Beyond the information on this page, Callander has a (seasonal) Visitor Information Centre on the Main Street. Outwith its opening hours, you can find an online visitors directory at InCallander - this is a guide set up on behalf of the local community, to give visitors information about local attractions and businesses. 

 

Getting Around

If you’re planning to use public transport during your stay with us, we recommend visiting Traveline Scotland to help plan your journey.

Although there is a regular bus service between Callander and Stirling, public transport is more limited in rural areas of Scotland. To help combat this, in rural Stirlingshire there is a service called DRT (Demand Responsive Transport). This is essentially a shared taxi service, which costs roughly the same as a bus fare. Please note that all journeys must be booked in advance. You can find out more DRT information here (select 'Trossachs and Strathard' area).

Walks & Cycling

Often referred to as the ‘Gateway to the Highlands’, Callander’s location within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park makes it ideal for outdoor pursuits. The town is an intersect point for several well-loved tourist routes, including the Rob Roy Way and National Cycle Route 7 (connecting Glasgow to Inverness). It's also an end-point for the Great Trossachs Path. 

A couple of our favourite walks can be started from the front door of the hostel – the relatively easy visit to Bracklinn Falls or the longer ascent of Ben Gullipen. Ben Ledi is visible from our hostel garden and is also – if you don’t mind the extra miles – reachable from the hostel, using the National Cycle Route to arrive at the recognised start point. Slightly further afield, Ben A’an is widely recognised as one of the finest amongst Scotland’s smaller hills, with unparalleled views along the length of Loch Katrine. For a greater challenge, consider the short drive to neighbouring Munros, Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’Chroin. If you’re looking for hiking routes during your stay, we recommend using Walkhighlands. Their site is easy to navigate and contains useful information about the distance, duration and difficulty of many great hiking routes. For shorter local walks, this National Park leaflet contains a good selection in and around Callander. 

The hostel is only a 2-minute walk from National Cycleway 7, which winds for miles alongside lochs and hills. The route follows the old railway line, so has no overly-arduous climbs. For the more adventurous cyclists, there are popular mountain bike trails at Stank Glen and the Callander Crags. Less than an hour’s drive from the hostel is Comrie Croft, with their own network of trails and bike hire options.

Callander’s local bike shop is Wheels Cycle Centre, offering hires and repairs. The hostel can offer a secure storage for a limited number of bikes – please get in touch with us if you wish to enquire further.

Things to Do

In addition to exploring the beautiful countryside, Callander has its own leisure centre, with a small pool, gym and climbing wall as well as a children’s play area. There is also a popular Golf Club in town. For something a bit different, you can pay a visit to the local Toy Museum. Between October and March, a local community cinema group run monthly showings of a variety of different films. Guest tickets can be bought on the door. Throughout the year, Callander hosts numerous events and festivals, with the most notable being the Jazz & Blues Festival (first weekend in October).

Within a short car journey from Callander, there are many more local attractions to visit. Families may enjoy Blair Drummond Safari Park, a visit to the Alpaca Trekking Centre or an adventurous trip to Go Ape in Aberfoyle. One of the most popular trips is to nearby Loch Katrine, where visitors can take a tour of the loch on one of their steamboats, visit the café or make use of the many walking and cycling routes in the vicinity. Doune Castle lies in a nearby village, and as a popular filming location it will be instantly recognisable to fans of Outlander, Game of Thrones or Monty Python. The road north of Callander travels the length of the scenic Loch Lubnaig, leading to popular tourist spots such as Rob Roy’s Grave (Balquhidder) and the Falls of Dochart (Killin). Nature lovers and photographers often make use of the hides at Argaty Red Kites, whilst those looking for something a bit more active might consider a visit to Castle Rednock Trekking centre.

Fishing

InCallander have compiled information on the main local fisheries, including further information about seasons and permits. You can find this here.

Places to Eat

Within Callander, a quick trip along the High Street will introduce you to all of the local cafés, restaurants and pubs. There are options to suit all tastes, from takeaways to sit-in dining. We’ve included a few of our favourites below, but there are several other options to choose from.

• Breakfast: Deli Ecosse or Main Street Bakery.
• Lunch: Ancaster Coffee or Puddingstone Place.
• Dinner: The Waverley or The Old Bank.
• Takeaway: Mhor Bread, Chinese Village or Luti’s Pizza & Pasta Parlour.

Please check online first, as some places are only open on certain days of the week. Visitors should also be aware that kitchens may stop serving evening meals ealier than they are accustomed to in larger cities or other countries. 

If you looking for somewhere outside of Callander, we’d suggest that you consider The Lade Inn (Kilmahog) or The Lion & Unicorn (Thornhill).