Scenic drives

The areas best drives

Three Lochs Forest Drive - Lochan Reòidhte, Loch Drunkie and Loch Achray.  

The 7 mile-long, one-way forest drive takes in some of the more remote Lochs in the Trossachs, can only be accessed from the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park and is open to vehicles between Easter and October, daily, from 9am-4pm. Access by bike or foot is open year round. Start the drive at the Dukes Pass (A821) north of Aberfoyle, where a charge of £3 per vehicle is payable.

Once on the drive you can take in the unspoiled woodlands along with the wildlife: deer, red squirrels and, if you are lucky, spot an osprey fishing in one of the lochs. Within the route there are 5 clearly signposted short walks which allow you to explore the shorelines and woodlands around each of the lochs. The easiest being the Little Drunkie Trail (3/4 mile, allow 30 minutes) and the longest being the Pine Ridge Trail which is a more strenuous, uphill walk at around 1 mile, taking 45 minutes. 

Fishing permits for Loch Drunkie and Loch Achray can be obtained at the Forest Lodge Visitor Centre but there is no fishing allowed on Lochan Reòidhte as it is designated as a conservation water. To get to the Three Lochs Forest Drive from Callander, take the A81 through to Aberfoyle, then take the Dukes Pass (A821) at the end of the Main Street. 

Dukes Pass Loop/Trossachs Trail 

This is a drive that locals take when the weather is fine and the roads aren’t too busy. Starting at Callander on the A84 to Kilmahog then follow the A821 around the Trossachs and into Aberfoyle. Then head back to Callander on the A81.  It’s a short (26 mile) drive but it takes you through some of the most beautiful scenery in the Trossachs, passing Loch Venachar, Loch Achray and the Lake of Menteith. Along the way you can stop off for lunch at Venachar Lochside, The Byre Inn at Brig O’Turk or The Lake of Menteith Hotel. You could also take a detour at Aberfoyle and take in the Three Lochs Forest Drive (from Dukes Pass).  More on the Trossachs Trail here.

BLiSS Trail of art and architectural installations 

This award-winning trail features a constantly evolving collection of sculpture, ornamental features and installations created to reflect the environment in which they sit. The trail will take you through Rob Roy country; the villages of Balquhidder, Strathyre, Lochearnhead and St Fillans, and can be accessed by car or by bike. Designed as a day out, the route is best planned using the smartphone app which provides a guided tour of the artworks along with suggesting where you can stop off to eat, drink or take in the view. The route is around 28 miles in total and the first installation (from Callander) is at Loch Lubnaig. You can preview the route, on a desktop, here, download the android app here or the iPhone app here.