Scotland Road Trip: Callander (Day 10)

Our hike began by taking us through grassy fields. Not far away dense managed forest bordered the trail.

UPDATED: 2/5/2023

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The day dawned bright and beautiful, but sad - sad because it was our last full day in Scotland. We started off the day with a filling breakfast at Westerton Bed & Breakfast , where we were staying. There was a buffet of cereal, homemade yogurt with fresh fruit, poached pears, and more. For entrees half of our group had a full Scottish breakfast, the other half had a salmon and scrambled egg tower on toast.

Wanting to stay near town and avoid a lot of driving before our long flight and trek home the following day, we spoke with the B&B’s owners to get some recommendations on local hikes. We decided on Bracklinn Falls and Callander Crags hike , which begins just a little over a mile outside of the town of Callander .

In total, the loop trail that includes the Bracklinn Falls as well as Callander Crags hike took us about 2 hours, and we walked about 3.87 miles starting from the lower parking lot (the upper was full). For those wishing for a shorter hike, it is also popular to do an out-and-back hike just to the waterfall and return to the parking lot. The out-and-back option would be a little under 2 miles in length.

This hike is relatively popular in the area. While we shared the trail with others, it wasn’t crowded by any means, and we didn’t see others for large periods of time. It was much more isolated after passing the waterfall. But the parking lot is small, so be aware that parking may be difficult on nice days.

A slice of Scottish countryside near Callander.

After parking in the lower parking lot, the quarter of a mile to the trailhead was a steep uphill walk up the road. The trailhead was easy to find in the upper parking lot, and everything was well labelled. The initial part of the trail mostly meandered downhill through a mix of fields and forest and the sounds of the rushing water can be heard before you see the falls. Just before reaching the waterfall, which is really a series of waterfalls carved into jagged, protruding rocks, there is a hairpin turn. Adding to the beauty of the scene is the unique A-frame bridge straddling the Keltie Water river, which meets up with the River Teith in Callander.

The A-frame bridge was built in 2010 (read more here) after the previous bridge was washed away during heavy floods and is a good spot to stand and view the gorge and falls both up- and down-stream. Upstream of the bridge, Dustin also climbed out to the edge of the rocks to get additional angles of the falls. He likes to do things like that to make me nervous.

About a month after our visit, two local college students got into the water and ran into some trouble when the water swept one downstream with fast-moving currents. After an extensive rescue, one was saved and the other died at the scene. Due to the high close rock walls, the water level and power of this river are highly variable depending on recent rainfall. Always be extra careful and never underestimate the power water can have.

During our visit, the water levels were relatively low compared to some photos we have seen online - though the water levels didn’t seem low to us since there was plenty of water. I suspect that snow melt in the spring or large rain showers can cause these fluctuations in the amount and speed of the water.

As I sat observing the water and rocks surround me, I was struck by the rounded edges and erosion patterns seen on the rocks in the area.. This entire area I’m sitting on floods after heavy rains.

Bracklinn Falls present a series of waterfalls cutting through a deep gorge.

Slightly upstream from the main waterfalls of Bracklinn Falls small drops in elevation create rapids.

Thick moss coats many rocks throughout the area around Bracklinn Falls.

Taking photographs around Bracklinn Falls is a relaxing experience.

The beautiful A-frame bridge of Bracklinn Falls.

While the water level was low, there was still a lot of water flowing through Bracklinn Falls.

The main waterfall at Bracklinn Falls is easily seen from the footbridge spanning the gorge. Lindsey took this picture, and you can see the teeny tiny red shirted form of Dustin on the rock.

The bridge over Bracklinn falls was made from Douglas Fir beams and is capped with a roof of copper.

Lindsey breaks away from enjoying the waterfalls and takes a moment to smile for the camera.

After crossing the A-frame bridge, which most visitors don’t do, having come only for the waterfall, the path turns uphill very quickly. The climb is relatively steep and lasts for a bit, so this is the part of the hike that will best test how in shape you are! After some switchbacks away from the water, the path enters a forest road.

The forest in this area is managed where sections are allowed to grow, then are cut down. So the section of forest the trail goes through shows the grid-like pattern of how the pine trees are planted. Between the trees are thick layers of pine needles. Because the trail is on the side of a hill, the forest up to our right was significantly higher than the ground level we stood on. It was a really interesting place to walk, surrounded by rows upon rows of trees climbing higher up the hill on one side and descending down on the other.

And then, because the forest is managed, the trees abruptly came to an end.

The path deposited us near the top of a mountain with broad, sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. Visible are mountains to the north in the hillier Highland part of the country: Ben Ledi, Stuc a’ Chroin, and Ben Vorlich. Looking around, we could see other newer forests being grown for timber.

Atop the hill was, randomly, a picnic bench that looked like it was from a school, and then the path headed downhill fairly quickly and passed part of the river that was headed to the falls.

At that point, the trail shifted to follow a small, country road that provided beautiful views, flowers, and grasses as it meandered back to the parking lot.

It is a strange feeling setting foot in what looks like a forest to see a monoculture of trees planted in straight rows. There was also an eerie lack of wildlife that one normally expects to find in a normal forest.

Cresting the hill and emerging from dense forest put us on top of the Callander Crags. Following the road to the right leads to the ruins of a cairn while bearing left eventually leads to the parking lot.

A relaxing spot for a picnic atop Callander Crags.

I loved the near purple color of these grasses.

A mix of colors peek through the grass as mid-summer wildflowers bloom.

A lone bench entices tired hikers to take a break.

Many have walked through high grass to investigate a mysterious building.

As dark gray clouds gathered and the Scottish wind picked up, we got to our car and headed back to Callander.

We stopped in at the Old Bank Restaurant right on the main street of town. Our group ordered a variety of different food: fish and chips, a prawn special, a chicken and salami sandwich, and a broccoli and stilton quiche. Some of us enjoyed our orders more than others, but in general, it was a good, casual lunch spot.

Our plan for the afternoon was to head to Loch Katrine, about a 20 minute drive from Callander through the Trossachs National Park. We planned to hike along the shores of the loch.

Loch Katrine was quite a popular vacation spot during the Victorian Era, and it was this area that inspired Sir Walter Scott’s narrative poem Lady of the Lake, written in 1810. Queen Victoria played a key role in the area and oversaw the 1855 building of the engineering of the lake. For this visit, a royal cottage was built on the shore.

The drive was pretty, rural, and forested, but by the time we arrived at the loch, rain had moved into the area and showed no sign of abatement. This was an actual rainy day as opposed to passing Scottish showers. Had the weather been better and if we’d had more time, there are a number of activities that can be enjoyed on Loch Katrine, including taking a steamship tour of the loch.

At this point in the trip, we were also pretty exhausted and so decided to just call it a day and head back to our warm, dry bed and breakfast.

On our return trip, we stopped by a small woolen mills spot for coffee, and then spent a little time back at our bed and breakfast relaxing and packing for our trip home the following day.

We had 7:45pm reservations at Callander Meadows, the second restaurant recommended by our hosts. Callander Meadows also offers accommodations and has rooms upstairs. This spot is located right on the main street in town and is a quaint space. It is family run - our server was the wife of the chef, and their dog was upstairs and kept creeping down the stairs to take in the smells of food. Because of where I was sitting, I had a perfect line of sight to the dog, which completely made my day as a dog lover. Did I find an excuse to walk past the dog to pet it? Yes, yes, I did. (The bathroom was at the top of the stairs, conveniently!)

The food was delicious, the service was friendly and attentive, and the ambiance was spot on. At various times of the year, it appears the restaurant serves only those staying the night, so make sure to call ahead and check on its availability and make reservations to hold your spot.

The following morning, our hosts were accommodating to serve us breakfast earlier than their normal time so that we could get on the road back to Edinburgh Airport, a pretty 1-hour drive from Callander past the city of Stirling. As we passed Stirling on the highway, we could see Stirling Castle protruding out over the city, a good final castle view to end our 10-day Scottish road trip.

Our route and spots for the day:

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