Things to do & places to visit in Stirlingshire, United Kingdom

Stirlingshire #48 destination in United Kingdom 2023. The average rating score is 4.47 based on 30.8k traveler reviews, of 30 attractions. Timezone: Europe/London, current date and time: Sunday, May 05, 2024, 23:03.

Stirlingshire Weather Statistics view more »

General weather summary in May

55°F - 41°F

Temperature Highs - Lows

Cold and breezy

Feels like

31%

Chance of rain

106.0 millimeters

Amount

15.3 mph

Wind speed

83%

Humidity

16.3

Daylight length

5:03 AM

Sunrise

9:20 PM

Sunset

39%

Cloud cover

Jacket

What to wear

Top things to do (20)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Stirling Distillery (701 reviews)
- Amazing Stirling distillery!
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Distilleries

Stirling Gin was founded in October 2015. Situated at the foot of Stirling's beautiful castle, Stirling Distillery opened in Summer 2019 and operates informative guided tours each day which cater to gin enthusiasts. All of their tours include a walk through Stirling's dark and dramatic history, the transformation of the building, an in-depth look at distilling and a complete tasting session. See more..
5.0 Conic Hill (458 reviews)
- Great walk
Geologic Formations

Great walk up this hill for fabulous views over Loch Lomond. Quite steep in sections so worth taking sticks for stability as a lot of loose stones on the path. The summit that most people end up on is not actually the summit of Conic Hill - that’s a little further on and is 3 metres higher. Word of warning over car parks in Balmaha: the overflow car park is privately owned and much more expensive than the National Park one - £5 a day, as opposed to £3.25- and a £60 fine if you don’t pay the full rate as we bitterly discovered to our cost. The day we parked there and forked out £4, the car park was empty. How these people sleep at night I don’t know! So beware! See more..
5.0 Argaty Red Kites (279 reviews)
- Amazing experience
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Nature & Wildlife Areas

I booked 3 nights at Argaty Cottage for my husband's 60th as a surprise along with a session at Argaty Red Kites to watch them feeding. Lynn was so welcoming and informative about the red kites and the reintroduction project and it was amazing watching the birds swooping down to feed and wheeling about in the sky. Can highly recommend it! See more..
5.0 Strathblane Falconry (227 reviews)
- The Perfect Way to Kick Off Our Scotland Adventure!
Nature & Wildlife Areas

Oh my goodness, what a wonderful experience! We kicked off our family trip to Scotland by going to Strathblane Falconry. We did the one hour taster session and that was just the right amount of time for our group of 5 adults. We got to meet many of the majestic birds that are under Graeme's care, and we learned so many interesting facts about raptors. And then, we got to fly some of the birds! It was so exciting to watch Corrie, the Eurasian Eagle Owl, come swooping down off of the fence post, glide low across the field, and then effortlessly land on my gloved arm. It was all that I expected it to be and SO much more! We flew both owls and hawks, so it was a great mix of stunning birds. Graeme is a hoot (pardon the pun) so animated and knowledgeable - he really made a great experience even better with his humor, and evident admiration for the birds. All in all, one of our favorite things that we did while on our Scotland adventure! See more..
5.0 Balloch VisitScotland iCentre (176 reviews)
- Best toilet experience of my life! 10/10!
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Visitor Centers

Balloch Information Centre is located in the beautiful red sandstone Old Station Building in the centre of Balloch, directly opposite Balloch Central train station. Balloch is a charming town located at the southern edge of Loch Lomond and is a great base for exploring the beautiful Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. For those that enjoy the great outdoors, Balloch is a great place to get active both on land and on water with a wide range of activities on offer throughout the year. A warm welcome awaits you at Balloch VisitScotland Information Centre where the knowledgeable staff will assist you in how to spend the perfect day in Balloch, providing you with a local map and many suggestions as to what you can do. You can also purchase discounted tickets for local attractions to include the Loch Lomond Sealife Centre and the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre. There is also a wide selection of Scottish gifts that can be purchased from the Information Centre, such as Harris Tweed bags and purses, shortbread and a wide selection of guide books and maps. Getting to Balloch couldn't be easier! Trains leave frequently from Glasgow city centre directly to Balloch and Scottish Citylink coaches pass Balloch as they travel north. Balloch is well connected by road by the A82 and A811. See more..
5.0 Ben A'an (152 reviews)
- Brilliant
Mountains

First time visiting Ben A’an and it was very good experience and took me an hour to get up there. Very difficult steeps, best time when weather is dried and early morning for pay car park just opposite the start path. £2 for an hour and £5 for 3 hours, best for 3 hours. Lovely view of large loch. See more..
5.0 Stirling Distillery (701 reviews)
- Amazing Stirling distillery!
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Distilleries

Stirling Gin was founded in October 2015. Situated at the foot of Stirling's beautiful castle, Stirling Distillery opened in Summer 2019 and operates informative guided tours each day which cater to gin enthusiasts. All of their tours include a walk through Stirling's dark and dramatic history, the transformation of the building, an in-depth look at distilling and a complete tasting session. See more..
5.0 Conic Hill (458 reviews)
- Great walk
Geologic Formations

Great walk up this hill for fabulous views over Loch Lomond. Quite steep in sections so worth taking sticks for stability as a lot of loose stones on the path. The summit that most people end up on is not actually the summit of Conic Hill - that’s a little further on and is 3 metres higher. Word of warning over car parks in Balmaha: the overflow car park is privately owned and much more expensive than the National Park one - £5 a day, as opposed to £3.25- and a £60 fine if you don’t pay the full rate as we bitterly discovered to our cost. The day we parked there and forked out £4, the car park was empty. How these people sleep at night I don’t know! So beware! See more..
4.5 Stirling Castle (9.651 reviews)
- Great day out
Sunday: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Castles

Dominating the skyline for miles around, Stirling Castle is a shining example of Renaissance architecture. Visitors can look out from its high stone walls to the battlefields of Stirling Bridge where great medieval armies clashed to decide the fate of nations. Home to generations of Scottish monarchs including, Mary Queen of Scots, the Castle is an enduring and powerful reminder of our fascinating history. See more..
4.5 National Wallace Monument (3.704 reviews)
- Spiral staircase up to great views
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues

A national hero - a national landmark. For 150 years The National Wallace Monument has been standing proudly on The Abbey Craig, outside the historic city of Stirling, and telling the thrilling story of Sir William Wallace, Patriot, Martyr, and Guardian of Scotland. See more..
4.5 Doune Castle (2.426 reviews)
- A Castle to explore
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Castles

This site is open for you to enjoy but there are currently some access restrictions in place as a precautionary measure. Find out more about conservation work at our sites. Explore this 14th century courtyard castle in Doune, with a striking 100 ft high gatehouse and one of the best preserved great halls in Scotland. The formidable Doune Castle was built for the Regent Albany. The striking keep-gatehouse combines domestic quarters including the splendid Lord's Hall with its carved oak screen, musicians' gallery and double fireplace. This was used as a film location for the BBC production of Ivanhoe and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As well as being heavily featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Doune Castle was also used for the castle known as Winterfell in the pilot of the award winning TV series Game of Thrones as well as Castle Leoch in Outlander. See more..
4.5 Falls of Dochart (1.098 reviews)
- Falls of Dochart
Waterfalls

The beautiful Falls of Dochart running through Killin looks great in the last of the Scottish summer. On a hot day, there were lots of people sitting on the rocks by the river either getting a suntan or just dipping their feet in the cooking waters like I did. The rushing white waters of the Falls of Dochart look just as good from the rocks or from the bridge. See more..
4.5 Deanston Distillery & Visitor Centre (1.041 reviews)
- An excellent tasting experience!
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Distilleries

Deanston Distillery is located 8 miles north of Stirling on the A84 near Doune, at the gateway to the dramatic Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park. No ordinary 'run of the mill' whisky tour, we are just 45 minutes from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Visit us and experience our traditional open mash tun, gleaming copper stills and our maturation warehouse 2b. During your visit taste our distinctive single malt whisky which is fruity with a malty spiciness on the palate. Our distillery cafe, The Coffee Bothy is the ideal place to sit back and enjoy a leisurely lunch or coffee and cake. Either 'pre-tour' or 'apres-tour' make time to visit The Coffee Bothy where all our food is freshly prepared and handmade in the distillery kitchen. Our friendly and knowledgable team look forward to welcoming you to Deanston Distillery. - Free Parking - Disabled Access - Distillery Shop - Distillery CafeAdditional Information:Set in the heart of Scotland, Deanston Distillery is an ideal starting point to take in the best of what Scotland has to offer. Having visited our whisky distillery other Scottish icons nearby include castles, lochs, glens and wild animals! Doune Castle, backdrop to the Monty Python film 'Knights of the Holy Grail' is 20 minutes walking distance, Stirling Castle the favoured residence of Scotland's Kings and Queens only 8 miles away. Loch Katrine surrounded by beautiful scenery is 30 minutes by car and the Blair Drummond Safari Park just down the road. Combined with the local villages of Doune, Callander, Dunblane and the City of Stirling there is much to see and do. See more..
4.5 Stirling Old Town Jail (1.000 reviews) from $11.68
- Excellent Escape Room
Sunday: 10:15 AM - 6:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites

Visit our top-rated independent visitor attraction in the heart of the Old Town - just two minutes walk from Stirling Castle. Our guided prison tours take you on a fascinating journey through the history of local crime and punishment as you explore our cells before taking in the outstanding views from our rooftop observation tower. See more..
4.5 Loch Katrine (951 reviews)
- Flawless
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Bodies of Water

Welcome to Loch Katrine - one of Scotland's special places. Just as special as the magnificent scenery is the famous steamship "Sir Walter Scott" which itself has been a landmark in The Trossachs for over a hundred years. Your visit is not complete without a cruise on this wonderful ship, or on "Lady of the Lake", the perfect way to experience the beauty of Loch Katrine. Perhaps you'll just want to relax with a coffee or a meal in the Brenachoile Cafe Bar, shop for a souvenir and take a stroll by the shore, or bring the family for a cycle trip? See more..
4.5 Bracklinn Falls Bridge and Callander Crags (752 reviews)
- A great circular walk
Hiking Trails

We used the incallander website instructions for this 4 (ish) mile walk. If you park in the meadows car park at the east end of the Main Street, all day parking is £3.20 which is great. From here walk to the far end of this shop lined street (and ignore the signs to Bracklinn on your left). Just as you think you’ve missed the decorative iron gates you’ll see a sign for the Roman Camp Hotel on your right! The instructions aren’t perfect but if you love walking (and a bit of puzzling) it’s a wonderful walk. As a tip, we screen shot the instructions so as not to rely on the wifi. Enjoy! See more..
4.5 Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre (677 reviews)
- Highly Recommended
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Visitor Centers • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Zoos

** PRE-BOOKING NOT REQUIRED TO VISIT ** Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre has evolved to become one of the premier Bird of Prey Centres in the country. The location within the woodland provides the perfect setting for the centre and a natural backdrop for our daily flying shows. We have nearly 40 Birds of Prey & Owls. See "Orla", and "Scout" our two magnificent female Golden Eagles, meet Bones, our Vulture ambassador. See a selection of hawks and owls fly during our daily flying shows in the flying area. Our flying shows are educational and entertaining, the education cabin, together with the information boards throughout the centre, all provide an insight into these magnificent creatures. Please refer to the "Latest News" page on the website for up-dates. See more..
4.5 Dunblane Cathedral (619 reviews)
- Fascinating historic cathedral
Sunday: Historic Sites • Churches & Cathedrals

Dunblane Cathedral is a beautiful medieval church in Dunblane which dates as far back as the 12th century. Dunblane Cathedral receives high but well earned praise for a building smaller than some English parish churches, lacking the architectural flourishes and cohesion of most other cathedrals; and one which only narrowly survived the threat of demolition to make way for the railway. The tower is from the late 11th century, offset, and slightly squint on the south. Admire the Romanesque arched windows in the lower storeys, the upper stage and parapet which date from 1500, bearing the arms of Bishop Chisholm, which may originally have been freestanding. The Nave, dating back to 1240 is possibly the finest part of the cathedral. See more..
4.5 Loch Lomond (536 reviews)
- A beautiful lake
Bodies of Water

The largest fresh-water loch in the United Kingdom. See more..
4.5 Balloch Castle Country Park (496 reviews)
- Calm place with breathtaking views
Parks

We visited the park on our way back from Loch Lomond shores for a walk. Must say it exceeded our expectations! Wish we had spent more time in here than the Shores. Children thoroughly enjoyed the play area while we strolled around immersing ourselves into the greenery and breathtaking views. A few disruptive teenagers did hampered the serenity but we ignored themand carried on. This place is for you if you are looking for some relaxation, peace and quiet and a fulfilling time. See more..
4.5 Dumbarton Castle (486 reviews)
- History with a View
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Castles

Dumbarton Castle is located in the ancient capital of Scotland and is spectacularly sited on a volcanic rock overlooking River Clyde. Conquer more than 500 steps to stand atop one of Scotland’s greatest strongholds. The iconic Rock of the Clyde has heritage as breathtaking as its views over the Clyde, Loch Lomond and Argyll. This dramatic volcanic plug, which is Dumbarton Rock, in-filled the crater of a volcano that was active 350 million years ago. Admire great examples of 18th century Georgian military architecture and stunning views from the Tower Crag. Throughout Dumbarton Castle’s long history it has been a royal residence and a fortress, and has fascinating connections from the Vikings to the Scottish Wars of Independence. See more..
4.5 Church of the Holy Rude (463 reviews)
- Captivating church in Stirling Old Town
Religious Sites

The Church of the Holy Rude is situated close to Stirling Castle in the Old Town. The church was founded in 1129 during the reign of David I, the original structure was destroyed in a fire in 1405. Construction of a new nave was started in 1414 and was completed between 1440 and 1480. King James VI was crowned King of Scots in the church on 29 July 1567. The church has a historic churchyard with some headstones dating back to 16th Century. Although it was not possible to enter the building during my visit in September 2020 I was still able to explore the grounds of the captivating church. See more..
4.5 Loch Lomond Park Centre (336 reviews)
- Beauty and heritage in one spectacular place.
Sunday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks

On a road trip around the North East and West coasts a visit to Loch Lomond was a highlight worth sharing, as this is truly an area of outstanding beauty, with everthing you need for agreat day out. See more..
4.5 The Cobbler (303 reviews)
- BEST EXPERIENCED
Mountains

My partner and I travelled from Suffolk to climb Ben Arthur and thread the needle. This was an amazing experience and would highly recommend it to all. It was exceptionally hot over the Bank Holiday weekend in May so we started our climb at 5am. We arrived back at the car by 11.30. Steep climb but the views from the top were worth every drop of sweat and huff of breath. This was my first ever climb and I accomplished it! So you can too!!! See more..
4.5 Falls of Falloch (285 reviews)
- Could watch the falls all day.
Waterfalls

Just a great stopping point. Would recommend to go early as it gets very busy and there is only about space for 10 cars. You can walk a 5 min walk to the end of the path to see the falls and there is a viewing point there too. You can then come back and there is a few different wee benches you can sit at to watch the smaller falls too and then the river below. See more..
4.5 Three Lochs Forest Drive (256 reviews)
- Omg why haven’t I been before now!!
Forests

We just happened to end up here after a failed attempt to climb Ben A’an, how happy am I that we did fail! Was one of the best days I’d had in a while I just felt like I was in another country. Granted on a sunny day in Scotland everything looks 10x better but I loved all of it. We drove round twice and stopped at the water for a while. We have booked camping permit for our anniversary and even bought and inflatable boat to take out on loch Drunkie. Can’t wait!! See more..
4.5 Aberfoyle VisitScotland iCentre (242 reviews)
- Superstar Gillian
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Visitor Centers

Aberfoyle Information Centre is centrally located in Main Street and can offer inspiration and advice to help you make the most of your time in this beautiful part of Scotland. Aberfoyle is situated within the stunning Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park and is ideally located for outdoor pursuits such as walking, water sports, golf, fishing, wildlife watching, history, genealogy and much more. See more..
4.5 Ben Lomond (233 reviews)
- Great day walking
Mountains

Our first mountain and well worth it for the views! Started on the hill climb path from the car park, the decent was a bit rough down the other side, if you are like me and have any previous knee issues you’ll see why after about an hour down. Overall great day out. Tip- Get to the car park well before 9am!! Tickets given to about 50 cars who decided to park near the roadside when we were there. Very little parking available. See more..
4.5 Allanwater Brewhouse (228 reviews)
- A real find!
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Breweries

We happened upon this little place on a visit to Bridge of Allan. At first it wasn't evident that it was open, but we ventured in to find it was - although at around 3pm we were the only ones there! However a few people did come in a bit later on. It's quite an atmospheric place with shelves full of literally hundreds of beer bottles. I can imagine in winter when the place is full and they have live music on it will be an absolute hoot. Not being real ale drinkers (which is unfortunate as all ales are brewed in house) we opted for the Scottish lager (4%) which went down very well, a nice refreshing drink - so much so I had three of them, just to make sure! Dougie was a great host, very pleasant and easy to talk to. Despite being busy brewing he still made time to come and have a chat. I would definitely recommend it and if we're in Bridge of Allan again we'll most certainly be popping in. See more..
4.5 Hamilton Toy Collection (174 reviews)
- Blown away!!! Amazing!
Speciality Museums

Found the toy museum whilst staying in Callander for the night. Situated on the high street just facing the co-op, it’s easy to find. The shop is fab, I couldn’t believe my luck when I spotted a lotus esprit from the spy who loved me sat in one of the cabinets for sale! My husband had one as a child and often talks about it, it was like we were meant to go in this place. The museum was just mind blowing. £3 entry fee, well worth it. The most huge collection of every different toy from years gone by! Catalogued and encased in cabinets, it was absolutely incredible to see. The lady who we spoke to I believe was the owners daughter, and she was delightful, so friendly and warm. This was for sure one of the highlights of our trip, Thankyou so much for sharing your collection with the world. See more..