Cycling Route 7, along the former Callander and Oban Railway line at Glen Ogle (part 1)

Cycle Glen Ogle on the old Callander & Oban Railway from Appletree Cottage

From Lochearnhead to Callander and Oban Railway Line

View across Loch Earn from the former Callander and Oban railway line as it climbs Glen Ogle

A great day out in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is a cycle ride up the track-bed 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.

Showing the route from Appletree Cottage to Lochearnhead

Saint Angus Church in Lochearnhead close to where we parked

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 Glen Ogle 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.

Showing route from Lochearnhead village to Glenoglehead station then Killin Junction

An ancient byre on the route up to the railway

Some of the buildings we saw on the way, were in a poor state of repair but none the less provided a reminder of a harder way of life in days gone by.

End of the gable end

Soon the road up the hill turns into a well-made path.  This takes a couple of hundred yards until it reaches the railway.

Path from Lochearnhead up to the Callander and Oban railway cycle route

Looking back down the path towards Lochearnhead. The bridge carried the former railway from Balquidder through Lochearnhead station and onto Crief and Perth.

As the path climbs the hill it passes under a bridge which carried the former Lochearnhead, St. Fillans and Comrie Railway, which ran between Balquhidder (where it joined the Callander & Oban railway) and Crieff from where one could continue either to Perth or to Stirling via Gleneagles (formerly called Crieff Junction.  Unfortunately, traffic was poor from the start and the Balquhidder to Crieff section closed to all traffic in 1951

As the path reaches the railway line the views across Loch Earn are stunning. The village in the distance is part of Lochearnhead known as Auchraw.

When the path from Lochearnhead reaches the railway, we are greeted by a fantastic view along Loch Earn which is at the north west boundary of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.  As well as the view there is a selection of National Cycle Network signs showing a range of possible destinations.  This is part of Sustrans Cycle Route 7 which in its circuitous 547 miles runs from Sunderland to Inverness and, as it happens, passes the gates of our own Appletree Cottage.

The point at which the path from Lochearnhead on the left joins the Callander and Oban Railway route. The view is to the south with Balquhidder 4 miles distant. Behind the camera the line runs uo the side of Glen Ogle to Glenoglehead.

Once on the railway line cyclists and walkers are greeted by several signs...

Warning of landslides etc. It was a landslide which finally caused the closure of this line earlier than scheduled.

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.

The Callander and Oban Railway

We are now on the track-bed of the former Callander and Oban Railway.
Formed in 1864 construction finally started in 1866.  The company, seemingly permanently short of funds constructed the line in phases as and when they could afford.  The first section from Callander to the top of Glen Ogle opened in 1870 although coal traffic had been running from Callander to Lochearnhead as early as 1868.  John Anderson who had been appointed Company Secretary in 1865 was renowned for his entrepreneurial drumming up of all possible business to help fund the line and its construction.

The former railway route along the southern slopes of Glen Ogle is well surfaced providing a smooth ride

There was a rumour that the rails when lifted after the line's closure were sent to Mexico to form part of the transportation system for the 1968 Olympic Games.  However so far no evidence has been uncovered to substantiate that assertion.  

View looking north east along Loch Earn.

As we continue gently climbing the slopes of Glen Ogle the views along Loch Earn become even more impressive.  
See the second part of this blog for our journey along the northern edge of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park past the former Glen Ogle summit station and down to Killin Junction.