Information on the Trossachs (Rosebank House Bed and Breakfast, Scotland)

The Trossachs

Ben Ledi

"So wondrous wild, the whole might seem
The scenery of a fairy dream."

  The Lady of the Lake   (Sir Walter Scott)

For information on tourist attractions and activities in and around The Trossachs, please visit our pages on activities and walking .

The Trossachs (from the Gaelic ' bristled country ' referring to its luxuriant vegetation) originally denoted the small woodland glen between Ben An to the north, Ben Venue to the south, Loch Achray to the east and Loch Katrine to the west. The Trossachs has, however, long been taken to include the wider area of wooded glens and hills bounded to the west by Loch Lomond, to the east by Callander and the river Balvaig, to the south by Doune, Aberfoyle and the Loch Ard Forest and to the north by Balquhidder and Crianlarich Hills.

The Trossachs and Breadalbane mark the dividing line between the Highlands to the north and Lowlands to the south. With its lochs, craggy mountains, heather and dense forest, history and wildlife, this area is often known as ' The Highlands in Miniature ' and has long been regarded as one of the most scenic in Scotland.

Over the centuries, the Lomond and Trossachs region has seen the Picts, Romans and Vikings all come and go, as well as the introduction of Christianity.

This picturesque area was popularised in the early 19th century by the romantic poems of Sir Walter Scott and by the later visits of Queen Victoria. The 1810 poem 'Lady of the Lake', which mentioned many Trossachs' local place names (the lake being Loch Katrine) was followed by the romantic novel 'Rob Roy'.

The legendary local hero and outlaw, Raibert Ruadh (more often known as 'Rob Roy Macgregor') was born by Loch Katrine and is buried at nearby Balquhidder. The churchyard containing his grave is etched with the stirring epitaph 'MacGregor Despite Them'. After visiting the graveyard, a 30 minute walk starting behind the church leads to Creag an Turic, a small rocky hill that offers a magnificent viewpoint overlooking Loch Voil and the glen. The Rob Roy and Trossachs Visitor Centre can be found in Callander.

Loch Katrine boasts the 1900 SS Sir Walter Scott, the only surviving screw steamer in regular service in Scotland, from which splendid views of the Trossachs can be enjoyed. Queen Victoria had a holiday house built overlooking Loch Katrine. In 1859, a dam was built at the eastern end of the loch to bring a new mains water supply to Glasgow.

Loch Lomond is the largest inland, freshwater 'lake' in Britain being about 40 km (24 miles) long. It is drained south via the Leven River into the Clyde River near Dumbarton. The southern end is broad, shallow and dotted with delightful, wooded islands. On the banks of the loch, there are many charming bays and villages - Balmaha, Drymen, Luss, Tarbet and Ardlui. To the north, the loch is overlooked by Ben Lomond, the most southern Munro (mountain over 914m/3000ft) in Scotland, and the Arrochar Alps.

The Queen Elizabeth Forest Park includes Loch Ard Forest, Ben Lomond and the headwaters of the River Forth. The Forest Park stretches from the eastern shore of Loch Lomond to the rugged terrain of Strathyre and comprises 16,780 ha (41,454 acres) of mountain, moorland, forest, rivers and lochs. The Park was purchased by the State in 1928 and designated a National Forest Park in 1953, the year of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. In 2002 the Forest Park became part of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, Scotland's first National Park, which includes the Trossachs, Loch Lomond, Tyndrum, Killin and Cowal.

The Trossachs are a haven for walkers of all levels of fitness. Some will wish to take seven days to walk the Rob Roy way from Drymen on the edge of the Trossachs to Pitlochry, a distance of 79 or 92 miles - 127 or 148Km dependent on the route chosen.

For those based in or near Callander, under good conditions, magnificent views can be obtained from Ben Ledi and there are many Munros and Grahams within reach. More gentle but rewarding strolls can be enjoyed on the Route 7 cycle way which runs on the track bed of the old Callander and Oban railway through to Strathyre and beyond. There are also a number of short walks in and around Callander.

Among famous Clan names from the Trossachs and surrounding areas are: