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We've had a few days of snow here at Appletree Cottage which gives a whole different appearance to the area. Stunning when the sun is out. By way of exercise we went for a walk around Strathendrick Golf Course which is one mile away from Appletree Cottage  Looking down the 6th at Strathendrick Golf Course Strathendrick Golf ClubThis excellent and beautifully maintained nine hole course was created in the early 1900s, by Willie Fernie. As well as some challenging holes it has some of the bet views you will find on a golf course anywhere.  The original distinctive clubhouse is still in position but there was not a should around when we visited on this snowy day apart from a couple of dog walkers in the distance.  A herd of deer occupied the fourth hole - taking their opportunities whilst the course was empty. they quickly legged up to the 5th as we approached.  Sun, snow and blue skies were the order of the day. We appeared to be the first people to cross the bridge over the gorge on the second hole that afternoon.  The course is open to visitors and charges a modest fee for a day ticket. Apart from competition days there is usually plenty of space. It is well worth a visit.  As we walked back to the car we walked along the bank of the Endrick Water which runs along the western side of the course. Ice was beginning to form on the water as the temperature dropped.  Appletree Cottage Luxury fully en-suite self catering for eight people. After an excellent walk it was back to Shandon Farm and Appletree Cottage for a cup of tea. 
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On a gorgeous crisp clear sunny January day we take a walk up the famous Whangie.  Part of the famous Whangie rock formations The Whangie is a bizarre and most unusual rock formation at the eastern end of the Kilpatrick hills. To get to it we drove for ten minutes south from Appletree Cottage and along the A809 until reaching Queen's View car park. From there a track leads up the side of the hill to the site.  The path from Queen's View car park up to the Whangie Although the path has been made up and maintained - with good styles, gates and walks over the boggiest bits it is recommended that secure stout footwear is worn. The path follows the north flank of the hill and can be icy in winter. The walk up to the Whangie takes about 30-40 minutes.  View to the north looking up Loch Lomond. Ben Lomond is the highest peak on the right. The views on the ascent are fantastic. To the north one can see Loch Lomond with Ben Lomond towering above it on the eastern side whilst the Arrochar Alps in the distance look exciting for further adventure on another day! To the east there are views down the fourth valley with Killearn and Balfron villages nestling in the dip..  Looking east down the Fourth Valley with the villages of Killearn and Balfron in the middle distance And to the south east lie the Campsie hills..  The western end fo the Campsie Hills with Drumgoyne being the lump centre of frame. At the foot of Drumgoyne is the famous (and excellent) Glengoyne distillery Arriving at the WhangieThe Whangie arrives quite suddenly and unexpectedly. It is not like any of the hills or geology which surround it.  Part of The Whangie An unusual geological phenomenon the Whangie is the result of what is called "glacial plucking". This is caused when extreme low temperatures froze slabs of the basalt rock to the glacier. As the glacier moved the rocks stayed attached and were plucked from the hillside, causing a split and lean sheer rock walls rising above either side of the gap.
The Whangie is hugely popular with local climbers due to it being easily accessible. The craggy stable rocks form many faces, gully and chimneys for the climbers to try out, practice and learn their skills. More about climbing at the Whangie and its various routes can be found here: https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/the_whangie-193  Looking north from the Whangie to Loch Lomond and its surrounding hills After a good look around we climbed to the trig point at the top of the hill and thence to a cairn on the east. From there the views were panoramic. As well as Loch Lomond and its surrounding hills to the north, the Forth Valley to the east and the Campsie, we could see south to Glasgow with the distant high rise flats on its outskirts clearly visible in the bright sunshine  Looking down to Glasgow and the south. We followed the crest of the hill on the journey back to the car. This we agreed was preferable to the initial climb route as it was in the sun and less icy - although a little boggy here and there. As the terrain began to tail off down hill we were treated to an excellent view of Glengoyne Distillery at the foot of Drumgoyne hill.  Glengoyne distillery is the white building on the left, Drumgoyne is the smaller pointy hill centre right. Glengoyne is one of the few whiskies in Scotland to be made without the use of peat. The water for its superb distillation is taken from the burn which runs down the hillside.  Looking towards Ben Lomond in the distance. Appletree Cottage is the building to the left of the white farmhouse and red roofed barn in the centre of frame (Shandon Farm) After a great walk we made our way down to Queen's view car park and drove back to Appletree Cottage at Shandon Farm - with perhaps the prospect of a dram of Glengoyne later!  The cairn looking east along Forth Valley towards Killearn, Balfron and Stirling Freezing fog around Appletree Cottage today. I was out taking photos when I came across this pheasant looking a little surprised to see me. The cottage has been empty for some time due to covid and he may have become used to having the run of the place with nobody around to disturb him.  Best foot forward  Male pheasant by the corner of Appletree Cottage  Appletree cottage with pheasant foreground  Appletree Cottage on a foggy day Trees in the fogThe day had a feeling of Sleepy Hollow about it...  Solitary tree  The road to Croftamie village  Oak tree in the paddock  Our apple orchard in the mist Stunningly beautiful Weather here in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park  Mighty peak of Ben Lomond  Ready for a new adventure  The Arrochar Alps looking west  Boats patiently awaiting for the return of visitors We're looking forward to when visitors are allowed to return to this wonderful area... Can't wait to have you back  Unspoilt scenery  Clean fresh air and peacefulness  Ceaselessly stunning vistas Haste ye back!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 person in yellow and black traverses one of the longest zip wires in the UK as part of the Go Ape Tree Top experience. 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 Apples Galore! Apples awaiting picking on a misty morning Its Harvest Time at Shandon Farm and Appletree Cottage. The trees have begun dropping their fruit so its time to pick. There are around 350 trees on the farm with 48 varieties of apples including many old Scottish varieties.  Iron in the soil enhances the redness of the Discovery apple The soil in some parts of the farm has quite a high iron content which can mean that the red apples turn out very red! The variety shown here is Discovery.  Beauty of Moray is a very popular variety when juiced. Once the apples are picked they are juiced, bottled pasteurised and sold locally. One favourite is a variety called Beauty of Moray which is shown here. A green dual purpose apple (cooker and eater) it produces a very clear sharp fruity juice. Once tasted many people come back for more.  Red apples awaiting pressing Each year we do a pressing entirely of red varieties. This produces quite. a red medium sweet juice. Another very popular choice.  A selection of bottles awaiting pasteurisation and labelling The bottles we sell contain pure apple juice and nothing else - no sweetness, preservatives, salt or pepper. Just pure apple juice.
Once bottled the juice is pasteurised which means a bottle will keep for over a year. In addition to the apple juices we produce apple jellies and marmalades - again from our own fruit. Be sure to ask about our produce when you come to stay at Appletree Cottage.  Viewing Platform at Flanders Moss Nature Reserve About a twenty minute drive from Appletree Cottage along the A811 towards Stirling takes you to Kippen roundabout. Turn left here and a couple of miles down the B road takes you to the entrance of Flanders Moss Nature Reserve  The entrance for Flanders Moss Nature Reserve from the main road After turning off the main road at the sign a single track road takes you down to the free car park. Here, in this peaceful setting are a couple of picnic tables. Thoughtfully the tables have a block on which to place a portable barbecue.  Picnic table with portable BBQ block From the car park a path takes you over a small bridge and along a woodland path which winds its way between the birch trees...  Bridge leading into the Nature Reserve
We chose to climb to the top of the viewing platform before going any further. A couple of stories high and timber built the platform is a substantial structure giving fantastic views across the Forth Valley  Looking up inside the viewing platform From the top of the platform one can see Stirling Castle, Wallace Monument, the village of Thornhill and the mountains from Ben Ledi in the north across to Ben Lomond in the west.  Panoramic view from the tower looking north west. Ben Ledi is prominent in the centre of the image. The reserve has a long circular path running around it so once back on ground level we began to explore, keeping an eye out for birds, butterflies and bees...  Part of the circular path around the site The paths are all decking built above the bog to prevent visitors' feet getting wet.. A great place for kids to run about.  A giant Curlew sculpture provides an element of surprise All over the reserve there are information boards to tell you about the flora and fauna dan history of the site. For more information you can visit this website: www.nature.scot/enjoying-outdoors/scotlands-national-nature-reserves/flanders-moss-national-nature-reserve Flanders Moss Nature Reserve is a great place to visit for nature lovers and walkers alike.. We'll be back again.  A pond lying beside the path
Appletree Cottage has completed certification for Visit Scotland's "Good to Go" scheme.
The good to go scheme verifies that self catering properties and other businesses are invoicing and adhering to government guidelines during the Covid 19 pandemic thus providing an additional security for guests welfare.  We spotted this male roe deer in the gardens of the cottage last week munching away at the hedge. . The wildlife has become a little braver as the cottage has been closed since March.. Even so, as soon as the deer saw us he was away like a shot. The cottage re-opens on 17th July - but we're sure there will still be lots of wildlife around.  The deer has spotted us and is off like a shot!  A large hare was seen bouncing around Appletree Cottage garden this morning. The first sighting this year.
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