The small village of Kinlochard is situated 4 miles west of Aberfoyle and is a very picturesque village and a great place to get into the forest either on foot or on bikes. There are no dedicated waymarked cycle routes any longer but still some good walking routes that can be cycled on. The start point of your day could be the Wee Bleather Tearoom which has parking for customers. From here you can head along the single track towards the Sailing Club which starts to climb steeply past the club. You can either turn left soon after and take a nice track along the shore of Loch Ard which meets up with the Family Sculpure Cycle Trail in places before bringing you back to the same junction.
There is an option to continue up the hill where at the top you have some options to do the Bell House Loop or just head off into the Loch Ard Forest and make your own route which could take you all the way to Drymen via High Corrie. This is great getting away from it all cycling on good tracks but is easy to get confused at some junctions so best to take a map. Check out the other routes outlined below.
Cycle Maps
The above maps have been provided courtesy of the Forestry Commission Scotland. Most routes are suitable for cyclists and walkers. Please click on the icon to show an enlarged map, information on the difficulty of the route, footwear etc.
Into Loch Ard Forest the path leads you through plantation conifer and native woodland including the Oakwood of Blairvaich. As you cross the Duchray Water for the second time and the path gains height you’ll see groups of Scots Pine dotted across the landscape. These remnants of the recently felled conifer crop now lead the expansion of native woodland along the length of the Duchray Water.
Enjoy a gentle stroll through the forest to the waterfall of the little fawn. Scenic in high summer and spectacular in spate.
390 million years ago the Highland Boundary Fault was formed. This trail combines information on the geology of the area with a walk in the forest and a number of excellent scenic features. A tremendous panaramic view from Lime Craig is the most outstanding. On a clear day Ben Lomond, Ben Venue, and Ben Ledi are clearly visible, while Ben More and Stob Binnein can be seen in the distance.
Important Message from the Forestry Commission Scotland:
Many of the Forestry Commission Scotland’s trails and forest roads are suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Please show consideration and courtesy to everyone you meet. Some trails and paths are less suited to cyclists and horse riders because of the gradients and surfaces. Please behave responsibly in helping us to maintain these routes. Please remember also that forests are working landscapes and that forestry vehicles also use these roads.