Loch Drunkie Picnic Area

Loch Drunkie Picnic Area is the main picnic and parking stop beside Loch Drunkie, about halfway around the one-way Three Lochs Forest Drive. It’s a minor stop rather than a day out, but it’s the place I’d use when you want to break the drive and get down to the water. Picnic benches, plenty of parking and accessible toilets make it an easy pause.

The short Loch Drunkie Trail is 1.9 km through oak-lined shore and quiet woodland, where red squirrels can often be found. The longer figure-of-eight is about 3.25 km / 2 miles and adds small musical installations, including a wooden glockenspiel and a bell-ringing pavilion. If you want a view rather than a level stroll, Pine Ridge Trail climbs 1.5 km through young pines to look across the loch, but it has steep slopes, loose stones and muddy patches.

You reach the stop from Duke’s Pass near Aberfoyle as part of the paid, seasonal vehicle loop; walkers and cyclists can use the drive year-round. Bring your own food and water because there’s no café or shop in the drive. I’d stop here for the picnic and one of the shore walks, not make it the main reason for the whole outing.