Things to do around Stirling..

[jamrolypolyandcustard]

Hello,

Posting this on behalf of my mum who will be travelling to Stirling in August (9th - 11th)

They will be taking grandchildren (DGS5 & DGD10), they're hoping to book into Blair Drummond Safari Park but we've been told there's a bike race that will be taking place near so we're preparing for the possibility it may not be open.

Aside from Stirling Castle. Are there any must see areas, places, things to do or even travel (max 30 minutes in car) to do whilst they're there? 🙂

They're staying at glamping pod in area of Clackmannan, FK10 4BW.

Thank you very much!

The strawberry farm near the safari park is great fun!

The safari park will be open. There is the Wallace monument as well as the castle Battle of Bannockburn visitors cente. Loads of parkThe peak is a leisure centre in stirling if they want to go swimming the Vue cinema is also near by,and of course Stirling Town centre which has the usual shops.

There is an outlet Sterling mills in Tillicoultry which is near Clackmannan.im not really familiar with Clackmannanshire but get them to Avoid Alloa town centre it's really sad and not much going for it.

Maybe get this moved to Scotnet for others advice.

Definitely go to Kelpies at Falkirk, they're really something special, plus there's a huge play park next door called Helix Park.
The Falkirk Wheel is amazing too, it's a fantastic piece of engineering that lifts boats from one canal up to a much higher canal. It's really family friendly with an interactive mini water park area, cafe etc.

Auchingarrich Wildlife Park | Zoo and Adventure Park is about an hour's drive from where they're staying but my dc used to like it as you can buy feed to feed the animals.
Helix Park Falkirk | The Helix The Kelpies are about a 1/2 hour drive at Grangemouth- there's a good playpark there.
Stirling Old Town Jail - Top Rated Visitor Attraction - this might be good but the younger one might find it frightening. (It's years since I took my two - they have actors dressed up and dd who was about 5 found it scary but the older one would probably enjoy it)
There's quite a lot in the area so I don't think they'll be bored! There used to be a really good play park at King's Park in Stirling. I assume it's still there.

Oh yes definitely the Kelpies at the Helix is great

The Falkirk Wheel is fun, especially if you take one of the boat trips where you go through the lift. There’s also a good adventure playground there and other outdoor activities for kids too.

The Kelpies are also interesting to see close up, again a good playground for kids and lots of space for running about / walking / letting off energy.

We enjoyed the musuem at Bannockburn. They’ve done a really good job with the interactive exhibits etc, and most of the bits are inside so good for a rainy day. Book in advance though as we waited a long time.

The Japanese gardens in Dollar are gorgeous your mum might like there.

Blaidrummond should be open. King's Park is still really good and now also has a nice cafe in the pavilion - however it's on the cycling event route so parking close by might be tricky.

Worth noting Stirling has 2 park and ride routes which are currently free (parking and bus). Springkerse is on the Clackmnnanshire side but the Castleview route (car park just off the motorway) goes right up the hill to just under the castle if they want to save their legs and the cost of parking up there. It stops at the Old Town Jail too.

Outside of the city centre I can recommend Corrieri's in Causewayhead for ice cream, almost next door to another very good park, on the way to the Wallace Monument, and very easy to reach from the Clacks side without going near the cycle event routes. If your mum is outdoorsy Dumyat is a good 'starter hill' for small children as you can park quite a long way up it so the view-to-effort ratio is amazing. If castles are their thing there is also Doune Castle 10 mins from Blir Drummond (and a pretty good play park in Doune too - Stirling council does good parks!)

Definitely use the park and rides into stirling Town centre .

People always suggest moving Scottish topics to the moribund Scotnet as if Scotland weren’t part of the UK. As if such topics must be hidden from English eyes.

Take a boat trip n Loch Katrine, go to the Trossachs National Park.

the cycle race won’t be on the whole time. You do need to book the safari park now it is great we have annual passes. The strawberry farm next door is called Briarlands and is good too if the weather is nice. You could get the train to Edinburgh or visit the Falkirk wheel. Mine don’t really like the kelpies but the park there is good. Doune ponds are nice and the Woodside is lovely for food. I’m sure they will have fun I love living locally

Sometimes local knowledge is better I mean there is nothing wrong with posting elsewhere and I definitely didn't think it was a secret from the English I mean we hardly ever shout freeeeedom in Scotnet just on English bank holidays 😄

This link shows you the routes that the cycle races will take on each day and gives you info on the roads that will be shut. It’s time trials, which means riders will be setting off every 90 seconds so it will be on for most of the day each day. It’s pretty much on the west side of Stirling, so Blair Drummond might be a problem. Auchingarroch Wildlife will be doable, along with the kelpies, as they are in the other direction.

Tell them to take bbq food into Blair Drummond. You get a number to WhatsApp them with your preferred time and they will reserve a table and light you a bbq for free. It's right next to the huge playground. Awesome.

Nice breads from the bakery in Callander are a must

The old town jail was loads of fun! Highly recommend!

The bike race is the world road race champs and will be fun to watch. I'd be there is my nephew wasn't getting married in a completely different part of the uk.Toad closures are likely to be rolling, and temporary in any single place. Attractions are unlikely to close!

YY to the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel.

My grandparents used to live in Causewayhead so lots of happy memories on here. I remember a cafe/restaurant in Stirling that had a model railway and little trains going round?!

It's a lovely area. The old jail was rubbish and over in minutes. Alpaca trekking at the alpaca trekking centre was the best couple of hours. www.thealpacatrekkingcentre.co.uk/
Kelpies are good and the falkirk wheel was fab. Lots for kids to do on the water etc and good fun watching the boats on the Loch. Lovely area. Callendar is really nice for a look out. Nice town and lovely couple of ice cream shops. We found the Loch Lomond river side shopping area (can't remember the name) was pretty rubbish but there's a nice park close by which had good walks, play park etc. the Japanese gardens at dollar are worth a look too.

Also Blair Drummond safari park was ok but just ok. Massive play park and awful fast food outlet and not that many animals but the drive through bit was good.

The race at Stirling is various categories of the individual time trial which means each rider races solo - there’s a rider leaving the start every 90 seconds or so - so there will be riders at various points round the closed-road course for a lot of the day.

There will be a fan event village with activities in the fields below the that might be good fun to go to. (I’m working at it!)

"Also Blair Drummond safari park was ok but just ok. Massive play park and awful fast food outlet and not that many animals but the drive through bit was good."

I can't disagree more. But we made use of the BBQs. You can drive through as many times as you like too and the dinosaur bit was fun. We loved it

That was called Littlejohns @Bobbybobbins its a Chinese reasturant.now.

When did you go to the jail? We went a few
Weeks ago and were there for a while on the tour, which was fab!

Briarlands is now an incredible farm park with go karts, animals, trampolines etc. 100% worth a visit!