Venue: Callander

Photos for South & west of Callander

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South & west of Callander

From the leisure centre, head south along the straight A81, then turn off into the forest at a small car park. Climb up to the right at a fork, eventually arriving at a picnic table overlooking the town. Turn right here, onto a major forest track.

For the more challenging upper loop, take the left fork, then keep left, then right, eventually joining the Ben Gullipen track, where you go left and plummet down to the road, (at a speed appropriate to your skill level). Turn left onto the road for just a few hundred metres, then off left onto another major forest track, to bring you back to the picnic table and onto the fork again.

Taking the right fork this time, continue straight on, ignoring two turnings to the right. You will come out of the trees to a felled area with views over Loch Venacher, where you follow the track round to the right. A quick left & right will have you continuing in roughly the same direction, then go left to descend parallel wheel tracks back towards Callander. After some entertaining twisty footpath, (please respect pedestrians), go left towards Coilhallan car park, and then left onto the minor road. Follow the road round to the right, over the bridge, then cross the A821 to follow the new footpath back towards Callander. Cross the A821 again and follow the disused railway (sustrans 7) back to town. There are a few alternatives to return to the leisure centre. Most involve a chip shop.

Obviously, numerous other options are available from Callander.

Photos for Callander East

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Callander East

Callander East. Basically two loops connected up by a bit of the disused railway path. The climbs go up the roads, then the descents are more entertaining off-road affairs.

Photos for Leny Panoramaweg

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Comments and ratings for Leny Panoramaweg

Going up into stank glen is well worth it for a great blast back down, done this a few times now and never tire of it trekmamba gave this trail 3 stars about 3 years ago

Nice easy trail. Good run out to stretch the legs klasm155 gave this trail 3 stars about 3 years ago

Leny Panoramaweg

This route uses the disused railway from Callander north towards Strathyre. Just to the north of the log cabins, there is a forest track that winds its way up to around 1000ft. (It is possible to ride even higher, into Stank Glen). The way down brings you out back at the Lade Inn. The loop can be ridden either way round, and there are a couple of alternative routes between the higher forestry tracks and the railway down at loch level. Explore.

Photos for Loop of Loch Venachar

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Great route with fantastic views cyclinggirl gave this trail 5 stars about 3 years ago

Loop of Loch Venachar

Most of this is a new path in April 2014, created as part of the Great Trossachs Path. It goes from Callander to Brig o Turk tearoom (- try the Goulash!) and you can return on the track on the South side of Loch Venachar, making a nice loop starting and finishing in Callander. There are a lot of undulations, but the track itself is wide and very good quality. Not technical at all. The descent to Brig o' Turk tearoom is a fast, on tarmac, round hairpins - a blast! The return track on the south side of the loch is much much flatter and therefore the quicker "half" of the loop.

Photos for Loop of Loch Drunkie

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Loop of Loch Drunkie

This loop of Loch Drunkie starts in Callander. The surface is tarmac (on a no-through road with very little traffic) and land-rover tracks for the most part, with a small amount of really nice wide single track along the shore of Loch Venachar (this part is a Sustrans route). You could use McLaren Leisure centre to park for free - (and go in for a sauna aferwards!) or Coilhallan Woods also has a free car park and is about 1.5 km into the route as described, and there is a cycle hire place right next to it.

Have fun. There are plenty of other tracks off this one to explore, if you want.

Photos for Aberfoyle Scone Route

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Aberfoyle Scone Route

This is called Aberfoyle Scone route because we always stop for a home-made scone at The Lodge (previously called David Marshall Lodge). Tracks are all tarmac or wide land-rover-track or very wide single-track. There are 2 long hills, one up from East Lodge on Loch Venachar and the other starting at the waterfall / bridge just after The (scone) Lodge.
Nice views / nice scenery.

Photos for Loch Ruskie

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Loch Ruskie

A little pootle to Loch Ruskie, where the landscape is changing all the time now that trees are being felled. This means more views over Ben Ledi as you are on the return leg. This route is mainly forest tracks, with 2 short sections of single track, both of which are easy. The descent back into Callander is very fast and swoopy if you can do it when there are no dog-walkers about. This area has been ear-marked for blue /red MTB trails in the near future, so watch this space!