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Aberfoyle · Nature
The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre
A waterfall gives little legs a reason to keep going on this woodland outing above Aberfoyle. Start at The Lodge for the 1.8km Waterfall Trail, with a red squirrel hide to visit and a café back at the centre. Most of the day is outdoors, and parking is paid.
- Best for
- Little legs and woodland explorers
- Cost
- Paid parking; optional activities extra
- Weather
- Mostly outdoors, with indoor breaks
- Walking time
- 30 minutes for 1.8km, plus stops
Our family take
This is a manageable starting point for a family forest walk: there is something to aim for, places to pause and toilets back at the centre. Young children can take their time on the waterfall route; save the steeper hill trails for a day when everyone wants a longer walk.
- With wheels. The Waterfall Trail is the most accessible route, but has loose stones, slopes and a short uneven boardwalk. The other trails are more demanding.
- Go Ape. The high ropes and zip wires are separate paid activities. Accessible forest paths do not provide an accessible route to the ropes course.
The practical details
Plan your visit
- Getting here
- One mile north of Aberfoyle on the A821. Follow signs for Forest Park Visitor Centre; FK8 3SX is the nearest postcode. The map pin is for The Lodge, not Milton car park at Loch Ard.
- Parking
- £2 for up to one hour or £5 all day. Blue Badge holders park free when displaying their badge. Pay by coins, card or RingGo. Allow more than the trail walking time if you want a café or wildlife stop.
- Visitor centre hours
- Daily from 10am: closes 4.30pm April–October, 4pm November and March, and 3pm December–February. These are building hours; check café hours separately if lunch is part of the plan.
- Toilets and changing
- Toilets and accessible toilets are available, with baby changing in the main visitor centre. Plan changing stops around the building hours.
- Food
- There is a café and a picnic area. Bring your own food if you want to spend longer on the trails without returning for lunch.
- Before setting off
- Check current forest notices and the forecast. Keep children close beside open water and check for ticks afterwards. Choose another outing in strong winds.Latest forest notices
Café or restaurantAccessible toiletsToiletsBaby changingPacked lunch spaceAccessible Trail
18 October 2026
Check current visitor information (official)A little more detail
Make it work for your family
A short walk with a waterfall to aim for
The Waterfall Trail passes the Women’s Timber Corps memorial on its way through the trees. Forestry and Land Scotland allows 30 minutes for the 1.8km route; that is walking time, so leave longer for children who want to stop and play. You can return uphill from the waterfall or continue towards the Red Squirrel Hide.
The hide gives children a chance to watch for squirrels and woodland birds, though sightings are never guaranteed. Inside the centre, the wildlife room has bird-feeder footage and recordings of local birds of prey. The old osprey nest camera has been removed, so do not plan the visit around seeing live nesting ospreys.
For children who enjoy looking closely at wildlife, adventure backpacks can be hired at the visitor centre for £3. They contain binoculars, a compass and bug-spotting equipment. This is an optional extra; check availability when you arrive.
Buggies, wheelchairs and longer walks
The Waterfall Trail is graded Easy (most accessible). Its wide, firm gravel path has some loose stones, a gentle slope lasting 400m, short moderate slopes and a short section of uneven wooden boardwalk. A lightweight buggy may need more effort on the return; contact the centre if a particular wheelchair or buggy setup will decide the visit.
Two mobility scooters are available for the Waterfall Trail. Friday to Sunday they are offered first come, first served; for Monday to Thursday, book at least 72 hours ahead through the centre. Check the arrangements before relying on one.
For a longer walk, Oak Coppice is 2.9km with an hour’s walking allowance, short steep slopes and steps. Craigmore View is a strenuous 2.8km route with rocky, muddy sections; Lime Craig is a strenuous 6.6km walk. These are a different proposition from the waterfall route, especially with tired children.
Rain, siblings and other local walks
The café and wildlife room offer a break from showers, but the main reason to come is the forest. Take waterproofs and shoes with grip. If you need several hours indoors, a short look around the centre is unlikely to fill the gap.
If older children are booked into Go Ape, a second adult can take younger siblings on the waterfall walk. Do not assume a buggy can follow the ropes course or that you can supervise both groups at once; check Go Ape’s age, height and adult-participation rules separately.
For a longer sculpture hunt on another day, the Loch Ard and Lochan Spling walks start at Milton car park. Even their shorter loop is 4.2km. The waterfall outing asks less walking of tired children than either full sculpture loop.
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