that the stones were used to build the later castle which now forms part of Leny house.
At the 30MPH sign, you may like to detour round Leny Feus to see the large holiday homes (more like mansion houses) which were built during the Victorian era for wealthy Glasgow families who moved here during the summer months bringing their servants with them.
Start: Meadows Car Park
Level walk. Tarmac, grit track and pavement.
This route provides a very pleasant level riverside walk with lots of wildlife. Leave from the car park by the river, walking upstream by the river bank. The kids will love the ducks, swans and pigeons by the river. Follow the river upstream towards the conical mountain (Ben Ledi) staying on the footpath by the river. Where the two rivers converge, look over the river to see the burial ground of the Clan Buchanan
Continue on the tarmac pathway until, just past a bend in the river, you meet the cycleway at which point turn left past the old railway signal. Follow the cycleway over the bridge and after about 300yards, look for the path over to the burial ground of the Buchanans, once a powerful force in Callander and the Trossachs.
If you are interested in such things then you may visit the burial ground by walking over the (sometimes very wet) track over the flood meadow and see some very old gravestones, including the burial place of Dugald Buchanan, the Gaelic poet. The inscription over the entrance arch gives the date 1214.
Otherwise, continue walking up the track and watch out on the right for the just visible remains of the Roman camp between the track and the river. Also, look to your front and you will see slightly to the left a small hill with a huge round boulder (a glacial erratic) perched near the top. This is known as 'Samson's putting stone'.
On the summit of the next hill to the left of the putting stone is 'Dunmore', an ancient hill fort which is exceptionally well preserved.
The track eventually meets the road to Brig o' Turk where you should turn right towards the main road. After crossing the river, look right to see the old Kilmahog burial ground. Over the gate hangs the old ferryman's bell from Port of Menteith, just to the south of the Trossachs. The graveyard contains some interesting memorials and the remains of a pre-reformation church.
At the main road turn right toward Callander. Walking here is safest on the left hand side to the woollen mills then cross to the right where an avenue of trees separates walkers from the road.
The Trossachs Woollen Mill and the Callander Woollen Mill are on the left, where sometimes you may see a demonstration of hand weaving. Watch out for the kilted highlander and the highland bull who sometimes stand outside to attract the visitors.
Look away over the field behind the mills to see Leny House, once the fortified home of the Buchanans of Leny and the scene of some evil deeds, which now provides self catering holiday cabins, cottages and a suite in the main castle building.
Continue towards Callander and on the left just before the start of the town you will see a wooded mound. This is the site of the old Leny Castle - of which not a trace remains. It is said that the stones were used to build the later castle which now forms part of Leny house.
At the 30MPH sign, you may like to detour round Leny Feus to see the large holiday homes (more like mansion houses) which were built during the Victorian era for wealthy Glasgow families who moved here during the summer months bringing their servants with them.