The Trossachs Story

You don’t get many better stories than the ones set in The Trossachs. So it is no wonder that for 200 years, it has attracted some of Scotland’s most renowned writers and artists. This guide features some of the significant historical points for this small but beautiful part of Scotland. Read about the people, places and events which connect with the dramatic landscapes.

Inchmahome Priory

Inchmahome Priory dates back to the thirteenth century and is now looked after by Historic Scotland. The priory is on an island in the Lake of Menteith, famously Scotland’s only lake (opposed to loch). In 1547 it was used as a hiding place for Mary, Queen of Scots, who was just four years old at the time. Please read our guide to visiting Inchmahome at the link below. Note: the island and priory are currently closed to carry out essential structural work.

Inchmahome Priory

Rob Roy MacGregor

IIn 1671, at Glengyle, a small hamlet on the banks of Loch Katrine, famous outlaw and cattle dealer Rob Roy MacGregor was born. Rob Roy would become a legend in his lifetime, with adventures across the Trossachs. Rob Roy is buried at the parish Kirk in the village of Balquhidder, while other MacGregors are buried in the clan burial ground at Portnellan along the loch shore close to the western end of Loch Katrine.

Aberfoyle

Robert Kirk, a former minister of Balquhidder, was to take on the same role in Aberfoyle. He had been interested in the magical world of fairies since an early age; in 1691, his book, The Secret Commonwealth, was published. In the book, he described the lives of fairies, fauns and elves, revealing their secrets.

The Reverend Robert Kirk’s life was to end one day in May 1692, during his daily walk from the Manse at Aberfoyle to nearby Doon Hill. As he reached the hill, the fairies, displeased with Kirk for giving away their secrets, are said to have descended on him, carrying him to the underground world of fairyland. According to legend, the pine tree at the top of Doon Hill contains his spirit, imprisoned by the fairies.

Read more about The Reverend Kirk and Doon Hill in our guide.

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Birthplace of Scottish Tourism

Sir Walter Scott's 1810 poem 'The Lady of the Lake' put the Trossachs on the map. The publication was the blockbuster of its day, with 25,000 editions sold in the first eight months after release. The follow up was the romantic adventure story of Rob Roy, published in 1817. Because of this, Loch Katrine was responsible for the birthplace of Scottish Tourism.

Cruises on Loch Katrine

For those early tourists visiting to see the vivid landscapes described by Scott, an eight-oared wooden galley began boat trips on Loch Katrine. In an attempt to replace the 'Water Witch' galley with 'Gypsy', Loch Katrine's first steamship backfired with the steamer sinking under mysterious circumstances a week after launch. This act was allegedly carried out in the dead of night by the ferrymen, fearful of their jobs. Rob Roy and then Rob Roy II steamers followed, with Sir Walter Scott, the current steamship launched onto Loch Katrine in 1900.

Pictured above is a celebration of the Birthplace of Scottish Tourism, which you can find at Brenachoile Point, Loch Katrine. Below is a picture of Sir Walter Scott Steamship at Trossachs Pier, Loch Katrine, which is back sailing after extensive repairs and restoration.

Sir Walter Scott Steamship, Loch Katrine

The Railways

Meanwhile, horses and carts were replaced by char-a-banc, an early form of a bus. Eventually, the railway boom arrived in the Trossachs with new stations in Callander in 1858 and Aberfoyle in 1882. Sadly, neither of those stations exists, although many former rail lines are now excellent cycle paths.

Queen Victoria in the Trossachs

Queen Victoria arrived in Callander by train in 1859 for an important ceremony. First, she travelled to Loch Katrine by horse and carriage; white milestone markers, installed for the occasion, allowed her to view the progress in her journey to Trossachs Pier. At the pier, the Royal party set sail on Rob Roy II to Stronachlachar before being rowed to the newly built Royal Cottage.

Queen Victoria was at Loch Katrine for the opening of the new waterworks. An impressive example of Victorian engineering, the system consists of 23.5 miles of aqueducts and tunnels, providing the water supply for Glasgow and Central Scotland from Loch Katrine. The arrival of a clean water supply for the City of Glasgow revolutionised the health of its vast population, a role that it continues to provide today.

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Re-enactment of Queen Victoria’s Loch Katrine Visit

The Trossachs Tour & Trail

The Trossachs Tour was a popular Edwardian tour, capitalising on the golden era of steam trains to connect Glasgow and Edinburgh with Aberfoyle. Visitors would tour the village of the Trossachs, sail on Loch Katrine and then travel on via Loch Lomond at Inversnaid.

In the early 1990s, the ‘Trossachs Trail’ was first developed as the first officially recognised geographic tourist trail in Scotland. It was a leading tourism and environment initiative, with considerable investment in a range of visitor infrastructure around the Trail. In 2021 a new website launched (we had the pleasure of designing) with information panels placed around the 40-mile route.

Great Trossachs Forest

The Trossachs are in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, Scotland’s first national park. In 2008 work started on a bold vision to restore Great Trossachs Forest, which is the size of Glasgow. This 200-year project seeks to create a forest eco site with habitats that will help wildlife to adapt to changes caused by climate change.

This is just a taster of the history of the Trossachs. Click below to read our growing number of guides to the Trossachs.

The Trossachs