The
vast expanse of Loch Lomond's waters and the sharp peaks
and forest-covered slopes of Trossachs country fulfil a
popular ideal of Scotland based on the poems and novels
of Sir Walter Scott. To the south lie the remains of the
Antonine Wall, built across the narrowest part of Scotland
and marking what was the northern extremity of Roman territory
in Britain.
Aberfoyle
North
of village is Queen Elizabeth Forest Park Visitor Centre,
with informative displays. Facilities for forest walks,
pony treks, boating and fishing. Old slate quarries and
site of Aberfoyle Quarries village on hills above Aberfoyle.
Achray
Forest
Part
of Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. Achray Forest Drive is a
7 mile route with fine view of Tross-achs, and good opportunities
for observing wildlife. Picnic sites, parking places and
marked paths.
Airdrie
Weavers'
Cottages Museum comprises two cottages built 1780. Gives
insight into lives of weavers and displays local artefacts.
Wide views from Airdtiehill.
Antonine
Wall
Roman
wall built a AD 142 stretching 37 miles from sea to sea
at narrowest part of Scotland. Ran from Bowling on the Clyde
to Bo'ness on the Forth, and was built of turf and clay
on stone base some 14ft wide. May have reached height of
12ft. Huge ditch 12ft deep on north side of wall is still
visible in places. Wall had been finally abandoned by AD
214.
Art
Lover's House, Glasgow
Charles
Mackintosh's largest and greatest domestic design, brought
to life in 1990. Contains four of his finest interiors.
Balloch
Castle Country Park
Public
park on southern shore of Loch Lomond covering 200 acres.
Nature trails, guided walks, wailed garden and picnic lawns
with views of loch. Castle, built 1808, contains visitor
centre.
Bearsden
Roman
bathhouse, used by soldiers stationed on Antonine Wall during
2nd century AD.
Blair
Drummond Safari and Leisure Park
Animals
can be seen at dose quarters from car or bus. Features include
monkey jungle, boat nip to Chimp Island and cable car across
lake. Other attractions include adventure playground and
cinema showing 3-D films.
Bothwell
Castle
Remains
of one of Scotland's finest medieval buildings, built 13th
century, stand on crag above River Clyde. Dismantled in
14th century following siege, and later restored by powerful
Douglas family after 3rd Earl, Archibald the Grim, acquired
it by marriage and made it his seat in 1362.
Callander
Holiday
resort and base for walks and drives around Trossachs and
Loch Katrine, with 18th-century homes around Ancaster Square.
Coatbridge
Summerlee
Heritage Trust in West Canal Street is museum of industrial
and social history. Working machinery and tram-way, excavations
of 1835 ironworks and restored canal.
Colzium
House
Mansion,
19th century, set in landscaped gardens, contains local
history museum. Banqueting hall and two rooms displaying
paintings by local artists can be seen. Woodland walks,
children's zoo, ruins of castle demolished by Cromwell and
picnic areas.
Doune
Castle
Moat
surrounds well-preserved 14th-century castle of four floors.
Gatehouse tower 95ft high. Walk along walls affords good
views of surrounding country. Doune Motor Museum contains
veteran, vintage and post-vintage cars.
Dumbarton
Castle
built above River Clyde in 5th century -- only Wallace Tower
and some 17th and 18th-century fortifications remain, as
well as sundial given to town by Mary, Queen of Scots. Denny
Ship Model Experiment Tank is world's oldest -- visitors
can see wax hull forms being made.
Finlaystone
House and Garden
Ten-acre
estate has formal garden, woodland walks, picnic sites,
play areas and visitor centre. Tours of house can be arranged.
Fintry
Four
hamlets in Endrick Valley. Views across Clyde Valley from
Lennoktown road. Loup of Fintry, 90ft waterfall, 3 miles
east.
Gartocharn
Footpath
up nearby Duncryne Hill allows views of Loch Lomond and
its islands.
Glasgow
Victoria Park and Fossil Grove
Park
contains formal flower garden, arboretum and Fossil Grove,
with fossilised stumps of 330-million-year-old trees.
Glasgow
Zoo
Zoo
specialises in big cats and reptiles. Children's showground,
long walks, picnic areas.
Haggs
Castle, Glasgow
Children's
museum in 1585 castle, showing daily life over last 400
years. Landscaped gardens include knot garden.
Inversnaid
Views
from above Snaid Burn ravine take in 'Arrochar Alps' and
narrows of Loch Lomond. From
waterfall above tiny harbour, foot-bridge leads south along
West Highland Way, beside loch.
Kirkintilloch
Church
of St Mary, built 1644, now restored as centre for exhibitions.
Next door is museum of domestic life.
Loch
Ard Forest
Wildlife
includes roe deer, red deer, foxes, wildcats and swans.
Large choice of forest trails.
Loch
Katrine
Reservoir
in Trossachs, surrounded by woodlands. Visitor centre at
Trossachs Pier is starting point for walk through woods
and departure point for rides in turn-of-the-century steamer.
Loch
Lomond
Largest
loch in Scotland -- 23 miles long, up to Smiles wide, and
630ft at deepest point -- with 38 islands. Regular pleasure
cruises start from Luss, Balloch and Tarbet.
Luss
Village
of stone cottages with rose gardens, next to Loch Lomond.
1875 church has ancient stone font and medieval effigy of
St Kessog.
Mugdock
Country Park
Ancient
woods, open moorland, lochside marshes and remains of 14th-century
Mugdock Castle in this 500 acre park.
Old
Kilpatrick
Reputed
to be birthplace of St Patrick -- hence name. Church built
1812 on site of older one.
Paisley
Paisley
Museum and Art Gallery houses world famous collection of
Paisley shawls and traces devel-opment of Paisley pattern.
Also collections of local history, natural history, ceramics
and Scottish painting. Sins' Shot Cottages restored as typical
Victorian mill-workers' houses and Weaver's Cottage. Paisley
Abbey founded in 1163 -- much 14th and 15th-century architecture
remains, as well as stained-glass windows and one of finest
church organs in Europe. Coats Observatory, built 1882,
is now one of Scotland's best-equipped observatories.
Pollok
Country Park
Impressive
8000-piece Burrelli collection is main attraction of this
360 acre parkland. Items include ceramics, bronzes, Oriental
jade, tapestries, silver and glassware, furniture, needlework,
prints and paintings. Pollok House, Georgian mansion, has
one of finest Spanish painting collections in Britain, with
works by Goya and El Greco. Country park centred on Old
Stables Courtyard beside a weir on White Cart Water. Interpretation
centre illustrates history and wildlife of park.
Queen's
View
Viewpoint
12 miles north-west of Glasgow from which Queen Victoria,
in 1879, gained her first view of Loch Lomond. Spot reached
by short, stiff climb up path from west side of A809. Good
1'/2 mile walk westwards to The Whangie, with rocky outcrops.
Rowardennan
Forest
Forestry
Commission car park starting point for walks through woodland
offering views of sur-rounding mountains. Part of Queen
Elizabeth Forest Park.
Strathyre
Forest
Visitor
centre, situated in extensive picnic area, has display that
illustrates working forest. Variety of walks. Part of Queen
Elizabeth Forest Park.
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