Lochs and Glens in Style

Fly into Edinburgh or Glasgow airport and make your way by train and bus or taxi to Callander situated just within the National Park.  A walk to view the Bracklin Falls, just above Callander is worthwhile if you have time over the next 2-3 days. For the next few nights, you shall sleep in a converted hunting lodge built in 1625!

Today your adventure begins as you cycle along your first Scottish Glen, your destination is Loch Katrine. Your route will take you along the shores of Loch Venacher where you can admire the wonderful views in front of you.  Once at Loch Katrine you can decide to take a boat tour on one of the ancient ships which sail providing an insight to the local history as you take in the fabulous scenes or you can decide to cycle a little further on a private lane along the shores of the Loch. You will come across many spots where you can sit and have a picnic listening to the silence, yes no sound of cars or vehicles can be heard.  Now you can cycle back to Callander on the opposite shore of Loch Venacher.   

You leave Callander, setting off south along the quiet country roads to village of Doune, home of a famous Doune Castle sitting directly on the River Teith. Doune Castle was a filming set of the hit TV series Outlander. As you approach Doune you shall pass Deanston Whisky distillery, where you can take a guided tour (own expense). The medieval Doune Castle was built as a home for Scotland’s uncrowned King Regent Albany. During your visit, you can trace the footsteps of rulers fictional and real, as the castle has been a filming location for famous films such as Game of Thrones, Outlander and Monty Python and the Holy Grail!
After exploring the Castle, you can either take a circular route back or continue onto Dunblane and visit the wonderful Cathedral there. Dunblane Cathedral, established by Saint Blane in year 600, is one of the few surviving medieval churches in Scotland.

The cycle route today follows mostly dedicated cycle paths away from traffic. You leave Callander in a northerly direction passing the waterfalls, “Falls of Leny” before you reach the shores of Loch Lubnaig. The cycle paths continues along the shoreline before moving away just before the village of Strathyre. Maybe now is the time for a short coffee stop before heading up the Glen to Balquhidder, this is the location of a small church where Rob Roy McGregor and his family is buried. Rob Roy is an important historic figure of this region being at 18th-century clan chief made into as 1995 film starring Liam Neeson. After your visit you continue by bike up Glen Ogle, don’t worry though, there is one short steep section before climbing on the converted disused railway line north. Once at the top of the Glen you descend to the village of Killin.  

Before setting out on your bike check out the “Falls of Dochart” in the centre of the village, the white waterfalls are often a mass of water crashing over the rocks below the ancient bridge that scans it. You set out cycling along the south side of Loch Tay on a minor country lane used as part of the UK National Cycle Network. Loch Tay is almost 16 miles long! At the eastern end, you reach the picture-postcard village of Kenmore and the Scottish Crannog Centre, which shows life on the loch during the bronze age. After maybe lunch in Kenmore, you set out on the final leg of your ride, through the pretty hamlet of Fortingall and then to Aberfeldy passing Castle Menzies, an ideal afternoon stop before arriving to your overnight destination. Tonight, you stay in a converted hunting lodge hotel dating back to 1758.

Today you have an option of a shorter cycle ride direct to Pitlochry which will allow you to discover this wonderful highland town or continue further south to visit the historic town of Dunkeld. In Dunkeld you can visit the ruins of the 17th-century abbey on the shores of the River Tay. You now continue by bike north to Pitlochry. Pitlochry is a bustling former Victorian highland town, lots of activities to do here, visit the Fish and Dam ladder (where salmon jump the dam wall), festival theatre, a whisky distillery, go boating on the lake or take in a hike or two! Here you shall sleep in a real Baronial Scottish Castle.

A day to explore the tourist attractions in the wonderful Highland town or take a day’s cycle ride around this great area. Visit the Fish and Dam ladder and if lucky and in the season, you shall see the salmon jumping the ladder. The Festival open-air theatre is worth a visit or tries one of the two distilleries nearby; the Bells and Edradour Scotland’s smallest. Cycle north and visit the Killiecrankie visitor centre the centre point of the Jacobite risings. Further north a few miles, Blair Atholl with Scotland’s most visited Castle; Blair Castle, home of the Atholl family. The picturesque route around Loch Tummel will provide some breath-taking scenery to make this day stopover truly unforgettable. The longer route shall take you on a loop passing Blair Castle, House of Bruar (high-end Scottish shopping store) and Loch Tummel.

Depart after breakfast.