Old Balwill
Old Balwill cottage is peacefully situated amid glorious Trossachs scenery, on the edge of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, two miles from the Stirlingshire village of Buchlyvie. It was originally a signalman's cottage, sitting on the old railway line that ran between Stirling and Balloch and makes an excellent base for exploring Stirlingshire, central Scotland and further afield.
Now modernised and extended, Old Balwill provides very comfortable accommodation on two levels. It is furnished and equipped to a high standard and as the Scottish owners have travelled in southern Africa, you will find that many of the paintings and artefacts come from there.
The cottage has its own entrance with plenty of car parking space. The surrounding gardens are private and enclosed, laid out with gravel, flagstones and flower borders, bounded with drystone walls.
A maximum of two dogs and two horses are accepted by prior arrangement in this cottage.
Short breaks (minimum three nights) are also available in low season.
Old Balwill sleeps up to a maximum of six people, in three bedrooms. On the ground floor, there is one double bedroom with a kingsize bed and TV with Freeview. The shower room (power shower), which is next door, may be made into an en-suite if desired. There is a well-equipped dining kitchen, with NEFF oven and French doors out into the garden. A separate laundry room houses the washing machine, tumble drier and ironing board. The large L-shaped sitting/dining room has large comfy leather sofas, a dining table seating up to eight and a wood burning stove. For indoor entertainment, there is a TV with Freeview channels, DVD player, hi-fi system, iPod docking station and free wireless internet. There is also a good selection of books, board games, jigsaws, DVDs and CDs.
On the first floor, there is one east-facing double bedroom, with kingsize bed, which overlooks the neighbouring fields and one twin bedroom, with north and south facing velux windows. (All velux windows have black-out blinds). Also on this floor is the bathroom, which overlooks the garden.
Summary:
- Bedrooms - 3 (2 kingsize doubles, 1 twin)
- Bathrooms - 2: One bathroom (upstairs) and one shower-room (downstairs)
- Dishwasher
- Washing machine and tumble drier
- Microwave
- Wood burning stove
- Oil fired central heating
- TV with Freeview in sitting room and TV with Freeview in downstairs bedroom
- DVD player, stereo, iPod docking station
- WiFi Broadband
- Plenty of car parking space
- Private enclosed grounds
- Wooden garden table and chairs with parasol, gas barbecue
What's included
Oil fired central heating is included in the rental price plus a starter pack of logs, kindling and firelighters for the stove. All bed linen, towels, cleaning/laundry materials and staples such as salt, pepper, tea, coffee, sugar, olive oil and basic spices are also included.
What’s not
Pets per week: £15 per dog (max 2), £65 per horse (max 2)
Whether you want to tour, admire the scenery and stop off at the myriad of excellent coffee shops with delicious home baking, or are looking to fill your days with lots of physical activity, this area has it all.
Ben Lomond, Ben Ledi, Ben Vorlich, Ben Venue and Ben Vane are all within easy reach for more serious hill walkers, whilst the small - but still beautifully formed - hills of The Conic and Ben A'an make a fantastic walk (with glorious views) for families with even quite small children. Cyclists and walkers have miles of forest trails to explore in the nearby Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, whilst sailors, windsurfers and canoeists can head out onto Loch Ard, Loch Venacher and, of course, famous Loch Lomond.
If you're fond of golf, you'll be spoilt for choice with five local clubs within ten miles, all of which welcome visitors. There is also The Carrick, set on the shores of Loch Lomond and Gleneagles, which is only around 45 mins away. Fishermen can fish for brown and rainbow trout on the Lake of Menteith - perhaps popping into the Port Bar at the Lake of Menteith hotel for the Fisherman's Breakfast. Or why not explore the forest from the air, if you're feeling particularly adventurous, swinging on the UK's biggest high-wire zip line (go ape) at Aberfoyle?
Don't worry if you don't feel quite so energetic though. You could take a boat trip on Loch Lomond or Loch Katrine and there are lots of historic buildings waiting to be explored - from Inchmahome Priory, a ruined Augustinian monastery, which lies on an island in the Lake of Menteith, to the 14th century ducal castle at Doune, and Stirling Castle, which was once the residence of Scottish kings and perches atop an extinct volcano. Edinburgh Castle too is only around an hour away. On a more modern note, the Falkirk Wheel is an impressive piece of Scottish engineering. Measuring 115 feet, it is the world's only rotating boatlift and is used to connect the Forth & Clyde and Union canals.
Shoppers won't be disappointed either, with the Scottish Antiques and Crafts Centre near Doune; lots of gift shops, art galleries and wool centres around Killearn, Aberfoyle and Callander, complementing the full range of shopping facilities you would expect in the cities of Stirling, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Local farmers markets are held throughout the year where local produce and specialities can be tatsed and bought.
If all this sounds quite tiring, the cottage itself has every home comfort and the garden is a very peaceful place to sit and relax!
Summary:
- Buchlyvie (village) 2 miles, Balfron (village) 4 miles
- Stirling 17 miles, Glasgow 22 miles, Edinburgh 55 miles
- Glasgow airport 31 miles (approx 45 mins drive), Edinburgh airport 50 miles (approx 50 mins drive)
- Stations: Stirling 17 miles, Milngavie 16 miles (both approx 25 mins drive)
- Golf - Aberfoyle Golf Club (5 miles), Balfron Golf Society (4 miles), Strathendrick and Drymen Golf Clubs (7 miles)
- Riding - Port of Menteith (10 miles)
- Fishing - Port of Menteith
- Pubs/restaurants - many within 8 miles
- Go Ape - Aberfoyle
- Blair Drummond Safari Park - 14 miles
- Scottish Antique and Art Centre at Doune - 17 miles
- Doune Castle, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle
Old Balwill is situated approximately two miles outside the Stirlingshire village of Buchlyvie.
From the south/Glasgow direction, follow signs for the A81 to Aberfoyle, which will take you through Strathblane / Blanefield and past the Glengoyne Distillery. Stay on this road until you see signs for Stirling A811. Turn right onto this road for approximately 1.5 miles. You will see a parking lay-by on the left, with a large blue “P” sign. Immediately in front of the entrance to this lay-by, is a road (with a sign saying no lorries over 7.5 tonnes, except for access.) Turn down this road. You will come to Old Balwill Cottage after approximately 0.5 miles - it is the third house down on the left-hand side. The entrance to the holiday cottage is the second entrance (ranch-style gates).
From the north/east direction, follow all directions to Stirling. From the M9 motorway, take the turn-off at Junction 10, signposted A84 Callander and Crianlarich. Shortly after you have passed the entrance to the Blair Drummond Safari Park, you will see a road to your left signposted Gargunnock B8075. Take this road and after a couple of miles you will come to a T junction. Turn right onto the A811 towards Loch Lomond and the Erskine Bridge. You will pass through the village of Arnprior and when you come to the village of Buchlyvie, turn right half-way up the main street onto the B835, signposted Abefoyle. After around 1.5 miles, you will come to an unmarked road going up to your left. Take this road and you will see Old Balwill Cottage as the first house on the right-hand side.
For those with satellite navigation, the postcode is G63 0QY and the grid reference is NS 54979 93395.
There are a number of travel information and route planner websites which you may want to use:
“Charming and very comfortable cottage in a delightful area, which we have enjoyed exploring”
JL, September 09
“Bliss! Thank you for sharing your little piece of heaven with us”
BD, October 09
“Immaculately presented, well appointed and very homely”
JF, December 09
