Mum-of-three Siobhan Martin is always looking for new outdoor adventures for her family. Based near Stirling, the family can often be found walking, wild swimming and paddle boarding. We asked Siobhan for her favourite places to enjoy the great outdoors.
The Ochil Hills For the more energetic adventurers, there is a lesser known and in my view, underappreciated range of hills located in the Forth Valley area of Scotland. These are the Ochil Hills. Born and bred in Clackmannanshire myself, I’ve been guilty in the past of overlooking these beauties, but in recent years have started exploring all they have to offer.
The highest summit in the Ochils is Ben Cleuch, sitting at 721m. A great 9.7 km hike to tick off this highest peak along with two others is the Ben Cleuch circular route, starting from Tillicoultry glen.
You can even cool down after a hard day in the hills, in a stunning dipping spot in one of the many glens. Lake of Menteith If you are looking for the ideal location for a leisurely paddle by board or kayak, Scotland’s only ‘lake’ won’t disappoint! Lake of Menteith in Stirlingshire sits pretty amongst the Trossachs’ hills and forests, making it a sheltered spot for a relaxing paddle. It’s even more beautiful to visit as the sun sets.
With its very gradual depth change, it can be a great route along the shore line for more nervous paddlers or families who are teaching kids to paddle. If the deeper water is more your thing, Lake of Menteith is the site of.
