Self-catering cottages in the Trossachs and Loch Lomond

Things to do when visiting the Trossachs

The Trossachs are in the centre of Scotland, so renting a Trossachs holiday cottage will give you easy access to much of Scotland so you can explore all that this special part of Scotland has to offer. The Trossachs are a wonderful combination of lochs, woods, glens and hills, and are an exceptionally beautiful part of Scotland. This was the home of the Picts and there are signs of their habitation still to be seen; whilst the Antonine Wall to the south reminds you of the Roman period in Scotland.

Loch Lomond

The Loch itself is situated between the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands. At 39 km long and 8 km wide at its widest point, it is the largest freshwater lake in Scotland. It is acknowledged as one of Scotland's best Lochs for salmon, sea trout and pike fishing.

There is an array of self-catering log cabins and chalets throughout the area, all offering spectacular highland views or views over the loch. There’s even self-catering available on Inchmurrin Island, the largest island on the Loch, for those wanting a more unusual self-catering experience. The island is famed for its forty nine archaeological sites and the remains of Lennox Castle dating back to the fourteenth century.

There is so much to see and do in the area surrounding Loch Lomond that the visitor certainly won’t be bored. They will certainly welcome the freedom afforded by a self-catering chalet or cottage.

While it offers something for everyone, from exciting outdoor activities such as mountain and quad biking, diving, boating, canoeing, sailing, wind surfing, water skiing, fishing and climbing, Loch Lomond also offers relaxing cycle and foot paths on the flat and more.

Those seeking less participatory activities will find no shortage of parks, museums, restaurants and an excellent array of shops. Or perhaps either a leisurely cruise on the Loch, a less-leisurely speedboat tour or even a seaplane tour might take your fancy! There is also the Motoring Heritage Centre, the Mansefield Ceramics Studios, the 150 year-old Glengoyne Distillery and the Trossachs and Kilmahog Wollen Mills, all worthy of a visit.

Loch Lomond is also a great central location from which explore the sights and attractions of Scotland’s two major cities Glasgow (an hour away) and Edinburgh (ninety minutes away), as well being the perfect gateway to central Scotland. The Trossachs and Rob Roy country are only a 30 mile drive, while the city of Sterling, with its wonderful castle can be reached in well under a hour by car.

Callander is a busy holiday centre in the summer, situated in the shadow of Ben Ledi and on the edge of the Trossachs it has much to offer the holidaymaker. You can walk up to the Bracklinn Falls where Sir Walter Scott jumped his horse over for a bet. The Trossachs are famous for beautiful scenery and are best explored on foot - there are so many places to walk, both on and off marked routes. It is a great place for autumn or spring breaks in Scotland as it is less busy and the colours in the countryside are fantastic. Walking holidays in the Trossachs are easy to arrange and can include high peaks as well as gentle lowland walks on easy footpaths.

Loch Katrine is the setting for Sir Walter Scott's 'Lady of the Lake' and from May to September you can take a trip along the loch on a Victorian steam boat - a very popular excursion with adults as well as children on holiday in the Trossachs. Loch Katrine is also a great place to hire bikes and cycle off-road around the lake. Aberfoyle is another popular place for renting self-catering holiday cottages in the Trossachs. The Queen Elizabeth Forest Park is to the north and has an excellent cafe and shop, as well as lots of information and exhibitions on the trees and wildlife in the area.

There is an excellent network of cycle paths here - many are not on roads so great if you want a cycling holiday in Scotland with children. There are also plenty of riding stables in the Trossachs - pony-trekking through the beautiful Scottish countryside is idyllic. If staying near Lake of Monteith then take the boat to Inchmahome Priory - a lovely Augustinian ruin on an island in the loch and a stunning place for a picnic. The newly-formed Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park will help preserve this unique landscape for the benefit of everyone.

Balquhidder is situated on Loch Voil, north of Callander and this is where Rob Roy Macgregor lived, died and is buried. There are plenty of Rob Roy tourist attractions here, as well as his grave. Balquhidder Church also has lovely musical evenings on Sundays during the summer - fabulous music in a beautiful setting. Lochearnhead is popular as there are so many water sports that you can do on Loch Earn - sailing, waterskiing and canoeing in particular. You can also hire jet skis, banana boats and donuts - in fact nearly all kinds of water sports are available on Loch Earn!

Loch Lomond is to the west of the Trossachs and is probably the most popular loch in Scotland, as well as one of the most beautiful. If you can visit Loch Lomond in the early morning and see the sun rise over Ben Lomond then you will have an unforgettable sight. It is a busy part of Scotland and holiday-makers are well catered for - plenty of tartan and woollen mills, as well as more individual Scottish craft shops. There are a number of cruise boats that can take you on trips on the loch, or you can hire a boat from the many marinas and water-sport centres on Loch Lomond. Self-catering cottages by Loch Lomond are ideally placed in the centre of Scotland so you can explore Argyll and the west coast easily as well as visit Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling for the sights of the cities!