Callander Crags and Bracklinn Falls

Another decent Sunday and walk was on the cards again. This time we thought we'd head up to the Trossachs and walk up into the hills above the Pass of Leny. However, we drove up to Callander and then headed up the A84 as there's a car park just opposite the route down to the Falls of Leny. Well, there was a car park but by the time we reached Loch Lubnaig, we realised that we must've somehow passed it. Backtracking, we eventually found it but discovered that it had been closed off. No explanation, just no access.

Loch Lubnaig

Still, we were up here so we headed back into Callander with the intention of climbing over the crags behind the town. We've done it before and it's a fairly strenuous climb but the views are pretty good.

Callander Crags

We parked in the main car park in Callander and, after getting lured into a local farmer's market with thoughts of cheese and fudge, we headed off. Walking to the very rear of the car park, the route to the crags lies just a little along the road to the left. It's not very well signed but a wee lane leads up to back of the houses and at the end you'll see a sign for the Crags as it meets a path running east to west.

On Callander Craig

You can take either route but the usual way, and I think the driest, is to head west and just plod on up almost 900 feet to the top where there's an enormous cairn. The views from up there are pretty good. There's the obvious, almost aerial view of Callander town itself and to the west, there's Loch Venachar with Ben Lomond beyond. To the east there's the Braes of Doune with its wind farm and to the south lies Flanders Moss and the long road heading towards Aberfoyle.

Continue along the path on the top of the crags to the northeast and you'll start to head down again and eventually you'll reach a small road, which would eventually take you all the way down into Callander again. However, after about half a mile, you'll come to a car park and a path leading off east, signed for Bracklinn Falls…

Bracklinn Falls

If the weather's nice, then this is a pleasant detour to see the falls on the way down. The path is fairly level for about half a mile and then drops down some steps towards Brackland Glen and the Keltie Water on which lie the falls.

The water here rushes down over the falls and through a very picturesque gorge and the drop in height from top to bottom is quite impressive. There was once a bridge over the gorge, the Bridge of Brackland, and it was there when we were last here but some ferocious storm in 2004 swept it away. It's a pity as the walk up the other side of the Keltie Water is nice too.

When we were just about to leave, a couple of guys appeared with canoes and began checking the gorge out for a possible run down it. Having just clambered around quite a bit trying to get some photographs of the falls, I wasn't convinced there was enough water on the upper falls so we hung about to see if they'd have a go (bloodthirsty we are). They were of the same mind but thought they'd get a run down from a little lower down but we gave up waiting and headed back along the path.

Back on the road, you could continue all the way down into Callander but there's a route back through the woods that will get you back to the start just behind the car park and that's a much more pleasant walk then on any road. Mind you, we got a little lost at one point but soon found our way again and then it was home for that cheese and what was left of the fudge.