Autumn Colours in the Trossachs

Fantastic waterfall trail at David Marshall Centre

View from the car park of the David Marshall Centre

David Marshall Lodge is just north of Aberfoyle on the famous Duke's Pass road, about fifteen to twenty minutes from Appletree Cottage.  Once going through the picturesque village of Aberfoyle turn right, just after the Coop and go up the hill, heading north for about a mile.  The David Marshall Centre is on the right.

Main entrance to the David Marshall centre

The David Marshall Lodge Visitor Centre was established in the 1960s as a new brand of outdoor centre.  David Marshall was then the chairman of the Carnegie Trust and funds for the trust built the centre.  There is a restaurant, a sit out picnic area a red squirrel feeding station and numerous walks through the woods.  It is also the location of Go=Ape tree top experience with one of the longest zip wires in the UK - see below...

The Sitooterie (or sit out area) at David Marshall Centre

Looking west from the David Marshall Centre. Above the cliffs in the distance, about a mile or two to the north lie the Aberfoyle Slate Quarries, setting for the "Bridge of Death" scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail film.

The Trossachs has been host to many films - a couple of the more memorable are Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the Kenneth More version of the Thirty Nine Steps as well as the most recent version.  All inspired by fantastic scenery.  As the David Marshall Centre is in an elevated position the views are quite awesome.

Stunning views looking south can be had from the terrace of the David Marshall Centre

A helpful guide board on the Terrace of the David Marshall Centre shows the various path options available to reach the waterfall

From the terrace a well made path leads down the the valley floor where timber walk ways and bridges take you over the boggy bits and the little picturesque  bubbling burns, 

Pretty burn runs under the path

Well made and maintained walk ways aid your journey through the woods

Throughout the walk there are interesting sculptures here and there.  One of the most interesting was a number of human figures made out of mirror which appeared like ghosts in the woods.

One of the most imaginative bits - the mirrored figures in the woods. Can you make them out?

A bridge over a burn

Great colours are everywhere at this time of year.

Soon and quite suddenly we come upon the waterfall.  High and magnificent with a mass of white foaming water.

Throughout the walk there have been good bits for kids.  A badger pokes out if its set whilst a couple of roe deer graze in the autumn leaves.  There is also a game of water channeling and many sculptures to amuse the young.

A badger pokes out of its set

Deer graze amongst the fallen foliage

A person in yellow and black traverses one of the longest zip wires in the UK as part of the Go Ape Tree Top experience.

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As we made our way up the hill back to the David Marshall Centre we noticed people flying through the treetops at some speed.  These were visitors to Go Ape - a fantastic tree top experience with high walkways and swings through the upper branches of the mature forest as well as one of the longest and perhaps the most attractive zip wire in the UK. 

The entrance to Go Ape

So at the end of our waterfall walk we jumped back in the car and followed the road to the north end of Dukes Pass where we got this fantastic view down Loch Achray.  
Truly fantastic scenery, all so close to Appletree Cottage!

Autumnal view down Loch Achray