Loch Lubnaig

Loch Lubnaig statistics

• Nearest road: A84
• Approx. 3.5miles long by 0.25miles wide, up to 70 ft deep
• Main Activities: Fishing, Canoeing, Cycling, Walking

Loch Lubnaig facts

Loch Lubnaig between Callander and Strathyre is one of the smaller lochs in the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park. It lies in the glaciated glen between Bens Ledi and Ardnandave to the west and Bens Bhreac and Each on the east. It is mainly fed by the river Balvaig at its northern end and empties into the river Leny.

The trackbed of the old Dunblane to Oban Railway follows the west shore of the Loch Lubnaig and now forms part of National Cycle Network route C7 and is also part of the Rob Roy trail. The path is mostly level and is suitable for walkers and cyclists. Some more adventurous tracks lead into the woods and onto the higher slopes on both shores, the most popular being Ben Shian at Strathyre, Stank Glen near Ben Ledi and Glen Ample at Ardchullerie which can be followed all the way to Edinample at Lochearn - this last is difficult on a bike due to boggy patches and some boulder strewn sections.

Loch Lubnaig is an ideal place for a picnic as there are a few good car parks along the length of the Loch with some nice beaches for a barbecue or a spot of fishing. You can rent canoes at the North end of the loch or you can launch canoes from any of the beaches next to the car parks. For £10 you can get a key for the slipway at Baynes tackle shop in Callander. There you can also leave your trailer while you enjoy the water. Only boats with outboard engines under 10h.p. are allowed to be launched while no speedboats or jet skis are allowed. Sailing on the loch is possible but not advisable due to adverse wind conditions.

Accommodation and providers for other activities can be found in both Callander and Strathyre.

Loch Lubnaig – Fishing

Allowed are bank fishing, bait, fly and spinning. There is some fine salmon on record but you can also find brown trout, sea trout, perch and char. Permits are available at Bayne's tackle shop in Callander, the Immervoulin Caravan and Camping Park in Strathyre, the Strathyre post office and the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park Visitor Centre in Aberfoyle. Note however that fishing for salmon or sea trout is not permitted on Sundays.

Callander to Strathyre Cycle Route

This route will allow you to experience one of the most beautiful sceneries in Scotland by bike or by walking. The distance is 9 miles and has a good surface nearly all the way. Starting point is Callander Meadows where you will see the Cycle Route 7 sign. This route follows the railway crossing the A821 before entering the wooded section
To your right you will see Loch Lubnaig and you will get through beautiful oak woodlands.You go upstream alongside the river Garbh Uisge – or River Leny! After the Falls of Leny you pass through the Stank car park. Keep straight on and the river on the east widens to become the southern end of Loch Lubnaig.
After about 4 miles, Loch Lubnaig ends and you will come to an area of special scientific interest due to its outstanding plant and wildlife.
After a while you will reach Strathyre with houses to your right. When you see the blue arrow in a white circle on the signpost, just turn right and then left again. Then you cross the suspension bridge and bear left at its end. Now you cross a small bridge and follow the path which will lead to the centre of Strathyre.

Loch Lubnaig - Places to visit

Callander
Callander is a cheerful holiday town set dramatically beneath the high, wooded Callander Crags on the Highland Boundary Fault line.
At the northern gateway to the Trossachs and the Highlands, Callander was the location for the original 'Doctor Findlay's Casebook' in the 50s.
A range of traditional and modern shops line both sides of the MainStreet. Callander is a wonderful base to tour the Trossachs or as a stopping point whilst touring Scotland.
Callander has a huge choice of accommodation to suit every style, taste & budget from the 4 star Roman Camp Hotel to affordable bed and breakfast. There are over 50 accommodation providers in the town with prices to suit most budgets.
The McLaren leisure centre has a 20 metre swimming pool, spa bath, steam room, solarium, climbing wall & multi-use dry sports club.
Every year in the Autumn around October, Callander is the venue for The Callander Jazz and Blues Festival which brings many bands and performers to the town and surrounding villages for a 3 day extravaganza of Blues and Jazz with a Jazz Cruise on Loch Katrine. This is a great event and attracts hundreds of visitors to the town for the festival so you may be well advised to book accommodation in advance.
Callander has a full range or services including banks, petrol station, supermarkets and a laundrette and is well service by public transport from Stirling.

Strathyre
Strathyre meaning 'Sheltered Valley'
Strathyre is situated on the shores of Loch Lubnaig 8 miles from Callander. An ideal location for those wishing to hike, climb or walk, Strathyre has paths, trails, open moor land and is situated near the mountain Beinn-ant-Sithean (Ben Shiann). This name derives from Gaelic meaning 'Mountain of the Fairies'. Loch Lubnaig and the nearby Loch Voil provide watersport activities such as open water canoeing.
The village is largely of Victorian creation having grown around the railway in the 1870s, and it is a popular tourist centre. It contains nearby caravan sites, canoeing, cycling and walking facilities. There is also a village shop and a post office. The village is easily accessible, lying on the east side of the A84, one of the main routes to the Highlands. Callander and Balquhidder are several miles from the village and certainly worth a visit when staying in Strathyre.
Strathyre Forest is situated in an 'S' shaped glen that was forged during the last ice age by a glacier. Since the 1930's, the Forestry Commission has ensured that the breathtaking natural scenery of this glen has been preserved.
Strathyre was originally located on the west side of the River Balag and was moved to its current location on the east bank of the river, when the railway was developed in the 19th Century. The Buchanan monument commemorates Dugald Buchanan (1716-1788) a religious poet. It was built in 1883.