Top 5 scenic walks in The Trossachs: Callander and Aberfoyle

The Trossachs, often called the ‘gateway to the Highlands,’ is a region where nature, history, and folklore intertwine. The towns of Callander and Aberfoyle sit at its southern and eastern entrances, offering easy access to this enchanting part of Scotland. Known for its lush forests, serene lochs, and dramatic glens, the Trossachs is a haven for walkers. Whether you're following in the footsteps of Sir Walter Scott’s characters or simply soaking in the stunning views, these five walks around Callander and Aberfoyle take you through some of the most scenic landscapes the area has to offer.

15 Short Walks in the Trossachs - Callander and Aberfoyle

£9.95

Discover 15 of the best short walks around Callander, Aberfoyle and the Trossachs. Each walk comes with easy-to-read Ordnance Survey maps, clear route description and lots of images, plus information on beauty spots and refreshment stops. No challenging terrain or complicated navigation means walks can be enjoyed by everyone.

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A family enjoying the view from the summit of Ben A’an

The best walk for spectacular views...

What: Ben A'an
Summary: The short but very steep ascent of a well-maintained path to a spectacular view from the summit of Ben A’an
Start/finish: Ben A'an car park
Time: 2½hr
Distance: 4km (2½ miles)
Climb: 330m

A miniature mountain, Ben A’an’s rocky, conical summit rising from the forest is one of the Trossachs’ most striking sights. The only thing to beat looking at it, is to look out from it – those who brave the steep, rocky ascent are rewarded with unbeatable views over Loch Katrine, Loch Achray and Loch Venachar, as well as of the nearby Ben Venue and surrounding mountains. We can blame Sir Walter Scott for the Anglicisation, ‘Ben A’an’. The hill’s proper Gaelic name wasAm Binnean meaning, appropriately, ‘the pinnacle’.

The best walk for waterfalls...

What: Falls of Leny
Summary: A short, gentle woodland walk to the powerful Falls of Leny
Start/finish: Bochastle car park near Kilmahog
Time: 1hr
Distance: 4km (2½ miles)
Climb: 35m

This relaxing woodland route follows a smooth, shared cycle path to a point where the Garbh Uisge tumbles over the Highland Boundary Fault, sculpting the riverbed rocks on its course between Loch Lubnaig and the mighty River Teith. The path down to the falls goes over uneven ground with exposed tree roots to an unfenced viewpoint above the high bank. The return route then weaves along the riverbank, between trees, keeping to a narrow, trodden path through the verdant woodland floor. Look out for leaping salmon in autumn and the small birds that thrive amongst Scotland’s native broadleaved trees.

Bracklinn Bridge surrounded by mature oak trees

The best walk for history...

What: East Callander circular
Summary: Following a shared cycle route and good paths, this walk visits a couple of interesting historic sites as well as Bracklinn Falls
Start/finish: Callander War Memorial, Ancaster Square
Time: 2¼hr
Distance: 7.5km (4¾ miles)
Climb: 125m

Beginning along a straight section of disused railway, this ambling route covers ground shaped by glacial moraines, before passing two sites of prehistoric interest near Auchenlaich: a chambered cairn, thought to be the longest in Scotland, and an Iron Age hill fort. As you climb gently towards Bracklinn Glen, the peaceful mixed woodland – a good place for wildlife watching – shimmers purple with bluebells in spring, before descending to the dramatic gorge at Bracklinn Falls.

Visitors enjoying a boat trip on Loch Katrine

The best walk beside a loch...

What: Loch Katrine and Primrose Hill
Summary: A longer, but simple walk with a long climb to a great vantage point over Loch Katrine, returning beside the shore
Start/finish: Trossachs Pier by Loch Katrine Visitor Centre
Time: 3hr
Distance: 11km (6¾ miles)
Climb: 255m

Propelled to fame by Sir Walter Scott's 1810 poem The Lady of the Lake, picturesque Loch Katrine has been an enduringly popular visitor destination since late Georgian and Victorian times; Queen Victoria herself enjoyed a boat trip here. This walk begins at the loch’s eastern end – the very heart of the Trossachs – following a shared tarmac track just above the loch shore, before making a woodland ascent of Primrose Hill to a series of spectacular viewpoints.

Tributes to the fairies are dotted along the path up Doon Hill

The best walk for fairy folklore...

What: Doon Hill and Fairy Knowe
Summary: Swathed in fairy folklore, this route follows good paths through native oak trees
Start/finish: Aberfoyle iCentre
Time: 2hr
Distance: 6.5km (4 miles)
Climb: 125m

Entwined with the story of Reverend Robert Kirk – a 17th-century minister, Gaelic scholar, and folklorist obsessed with fairies – this meandering walk blends history with folklore and the natural with the supernatural. The varied circuit crosses the River Forth twice, climbs the 77m Doon Hill (where people still leave offerings for the fairies), and winds through a north-eastern part of Loch Ard Forest, dense with oak trees, moss, and bluebells in spring. As minister of Kirkton Church, Kirk is said to have gathered folklore from his parishioners. In 1692, he mysteriously dropped dead while walking, with the legend suggesting the fairies took him as punishment for revealing their secrets, and he remains trapped in fairyland to this day.

All these walks (plus 10 more!) are included in our guidebook to Short Walks in the Trossachs - Callander and Aberfoyle. Other highlights include Bracklinn Falls and Scout Pool, Strathyre Forest, Lendrick Hill, Ben Venue and Loch Ard. Easy-to-read maps and clear route descriptions make these walks perfect for beginners and families. No specialist gear is needed, and each route includes information on facilities, parking, and highlights.