Walk of the week: Lime Craig, Braeval, near Aberfoyle

By The Newsroom
Published 27th Sep 2011, 23:13 BST
THE sun was shining, but the day had started off stuck behind a computer, tapping out words about how wonderful the Scottish countryside is. After a few hours, enough was enough. I had to get out and enjoy the wonderful scenery I was describing.

With time limited, it had to be relatively close to my central belt home so Aberfoyle beckoned – and the thought of a bacon roll from the butcher opposite the tourist information was too good to ignore.

At first you are lulled into a false sense that it is an easy stroll as a golf course is passed with views to distant hills. But then a sharp right turn leads to a path that requires quite a lot of exertion. Before long, however, you reach the top and a superb panorama from the Campsies to the south, with the volcanic plug of Dumgoyne standing out, then the local peaks of Bens Lomond and Venue before swinging round to look over the Trossachs to Ben More. Ben Ledi is a little closer, as are the Menteith Hills to the east. This is a great viewpoint, so if the weather is nice and you can get outside, head for the Lime Craig.

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DISTANCE 3½ miles. HEIGHT CLIMBED 1,100ft. TIME 2 to 3 hours. MAP OS Landranger 57. PARK About one and a half miles east of Aberfoyle on the A81 is the Forestry Commission’s Braeval car park.

IN SUMMARY Head up a path at the top right corner of the car park and almost immediately go left. This path winds up to a track where you go left again. It loses height as you go along but there are views to the left, across a golf course to the Campsies and ahead lies Ben Lomond. When the track starts to go up again keep straight on at a junction following a sign saying “Trossachs”. About 70 yards further on go right, into trees up a steep path.

The path crosses a track higher up then continues uphill on the other side. Once you have cleared the tree line, continue straight ahead, past a turning circle and on to a path up the side of the Lime Craig’s top. The path turns sharp right to cross the broad ridge then passes – but doesn’t go through – a metal gate on the left. After this take a detour on a path to the right which leads to the top of Lime Craig and a concrete platform which once held a telecommunications mast.

Return to the main path and go right. The path turns into a track and drops down to a larger track, where you go left. At a junction go straight on then bear right before reaching another track. Go right and after a couple of hundred yards go left, down the path taken at the beginning, to retrace your steps to the car park.

REFRESH Aberfoyle Delicatessen and Trossachs Butchers has wonderful bacon butties for al fresco refreshment.

WHILE YOU ARE IN THE AREA The David Marshall Lodge Visitor Centre (www.forestry.gov.uk) is a great place to see ospreys. There is also Go Ape (www.goape.co.uk).

NICK DRAINEY