A circular walk taking in Bracklinn Falls and the woodland and agricultural countryside surrounding Callander. This walk can also be walked from the centre of Callander.
Summary
Waymarked path with some steps. Care should be taken at the Falls where there are steep drops and slippery stones.
Terrain
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1. From the car park walk join the path marked by the metal sign showing the way to Bracklinn Falls. Follow this level path past the woodland and across an area of more open ground. Here there are good views out over the countryside towards Stirling. Soon a long flight of steps is reached with a wooden hand rail.
2. From the bottom of the steps it is only a short walk to the viewing area for the Falls. There used to be a bridge at the narrowest point (the remains of green twisted metal can be seen on the far side) but it was destroyed by flooding in 2005 and has yet to be replaced so the circular walk that used to be popular can no longer be done. The name Bracklinn comes from the Gaelic word Breac, meaning speckled or tawny and refers to the colour of the peat-tinged water, and from Linn meaning pool. The gorge which the falls of the Keltie Burn flow through has been formed over many years by the action of the water on soft puddingstone which lies in a fault at this point and has eroded much faster than the surrounding rock.
3. When you have finished exploring the falls return up the steps and retrace the outward route for a short while. Just before the wood is reached, at the wooden signpost turn left downhill on a wide track. Keep following the track as it passes through native woodland and curves to the left and starts to level off.
4. Keep straight on when a track leaves to the right. Climb a short uphill section to reach a larger track. Here there is a pictish fort in the woods which can be explored by a short detour to the left. If continuing directly on the route, turn right at the track and follow it as it curves left and descends gently with farmland on either side after a while. Eventually the track turns a right angle to the right and passes a caravan park on the left. Immediately after the first field of caravans is the remains of a chambered cairn which can be seen on the left side of the track.
5. Soon the farm is reached. Keep to the right here, ignoring the road through the farmyard to the left. After the farm take a sharp turn to the left following a gravel driveway downhill with a fishing pond on the left. At the next junction keep right and follow the narrow track between fields. Ignore the turnings to the left and right and keep straight on, this is the remains of an old railway and runs directly into the centre of Callander.
6. Keep straight ahead where another path leads off to the right and soon the back of the first houses of Callander are reached. Keep straight on through the houses until the dismantled railway path ends at a metal gate. Turn right and then immediately left to dog leg into Livingstone Avenue. Follow this road, and the cycle route signs, until the next left turn. Keep straight ahead at the next junction and at the end of the road rejoin the cycle path. This can be followed all the way to the centre of Callander, but if returning to the Bracklinn Falls car park, turn left to join the road just before the cycle path goes under a metal bridge. Turn right onto Bracklinn Road and follow it uphill past some large houses. At the top ignore the golf course road and bear left and then right to follow the sign for Bracklinn Falls. Continue straight up the road, passing the car park for Callander Crags and eventually the car park is reached on the right hand side.
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