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David Marshall Lodge Visitor Centre


(Average user rating5 unrated 4.2/5)

About David Marshall Lodge Visitor Centre

Find out about our plans to give David Marshall Lodge and surrounding area a well deserved upgrade.

Visitor Centre

The Visitor Centre is the best place to start exploring Queen Elizabeth Forest Park.

This impressive building, locally known by its original name, the David Marshall Lodge, was gifted to the Forestry Commission in 1960 by the Carnegie Trust. The David Marshall Lodge offers some of the most spectacular views in the area, including a stunning view across Loch Ard Forest to Ben Lomond.

This is the ideal base from which to explore the forest environment. Waymarked paths starting from here range from half a mile to a four mile trek.

The views from the Lodge are spectacular, taking in the Campsie Hills, Ben Lomond and across Loch Ard Forest.

The visitor centre is also the location of the Go Ape! high wire adventure course.

Take time to enjoy a meal or a cake in the Cafe and for that special souvenir, pop into the forest shop where you can purchase locally made crafts, as well as good quality souvenirs and gifts.

Wildlife Watch offers Live CCTV images beamed from different locations within the forest. You may be lucky enough to see Buzzards, Red Squirrels, Peregrines and even Ospreys (see Aberfoyle Ospreys link on the right for more information).

Please note the following car park charges at David Marshall Lodge

  • Any vehicle for 1hr - £1.00
  • Car all day - £3.00
  • Minibus/coach all day - £12.00

How to get there:

David Marshall Lodge Visitor Centre is in Achray Forest which is part of Queen Elizabeth Forest Park.
From Glasgow follow the A81 north to Aberfoyle.
From Stirling follow the A84(T), A873 then A81 west to Aberfoyle.
From Callander follow the A81 south to Aberfoyle, or for a more scenic route the A821 via the Trossachs.
The Visitor Centre is a mile north of Aberfoyle on the A821 (Dukes Pass).
Aberfoyle is the nearest town or village.
OS Grid Reference: NN520014
For details of public transport visit http://www.travelinescotland.com
Postcode FK8 3SX (for satnav purposes)

Other places to go in Achray Forest

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David Marshall Lodge visitor centre

Facilities:

ToiletsParking ChargeInformationEasy AccessVisitor CentreRefreshmentsForest ShopOther Facilities
Visitor Centre

Visitor Centre Opening/Closing Times
Apr-May-Jun 10am-5pm
Jul-Aug 10am-6pm
Please note the Visitor Centre building will close from September 2012 until April 2013 for refurbishment. However, the car park and walking trails will remain open during this period. Toilet provision will also be available. For more information on the project follow the link on this page.
Refreshments

Lunches, snacks and homebaking are available at the Cafe.
Other Facilities

Pay & Display Tariff
Short Stay only (1 hour) £1.00
Daily Rate Cars £3.00
Daily Rate Minibuses/Coaches £12.00
Thank you.Your generosity is helping make the David Marshall Lodge better for your future visits.

Activities

PicnicView Point
Walking Several waymarked routes start and finish at the Lodge.
Lime Craig
Larch Loop
Oak Coppice Trail
Highland Boundary Fault Trail
Achray
Menteith
Waterfall Trail
Oak Coppice trail
Cycling There is a link from the Lodge to the National Cycle Network route 7.
Educational Ranger Guided Walks - booking essential.
Fishing Permits for local area are available from the shop.
Wildlife Activities Live pictures of Osprey, Blue Tit to be shown in the wildlife room. Click on Aberfoyle Ospreys on related pages to the right.
Orienteering Permanent orienteering course open.
Other Activities The centre is the location of the Go Ape high wire adventure course.

Contact:

Recreation Team
Cowal & Trossachs
01877 382383
e-mail: cowal&trossachs@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

User Comments

5 Stars 5 Stars

Could not believe this Sunday that the playpark has gone. Said to the children that I would meet them round the corner at the playpark and it was GONE ! We are regular visitors and meet friends here and the kids always love a forest walk then we sit at the playpark and eat a picnic. Its our main summer activity. Also the playpark was well designed and rustic to fit in with the environment but it also seemed to encourage all the children to play together in the park, playing hide and seek etc. Please bring it back ! And yes the paths and devastation as mentioned above seem very over the top. I've given it 5 stars as I have always liked this place but without a good playpark and with the cafe not as good as it was (previously easy just to get a snack) and with the awful Go_Ape zip slide then I suspect it wont stay 5 stars for long....

Jennifer Wilson, 23/Apr/2012

The track and trail work will soon be greening through and - now that they are DDA compliant - will be suitable for many more visitors to the Lodge. The play equipment was nearing the end of its life and was also in a location that was frequently waterlogged. For a more complete understanding ofwhat we are doing to redevelop DML - and why we are doing it - visit the web pages at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-8MYJA9

Forestry Commission Response
2 Stars 2 Stars

Come here frequently with grandkids. Love the birds and squirrels but getting sick of go ape noise when walking throgh the woods it has nothing to do with nature. Very disappointed play park is away. I hope you are not getting too commercialised

anne toms, 22/Apr/2012

Thanks for your comments. We are upgrading the visitor centre so that it is more able to deal with increasing numbers of visitors - and this includes trail improvements and upgrades to the lodge itself. The playpark was removed as we are intending to introduce more natural play features that are more in-keeping with the ethos of the site. We think that by next year, when everything is completed and hte site has greened up, everyone will appreciate the work that is being done.

Forestry Commission Response
1 Star 1 Star

We have been visiting for 40 yrs and loved the place. We were devastated at the state of the place today - you people have ruined the whole ethos behind it and instead of excuses and warped thinking you should recognise you've got it wrong and reinstate things to have fewer cars, fewer visitors and less impact on nature - which must be badly affected.

James Liddell, 22/Apr/2012

DML is proving to be an ever more popular visitor centre - and if it is to be able to deal with the increasing numbers of visitors, it needs to be overhauled. this includes the car-parking facilities, the trails (which are now DDA compliant) and the building itself, which at fifty years of age is showing serious signs of wear and tear. Within a year or so, the site will have greened up, the lodge will have been completely renovated and the area will have a fit for purpose visitor ccentre that can hold its own in the highly competitive tourism market. For more information visit the DML redevelopment web pages at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-8MYJA9

Forestry Commission Response
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Three star visitor attraction as awarded by VisitScotland and the Gold Award from the Green Business Tourism Scheme

What's of interest

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David Marshall Lodge Re-development

A Community Consultation regarding the re-developement, took place on Wednesday 15th February 2012 at Aberfoyle Memorial Hall. Design proposals and information are now on display at David Marshall Lodge. 

DML Community Consultation 15 Feb 2012

Queen Elizabeth Forest Park leaflet


cover of the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park guide
Download the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park leaflet (PDF 1.3Mb).

The Go Ape High Wire Adventure course is here!

Climb rope ladders up into the treetops and experience the thrills of trekking from tree to tree, some 40 feet above the forest floor! See the Go Ape at Aberfoyle page for more details.
 

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