Welcome to Strathfillan

The official website of the Strathfillan Tourism Action Group

For a large number of visitors to Strathfillan the main attractions are outdoor ones. The mountains, glens and lochs provide an ideal playground for walkers, climbers, fishermen, paddlers and mountain bikers. The changing moods and colours of the weather provide endless opportunity for photographers. Nature itself adds a few more attractions; for geologists in the form of Cononish glen where the results of glaciation are clearly evident, for botanists with the slopes of Ben Lui (through to Ben Lawers) offering Britain’s largest collection of Alpine flora as well as the most southerly remains of the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest, and for naturalists and ornithologists a plethora of animal and bird life, including red deer, otters, badgers, pine martens, golden eagles, ptarmigan, dippers, crossbills and treecreepers, to name just a few.  

Hillwalking/Climbing: For hillwalkers and climbers, within half an hour’s reach there are over fifty Munros (hills over 3000 feet) including the majestic Ben Lui (walk from Tyndrum Lower Station) and the twin peaks of Ben More and Stob Binnien towering above Crianlarich, and almost as many Corbetts. There are also a good number of interesting low level walks and of course the world famous West Highland Way (the long distance trail from lowland Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands) has its mid-way point between Crianlarich and Tyndrum, making these villages great places to stopover for an extra night and recharge the batteries before continuing with the second half of the walk. Climbers will find challenge enough in the area but the hills of nearby Arrochar and Glencoe offer more challenge still. Climbing equipment hire is available locally.

Canoeing: Paddlers will find the white waters of Glens Orchy and Etive inviting with calmer waters towards Loch Awe to the west or Loch Tay to the east. Kayak and North American canoe hire can be arranged locally.

Gold-panning: Gold-panners can try their luck, or judgement in the rivers around Tyndrum. The village is a mining village with silver being mined six hundred years ago, lead being mined one hundred years ago and the Cononish gold mine due for re-openig in 2008. The gold seam runs eastwards from the north east of Ben Lui and crosses the West Highland Way to the north of Tyndrum, so any water coming from the north is likely to be gold bearing. Finding it is not so easy, but many try – and most are successful in finding gold, albeit in very small quantities. Gold panning equipment can be hired locally and gold panning tuition can be arranged.

Touring: - For visitors wanting to see a bit more of Scotland, Strathfillan is an ideal touring base. The renowned Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond lie just a few miles to the south. Several companies operate cruises on the loch and on a pleasant summer’s day it’s a perfect way to relax and watch the splendours of Loch Lomond-side passing by. The village of Luss on the west side of Loch Lomond is a good starting point as is Balloch at the south end of the Loch.

Driving a few miles north of Strathfillan will find you in the awesome but spectacular Glencoe, the Glen of Weeping with its brooding and troubled history, and a bit further on Fort William awaits, Scotland’s outdoor capital and the home of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. A few more miles will take you to Loch Ness where you can meet one of the world’s most famous monsters. Hundreds have already seen Nessie - mostly after sampling a bit too much of our national product.

To the west a very scenic drive through the pass of Brander (it’s worth stopping to have a look at St Conan’s Kirk at Lochawe), past Cruachan, the hollow mountain, and on to Oban. Oban is a popular port for sailors and a busy ferry terminal for many of the Western Isles, including Mull (and then onward to Iona, the holy island), Colonsay and Tiree. For the return trip a detour via the old highland capital of Inveraray is worthwhile.

To the east lies the picturesque village of Killin, where the impressive Falls of Dochart tumble through the village on their way to Loch Tay and eventually the North Sea.