Callander Crags and Bracklinn Falls.

Start. Callander.

Route. Callander - Main Street - Bracklinn Road - Callander Crags Wood - Callander Crags - Bracklinn Road - Brackland Glenn - Keltie Water - Bracklinn Falls - Bracklinn Road - Main Street - Callander.

Notes. We've slipped our leash, escaped our lair in the Lake District for a few days, a much welcome break saw us enjoying stunning views and wonderful Autumnal colours in the hills above Callander on the edge of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. I've Sue for company keeping me on the straight and narrow, taking on most of the map reading both in and out of the car.

Formed as a result of Scotland colliding with England the crags above Callander and the vertical slabs at Bracklinn Falls mark the Highland Boundary Fault, a geological fault stretching the entire width of Scotland, from Arran in the west to Stonehaven in the east. Take a wee wander with us along a small slice of this fault line marking the edge of the Lowlands and the start of the Highlands, stand atop Callander Crags breath in crisp clear Highland air and drink in unforgettable views over the Scottish Lowlands.

Late afternoon saw us wandering through Callander, the long Main Street guided us to Bracklinn Road, with the sun already low in the sky, there was a distinct possibility we may run out of daylight. Bracklinn Road ushered us through long shadows and wonderful Autumn colours to a small car park, we left said road, the right hand of two forest tracks now guided us through mixed woodland. On we wandered, a red marker post promising we were still on track, at a definite junction we turned right, the steep ascent that followed deposited us at the start of an obvious path, we turned left, stepped onto said path and continued climbing the hill. Passed a picnic table we climbed then a memorial bench, from the bench it was obvious where the path was leading. A steep rake breached the cliff face just ahead, the path climbed it, so did we to be greeted by a slender cairn and sweeping vistas over Callander as far as the Fourth Estuary, to the north an empty landscape of rolling hills and desolation.

From the summit we had a friendly guide, a deer fence, this substantial construction guided us north-east over boggy ground and a couple of large rocky steps, when the fence abandoned us swinging north we entered woodland of oak and birch, we continued descending to a slender ribbon of tarmac, turned left and wandered north to reach a footpath on the right that traversed Brackland Glen, this path deposited us on the track to Bracklinn Falls. The woodland walk that followed presented few views, every so often a glimpse of the Keltie Water and the sound of a tumbling stream kindled the interest a little. Bracklinn Falls was an assault on the senses, thundering water pouring through a rocky gorge, noise and spray, popular with Victorian travelers still popular today. Six cataracts spill between twisted tormented rock formed when continents collided over 410 million years ago, the smallest just six feet in height, the tallest twenty five feet, a rather smart bridge spans the gap built to replace one that succumb to flooding. We crossed to join paths that were to guide us to the Bracklinn Falls car park and the slender ribbon of the grey stuff we followed earlier, all that remained to follow the road back into Callander then find a friendly pub for dinner.

view route map.

home.

Autumn in Callander Crags Wood.

Clear of the trees, our first view over the valley of the River Tieth.

Views over Callander to the green fields of the valley of the River Tieth.

Dark behind a vale of trees Callander Crags.

Wonderful views over the Lowlands, reaching across the skyline, the Campsie Fells.

Heading through Callander Crags Wood with the crags looming larger with every step.

The stunning view from under the cliffs of Callander Crags.

Loch Venachar seen from the approach to Callander Crags.

Our route ahead.

High wide and handsome views from the entrance of the rake that was to guide us to the summit, a distant Stirling and the Forth Estuary.

View taken from near the summit.

Soaking up views to Loch Venachar from the summit Callander Crags.

The wilderness to the north, catching the late afternoon sun, Meall na Caora and Meall Odhar.

The summit Callander Crags, the Jubilee Cairn erected in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Another great view to Stirling, squint and you can just make out the Wallace Monument.

A wild sky to match a wild landscape.

I took this picture because I like the colour of birch woods this time of year.

A truly humbling sight, Bracklinn Falls.

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