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We’ve put together some of our favourite things to see and do during your stay around Loch Venachar and the surrounding area. From cosy cafés and local restaurants to outdoor adventures, historic sites and scenic walks, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We hope this guide helps you discover a few special places while you’re here.
Download our favourite things to do
Such a great way to see the loch and so much fun! Explore up the Blackwater and see if you can spot a beaver or head across the loch to Venachar Lochside for coffee or lunch. You can book our canoes on the ‘Extras’ pageWe don’t rent our canoes out over winter due to the often windy conditions on the loch so they are now tucked up until April.
Loch Venachar (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Bheannchair) is a freshwater loch in Stirlingshire, situated between Callander and Brig o’Turk. It lies approximately 82 metres above sea level, and is 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) long with a maximum depth of approximately 33 metres.
As for the fishing, the pike fishing is excellent all year round, with a good head of large pike. Many 20lb plus fish are taken throughout the year with a handful of 30lb+ fish also banked each year. Best baits are mackerel deadbaits, please do not use bait elastic. The best fishing is May and June but it fishes well all year round with a closed season of April.
The brown trout season is 15th March - 6th October with the best fishing being May-July. It fishes best in a slight wind with tradition wet flies on a slow sink or hover line or small spinning baits.
There is also good perch fishing in pockets around the loch. Other fish caught on the loch are European eels which are protected and must be safely returned to the water. Salmon and seatrout also run the system with seatrout mainly caught between May and July and salmon toward the end of the season from September onwards.
For more info on permits or any other queries about where to fish or guiding please contact Hugh Coulson (Bailiff and owner).
The cabins back onto part of the route 7 cycle network that takes you all the way to inverness!
Closer to home there is a lovely cycle to Aberfoyle past Loch Drunkie and through the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park.
For a longer ride there is the Dumbarton to Callander Cycle route which gives great views of Loch Lomand.
Our favourite is the bike ride to round the loch to the Byre Inn, the pub in Brig O Turk, just double check before setting off that they are serving food, if they aren’t then they are normally happy for you to turn up with a picnic and just have some drinks.
Bikes can be hired during the summer months from Wheels just down the road from the cabins. They are open everyday until the end of October and then 3 days a week until March. You can also rent electric bikes and carriages for little people who can’t cycle yet.
The bird watching at Invertrossachs is really very special at times. From late spring to Autumn the ospreys can be seen daily doing a lap of their territory, often crashing into the water in front of the cabins to take a trout for its chicks. Golden eagles and peregrines are frequently seen on the estate.
The far end of the loch is a designated SSSI for its wild fowl nesting, with black and red throated divers as well as golden eye and dippers amongst the regular visitors.
For the keen eye, gold and bull finches flit through the larch tops, long tailed tits as well as gold and fire crest are also relatively common. The odd wax wing has also been spotted. A real smorgasbord for the avid birder. For more details on the likely viewing spots please contact Hugh
For those interested in natural history, Venachar cabins has got much to offer. For those who quietly go about their business there is a chance to see otters and beavers especially around dawn and dusk. Otters can be seen from the cabins and there is now a resident beaver population at the west end of the loch, both are shy!
Red squirrels and their nemesis the pine martin are extremely common on the estate and if you are out and about (again keeping quiet) you stand more than a fair chance to see both. Red squirrels particularly can be seen in the larch tops behind the cabins.
There is also good perch fishing in pockets around the loch.
If you head up onto the hill tracks you are very likely to see deer, both roe and red are common. As mentioned you do have to have a little bit of field craft about you so remain dead quiet and keeping the wind direction in your favour, you will be rewarded.
What we love more than anything is hearing how much our guests enjoy our slice of heaven. We treasure the part of Scotland we live in. Whether you come to switch off and curl up in front of the wood burner with a good book for a week, sit in the hot tub all night or take to the hills and adventure from dawn till dusk, you are most welcome.
