You can 'Enjoy iconic views of sparkling lochs, wooded hills and rugged mountains...', alright, but more on that in a minute. First things first, how the heck do you get here?
Simple. Fill up on Liz MacGregor's, or Maggie's, shortbread in Aberfoyle then take the Duke's Pass north out of the village where this stretch of the A821 is one of the most scenic drives in Scotland, scratch that the UK, scratch that the world!
About a mile on you'll come across what was once known as the David Marshall Lodge, named after the chairman of the charitable trust that funded its construction.
They've since dropped the 'Dave' but the Lodge Forest Visitor Centre is still the main source of information for the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park.
The park is managed by Forestry and Land Scotland but don't you mean the Forestry Commission of Scotland? Not since 2019, sunshine, when it was divided into the government agencies of Forestry and Land Scotland and Scottish Forestry, the former regulated by the latter.
Forestry and Land Scotland handle felling and general access while Scottish Forestry are more policy oriented and the series of meetings to arrive at this setup would have made for a rurally diverting episode of Och Aye Minister, eh?
It's £5 to park up next to a pond, mind, although the captive participants of the big Go Ape™ might have something to do with it?
None of the normal National Trust™ qualms at forking out apply, not when there's an impressive cataract just five minutes in.
The waterfall is reached by dropping down on a constructed trail where the terrain is not a little unlike this.
There's a wildlife hide over a bridge and the parking fee is fully justified with the likelihood of seeing some of these.
Or these, although it's likely to be the same one. When we say 'likelihood', you are guaranteed, yes guaranteed to spot red squirrels, probably.
Lovely stuff, and the bird feeders make for a scene from Bambi with most of the tits, a few of the finch and a solitary nuthatch flitting in.
It's the single reason why SlyBob now don binocs to eye up the birds but not to the point where any lists are being ticked following 5 AM starts, this here is more than enough.
The nuthatch, by the way. is the BMW™ of the bird world.
If you're feeling strenuous, there's a path up to Lime Craig for quite a view of the Trossachs, albeit one that's not nearly as good in photographic form.
An athletic lady and her dog shot past on the ascent and she's waiting for you at the top.
Is that a... 'Yes, a buzzard.'
Can you hear... 'Yes, a willow warbler.'
Is that... 'Yes,
Ben More.'
You been up there?... 'Yes, I've done
them all.
Yes, well, well, yes, but it's bet you've never had Liz MacGregor's shortbread? That'll learn her!
The Go Ape™ here once claimed the longest zip wire in the UK. A combination of the wobblies and a reluctance to part with that many pounds means there's zero chance of Bob's business.
Sly's slightly better, and less stingy, so is planning a visit on the next big birthday. See you back in the café, then, which used to be run by Liz MacGregor, remember her?
Previously purchasing some shortbread, it was advised to wait five minutes for a fresh batch. Hot out of the oven, these were the best ever tasted and 'We've had a few' was cemented in ink in the visitor book's comments.
Imagine the disappointment on returning the following year to find the contract to cater had headed east and by that it's not meant Perthshire, neither, but Poland! Now, who doesn't like a goulash and a dumpling but late afternoon after a woodland walk?
There wasn't a krótki-chleb to be had although the shortbread's back on the menu when they demolished and rebuilt the place, dropping the 'Dave' in 2013.
This was a wee while ago, though, and Chrystal's or Maggie's are now the best, actually.