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Callander · Nature
Loch Katrine with kids
Choose Loch Katrine when you want the journey to be the family activity: a short circular cruise, a longer sailing on the historic Steamship Sir Walter Scott, or a boat-and-bike day along the quiet north-shore road. The piers also have cafés, the scenic tower and the Spring 2026 rainforest trail, so you can make a shorter visit without taking on the full cycle route. It is a destination day shaped by the timetable and weather, not a quick drop-in.
- Best fit
- Toddlers to primary age · boat-loving families
- Cost
- Cruises and cycle hire paid · check the sailing
- Weather
- Mostly outdoors · some shelter on board
- Allow
- Half day for a cruise · longer with cycling
Our family take
The appeal is that you can set the pace. A short circular cruise gives younger children a clear outing, while the live commentary, historic steamship and lochside views give older children something to notice and talk about. At Trossachs Pier, the scenic tower and new rainforest trail add a land-based option before or after the boat.
- Start with the right sailing. A 45-minute circular cruise is the simplest family version; the two-hour Stronachlachar sailing or cycle-and-sail route needs more time and planning.
- Add time ashore. The scenic tower and Spring 2026 rainforest trail give children something to do at Trossachs Pier before or after a cruise.
- Weather. The steamer gives some shelter, but the piers, tower, trail and cycle route are outdoors.
The practical details
Plan your visit
- Cruise timetable
- The spring/summer timetable runs to 25 October 2026, with 45-minute circular cruises, a 1-hour circular Steamship cruise and 2-hour Sir Walter Scott sailings to Stronachlachar. In winter, regular 45-minute cruises use other boats; Sir Walter Scott sails only on selected dates. Check the live sailing for your date.
- Tickets and booking
- Cruise fares vary by boat and route. Check the exact sailing and total before booking; book ahead if you need a particular departure, are travelling from Stronachlachar or want to take bikes, because bike space is limited.Tickets & booking
- Your visit options
- Choose a 45-minute or 1-hour circular cruise for a shorter family visit, a 2-hour sailing to Stronachlachar for a longer boat trip, or a bike-and-sail day on the north-shore road.
- Address
- Trossachs Pier, Loch Katrine, Callander FK17 8HZ. Stronachlachar Pier is a separate arrival point at the other end of the loch.
- Parking and directions
- Paid parking at both piers, with designated disabled parking free: cash or card at Trossachs Pier, cash only at Stronachlachar. Use the operator’s directions for the correct pier; the road between them takes about 45 minutes.
- Prams and access
- The operator lists accessible toilets and baby changing at both piers. Steamship Sir Walter Scott takes wheelchairs and mobility scooters when arranged at booking; its upper deck is accessible, with a sheltered forward cabin. The pier walk is about 80 metres and the ramp is uneven. Other boats differ, so ask about your sailing.
- Food, toilets and baby changing
- The Steamship Café at Trossachs Pier is open daily 9am–5pm, with takeaway options and picnic areas. Stronachlachar has the Pier Café, with shorter winter opening. Accessible toilets are at both piers; baby changing is in all-ability toilets and on each vessel.
ParkingCafé or restaurantGift shopAccessible toiletsToiletsBaby changing
26 September 2026
A little more detail
Make it work for your family
What children can actually do
Start with the boat, not just the view. Children can see the historic Steamship Sir Walter Scott at the pier, listen to live commentary about the loch's stories and wildlife, and see the scenery change as the boat moves away from the pier. The pier walkway and steamship exhibition add something to explore before or after the sailing.
At Trossachs Pier, the Roderick Dhu path and scenic tower give you a short land-based adventure, while the Spring 2026 rainforest trail has information panels about woodland, wildlife and geology. That gives younger children more to do than sitting through a long cruise, even if you keep the visit short.
Choose your visit
For toddlers, preschoolers or a first visit, start with a 45-minute circular cruise and add the café or pier walk if everyone is happy. A one-hour circular Steamship sailing is the middle option; the two-hour sailings to Stronachlachar make the journey itself the main event.
Cycle-and-sail is a different day: the north-shore route is about 14 miles/21km, with a few hills and a 12-degree gradient at Graveyard Brae. Children's bikes, trailers and tagalongs are available through Katrine Wheelz, but bike spaces on the boat are limited and need planning.
Is it right for your family?
Choose it for mixed-age families who like boats, landscape, history and a slower pace. Toddlers can enjoy the movement and short cruise; primary-age children are the strongest all-round fit because they can follow stories, spot wildlife and choose between boat, tower and trail. Older children get more from the cycle-and-sail option.
Skip it if you need a reliable rainy-day backup, play equipment or a drop-in attraction with no timetable. It is also a poor fit if you want to turn up and improvise a boat-and-bike trip; the sailing and bike space need planning.
Weather, prams and access
This is a mixed-weather outdoor day. The Steamship Sir Walter Scott has a sheltered forward cabin, but the piers, scenic tower, rainforest trail and cycle route are exposed. Wind and rain do not automatically cancel a short cruise, but they can make the land-based parts less appealing. Bring waterproof layers and snacks for time ashore.
The lochside route and accessible toilets make the land-based part easier. Steamship Sir Walter Scott can take wheelchairs and mobility scooters when arranged at booking, but only its upper deck is accessible; the pier walk is about 80 metres and the ramp is uneven. Other boats differ, so ask about your sailing if a pram or mobility aid will decide the day.
Parking, food and getting there
Trossachs Pier is the main departure point and has the Steamship Café, takeaway options, picnic areas, toilets, a gift shop and cycle hire. Stronachlachar has a café, car park and picnic area, but it is a separate drive: the operator says the road between the piers takes about 45 minutes. The Stronachlachar café has shorter winter opening.
Parking is paid at both piers, with designated disabled parking free. Trossachs Pier accepts cash or card; Stronachlachar is cash only. The Trossachs Explorer bus also links Trossachs Pier with Callander and Aberfoyle; check its timetable against your sailing. Use the operator’s road directions rather than relying on Sat Nav, and check whether your booking starts and finishes at the same pier.
How it fits into a Trossachs day
Loch Katrine is best treated as a destination half-day or a full day if you add cycling, not as a quick local filler after several other booked attractions. It is 10 miles from Callander and 7 miles from Aberfoyle, so those towns are the more natural food or reset stops if the weather turns or the children tire.
On the wider Stirling-side route, Briarlands Farm Park and Blair Drummond Safari Park are bigger, play- and animal-led alternatives rather than nearby add-ons. Choose one of those when the children need hands-on activity; choose Loch Katrine when the boat journey and landscape are the point.
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