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A beautiful afternoon at Stirling Bridge

7/2/2022

 

Stirling Old Bridge

Luxury self catering Stirling
Old Stirling Bridge looking north with the National Wallace Monument perched on top of Abbey Craig on the left.
Picture
,A quick nip across to Stirling at the weekend was enhanced by some sunshine and clear spells of blue sky.  Only thirty five minutes from Appletree Cottage, Stirling has a great selection of shops and restaurants,  Famous for its massive medieval Castle this small city also boasts Argyll's lodging, the Church of the Holy Rood, a magnificently preserved old town, close by National Wallace Monument and in the summer months Blair Drummond Safari Park.   Today we stopped by the Old Stirling Bridge to explore and take a few photos.
Fully en-suite self catering Stirling
Stirling Old Bridge looking north. The River Forth is flowing east (to the right of frame)
The Old Bridge was built around 14-1500, replacing the earlier wooden structures, one of  which had been the focus of The Battle of Stirling Bridge (11/Sept/1297), when the army under William Wallace defeated the English forces by allowing so many to cross the bridge and then blocking that route for the remainder of the troops.  
The original wooden bridge lay a little upstream of the current Old Stirling Bridge, the stone foundations of the former being visible at low water.
​The Old bridge was the lowest crossing point of the River Forth for several centuries until bridges were built at Kincardine and South Queensferry.
Self catering cottage Stirling
Looking north from the bridge towards Wallace Monument high on Abbey Craig
Perched on top of Abbey Craig, where legend has it that William Wallace's troops camped to the hill's commanding position over looking the town of Stirling and the Forth Valley, sits the National Wallace Monument commemorating the thirteenth century leader.  The monument is well worth a visit, particularly on a clear day as the views from the top are fantastic, looking towards Edinburgh in the east and Ben Lomond in the west.
During the 1945 Jacobite uprising the southern most arch was blown up and thereby removed by General Blackney to prevent highlanders and supporters of the Jacobite movement crossing the river.  The arch was rebuilt and the bridge repaired in later years.
In early days duties were charged on goods entering the borough.  Customs men were installed in a covered recess in the centre of the bridge to tax such goods.

Stirling New Bridge

Self catering cottage Stirling
Stirling New Bridge opened in 1833, with the later railway bridges in the background.
Just down stream is the New Stirling Bridge - opened in 1833 and designed by the famous Scottish Engineer Robert Stevenson, father of the author Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island). The new bridge is open to this day and carries the A9 trunk road north to Perth and beyond.  

Cycling Route 7, along the former Callander and Oban Railway line up Glen Ogle (part 2)

4/2/2022

 
This is a continuation of a blog of our cycle ride along part of Sustrans Cycle Route 7 in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.  
​Starting at Lochearnhead we joined the former Callander and Oban Railway trackbed and continued up the spectacular Glen Ogle.  Although steep sided the route of the railway line contours the hillside to maintain gentle gradients throughout.
Callander self catering accommodation
A former linesman's / signallers hut still survives beside the line.
As detailed before the line to Glen Ogle opened in 1870 but following Dr. Beeching's infamous report on the railway network produced in the early 1960's the section of the Callander and Oban line between Crianlarich and Callander was scheduled for closure on 1st November 1965.  However, before that date, in the early hours of Monday 27th September 1965, a rockfall occurred in Glen Ogle.  This area had been a constant headache to the operators of the line since construction as landslips and rockfalls were not infrequent.  Following the an engineering assessment of the damage it was decided by the powers that be that there was no economic benefit of clearing the line and shoring up the bank as the line was due to close in just over a month's time.
Callander self catering
Looking south east towards Callandar, the site of the rockfall which finally closed the section of line between Crianlarich and Callander.
The rockfall not only closed the Callander and Crianlarich section of the line it also meant the closure of the five mile Killin Junction to Killin section.
A photograph of the rockfall taken in the 1960s soon after the track had been lifted can be seen here: www.railscot.co.uk/img/28/647/
Picture
Impressive stone twelve arch viaduct near the head of Glen Ogle carried the Callander and Oban line along the steep slopes (Photo via Wikipedia by Kim Traynor - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19392888)
Towards the top of Glen Ogle is a very impressive 12 arch viaduct at the foot of Meall Sgliata which can be seen clearly from the main road which runs along the opposite side of the glen.  
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.
Picture
Crossing Glen Ogle viaduct looking south.
Killin self catering cottage
Glenoglehead station (formerly Killin station). Platforms still visible as is the station house which is now a private dwelling
Glenoglehead station is the summit of the line at this point with the route descending gently thereafter towards what was Killin Junction.
We pass the occasional surviving wayside shed, the severed bases of signal posts and other indications of earlier activity until we come to Killin Junction station.
Self catering Trossachs
Distant signal base
Self catering Loch Lomond and Trossachs national park
Linesmen's hut
Callander and Oban Railway self catering
Fence strainer post
As we arrive at the former Killin Junction station site we see the station has almost been entirely cleared away - only a small portion of the central platform remains.  The route of the line to Killin can be seen in the picture, dropping off to the right.
Killin junction was distinctive as there was no road access.  The station was entirely a junction for the line to Killin.  Older people have recorded memories of long waits at this station for their connecting trains.
Killin self catering
The location of the station is in the middle distance. The line to Killin runs off to the right, ahead is Crianlarich and we have just come in on the line on the left from Glenoglehead. The signal box used to stand dead centre of this view between the two lines.
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!
Luxury self catering Killin
The eastern end of the island platform is in the centre of the picture. The Killin train platform was to the left and the main line crossing loop on the right.
Killin large self catering
Two former railway workers cottages in the process of being converted into a private dwelling.
 After a good look round its time to return to Lochearnhead.  After a short clime up to Glenoglehead station we have a fantastic long gentle freewheel back to Lochearnhead.
​A great day out in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
Self catering Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park
Looking along the former railway line through a road arch just south of Glenoglehead station.

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  • HOME
  • SEE INSIDE
    • Why Appletree is fantastic!
  • STEP OUTSIDE
    • Local shops, pubs & eateries
    • About Shandon Farm
  • THINGS TO DO
    • Highland games dates
  • BOOK HERE!
  • ACCESSIBILITY
  • CONTACT US
  • BLOG & INFO