Holiday apartment in Clackmannanshire: Towers, gorges and trails

Clackmannanshire combines medieval tower houses with gorges, reservoirs, woodland paths and historic routes. In Alloa Tower stands a medieval tower house dating from the 14th century. Its surviving details include original oak roof beams, a medieval rib-vaulted ceiling, a dungeon and an original indoor well. From the 15th century until around 1800, the tower was home to the Erskine family, the Earls of Mar.

Culture and history

At Gartmorn Dam, landscape and industrial history come together. The area lies at the centre of a 370-acre country park and nature reserve. The 170-acre reservoir was created by Sir John Erskine, the 6th Earl of Mar, to power the pumps used to drain his Sauchie mines. Gartmorn Dam is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and an important area for migratory birds in winter. Several paths with clear trails are available for walking. At Gartmorn Dam Country Park, a café or snack kiosk serves coffee and food.

Alva Glen also preserves traces of its former use. A path leads from formal gardens into a wilder area with views into a deep gorge. Along this path are the remains of an old dam that supplied the mills with water. In the upper part of Alva Glen, peregrine falcons are frequently spotted on the rocky cliffs; in the lower part of the gorge, grey wagtails can be seen all year round. In Ochil Hills Woodland Park, walking paths run through deciduous woodland. There is also a children's playground, several picnic areas and information boards about the former splendour of the old estate.

Nature and landscape

Dollar Glen is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its wildlife habitats and geology. Deep gorges, rushing streams, tall trees and a castle ruin characterise the glen. The main path crosses the Dollar Burn and runs along the western side of the gorge before re-emerging behind Castle Campbell. Another walking route leads through a steep gorge to Castle Campbell and then over higher ground to the Glen Devon Reservoir.

Culture and history

Castle Campbell is essentially a 15th-century castle with later additions. The Campbells of Argyll acquired it as a stronghold near the royal court at Stirling Castle. Castle Campbell lies north of the town of Dollar in Clackmannanshire. The permanent exhibitions at the Dollar Museum cover the history of Dollar, the Academy and the coming and going of the railway. Each year, the museum also presents at least three temporary exhibitions on topics of local interest.

Another historic building is Clackmannan Tower, a 14th-century tower house. Robert Burns visited the tower, which was built by a descendant of Robert the Bruce. The exterior of Clackmannan Tower can be visited year-round. A flat route leads from Alloa Tower to Clackmannan Tower through the habitat of the Black Devon Lagoon. The Clackmannanshire Tower Trail includes four medieval towers and a manor house in the county.

Trails through the Hillfoots

The history of the Hillfoots is closely linked to weaving. There, weaving developed from a domestic industry into an industrial process; for a time, the area was Scotland's second most important weaving centre. The Hillfoots Diamond Jubilee Way is 21 kilometres long and runs through the Hillfoots villages of Blairlogie, Menstrie, Alva, Tillicoultry, Dollar and Muckhart.

For cycling, there is a route connecting Tullibody with Menstrie, Alva and Tillicoultry, offering impressive views of the Ochil Hills. The route known as Round the Forth connects Clackmannanshire with nearby areas such as Stirling, Falkirk and Fife, passes through Alloa and follows the coast of the Forth. The Devon Way is a seven-mile, car-free route from Alloa to Dollar.

Roads and connections

The A907 crosses Clackmannanshire via Clackmannan, Alloa and Tullibody towards Stirling. The A91 runs from Muckhart along the Hillfoots to Blairlogie and Causewayhead.

To the main travel overview: Scotland.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Hebrides, East Dunbartonshire.