Walking from Appletree Cottage to Drymen via the less direct back route takes just under an hour but is well worth the effort.  With little or no traffic on this route the views across to the Forth Valley, across the Endrick Water and over to Loch Lomond and the Luss Hills are stunning.
The walk is along a combination of single track country roads and along the route of a former railway track which has been surfaced with tarmac and forms part of the Sustrans Cycle Route 7 which in its entirety runs from Sunderland in the North East of England to Inverness in the North of Scotland.  It is not overly used but it is not unusual to come across cyclists making their way on the 874 arduous route from Lands End in the far south of England to John O' Groats in the far north of Scotland, a trip which can take 10 to 14 days.

Continuing along this route for about three hundred yards / metresClick here to edit you come to a gap in the fence and a signpost for Cycle Route 7.  Turn left down this path and onto the former railway line.  This takes you along a straight run into Croftamie Village where the excellent cafe / bistro / bar The But & Ben opened its doors about a year ago.  Well worth a visit it serves food and drink and over the summer is open at weekends for evening meals and occasionally themed cuisine

Once in Croftamie village the railway path continues directly across on the other side of the main road, past what used to be the former railway station.  Named Drymen Station even though it was a mile away from Drymen the station for a while gave its name to the village of Croftamie.  The station house and the goods shed are surviving relics of this era.  Soon you arrive at a footbridge supported on former railway pillars over the Endrick Water.  There are great views up and down the river from here

A thoughtful local group has planted and tended patches of attractive flowers on the verges of this quiet backroad.
At the top of the hill is the site of a Roman encampment - part of the Gask Ridge line of defences.
Looking to the east there are views down the Forth Valley with the Campsie Hills to the south.  From the summit the remaining walk into Drymen Village is about fifteen minutes.

The paths are well signposted.  We soon come to a divergence to the route - the Pond off to the right and the Woodland Trail off to the left.  We continue on the Woodland Trail towards the shore of the loch.  On the way we pass a couple of  photographers waist deep in long grass.  We pass quietly to avoid minimise disturbance.

Here and there on the site there are carved benches, sculptures and unexpected picnic areas.  
We pass by some of these before arriving at the path which runs alongside the shore of the loch.
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On joining this path we turn right. (Left would take us eventually to Gartocharn Village).  Every so often along this path there are enticing views of the loch, the islands and the surrounding distant hills.

The station was not busy - just a couple of people waiting.  The departure board was a little confusing as it only showed a departure to Oban at the same time as our train.  The trains on the West Highland Line usually travel to Crianlarich and then split.  One portion goes to Oban and another to Fort William then Mallaig.
Fortunately there was a 'Help Button" at the station and the person who answered promptly confirmed that it was a signage error.
Whilst we waited for the train we were interested to note a rather flash unit on the platform giving information for and selling tickets for the sleeper train to Euston in London.

Soon we were able to catch views of Ben Arthur on the other side of the loch.  Known more familiarly as "The Cobbler" the distinctive rock formations on the peak are supposed to resemble a cobbler bending over his last.
The Cobbler is one of several hills (most of the others being Munros over 3000 feet high) known as the Arrochar Alps.  A collection of interesting mountains frequented by the folk of Glasgow due to their proximity to the city.  Adrlui, the next station is a good starting point for exploring these mountains.

Right from the start the line to Fort William was never a great money spinner.  The fish trade initially was strong but over the years patronage dwindled despite the aluminium works in Fort William and the paper mill in Corpach.  Consequently the costs for maintenance and operation of the line were kept to a minimum.  Many wooden station buildings were removed when they life expired, replaced by bus stop shelters. Red blaze gravel became a hallmark of the platform cover being much cheaper than tarmac

Like Crianlarich Station, Rannoch Station sports an excellent tearoom.  Very useful because Rannoch Station is almost in the middle of nowhere!  However it is more urbanised than the next stop along the line - Corrour Station - which doesn't even have a road to it.  Corrour was featured in the film Trainspotting.  Despite their remoteness the two stations are popular with walkers who come from far and wide to appreciate this unique and beautiful wilderness

From the viaduct it is a short ride to the top of the glen and to what in 1870 was the temporary terminus of the line.  As funds were short and Scottish winter climate unforgiving construction of the line was slow and undertaken in sections as an when investment and weather permitted.
Glen Ogle station was originally named Killin Station despite Killin village on the shore of Loch Tay being a good 4 miles away.  When the railway was opened horses and carriages met the trains and conveyed passengers down the slopes to Killin Village.  
Renamed Glenoglehead in 1886 and closed to passengers in 1889 although remained as a passing loop and a platform to occasional excursions until 1965.  The station building is now a private dwelling.

Because there was no road access and no towns or villages for quite some distance the station staff used to reside in two adjoining cottages.  When we visited the station site the two cottages were in the process of being converted into a private dwelling.  The station had three platforms - one for the Killin train and the other two for the crossing loop.  So at times this remote and lonely station could be a bustle of activity!

A great day out in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is a cycle ride up the trackbed of the former Callander and Oban railway line starting at Lochearnhead and continuing up the side of Glen Ogle to the remains of Killin Junction Station.
The journey from Appletree Cottage to Lochearnhead was an easy drive, first to Callander and then up the eastern shore of Loch Earn through Strathyre and Kingshouse.
The 35 mile journey takes under an hour and has some spectacular scenery on the way.
Lochearnhead as the name might suggest is a little village at the southern end of Loch Earn.  Although the village did have a railway station (now beautifully preserved) the station was on the line to Crieff, with the Oban line running by a few feet up the hillside.  The two lines joined at Balquidder but we start our journey a little further west.

On arriving at Lochearnhead we parked close to the St. Angus church (but not in their car park) and unloaded our bikes from the car.
The route up to join the railway starts at this point and climbs the hill - initially a road and then a path .
The first (short) section is quite steep but still cycle able.  Once up on the railway level the climb up Glenogle is well surfaced and gentle with terrific views.  A gentle ascent to the summit at Glenoglehead Station is followed by a comparatively short descent to Killin Junction.  The return journey is a fantastic long long freewheel from Glenoglehead Station to Lochearnhead.

Cycle route 7 is generally well signposted along its route.  Every so often cyclists will come across the distinctive sculptured way markers to reassure them that they are continuing along the correct path.