Hotels in the Trossachs region of Scotland
 

I will be traveling this June with my husband and two children(ages 12 & 15) and will be driving from Edinburgh to the Trossachs/ Loch Lomond area looking to do some hiking, biking, and maybe rent a canoe/kayak. Does anyone have any hotel or bed&breakfast recommendations in this area or just what town would be a good base for two nights? From there we'll be driving to the Peebles area south of Edinburgh and then into England and Wales. Thanks for any ideas.

Check out this place www.lake-of-menteith-hotel.com/

It has just changed ownership so unfortunately the web page isn't complete but it is a lovely place on the edge of the Lake of Menteith looking out at the ruins of Inchmahome priory on the island.

http://www.roomfinderscotland.co.uk/...php?townid=155 This site shows the lakeside restaurant.

http://www.destination-scotland.com/...tion/hotel/164 and this one shows a view from the pier across an arm of lake to the churchyard and hotel.

This is a great location for exploring the Trossachs and everything from Stirling top Loch Lomond. It is near, Loch Ard, Aberfoyle, Callander, The Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, Loch Katrine, Inversnaid at the NE side of Loch Lomond and Dryman/Balmaha at the south end of the Loch.

It is too bad the website isn't totally up so you can see how nice it is - but your trip is far enough out you don't have to make any quick decisions. I's send them an e-mail and ask for a brochure.

The Lake Hotel in Port of Mentieth; the Inverernan; Monachykr Mhor in Balquhidder and the Inversnaid Hotel would be the ones I looked at.

The Inversnaid is good - but the problem is there is only one road to/from the hotel. It is nearly 20 miles, ALL single track, to Aberfoyle - from where you can get to lots of places. But first you have to take 40 minutes just getting from the hotel out to Aberfoyle and the same on the way back.

Balquhidder is also on a single track road but MUCH closer to a two lane road and easier to tour from.

We stayed at a self catering in Callendar which worked out very well. They also have a B&B. It is called the Leny Lodge. It has a website.

If you don't want something as posh as the Lake Hotel - Callander, Aberfoyle and the whole area is FULL of B&Bs.

Leny Lodge is very nice and in a good location but it is also 5 star and quite expensive. In fact I don't think the B&B side even has family rooms so it would be REALLY expensive since you'd have to get 2 rooms. And their self catering cottages and flats are very nice - but among the most expensive I have seen in that part of the country.

thank you for the great suggestions - I hadn't heard about the Lake of Menteith hotel. It looks like a beautiful view from the dining patio and the location sounds like a great place to base ourselves. Before I was looking at the Creag-Ard house in Aberfoyle or the Dall Lodge in Killin. I had also looked at the Leny House in Callander but you are correct about them not having family rooms. That is one of my biggest obstacles because alot of hotels/b&bs require us to take two rooms which makes it very expensive. The exchange rate is so painful. I am already splurging on three castle hotel nights and I'm bracing myself for my husband's expression when he hears how much those are.
Where were your favorite areas to see in the Trossachs? Any particular Loch that you enjoyed seeing/hiking around or any experience that I shouldn't miss? Thanks again

I'm not sure about the Lake hotel having family rooms - especially with the new ownership they might be renovating/reconfiguring. But worth a try. But there is no shortage of nice B&Bs all over that area. And for less money is you are splurging elsewhere. Killen is beautiful with the falls of Dochart running through the center - but it is less centrally located than Callander or Aberfoyle.

Here are some you can check out:

www.thebarnsofshannochill.co.uk/index-1.htm (this one is great since it is a B&B but you get a cottage to yourselves that sleeps 4)

And less expensive:
www.eastertarr.co.uk/
www.buchlyvie-bed-and-breakfast.co.uk/index.htm

You can walk anywhere - there are lovely walks along Loch lubnaig, to Bracklinn Falls from the center of Callander. and MANY pathways throughout the park. Public footpaths are just everywhere.

Be sure to go out to the island on the Lake of Menteith - perfect place for a picnic.

Janis

spell after me:-

Kill I n; Kill I n

:):)

I can't spell "definately". This one is your blind spot:)

Thanks Janis for all of your help. I really appreciate it.

Sheila: D*mn! :) I don't have a clue why I keep doing that. I know it is Killin, KILLIN, K-i-l-l-i-n - but bet I do it again . . . . .

chezrobyn: You will love the area - your only problem is not having more time to explore . . . . .

About 4 years ago I stayed at the Forest Hills hotel which is part of the Macdonald group of reasonably priced hotels. It's in a nice position facing a loch. We had a double room in the main (old) building and it was quite snug but very charming and nicely decorated. I think there were self-catering flats (lodges ?), with balconies, in the newer building(s) next door : maybe these would be good for a family.

http://www.foresthills-hotel.co.uk/pages/forest.html

Sorry - a bit vague about the surroundings - it was a wine weekend, in early March; and during the foot & mouth crisis so we couldn't walk outside the grounds anyway, even if we'd wanted to :-)

It may have the same problem someone mentioned with one of the others, though - I think it's some distance up a road which doesn't go anywhere else.

Re the Lake of Menteith hotel : I believe the restaurant is overseen by Nick Nairn who is a well known, even celebrity, chef, here (but is a 'real' chef too - not just a TV one !).

chezrobyn,

If you're lucky with the weather a sail on the steamer Sir Walter Scott on Loch Katrine is a worthwhile side-trip;

http://www.incallander.co.uk/steam.htm

If the boat trip doesn't appeal Loch Katrine is also an excellent place for biking.

Another good place in the area to stop for a few hours is David Marshall Lodge in the hills above Aberfoyle which has some enjoyable forest trails & walks - my own two boys used to like it there when they were a similar age to your two;

http://www.aberfoyle.co.uk/dmlindex.htm

Further down the hill, in Aberfoyle itself, you will find the Scottish Wool Centre - not particularly my cup of tea but it seems to be very popular with visitors. If your children like dogs they would probably enjoy the sheepdog displays;

http://www.scottishsheepdogschool.com/woolcentre.htm

JIm

Caroline: I've stayed at the Forest Hills 1/2 a dozen times myself -- in the self catering units (which are huge) as timeshare weeks. Staying there a week at a time is great since the area is soooooo full of things to do. And an early morning walk along the loch with Ben Lomond in the mist and the loch smooth as glass! The road from Aberfoyle to the hotel does scare the pants off newbie UK drivers tho' :) NARROW w/ the hill on one side and stone walls on the lochside.

chezrobyn: You might want to check out forest hills - it will be a bit pricey but the grounds are wonderful, gardens/lawns/rowboats on the loch. However it is a slow 5 miles from Aberfoyle (on the same road that terminates at Inversnaid) so Callander or the Lake Hotel would be more convenient.

And as for the Scottish Woolen center - yes, touristy. But I still stop there just about every visit - great souvenir shopping and there are weaving exhibitions, sheep dogs and so forth. Probably not a good idea for you tho' since you have such limited time in the area . . .

We stayed at The Forth Inn in Aberfoyle 2 years ago and highly recommend it! great place to stay and great pub as well.

Hi Chezrobyn
We have twice self catered in cottages at Lochearnhead. The place is called Earnknowe and I believe they now offer B & B. There is a great view of Loch Earn, a jewel in my opinion, which also has a watersports centre if that appeals. It is not far from Killin and the great Falls of Dochart from where you can drive down the side of Loch Tay till you find the Scottish Crannog Centre near Kenmore. We found the Crannog centre fascinating and almost totally unknown. We were the only ones there when we went a few years ago. It's a lovely area generally.
Rosemary

Chezrobyn,
I can't comment on any of the accommodation but for places to see, walks etc the previous suggestions are all good. If you only have two days and have your heart set on the Trossachs, look for somewhere in or near Callendar or Aberfoyle which are right in the heart of the Trossachs. Killin and to a lesser extent Lochearnhead would be more suitable if you wanted to visit Ben Lawers or Loch Tay for example which are a wee bit further north.
Some other walks well worth doing - the west side of Loch Luibnaig, a few miles from Callendar, has an old railway line whch has been converted into a footpath and cycle path all the way to Strathyre. Near the south end of this path is a car park whch is the start of the most popular route up Ben Ledi (about 2,800 feet). Not the highest mountain in the world but its position gives a sensational view and it's a well loved landmark in Central Scotland. Those of a certain generation will remember when it formed part of the opening title of the TV series "Doctor Finaly's Casebook", with Callendar playing the part of Tannochbrae. This, you will understand, was way before my time ;-) It's possible to walk all the way round Loch Katrine though it would take a full day; or take JJBhoy's suggestion of a boat, jump ship at the end of the loch and walk back. It's possible to cycle all the way round, though it's rough going near the south east end of the loch unless you take a longer route onto the minor road. Ben Venue (2,300 feet) was a favourite hill when I was a student in Glasgow. Go up from Ledard Farm a few miles west of Aberfoyle. There's another waymarked route starting near the Achray Hotel north of Aberfoyle, but this can be very muddy. From the top of Ben Venue you get a sensational view of Loch Katrine, spread out like a map nearly half a mile below your feet. From a few miles further west of Aberfoyle it's possible to climb Ben Lomond by the "back door", joining the most popular route about half way up.
Aberfoyle and Callendar can be "hoachin" with tourists but are nice wee places all the same. The Wool Centre in Aberfoyle is tacky IMHO but is forgiven because they had a "Private, staff only" sign on the collie dog's basket which tickled me to death. Callendar is slightly bigger, more worth spending time in, though also can be busy. Sometimes a good place to get woollen or other clothing -several shops on the main street that look different all have basically the same range of clothes, so if you shop around you can save some money. About a mile west of Callendar is a tiny place called Kilmahog which has two "mill shops" all geared up to sell things to the coach parties. Their stuff is usually dearer than in Callendar.
To take the Killin / Killen topic to a higher plane, Killin is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable. One possible derivation is from the gaelic Cille Fhinn, the cell of Finn or Fingall, cell in this context possibly meaning burial place. In similar vein, Lake of Menteith comes up in most primary school quizzes as the only "lake" in Scotland but is in fact a misplaced Anglicisation. The original name was Laigh o' Menteith referring to a large area of low lying ground nearby, and at some stage a map maker who spoke neither Scots nor Gaelic mis-heard the name and wrote it on the only patch of water in the neighbourhood.
As a final suggestion for a reasonably short walk from Aberfoyle, take the minor road leading west towards Kinlochard. It reaches Inversnaid eventually, but on a summer evening you only need to go about 2 miles to Milton where there's a wee loch, very often a wee sailing boat moored, and a clear view through the trees to the sun setting over Ben Lomond. (sigh!)

craigellachie: "on a summer evening you only need to go about 2 miles to Milton where there's a wee loch, very often a wee sailing boat moored, and a clear view through the trees to the sun setting over Ben Lomond. (sigh!) "

I have been at that very spot dozens of times - taken many photos in all sorts of light conditions and you are right - SIGH!

chezrobyn: don't know if you are still following this thread, but all of Craigellachie's comments are spot on. Including about Killen -- just kidding :) -- Killin and Lochearnhead being a bit too far north for a base for your short visit.

You got me going there....

The dog basket sign reminds me of the Abbey on Iona, where, last summer, there were lots of strategically placed plastic boxes full of water labelled, in Glaswegian "furradugs"