Ten fantastic places to visit in… Stirlingshire

Callander, Aberfoyle and Port of Menteith in Stirlingshire offer some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.

But there’s far more to them than just the scenery, as we present the latest in our series of ten places to visit.

ARDGATY RED KITES

The red kite feeding station near Doune offers extraordinary views of these beautiful raptors, which were reintroduced to Scotland after being hunted to extinction. The farm on which the kites are fed is open each day.

DEANSTON DISTILLERY

The visitors’ centre at Deanston Distillery near Doune underwent a £600,000 refurbishment in 2012. The distillery, which was used as a location for Ken Loach film The Angels’ Share, opened in 1966 in a 150-year-old former cotton mill.

THE FALLS OF BRACKLINN

The waterfall at Bracklinn, on the River Keltie just outside Callander, have attracted tourists since Victorian times. A freak flood in 2004 destroyed seven of the nine bridges across the river, with a new footbridge at the falls erected in 2010.

BLAIR DRUMMOND SAFARI PARK

Youngsters Jamie and Ethan with giraffes at Blair Drummond Safari Park

From bears and bison to wallabies and zebras, Blair Drummond is the only place in Scotland where you can see elephants and giraffes. It’s home to over 350 rare and exotic animals. Experience the monkey drive-thru, immerse yourself in the sea lion and bird of prey presentations, take a boat trip to Chimp Island and run wild in the giant adventure play area.

LAKE OF MENTEITH

Scotland’s only ‘lake’ is home to one of the country’s largest trout fisheries and is an excellent spot to watch ospreys during the summer. A ferry during the summer months takes passengers to the island of Inchmahome, which has a priory.

LOCH KATRINE

Cruise one of Scotland’s most beautiful lochs on the steamship Sir Walter Scott or the Lady of the Lake as you take in the scenery that inspired the poet to write his epic poem, which caused a fashion for the Trossachs during the 1800s.

LOCH LOMOND & THE TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK

Ben Lomond overlooks Loch Lomond

Callander is the ideal location from which to explore Scotland’s first national park, which was created in 2002. Covering 720 square miles and encompassing 21 Munros, half of Scotland’s population live within one hour’s drive.

MHOR FISH

Hailed as Scotland’s ‘finest fish-and-chip shop’, Mhor Fish also acts as the local fishmonger, offering customers a fresh fish counter with catches from the north west of Scotland along with mussels, oysters and prawns.

ROB ROY COUNTRY

Stretching across the villages of Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Strathyre, Rob Roy Country marks the life of folk hero Rob Roy MacGregor. His grave lies in Balquhidder churchyard, while a statue in his memory sits in Stirling.

SCOTTISH REAL ALE SHOP

It may have an unassuming exterior, but the Scottish Real Ale Shop is a treasure trove for beer fans, stocking around 200 bottles from 37 breweries stretching from Shetland in the north to the Borders in the south.

• Scottish Field’s Ten Fantastic Places to Visit in Perth.
• Click HERE to read our 10 fantastic places to visit in Lanarkshire