Aberfoyle
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-> Central Scotland
-> Stirling, the Trossachs and Loch Lomond
-> Trossachs
-> Aberfoyle
Each summer the sleepy little town of ABERFOYLE, twenty miles west of Stirling, dusts itself down for its annual influx of tourists. Though of little appeal itself, Aberfoyle's position in the heart of the Trossachs is ideal, with Loch Ard Forest and Queen Elizabeth Forest Park stretching across to Ben Lomond and Loch Lomond to the west, the long curve of Loch Katrine and Ben Venue to the northwest, and Ben Ledi to the northeast. Regular buses from Stirling pull into the car park on Aberfoyle's Main Street. The tourist office next door (daily: July & Aug 9.30pm-6pm; March-June, Sept & Oct 10am-5pm; tel 01877/382352) has full details of local accommodation, sights and outdoor activities.
Accommodation options in Aberfoyle aren't all that inspiring. Best of the B&Bs is Creag-Ard House (tel 01877/382297; £50-60; March-Oct) in the pretty village of Milton, two miles west of Aberfoyle. It looks out on Ben Lomond and Loch Ard, to which it has fishing and boating rights. The Lake of Menteith is a beautiful place to stay: the Lake Hotel and Restaurant (tel 01877/385258, www.lake-of-menteith-hotel.com; £90-110) at Port of Menteith has a lovely waterfront setting next to the Victorian Gothic parish church, as well as a classy restaurant. For camping, a couple of miles south of Aberfoyle on the edge of Queen Elizabeth Forest Park is Cobleland (tel 01877/382392; April-Oct), run by the Forestry Commission, which covers five acres of woodland by the River Forth (little more than a stream here). Further south, the excellent family-run Trossachs Holiday Park (tel 01877/382614; March-Oct), is twice the size and has bikes for rent.
For food in Aberfoyle, your best bet is to stick with the local hotels: the Forth Inn (tel 01877/382372) on the main street or the Covenanters Inn at the large, turreted Inchrie Castle Hotel, five minutes walk from the centre; both serve bar food and smarter restaurant meals.
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