Van Miles

If you’re looking for a scenic traffic-free cycle route near Callander, National Cycle Route 7 from Callander to Killin has to be one of the best bike rides we’ve done in Scotland. We completed around 45 miles there and back on our e-bikes, cycling through forests, alongside lochs, over sections of old railway line and eventually into Killin and the beautiful Falls of Dochart.

You can start the ride from Callander Meadows Car Park, FK17 8AX, where Route 7 is easy to pick up. However i was staying on a nearby campsite. From Callander the route follows the old railway line beside the River Leny before heading through woodland towards Loch Lubnaig.

What surprised me most was how much the scenery changed throughout the ride. One minute we were cycling through quiet forest, the next we had huge open views across the lochs and surrounding mountains. Further along, the route passes Lochearnhead with views towards Loch Earn, before continuing through Glen Ogle and over the old railway viaduct.

It definitely wasn’t an easy ride, even with e-bikes, but the scenery made it worth every mile.

Callander to Killin Cycle Route – Quick Information

Route: National Cycle Network Route 7
Start: Callander Meadows Car Park
Postcode: FK17 8AX
Destination: Killin and Falls of Dochart
Distance: Around 45 miles return on our ride
Bike: E-bike
Route type: There and back
Surface: Mixed – tarmac, gravel, forest tracks and some rough and very uneven sections
Traffic: Mainly traffic-free or very quiet sections
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
Highlights: Loch Lubnaig, Strathyre, Lochearnhead, Loch Earn views, Glen Ogle, Glen Ogle Viaduct and Falls of Dochart

Starting at Callander Meadows

We picked up National Cycle Route 7 in Callander and were soon away from the town, cycling alongside the river and through the trees.

The first part of the ride gives you a taste of what’s to come. The route follows part of the old railway line and passes through woodland before reaching Loch Lubnaig. There are some lovely views across the water, with the hills rising on either side.

Although there are some easier stretches, don’t expect the whole route to be flat. There are climbs and some rougher sections where the surface becomes loose and stony. This was definitely a route where I was glad to be on the e-bike!

Loch Lubnaig to Strathyre

Cycling alongside Loch Lubnaig was one of my favourite parts of the ride. At times you’re close to the water and at others the path climbs higher, giving you views back across the loch.

The route was incredibly peaceful. For such a long cycle ride, we saw surprisingly few people and there were long stretches where it felt like we had the path to ourselves.

The scenery seemed to change constantly too – forest, loch, mountains and open countryside – so it never felt like we were just cycling along the same type of path for miles.

The Old Railway and Glen Ogle

As we continued towards Lochearnhead and Glen Ogle, the ride became even more impressive.

Part of Route 7 follows the old railway route and eventually takes you across the Glen Ogle Viaduct. From up here the views are amazing, looking across the glen and surrounding mountains.

There was quite a lot of uphill cycling during the first half of our ride. Even with the e-bikes, we knew we’d covered some climbing. The bonus was knowing that some of those long climbs would become very welcome downhill stretches on the way back.

There are a few rougher sections too, so I wouldn’t describe this as a completely smooth cycle path. Some parts are stony and uneven and you need to take a bit more care.

Cycling Down into Killin

The final section took us through the forest and eventually downhill towards Killin. This was one of the roughest parts of the route, with a very uneven surface in places, so we had to take it quite slowly on the bikes. After such a long ride, it was definitely a section where you needed to concentrate rather than just enjoy the downhill.

Coming out of the forest and arriving at the Falls of Dochart felt like the perfect turnaround point. The falls run through the centre of Killin beneath the old stone bridge and they’re well worth stopping to see.

By this point we’d definitely earned a break, so we stopped in Killin for coffee and cake before getting back on the bikes for the journey back to Callander.

The Ride Back to Callander

The return journey gave us completely different views, and there were plenty of downhill sections once we’d completed the bigger climbs.

One of the things I loved about this route was how much the scenery changed. Even cycling back along the same route didn’t feel boring because you were seeing everything from a different direction.

By the time we arrived back in Callander we’d cycled approximately 45 miles.

Would I Cycle Callander to Killin Again?

Absolutely. I’d do this route again for the scenery alone.

It isn’t a gentle, completely flat railway cycle path. There are hills, rough sections and a fair distance to cover if you’re doing the full return ride. The final forest section towards Killin was particularly uneven, but overall the route was absolutely worth it.

From cycling beside Loch Lubnaig, to the views around Loch Earn and Glen Ogle, crossing the old railway viaduct and finally reaching the Falls of Dochart, there was something different around almost every corner.

And after around 45 miles on an e-bike, that coffee and cake in Killin tasted particularly good!