Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Deanston Distillery and village
A84, just south of Doune • Daily 10am-5pm • Tours £8-40 •
T
01786 843010,
W
deanstonmalt.com
In the eighteenth century
Deanston
was a cotton mill staffed by Gaelic-speaking
victims of the Clearances, and featured the biggest water wheel in Europe. Following
the decline of the British cotton industry the mill finally closed in 1965, but swiftly
reopened as a
distillery
; the first single malt was created 1982. True to its water-
powered origins, Deanston is self-su
cient in hydroelectricity and even supplies a
surplus to the national grid. he distillery is notable for its gleaming brass stills as well
as for its non-peaty whisky, with notes of vanilla and honey. Barrels are stored in the
vast 1825 weaving shed, and the old mill clock still keeps time.
Tours
range from the straightforward but highly informative Deanston Tour where
you imbibe one dram, to an extended Heritage Tour and a tutored tasting with the
distillery manager (book in advance). Take a walk up the road from the distillery to see
the attractive purpose-built
mill village
.
ACCOMMODATION
DOUNE
7
Glenardoch House
Castle Rd
T
01786 841489,
W
glenardochhouse.com.
eighteenth-century country-house B&B, which has two
comfortable en-sui
te r
ooms and a beautiful riverside
garden.
May-Sept
£75
Close
to
the
castle,
accommodation
is
available
at
this
excellent
SHOPPING
Scottish Antique & Arts Centre
1 mile west on the A84
T
01786 841203,
W
scottish-antiques.com.
Just outside
the village of Doune, the “antiques village”, as it's known
locally is a vast covered market selling high-quality
memorabilia and furniture, notably some stunning Arts and
Crafts pieces. There's a reasonable on-site café.
10am-5pm
The Carse of Stirling
West of Stirling, the wide flood plain of the Forth River is known as the Carse of Forth
or
Carse of Stirling
. his is fertile farmland bounded on the south by the Gargunnock
and Fintry hills, which gradually blend into the
Campsie Fells
.
Kippen
, a scenic village
with strong Rob Roy associations, has a couple of good eating options. To the north,
the Trossachs inevitably draw many visitors.
Flanders Moss nature reserve
Turn north off the A811 on the B822 towards Callander, and follow the signs
You can find out about the rich ecology and history of the carse's reclaimed marshland
at the
Flanders Moss
nature reserve. You walk through the bog on raised boardwalks,
spotting dragonflies, damselflies, pond-skaters and green tiger beetles amongst the
sphaghnum moss and heather.
Drymen
At the western end of the Campsie Fells, all roads, including the West Highland Way
(see box, p.293), meet at the small village of
DRYMEN
,
an ancient ecclesiastical centre
and stopover point for Highland drovers, which sits peacefully in the hills overlooking
the winding Endrick Water as it nears Loch Lomond.
Glengoyne Distillery
Dumgoyne • Tours on the hour daily: March-Nov 10am-4pm • Dec-Feb 11am-3pm • From £7.50 •
T
01360 550254,
W
glengoyne.com
South of Drymen and not far from Killearn, picturesque
Glengoyne Distillery
features a
pagoda roof and whitewashed buildings. Tours range from explorations of the building
to classes on matching whisky with chocolate, to a high-powered masterclass.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
CARSE OF STIRLING
By bus
The hourly bus #12 from Stirling to Balfron goes
through Gargunnock and Kippen.
