Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 32 on 13/04/2007.

This article is 17 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements.

The car's the star (Trossachs)

Join Jeremy Head for a tour of the Trossachs at the wheel of a classic British motor car

There is something about the light among the lochs and glens of the Trossachs. Under the partially cloudy skies of spring, the muted greens, browns and blues burst into life as a shaft of sunlight hits them. Ancient lochs are a mirror-flat sheen of gun-metal grey; the heather and firs on the hillsides a range of purples, browns and greens that Dulux would kill for.

When the Scottish Parliament decided to create National Parks in Scotland, it was no surprise that the first one should be designated here. Yet too often visitors head straight for the more well-known Highlands and miss out on this beautiful hinterland, a short drive from Glasgow or Edinburgh.

This is not to say that the Trossachs do not get their share of tourists. Sir Walter Scott set his famous books Lady of the Lake and Rob Roy here, and in summer finding accommodation can be a challenge. So the spring is a great time to visit. The days are getting longer, the colours brighter; but for now the roads are quiet and the bed & breakfasts have vacancies. And why not supercharge your stay a little?

How about seeing the lochs and glens from behind the wheel of a classic British motorcar? The hills here are not as steep as in the Highlands. The roads have more space and are perfect for putting pedal to metal and feeling that old V8 roar.

Aberfoyle is a good first port of call if you have driven your Aston, Jag or Morgan up fromEdinburgh or Glasgow. There is a useful tourist information centre stacked with helpful s.....

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By Jeremy Head

Section : Scottish Travel

Page number : 46