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David Marshall Lodge Visitor Centre


(Average user rating5 unrated 4.6/5)

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).

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

What's on in Queen Elizabeth Forest Park

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David Marshall Lodge visitor centre

Facilities:

ToiletsParking ChargeInformationEasy AccessVisitor CentreRefreshmentsForest ShopOther Facilities
Visitor Centre

Visitor Centre Opening/Closing Times
Closed 24th Dec to 10th Feb 2012. Please note that the car park and walks are still open it is just the centre that will be closed during this period.
11th-19th and 23rd-26th Feb open 10am-4pm
1st March onwards open daily 10am - 4pm
Apr-May-Jun 10am-5pm
Jul-Aug 10am-6pm
Sept 10am-6pm
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 £5.00
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
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

lovely walks, tea shop is lovely with homebaking, the whole centre is very enjoyable. Thanks

lynne millar, 8/Dec/2011
5 Stars 5 Stars

Lovely lovely centre. All needs satisfied from age 87 to 3 - and not too commercialised. August 2011.

Anonymous, 18/Sep/2011
5 Stars 5 Stars

visited the centre with my family on 25th August 2011. can only say that this was the best day of my holiday. the forest is beautiful, the scenery breathtaking and the facilities are simply perfect. if you only get one opportunity to go there/here then i would highly recommend that you do. you will not be dissapointed. comrie smith aged 4.

comrie smith, 30/Aug/2011
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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

David Marshall Lodge Re-development

A Community Consultation will take place on Wednesday 15th February 2012. Click here for details (PDF 380k)


DML Community Consultation Poster 

 

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.
 

Related pages

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