Bankhead Shepherds Hut

One hut, on a hill

There is a single hut at Bankhead, set on the hill on a working farm a mile and a half from Doune. Nothing is pitched next to it, and the field in front drops away towards the carse, so the view from the picnic bench is the Gargunnock Hills across the valley.

Inside it is one open room. A wood burning stove does the heating, with electric heaters behind it, and there is a dining table to eat at or play cards on. The kitchen along one wall has an electric hob, an oven, a fridge, a dishwasher and a small Belfast sink, with crockery and utensils supplied and the pantry basics already there, such as oil, vinegar, tea and coffee. The bathroom is at the far end, with a walk-in shower, a toilet and a basin, and a starter pack of soaps and shampoos.

Outside there is a picnic bench and a fire pit, with firewood provided for both. Deer graze the field in front, and hares and red squirrels are about.

Good to know

Features

Location

Where it puts you

Walking and cycling routes start at the farm track rather than a car park, and there is golf and horse riding within a short run of the hut. Doune is a mile and a half away, with Doune Castle and its gatehouse and Lord's Hall at the edge of it. Blair Drummond Safari Park is the other close one, and the drive-through is the part small children remember.

Stirling is the town this corner of the country works around, with the castle above it and the Wallace Monument on the crag across the river. If you are here with children and want the walks sorted before you arrive, our family friendly walks in Stirling covers the short ones. For something longer, the Rob Roy Way passes through Callander to the north west on its way from Drymen to Pitlochry.