This outing was from about a month ago and I just never managed to put anything together about it but since it's such a lovely place (even in the rain) I wanted to share.
Loch Drunkie is between Aberfoyle and Callandar- if you go over the Duke's Pass that is. You access it by car (or even bike or on foot) by following the "Three Loch's Drive" route about half a mile over the top of the Duke's Pass- going from Aberfoyle to Callandar. It's a 14 mile one way route- so once you start you have to finish it unless you want to reverse a long way around corners with interesting edges with big drops. So now you know where I am (or at least can google it and figure out what on earth I'm warbling on about. Or go here).
It was a drizzly afternoon but not overly cold or actually unpleasant so we figured we had time to go for a walk to the Musical Forest. I'm not sure exactly what it's called but in our house we've taken to calling it the Musical Forest. It's a way-marked family (and off-road buggy) friendly route that takes about an hour to walk around if you have people with little legs or who like to stop and look at everything, and you probably will.
Straight off you get some spectacular views of Loch Drunkie as you are above the water by quite some way. Even Minnie was astounded by the view. She stood there looking at it for ages. Even though it was drizzling with rain the water on the loch was beautifully still- it doesn't get much traffic, maybe the odd rowing boat, so it is usually still.
But astounding views does not an entertaining walk for a child make. Oh no. The beauty of this particular walk (the red one on the map above) is that it is littered with musical fun. After a hundred or so meters you come to the first "instrument". Sadly the originally beater has rotted away but any enterprising child will find a big stick to improvise with.
Even though the wood was saturated with water it still gave off a satisfying- and tuneful- sound that echoed around the forest. The girls enjoyed whacking the blocks as a group trying to make as much noise as was humanly possible. Daddy may or may not also have enjoyed the experience.
As you follow the trail there are about 6 other instruments and diversions for children and adults alike. The girls loved running on ahead trying to find the next instrument and then being amazed at what they found.
That's not to say they didn't find other ways to pass the walk- the forest was littered with sticks big and small, mini streams and big puddles to jump in and prod around in. There were fallen trees to climb all over (and fall off, did I mention it was a tad wet).
My favourite thing about this walk though is that the best is saved for last. Just when you think there will be no more surprises, that you are heading back to the start point you spot what looks like a hut with no sides in the distance. As you get closer you realise that the hut actually has ropes hanging down. It's a bell tower. In a forest. That children can play on.
The tower has everything from a cuckoo pairing to tiny bells to a giant sonorous bell straight from the plot of the hunchback of notre dame. The girls were swinging on the ropes making a total cacaphony that was not even close to being dulled by the forest all around them.
Better than being stuck inside on a wet, damp day.
