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Stirling and the Trossachs
Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument and Bannockburn, with Loch Katrine and the Trossachs an hour away
Stirling sits on the River Forth between Glasgow and Edinburgh, at the point where the Lowlands meet the Highlands. Its castle, on a volcanic crag above the Old Town, was one of the main homes of the Scottish crown, and the battles of Stirling Bridge (1297) and Bannockburn (1314) were fought within sight of it. The visitor guide Your Stirling puts it about 35 minutes by train from Glasgow and 50 minutes from Edinburgh.
North-west of the city, Callander and Aberfoyle lead into the Trossachs, part of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park: Loch Katrine and its Victorian steamship, Ben A'an, the Bracklinn Falls and the forest trails of Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. Doune Castle and the island priory of Inchmahome lie on the way.
- From GlasgowAbout 35 minutesBy train from Queen Street, with three direct trains an hour, according to Your Stirling
- From EdinburghAbout 50 minutesBy train from Waverley or Haymarket, two direct trains an hour, according to Your Stirling
- Depuis LondresDirect trainsLumo runs four daily return services between Stirling and London Euston
- Parc nationalSince 2002The Trossachs are part of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
Quartiers
2 places to begin
Each area has its own mini guide with 23 sights, places to eat and drink, and where to stay across the city.
Stirling and Bannockburn
The castle on its crag, the Old Town below it, the Wallace Monument and the Bannockburn battlefield
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Callander and the Trossachs
Loch Katrine's steamship, Ben A'an, Bracklinn Falls and the forest park around Aberfoyle
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Highlights across Stirling and the Trossachs
A sight from each area. Every area guide lists the rest, with directions and official links.
Stirling Castle
Royal castle on a volcanic crag; the Royal Palace was the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots.
Steamship Sir Walter Scott, Loch Katrine
Steamship built in 1899 that has cruised Loch Katrine since 1900; sailings leave Trossachs Pier all year.
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum
Regimental museum inside Stirling Castle, included in castle admission, telling the story of the 91st and 93rd Highlanders.
Ben A'an
Pointed Trossachs hill whose west top, at 454 metres, looks down on Loch Katrine.
Statue of Robert the Bruce
Statue of 1876 on the castle esplanade by Andrew Currie, facing south towards Bannockburn.
Bracklinn Falls
Series of falls on the Keltie Water where it crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, north-east of Callander.
Argyll's Lodging
Seventeenth-century noble townhouse below the castle, shown on guided tours with recreated interiors.
Hamilton Toy Museum
Family toy collection over two floors on Callander's Main Street, open from Easter to the end of October.
Photos
1 / 12With kids in Stirling and the Trossachs
Animal attractions, railways, science centres, beaches and caves from our Stirling and the Trossachs guide, grouped by type. We hold no age ratings or child prices: check each place’s own site for age limits, height rules and family tickets.
Science and discovery
Bannockburn Visitor CentreVisitor centre, Stirling and Bannockburn
The Lodge Forest Visitor CentreVisitor centre, Callander and the Trossachs
Practical help: travelling with children and where to stay in Stirling and the Trossachs.
Comment s'y rendre
Arriving in Stirling and the Trossachs
Stirling is on the main railway lines north of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the Trossachs are reached by road or by bus from Stirling. ScotRail, Citylink, Stirling Council and the National Trust for Scotland refused our automated requests, so this page quotes the city's visitor site, Lumo, the national park authority and Loch Katrine Cruises; check the operators for times and fares.
En train
Your Stirling says Stirling is about 35 minutes from Glasgow Queen Street and 50 minutes from Edinburgh (Haymarket and Waverley), with three direct trains an hour from Glasgow and two from Edinburgh, and direct services to London, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness. The station is two minutes' walk from the city centre. Lumo runs four daily return services between Stirling and London Euston.
En car et en bus
Your Stirling lists an hourly non-stop coach from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Stirling bus station. Callander has had no railway since 1965: the national park authority suggests the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Stirling and then a bus to Callander, about 1 hour 30 minutes in all. Plan bus journeys with Traveline Scotland.
Depuis les aéroports
Your Stirling says the Edinburgh Airport bus stops at Haymarket, which has direct trains and buses to Stirling, and that Glasgow Airport buses run to Buchanan Street bus station, five minutes' walk from Queen Street station.
En voiture
Stirling is on the M9 from Edinburgh and the M80 from Glasgow. For Loch Katrine, Loch Katrine Cruises gives the route from junction 10 of the M9 along the A84 through Callander, then the A821 from Kilmahog; it advises against relying on sat nav for Trossachs Pier. The car park at Stirling Castle is closed except for coaches and accessible parking.
Journey times are as published by Your Stirling, Lumo and the national park authority (checked 2 and 3 November 2026). Check the operator before you travel.
Walk the city
The station is two minutes' walk from the centre, according to Your Stirling, and the Old Town climbs from there to the castle. The Back Walk follows the old city walls below the castle.
Wallace Monument and Bannockburn
Both lie outside the centre. Visitors climb to the Wallace Monument on foot from the base of Abbey Craig; Visit Glasgow puts the Bannockburn Visitor Centre about 2 miles from the station.
Into the Trossachs
Buses run from Stirling to Callander; beyond it a car or bike is easiest. Trossachs Pier on Loch Katrine has cycle hire, and the 48 km Great Trossachs Path runs from Callander to Inversnaid on Loch Lomond.
Paying for local transport in Stirling and the Trossachs
ScotRail (Scotland’s trains).ScotRail runs most trains within Scotland. Its tickets page refused automated access, so check ticket types and any Scotland-only offers on its site.ScotRail tickets (opens in new tab)
Meilleure période
Stirling and the Trossachs through the year
The castle, the monument and the Loch Katrine cruises are open through the year, but some smaller attractions close in winter. Check each attraction's own site for hours.
The Hamilton Toy Museum in Callander opens from Easter to the end of October, and Wikipedia gives March to October for the Bannockburn Visitor Centre's daily opening.
Long days for Ben A'an, the Bracklinn Falls and the Callander Crags. Loch Katrine Cruises adds two daily departures from Stronachlachar in the summer months.
Short days, but Loch Katrine Cruises sails daily all year and the castle and Old Town are compact enough to see in daylight.
FAQ
Bon à savoir avant de partir
How do I get from Edinburgh or Glasgow to Stirling?
By train: Your Stirling says the journey takes about 35 minutes from Glasgow Queen Street and 50 minutes from Edinburgh Waverley or Haymarket, with three direct trains an hour from Glasgow and two from Edinburgh. There is also an hourly non-stop coach.
Can I see Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument and Bannockburn in one day?
It is a long day. The castle and Old Town fill most of a day; the Wallace Monument (book a timed slot online) and the Bannockburn Visitor Centre, about 2 miles from the station, each need a separate trip out of the centre.
How do I get to the Trossachs without a car?
Take the train to Stirling and a bus to Callander; the national park authority puts the whole journey from Glasgow at about 1 hour 30 minutes. Plan connections on to Loch Katrine or Aberfoyle with Traveline Scotland.
Is the Wallace Monument accessible?
Wikipedia notes 246 steps to the top platform and that the tower is not accessible to disabled visitors. Check the monument's own accessibility page before you visit.
Nearby places
Guides near Stirling and the Trossachs
Our closest other guides, by straight-line distance between centres. Road and rail distances are longer: check a journey planner.
Crédits photos
- Stirling and the Trossachs (header): Stirling Council from Stirling, UK, CC BY 2.0, source
- Stirling and Bannockburn: Finlay McWalter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Callander and the Trossachs: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Stirling Castle: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Steamship Sir Walter Scott, Loch Katrine: Richard Sutcliffe, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum: Janfrie1988, Public domain, source
- Ben A'an: Bermicourt, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Statue of Robert the Bruce: Eusebius, CC BY 3.0, source
- Bracklinn Falls: Lukas von Daeniken from Schweiz, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Argyll's Lodging: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Hamilton Toy Museum: Drkirstyross, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mar's Wark: Elisa.rolle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre: Alan O'Dowd, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Church of the Holy Rude: Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Inchmahome Priory: Billy McCrorie, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Cowane's Hospital: Elisa.rolle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Stirling Old Town Jail: RayFyfe, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- King's Knot: Martin Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum: James Emmans, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Stirling Old Bridge: Iain Cameron, CC BY 2.0, source
- National Wallace Monument: Robert Cutts from Bristol, England, UK, CC BY 2.0, source
- Cambuskenneth Abbey: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bannockburn Visitor Centre: Tom Parnell from Scottish Borders, Scotland, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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More guides for Stirling and the Trossachs
- Where to stay in Stirling and the TrossachsQuel quartier convient à quel voyageur, avec chaque hébergement que nous avons vérifié.
- Getting around Stirling and the TrossachsAvec et sans voiture, d’après les pages officielles des transports.
- When to go to Stirling and the TrossachsMétéo, durée du jour et bagages, mois par mois.
- Rainy-day ideas in Stirling and the TrossachsActivités en intérieur, par quartier.
- Events in Stirling and the TrossachsFestivals, marchés et événements de saison, d’après les organisateurs.
- Attractions in Stirling and the TrossachsSites et musées, avec indications d’entrée et d’accès lorsqu’elles sont vérifiées.
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