Heart of the Trossachs National Park
MacGregor
Country
Trossachs Tourist Information is probably the one thing you
won't find when you come to this part of the Trossachs National Park!
This area of Scotland between Loch Lomond and the Centre of the Trossachs is off the
beaten track and mostly single track roads but is absolutely unique with a delightful mix
of tranquil lochs, burns and great views of Ben Lomond and highland lochs
. The area might
have been made purely for the pleasure of visitors.
This is the heart of Rob Roy MacGregor's Scotland and is where he was born, where he met and married Mary (Campbell) MacGregor, and it was among these lochs and glens of the Trossachs that he lived his life and where some of his more famous exploits took place. This description takes the tourist from Drymen on the A811 to Aberfoyle then Inversnaid on the north west banks of Loch Lomond.
Gartmore
From Drymen take the Stirling road (A811) then the Aberfoyle road (A81). The
road follows the western edge of Flanders moss - a strategic barrier in the troubled past
of Scotland - and after crossing the bridge over the Kelty Water watch for the sign for
Gartmore on the left. Gartmore is on the old Drymen to Aberfoyle road. Gartmore dates from
the early eighteenth. The house was the seat of the Grahams of Gartmore, descendents of
the Earls of Menteith. On the village green stands a memorial to Cunninghame Graham The
ruin of sixteenth-century Gartartan Castle, which preceded the mansion, stands about 300
yards to the north.
There was a time when many of Gartmore’s inhabitants were exiles from Glasgow. Adults
and children from Glasgow’s poor and orphan institutions were boarded out in local
farms and cottages until the early years of the twentieth century.
South of the village, on the old Drymen Road, is Chapelaroch farm, where a chapel attached
to the Priory of Inchmahome once stood. There was also an inn, where Rob Roy is said to
have kidnapped the Duke of Montrose’s factor, Graham of Killearn, while he was
collecting rents in 1716. The rent money was then returned to the tennants along with a
receipt from the factor.
- Information
- No Toilets
- Bus and Coach -The Stirling to Glasgow service passes through the village. Royal Mail Bus service to Aberfoyle and Kinlochard.
- Hotel - Black Bull,
- Caravan and Camping - Forestry Enterprise Caravan and Camping Site, 1½ miles North of Gartmore.
- No tourist information centre
Aberfoyle
Walter Scott's writings quoted an early visitor to Scotland as having said 'In the clachan of Aberfule we saw such miserable little bourachs that we may have ridden over them in the night and never have known of them'. (this quotation from a fading memory). The village has improved somewhat and is now typical of a well to do Trossachs village .
Aberfoyle stands at the edge of the Highlands of Scotland on the highland boundary fault. The fault is responsible for much of the unique scenery of the Trossachs in these parts as movement of the ground in the past has caused much upheaval which created the present scenery, with a little help from the water, the glaciers and of course - man.
There were once slate and lime quarries in the hills around Aberfoyle but like so many other industries in Scotland this had all ceased by the mid 20th c. The population was greatly reduced in these parts after the 1745 rising when the clan system collapsed and the population only started to recover by the efforts of successive Dukes of Montrose to promote farming and early tourism. The 5th Duke built the hotel and the 'Duke's Pass' over to loch Katrine.
The village of Aberfoyle is attractive enough for a short pause, and boasts an interesting curio shop, cafeteria, an art gallery and woollens and tweeds stores. There is also the old parish church with its 'morte safes'. The "Scottish Wool Exhibition" is just off Main Street and there you can find the story of Scottish wool. There is also the 'Spinner's Cottage' where you may try your hand at spinning the wool. On occasion you may be able to witness local shepherds with their collie dogs giving exhibitions.
Almost opposite the Callander road, you can cross the old bridge over the river Forth to visit the ruins of the old 1774 parish church which has at its north-east corner the grave of the Rev. Robert Kirk who was supposedly spirited away whilst walking on Doon hill by the village. At either side of the church door stands a 'morte safe' - a heavy cast iron, coffin shaped slab used to keep grave robbers away from a burial until it was of no possible use to the 'resurrectionists'.
Trossachs Tourist Information
- Toilets
- Bus and coach - from the car park to Stirling and Glasgow. The 'Trossachs Trundler' provides a circular service via Port of Mentieth, Callander & the Dukes Pass. Contact Stirling council via their website for up to date information
- Numerous hotels
- Self Catering at Kinlochard
- Caravan and Camping - Forest enterprise - Cobleland
- Tourist information - Main st,
Milton and Kinlochard
From Aberfoyle, at the foot of the climb up to the Duke's Pass' take the B829 on the left to Milton where you can see a huge iron water wheel which once powered the mill. You can also find 'Jean MacAlpine's Inn' which is a beautifully restored and thatched cottage.
Continue through the pass of Aberfoyle and lovely Loch Ard with its spectacular views
to Ben 
Lomond.
Queen Victoria is reputed to have been entranced by these views over Loch Ard. On a little
island at the far shore are the ruins of the 15th c Murdoch's Castle. Murdoch was the
regent of Scotland while James I's captivity in England.
Continue up the lochside to Kinlochard which boasts a watersports centre where you may indulge in all sorts of activities, from a bit of gentle fishing to white water rafting and diving. Walkers may leave the road here to climb Ben Venue from whose summit spectacular views over all the Trossachs may be seen.
Further on you pass through pleasantly wooded countryside and past Loch Dhu (the black Loch) and Loch Chon (loch o' the dog). The road now decends gently and 'twistily' past some excellent views from the eastern end of Loch Arklet and then to a 'T' junction. The right turn leads to Stronachlacher on Loch Katrine and the left turn to Inversnaid.
Stronachlachar
Stronachlacher is a wonderfully scenic spot at the west end of Loch Kastrine whereyou find a pier for the steamer 'Sir Walter Scott' on Loch Katrine. There are some marvelous views to be had from the pier. You can also walk or cycle along the private north Katrine road which leads to the far end of the loch and on to Callander. From this road you can find Glengyle House, for years the home of the MacGregor chiefs, and also gain access to the artificial island at Portanellan which was created by the Glasgow water board workers to protect the ancestral burial ground of the Clan MacGregor when the waters of the loch were raised to provide Glasgow's water supply. The water is carried from an outlet on the south side of the loch via an aquaduct to reservoirs outside Glasgow. The aquaduct itself is an engineering wonder with a fall of only a few feet to carry the water to Glasgow without the need for pumps.
The steamer 'Sir Walter Scott' calls in the mornings and only in season, but check with Callander Tourist Information or tel 01877 376 275 before making plans.
Trossachs Tourist Information
- Toilets
- Car parking
- Wonderful scenery, walking, cycling
- Little or no tourist Accommodation
- No public transport (Steamer calls at pier am only in season)
Inversnaid
Turning left at the T junction takes you to Inversnaid via the
north shore of Loch Arklet which was artificially raised by a dam erected in the first
decade of the 20th century for 
Glasgow's water supply. It was on the south side of Loch Arklet and on
the slopes of Ben Lomond that Mary (Helen) MacGregor lived with her uncle before she
became famous by marrying Rob Roy MacGregor. They married at Corriearklet farm which is on
the right of the road.
The road from the Loch Arklet dam down to Inversnaid is VERY steep. At the top of the hill, turn left and drive up to the little car park from which you can walk a short way up to a viewpoint with the unlikely ? title "Rob Roy's View" which provides a viewmarked panorama over Loch Lomond.
Drive down to Inversnaid and think of the horses which had to pull the dis-assembled Loch Katrine steamer up this hill and over to Stronachlacher where it was re-assembled.
There is a spacious car park at Inversnaid with toilets and convenient access to the Inversnaid hotel bar!
The height of the car park now affords spectacular views up and down Loch Lomond and
across to Tarbet on the western shore of the loch.
A spectacular waterfall to the south of the car park warrants a second look then you can
walk half a mile north on the west highland way to visit Rob Roy's cave above the loch.
The cave is well signposted.
There is a foot ferry service from the little harbour over to Inveruglas.
Unfortunately there is no alternative return route and unless you want to tackle the long walk down the lochside you now must return by the same road to Aberfoyle for the trip over to The Trossachs and Callander.
Trossachs Tourist Information
- Toilets
- Car parking
- Wonderful scenery, walking
- Inversnaid hotel
- No public transport (ferry over to Inveruglas and occasional water bus to other points)