We here at Summits love the outdoors. From short trips that anyone, at any age can do, to the more obscure, challenging and extreme trips too. We are always excited to talk to our customers about their trips and ours, so here is one of the short trips that can be a great day out from the city.
Cycle Around Loch Katrine
Loch Katrine is found just past Callander, roughly 1-hour drive north of Glasgow. Beinn (one of the Summits Team) and his partner headed up here recently for a day out on the bikes. It is great to walk as well, in general, it is a quiet and remote feeling place that feels as if no one else is around without driving too far.
Loch Katrine has two access points that you can head to. On the east side, just north of Callander, you arrive at a large car park. From this point, you can walk or cycle around the loch, or you can also plan to take 'The Steamship Sir Walter Scott' boat that goes from one end of the loch to the other. On the other side of the loch, the west side, you can drive to Stronachlachar, where you can park and set off as well.
Beinn's trip to Loch Katrine
Here is what Beinn got up to on the day he visited the loch.
After dropping the van off and setting up the bikes at the west side of the loch next to the Pier Cafe, there is a short section of steep uphill that quickly levels off. My partner scorns me after I had informed her that the day would be too strenuous (I had no clue about the condition of the path or steepness before setting out but that’s part of the fun!). The path, fortunately, turned out to be a great quality paved single-track road. So good in fact that there were even some work vehicles trundling along that we had to be wary of.
Although we didn’t make it the whole way around the loch, we had an amazing couple of hours on a crazy hot day and had a packed lunch on the beautiful banks of the loch.
There are so many other places in all directions similar to this right on the doorstep of Glasgow and being able to reach them in under an hour on your day off is amazing.
Information
- Allow at least 3 hours to cycle around (26 miles)
- Around an hours drive from Glasgow (Take A81 to Aberfoyle)
- Allow yourself time to take in the beautiful views.
Things To Do Near Loch Katrine
- Take a cruise down the loch on The Steamship.
- Pitch a tent and camp out - See campsites near Loch Katrine here.
- Climb Ben A'an.
Other Summits adventure trips can be found here: