Get Lost Mountaineering

Callander Crag by direct route & The Red Well

from Callander Crags Car Park

Start/Finish

The Callander Crags car park which is reached by a road from the main street of Callender. If driving south, go past most of the shops and look for a left turn signed for the Bracklinn Falls as well as the Golf Club. If driving north, look for a right turn before the shops. The road climbs fairly steeply but is well signed. The final section to the car park is very narrow indeed with few passing places. The car park is free but soon fills up.

Distance/Time

4 km    About 1 - 2 hours

Peaks

Callander Crag, 344m, NN 627 094.     OS sheet 57: Stirling and the Trossachs (not much use!)

Introduction

The Callander Crags walk is fairly popular although not as popular as the nearby Bracklinn Falls walk. The route is way marked to the crest of Callander Crag. This route takes the direct approach to the crags which avoids any reascending unlike the longer route described in a separate walk. There is no information in the car park especially about which is the direct route and which is the longer route! The path can be quite steep in places and is stepped on the final section to the crest. There is a large Jubilee cairn (Queen Victoria) on the summit. The view from the top is panoramic with Ben Ledi, Stuc a' Chroin/Ben Vorlich and Uamh Bheag all well seen. Unfortunately, it is difficult to get even a passing glimpse of a crag especially in summer when the trees are in leaf. The descent north east from the summit crosses a significant number of slab like ground rocks which need care especially when wet. The Red Well is not much of a spectacle but it is only about 150 m off the minor road so may as well be visited.

Route

(1) Walk out of the car park, away from the road, and go past the barrier to follow the track. There are waymarks (red). Soon the path/track splits. Turn right which is the direct route. Follow the path/track uphil; it is steep in places but very easy to follow. The final section to the crest is stepped and the only glimpse of a crag is from the steps. Reach the crest where a sign points right for the summit. Go through a gate and keep going to reach the jubilee cairn which marks the “summit” of Callander Crag, 344m.

(2) Continue ahead, descending north east on an obvious path. A significant part of this path crosses slab like rocks which can be slippery when wet. Enter a birch wood and soon reach a minor road. Turn right and follow the minor road. After some distance, look out for a sign for The Red Well. Follow the path for about 150 m to reach the well then retrace to the road. Continue down on the road to reach the car parks.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 16^th August, 2023.