Experience the beauty and majesty of the wild Scottish countryside on a hiking or cycling adventure through Glen Ogle. This picturesque valley is located on the northeastern edge of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
The trail extends for approximately 8 miles (13 kilometers) and follows the course of an old railway line, passing through a landscape of crags, forests and swathes of green. When Queen Victoria visited the area in 1842, she referred to the glen as the Khyber Pass of Scotland, after the mountain pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Start your hike or bike ride at Loch Earn. Follow the signs that will lead you to the glen floor and back up again. Your route will take you past streams, stone bridges and an old military road and through open countryside. During your trek, look for local wildlife such as badgers, otters, foxes, mountain hares and red deer.
Continue your journey over the Glen Ogle viaduct, an arched stone bridge that was built in the 1860s. The 19th-century structure is part of Cycle Route 7, a long-distance route from Sunderland to Inverness that covers more than 600 miles (966 kilometers). It is also part of the Rob Roy Way, a 80-mile (127-kilometer) trail which is named after the 18th-century outlaw and folk hero who was dubbed the Scottish Robin Hood.
If you’re on foot, give yourself at least 4 hours to cover the return trip. The route encompasses a variety of surfaces, including paved tracks and forest trails. Note the return route can be boggy in places.
Glen Ogle lies 2.4 miles (3.9 kilometers) from Lochearnhead. Many people start their Glen Ogle hike or cycle ride in this attractive highland village. An alternative starting point is the village of Killin, which is bisected by the Falls of Dochart, a cascade of waterfalls on the River Dochart.
