Saturday 8 February 2025 - Lime Craig

The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre provided the base for a walk up to Lime Craig, above Aberfoyle, on another fine day.

This time I was joined by Richard, Jenny and Jessica, the others amongst us having decided to jettison themselves into the clouds.

The 'Red Trail' led past a statue of a lumberjill, one of many women who served in the Timber Corps in the World Wars.

We soon reached a couple of bronze deer sculptures.

There followed an area of mini sculptures below the raucous shouts of people on a Go Ape course.

Elevenses were taken on a bench by a waterfall after we had passed an impressive double waterfall and the remains of an ancient settlement. 

The trudge up to the summit was pleasant enough, with some good views down to Aberfoyle and across to Ben Venue, as well as to the north, deep into the Trossachs. 

We paused at the summit to enjoy more fine views in all directions, marred only by a persistently yapping dog.

The descent to the turning point on the Lime Craig track was steep, redeemed by the pleasure of many different shades of greenery. 

Here's the turning point.

After more steep descent on the line of an old waggonway, we found ourselves on the Rob Roy Way.

An annoying health and safety diversion around a suspect bridge brought us happily to a bird observation hide where we stopped for lunch, and to admire the residents, some of whom are shown below.

Chaffinch, Great Tit, Siskin, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, plus numerous others

Then we spent some time in the visitor centre before heading back to Tigh Mor for a snooze.

We managed around 8km, with 300 metres ascent, in less than 3 hours.

Friday 7 February 2025 - Callander Craig and Bracklinn Falls

Sue and I drove to Callander for a short, sunny walk above the town.

The river is full, and the church sports a fine spire.

We walked through the town to Bracklinn Road, from where we turned off up a good track, heading for some crags.

Our path soon left the main drag in favour of rising steeply through mixed woodland,  eventually reaching some stone steps that led to the summit ridge.

The 343 metre summit of Callander Craig is marked by a splendid memorial to Queen Victoria, on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee.

There are wide ranging views from the summit. 

Elevenses were taken on the way down to a narrow road above a car park for the falls.

The Red Well was signposted, so we went for a look. It was orange, and didn't look particularly enticing.

At the car park we turned towards Bracklinn Falls, passing on the way a pair of birds that may have been crossbills. I have a new phone that seems to perform well as regards distant objects like these birds.

The bridge at the falls is the latest in a succession of such artifacts here.

The falls are moderately impressive. 

We made use of a nearby lunch bench, then found a nice path back to Callander, passing a fairy town on the way.

Snowdrops were just coming into flower.

Here's our route (from the red blob) - we covered about 8km, with 290 metres ascent, in around 3 hours. 

Thursday 6 February 2025 - Ben Venue

Here's today's destination, Ben Venue (729 metres), pictured above the early morning mist over Loch Achray. 

The path 'To the Hill' started just down the road from Tigh Mor. Ten out of the eleven of us on this trip set out on the walk.

Soon our path left the road and went over a humpy bridge with good views to some waterfalls in converging rivers.

The sun was shining as we progressed up the hill on a good path to a convenient point for an elevenses break.

There were more fine views as we continued up the path to a large cairn on which Richard inexplicably started to strip off!

Unfortunately the cloud came down as we headed off to the trig point. 

The trig point is not the summit - that is some 400 metres away along the rocky crest. Somehow we managed to stay together in the mist. Here's Sue, appreciating the view from the summit.

A passer by with a nice dog took the next picture whilst I was slip/sliding/writhing on some nearby slippery rocks.

Then we headed back down to the col with the massive cairn for a much needed lunch break.

After that.... back the way we came, for a much needed pot of tea at Tigh Mor. 

Today's outing, shown below, was about 14km, with 750 metres ascent, taking rather more than 6 hours.

We took it easy. It's a great walk, with some entertainment in the snow above the big cairn, and also in the bog below the big cairn. I'm happy to report that everyone got back safely, and well in time for tea and cake, sauna and steam room, and (hopefully) dinner at the nearby Lade Inn.

Thanks go to Jenny for some of the pictures.