Walk of the Week: Invertrossachs

THE Trossachs in summer can be a busy place. No wonder, really, with such picture-postcard scenery within an hour of Scotland’s two biggest cities.

However, once you’re away from the towns and roads, footpaths lead to places where peace and quiet are fairly easy to find. One place quieter than most is on the Invertrossachs Estate. There is a lot of forestry to contend with but at no point is the route hemmed in by trees on both sides. In fact, recent felling means the views are superb and culminate in a chocolate-box panorama over the end of Loch Venachar to Ben Venue and Ben A’an. Earlier in the walk, the southern ridge of Ben Ledi can be studied – walking up it is a lot easier than it looks at this distance.

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself at the start of the walk in a deserted car park. A few sheep and cows on the other side of the loch were the only signs of life. It was a typical Scottish spring day – a little sun, dark clouds and the threat of rain, all working to add drama to the vista.

A photographer friend once claimed it was too bright to take pictures when the only thing in the sky was the sun. He sounded like he was suffering from too much sun, but on a day like this it made sense. n

DISTANCE: 5½ miles.

HEIGHT: CLIMBED 510ft.

TIME: 2 to 2½ hours.

MAP: OS Landranger 57.

PARKING: From the centre of Callander take the A81, cross a bridge over the River Teith and go right at a mini-roundabout, along a minor road. After about a mile and a half, just past a cycle centre, keep left to follow a sign for Invertrossachs. There is a car park on the left, at the bottom of a forestry track.

IN SUMMARY: Follow the track uphill, passing a bench and veering left, then right. After dropping down slightly, go right at a fork just before a lochan, to reach the water’s edge. The track continues uphill on the other side of the lochan and veers right, away from the water.

You then reach Bealach nan Càrn and the best view of the walk, over the Trossachs. Go right at a fork to drop down a track all the way to Loch Venachar. The track veers left before reaching the water’s edge, rising up slightly before dropping down again to a metalled road. Go right and follow the road by the shore for about a mile and a half, where you will find the car park, on the right.

REFRESHMENTS: There is a good choice in Callander, including the luxurious Roman Camp country house hotel. For a good country pub, head for the Lade Inn at Kilmahog.

WHILE YOU ARE IN THE AREA: It is possible to see and a get a good insight into the life of red kites at Argaty (www.argatyredkites.co.uk), signed from Doune.

For Monty Python fans, the nearby Doune Castle (www.historic-scotland.gov.uk) is a good place to head. Monty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed here, and it looks good in its own right too.

NICK DRAINEY