Loch Lomond & the Trossachs Newsletter
Visit Loch Lomond

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A Great Trossachs Path waymarker beside the A821 near Kilmahog
Photo: Grinner, CC BY-SA 4.0

Great Trossachs Path

Long-distance path, Inversnaid to Callander

Verdict

Go if you want a beginner-friendly long-distance route through lochs and glens between Loch Lomond and Callander, on foot or by bike.

Skip if you want summits or easy logistics. Much of it is tarmac or forest track, and the Inversnaid end depends on a seasonal waterbus.

Map of the Great Trossachs Path: from Inversnaid on Loch Lomond east past Stronachlachar, along Loch Katrine to Trossachs Pier, then by Brig o' Turk and Loch Venachar to Callander, about 45 km Map of the Great Trossachs Path: from Inversnaid on Loch Lomond east past Stronachlachar, along Loch Katrine to Trossachs Pier, then by Brig o' Turk and Loch Venachar to Callander, about 45 km. Marked places: Inversnaid, Stronachlachar, Trossachs Pier, Callander.
  • Inversnaid. The west end, on the east shore of Loch Lomond. The waterbus from Tarbet runs seasonally.
  • Stronachlachar. At the western end of Loch Katrine, with a pier cafe. Section 2 ends here.
  • Trossachs Pier. The eastern end of Loch Katrine, with a cafe, a shop and a pay car park.
  • Callander. The east end of the path, with car parks, shops and the bus from Stirling.
Length
45 km
Usual time
2–3 days
Total ascent
1,165 m
Sections
6

Today: 9°C and heavy rain, sunset 18:22. Check bus and waterbus times for the day you start: they matter more than crowds.

Last checked 13 Oct 2026 Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Open in maps

The Great Trossachs Path in photos

A new footbridge on the Great Trossachs Path
A new footbridge on the path.Gordon Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Great Trossachs Path approaching the Stronachlachar road
The path approaching the Stronachlachar road, west of Loch Katrine.Alan O'Dowd, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Is it for me?

The Great Trossachs Path is a waymarked route of about 45 km (28 miles) from Inversnaid on Loch Lomond to Callander, usually done in 2 to 3 days on foot or by bike, in either direction. It follows a quiet road beside Loch Katrine, forest tracks and an old railway line, and Scotland's Great Trails calls it suitable for beginners. The National Park rounds the length to 30 miles. Start with Callander and its car parks or Callander parking prices and busy times, and check when to go for your month.

Beginners
Yes. Scotland's Great Trails calls it suitable for beginners, with fairly few steep sections. It is still about 45 km, so split it across 2 to 3 days.
Children
Suits children used to long days on a flat road, such as the Loch Katrine stretch. Pick one section and check the transport back.
Dogs
The route pages we read give no dog rule. Keep dogs on a lead near livestock and follow local signs.
Cycling
Allowed, and the route links to National Cycle Network route 7. Expect steep sections between Brig o' Turk and Callander.
Buggies
Parts are smooth tarmac beside Loch Katrine, but we have no surface report for the rest. Check before you bring a buggy.
Terrain
A mix of woodland trails and tarmac. The Loch Katrine stretch is a single-track private road, and the Inversnaid to Stronachlachar section crosses open hillside.
Navigation
The route is signed, but carry a map and check each junction, because other routes share parts of it.

Great Trossachs Path or Trossachs Trail?

They are different things. The Great Trossachs Path is the hiking and cycling route on this page. OpenStreetMap maps the Trossachs Trail as a road route for drivers, so searches for one often bring up the other.

Map of the route

Map of the Great Trossachs Path: from Inversnaid on Loch Lomond east past Stronachlachar, along Loch Katrine to Trossachs Pier, then by Brig o' Turk and Loch Venachar to Callander, about 45 km Map of the Great Trossachs Path: from Inversnaid on Loch Lomond east past Stronachlachar, along Loch Katrine to Trossachs Pier, then by Brig o' Turk and Loch Venachar to Callander, about 45 km. Marked places: Inversnaid, Stronachlachar, Trossachs Pier, Callander.
  • Inversnaid. The west end, on the east shore of Loch Lomond. The waterbus from Tarbet runs seasonally.
  • Stronachlachar. At the western end of Loch Katrine, with a pier cafe. Section 2 ends here.
  • Trossachs Pier. The eastern end of Loch Katrine, with a cafe, a shop and a pay car park.
  • Callander. The east end of the path, with car parks, shops and the bus from Stirling.

Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Open in maps

The route, section by section

  1. Inversnaid Pier

    West start, Loch Lomond

    Start at Inversnaid on the east shore, where the Cruise Loch Lomond waterbus calls. Section 1 runs 1.2 miles (2 km) past the Arklet falls to the RSPB Inversnaid visitor gateway.

  2. RSPB Inversnaid

    2 km, end of section 1

    Section 2 climbs open hillside to Stronachlachar. It is 3.8 miles (6 km) and steep in places, and there is one short muddy section.

  3. Stronachlachar

    8 km, end of section 2

    A pier cafe and motorhome pitches at the west end of Loch Katrine. Section 3 is 12.4 miles (20 km) on a single-track private tarmac road beside the loch.

  4. Trossachs Pier

    28 km, end of section 3

    At the east end of Loch Katrine, with a cafe, a shop, bike hire and a pay car park. For the loch itself, see Loch Katrine and the steamship.

  5. Glen Finglas Visitor Gateway

    37.7 km, end of section 4

    Section 4 is 6 miles (9.7 km) by Loch Achray and Brig o' Turk. Camping between Brig o' Turk and south Loch Achray is only in pre-booked designated areas from March to October.

  6. Kilmahog

    46.3 km, end of section 5

    Section 5 is 5.4 miles (8.6 km) along Loch Venachar. See Loch Venachar and what to know if you want to stop at the water.

  7. Callander

    48.3 km as the sections add up; 45 km as published

    Section 6 is 1.2 miles (2 km) on an old railway line into Callander. The sections total about 48 km, which is the National Park's figure; Scotland's Great Trails gives 45 km.

Parking & getting there

Callander car parks (Stirling Council)

Where
Callander town centre, at the east end of the path. Check the signs for the nearest car park.
Price
2 hours £3; 4 hours £4; all day £6. Check the machine.
Hours
Pay and display Monday to Sunday 8:45am to 5pm
Toilets
Station Road, 8am to 6pm, 7 days a week, with accessible toilets and baby changing
Inversnaid end
The council-run Inversnaid Hotel car park has about 40 spaces and RSPB Garrison Farm has 7. Neither is confirmed for overnight stays.

Last checked 13 Oct 2026

Open in maps Apple Maps

Car-free

Callander: regular buses run from Stirling, and the Trossachs Explorer was relaunched on 29 June 2026 with 4 return journeys a day between Aberfoyle and Callander all year. Inversnaid: take a train or bus to Tarbet, then the Cruise Loch Lomond waterbus, which runs seasonally from April to October. Crossings from Tarbet run on limited days (Tarbet to Rowardennan, for example, runs at weekends only), so check the times. For the wider picture, see getting to Loch Lomond.

When it is busy

Editorial estimate of a typical summer day at the Callander end and by Loch Katrine. These are not measured counts.

How busy Great Trossachs Path gets by hour, summer pattern
Day8:009:0010:0011:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:00
WeekdayQuietQuietQuietQuietSteadySteadySteadyQuietQuiet
SaturdayQuietQuietQuietSteadySteadySteadySteadyQuietQuiet
SundayQuietQuietQuietSteadySteadySteadySteadyQuietQuiet

Q QuietS SteadyB BusyF Car park full

Tip: you will have the Inversnaid to Stronachlachar section quiet. Busy points are Trossachs Pier on a fine day and Callander's car parks.

Call it off if

  • Heavy rain or low cloud is forecast: the Inversnaid to Stronachlachar section crosses open hillside and is steep in places.
  • The last waterbus or bus for your end of the route is close, or runs only on certain days: check before you set off.
  • You are on a bike and the Brig o' Turk to Callander climbs look too steep for your legs or your load.
  • You have not booked a camping area for the zone between Brig o' Turk and south Loch Achray, which is pre-booked only from March to October.
  • It is getting late and you are still on the Loch Katrine road with no cafe or shelter open ahead.

Make a day of it

One section

A day walk

  1. Morning Pick a section. Section 3 along Loch Katrine is 12.4 miles (20 km) of tarmac and the easiest to plan.
  2. Afternoon Ride the steamship one way: in 2026 it sailed 27 March to 25 October, and the Trossachs Pier to Stronachlachar sailing took 2 hours. Details in the steamship on Loch Katrine.

Whole path

2 to 3 days

  1. Day 1 Inversnaid to Trossachs Pier, sections 1 to 3, about 28 km. Add a night at Loch Katrine, where Trossachs Pier has lodges and motorhome pitches, to make it a three-day trip.
  2. Day 2 Trossachs Pier to Callander, sections 4 to 6, about 20 km. See Ben Ledi route and parking or Bracklinn Falls walk for a second day out from Callander.

By bike

Flat then steep

  1. Loch Katrine The road is smooth with little car traffic, a little under 14 miles from Trossachs Pier to Stronachlachar. For other routes, see cycling around Loch Lomond.
  2. Callander end Expect steep sections between Brig o' Turk and Callander.

Where to stay near the path

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Browse all stays near Callander

Questions people ask

Can you cycle the Three Lochs Way?

Yes, cycling is permitted on the Three Lochs Way, although some steep sections may need to be walked. The Great Trossachs Path is also open to cyclists.

What are some fun things to do in the Trossachs National Park in Scotland?

Walk or cycle the Great Trossachs Path, ride the steamship on Loch Katrine, or climb Ben Ledi. For more, browse the Trossachs.

How long is the Great Trossachs Path?

About 45 km (28 miles) according to Scotland's Great Trails, and 30 miles according to the National Park. The six sections add up to about 48 km, so allow for both figures.

Where does the Great Trossachs Path start and end?

It runs between Inversnaid on Loch Lomond in the west and Callander in the east. You can walk or cycle it in either direction.

How long does the Great Trossachs Path take?

Scotland's Great Trails gives 2 to 3 days, with 1,165 m of climbing in total.

Can I camp on the Great Trossachs Path?

There are no designated campsites on the path. Wild camping is allowed outside the management zones, and between Brig o' Turk and south Loch Achray it is only in pre-booked designated areas from March to October. Read the camping and motorhome rules first.

How do I get to Inversnaid without a car?

Take a train or bus to Tarbet, then the Cruise Loch Lomond waterbus across to Inversnaid. It runs seasonally from April to October, so check the times.

Is it the same as the Trossachs Trail?

No. The Trossachs Trail is mapped as a road route for drivers; the Great Trossachs Path is a hiking and cycling route.

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