The Darn Walk- Bridge of Allan to Dunblane

 22 May 2021

Participants: Just me

I took the train to Bridge of Allan, followed the course of the Allan Water to Dunblane and caught a train home from there. There wasn't much in the way of views but it was a pleasant riverside trail. The walk has literary connections, it was a favourite of Robert Louis Stevenson and a cave around the halfway point is said to be his inspiration for Ben Gunn's cave in Kidnapped. The walk begins a few hundred yards from the railway station on the east side of the river. It follows a street for a bit then you turn downhill on a path between two fences to reach the river. There were banks of bluebells and the general vegetation was very green.....

I reached the cave.....

and shortly after left the river behind as the path became a rough track between two old stone walls.....

it then ran between a couple of fields before briefly hugging the edge of a golf course. There were views of Stuc a'Chroin from here.....

before dropping down into Dunblane. Simply cross the dual carriageway and the road opposite takes you to the station and for me time for a coffee before my train arrived.....

Recommended!