Forests & Wildlife
The Great outdoors
The Trossachs is rich in wildlife. Red and roe deer, osprey, golden eagle, pine marten and hare can often be found within the woodlands that surround most of our lochs and bens. However, there is much to be gained in visiting the great forests that surround Callander.
Generally less busy than the lochs and bens, the two vast expanses of forest provide an ideal habitat for our native species. Both are easily reached from Callander and both offer parking facilities, public toilets and clearly signposted walks.
The best access to the forest is from the Forest Lodge Visitor Centre, the VisitScotland 5-star rated visitor attraction celebrates everything the great outdoors can offer. With 4 signposted trails offering easy, moderate and strenuous walks and climbs through the Queen Elizabeth Forest there is also a red squirrel hide and live wildlife camera feeds.
You can also test your navigation skills by picking up a free orienteering map which will take you to parts of the forest most visitors don’t visit. Refreshments are available from the café and there Is a picnic area.
Easy Access is available for wheelchair users and there are toilets onsite. To get there, take A81 from Callander to Aberfoyle, then follow brown signage for Forest Park Visitor Centre. Head up the hill to The Lodge Visitor Centre Car Park.
The Great Trossachs Forest NNR is one of the largest woodland regeneration projects in Europe. The project has a 200-year lifetime and will ultimately be the largest native broadleaf woodlands in the UK. Since 2009, 2.5 million trees have been planted, creating a connected corridor of woodland stretching from Kilmahog on the outskirts of Callander, around Loch Katrine to Inversnaid.
By removing non-native conifers and replanting native broadleaf species, new natural habitats have been created for wildlife across the 160 square km site. Conservation grazing on open ground has restored the ecosystems needed to maintain these natural habitats for native wildlife and, over the past 10 years, these species are returning, and flourishing within the forest.
Glen Finglas
The Glen Finglas Estate is the largest of the estates within the Great Trossachs Forest at 12,044 acres. There are 10 trails within the estate, all of which can be accessed from the visitor centre. The Glen Finglas Play Trail is great for children, with activity centres, secret dens and immersive artworks designed to keep them engaged and entertained. Among the wildlife you can expect to find within the estate are: red squirrel, red kite, pine marten, tawny owl, great spotted woodpecker, field vole, fox, badger, buzzard, siskin, green woodpecker, treecreeper, nuthatch, cuckoo, song thrush, red deer, roe deer, osprey and golden eagle.
The visitor centre is open from April to October, 7 days a week between 10:00 – 16:00. To get there take the A84 (west) from Callander to Kilmahog and then turn left onto the A821, The Little Drum car park is 4.7 miles on the left. The Lendrick Hill car park and visitor centre is ½ a mile further along, on the right. Details of the forest trails can be found here. Details of what you will find at Glen Finglas can be accessed here
Flanders Moss National Nature Reserve
One of the largest lowland raised bogs in Britain, Flanders Moss is an internationally important habitat. NatureScot are overseeing an ongoing restoration project to restore the damage caused by draining the bog in the 18th century. As a result of this intervention the 3 square mile reserve is once again attracting invertebrates, deer and bird life.
A 0.5-mile boardwalk allows visitors to safely explore the landscape and there is a viewing tower providing a panoramic view across the bog. Visit in Spring for bog plants and autumn to see birds of prey and geese. Binoculars are recommended. To get there take the A81 from Callander Main street and turn left onto the B822. Turn left onto the A873 and continue across the junction onto the B822 and turn right at the signpost for Flanders Moss.
Ben Lawers National Nature reserve
The 10th highest mountain in Scotland at 1,214m (3,984ft) Ben Lawers gives its name to the wider National Nature Reserve. The reserve is owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and stretches for around 4,500 hectares and includes a further 6 other Munros within its boundary. NTS have laid out a series of shorter walks within the reserve and details can be found here.
The climb to the summit of Ben Lawers will take you through areas of rare alpine plants (which should not be disturbed) and will possibly allow you glimpses of ptarmigan, red deer, skylarks and black grouse. At the summit you will be rewarded with stunning views over Loch Tay over to the east coast (on a clear day). To get to there, take the A84, north, to Lochearnhead, then take the A85 through to Lix Toll where you turn onto the A827. Follow the road, through Killin, for 3 miles until you reach the signpost for Ben Lawers and Bridge of Balgie (on the left) then follow that road until you reach the Ben Lawers Car Park. Allow 3-6 hours for the round climb.