Callander – Three Bridges, a Hill Fort and Samson's Stone
About 4.5 miles on foot.
Callander's Three Bridges walk heads west out of the town into the country below Ben Ledi.
It passes Dunmore, an Iron Age hill fort, and climbs to Samson's Putting Stone, a huge boulder a giant is said to have thrown, with Loch Venachar shining beyond. It's a good half day on easy-going paths, with lunch at Mhor Bread when you're back in town.
- Time
- About two and a half hours: the National Park's Three Bridges of Callander, a 7.2 km (4.5 mile) circuit from the town past Dunmore fort, with a side loop to Samson's Putting Stone. A walk.
- The path
- Surfaced roads, the cycleway and well-compacted forest roads and paths with some loose material; the side loop is steep, unsurfaced and uneven.
- Where to start
- The Meadows car park by the River Teith in Callander, a paid car park.
- Set off
- From November to February, set off by 12.30pm to be back in daylight.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. From November to February, set off by 12.30pm.
- Dogs
- On a lead near grazing sheep and cattle.
- Children
- Fine for children who like a longer walk; the stone loop is steep.
- Toilets
- Public toilets on Station Road in Callander, 8am to 5pm.
- Before you set out
- Graded moderate by the National Park; the side loop to Samson's Stone is steep, uneven grass.
The walk
The walk starts from the Meadows car park by the River Teith in Callander, a paid car park just behind Main Street. Public toilets are on Station Road, open 8am to 5pm. The National Park's Three Bridges of Callander walk is a 7.2 km circuit, about two and a half hours, on quiet roads, the cycleway and firm forest roads and paths with some loose stones.
Beyond the Meadows it heads west through Coilhallan Wood and over the Gartchonzie bridge to Woodland Trust ground below Dunmore, an Iron Age hill fort on a knoll above the site of the Roman fort at Bochastle. A steep, uneven grassy side loop climbs to Samson's Putting Stone, a great boulder a giant is said to have thrown from Ben Ledi, with Loch Venachar to the west. The way back is along the cycleway on the old railway and over a new metal bridge across the river.
Keep dogs on a lead where sheep or cattle are grazing. From November to February, set off by 12.30pm to be back in daylight.
If it rains
Firm paths most of the way, but the stone's grassy loop is slippery in the wet and the view goes in low cloud: in rain, keep to the river paths and the cycleway and go for lunch.
Afterwards
About 12 min on foot
Mhor Bread
Lunch
Lunch is at Mhor Bread on Main Street, a short walk up from the car park: a bakery with a tearoom, open every day from 8am to 5pm, with its own bread, pies, sausage rolls, pastries and cakes. There's a step at the door. If it's full, the Ben Ledi Coffee Company a few doors along Main Street usually opens until 4pm on weekdays and 5pm at weekends.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Cromlix, 10 miles away.
Then Monachyle Mhor, 12 miles away.
Where to eat
Mhor Bread, a café in Callander.
Ben Ledi Coffee Company, a café in Callander.
For further reading, before you go.
Photograph by Mohamed via Google