Parking
Loch Ard Forest Car Park is the official start. From Aberfoyle, follow the B829 west toward Kinlochard for about a mile, then turn left at the signed Loch Ard Forest entrance.
Overview
About Lochan Spling Trail
Why go
- A pike sculpture appears to leap from the shallows.
- A picnic stop beside the lochan.
Heads up
- Loose gravel and occasional muddy patches.
- A few short, fairly steep slopes.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs map
Full mapElevation32–48 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Loch Lomond & The Trossachs alerts
- CautionA82 restriction near Kings House HotelThe A82 is restricted in both directions near Kings House Hotel, Glencoe, because of planned roadworks. - Temporary traffic lights are in place; follow the traffic management.Official details
- ClosureDaytime A827 closure at KillinThe A827 at Killin is closed during the day for roadworks from 28 September through 9 October 2026. - Closure hours: 9:30am to 3:30pm; avoid the route during those hours.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Tour Guide
Your drive to Lochan Spling Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Loch Ard Forest Sculpture Trails0:00 / 0:26
“You're approaching Loch Ard Forest Car Park, start of the Sculpture Trail around Loch Ard and two smaller lochs.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Lodge above Aberfoyle
- A Duke's Castle on Loch Ard
- The Oaks That Grew Back
- The Lumberjills in the Woods
- 196 audio storiesacross Loch Lomond & The Trossachs’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Golden Eagle, Red Deer, Mute Swan, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 93 trails, 73 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Lochan Spling Trail
The walkLochan Spling Trail is a 4.2 km (2.6 mi) route from Loch Ard Forest Car Park.
Lochan Spling Trail is a 4.2 km (2.6 mi) route from Loch Ard Forest Car Park. It crosses Duchray Water on a wide bridge, follows gravel through mixed woods and loops around the lochan. The small circuit shares its approach with the return to the car park, so expect a little repeated ground. Allow about 1½ hours; the route is rated moderate.
The lochanThe gravel is firm overall, with some loose sections, occasional mud and a few short, fairly…
The gravel is firm overall, with some loose sections, occasional mud and a few short, fairly steep slopes. At the water, look for a metal pike sculpture posed as if leaping from the shallows; if the surface is still, include its reflection. An osprey sculpture is another woodland surprise. Jays and crossbills may be in the trees, damselflies near the lochan, and waterbirds on the water. It is a good place to pause for a picnic rather than a summit climb.
AccessStart at Loch Ard Forest Car Park, signed from the B829 about a mile west of Aberfoyle toward…
Start at Loch Ard Forest Car Park, signed from the B829 about a mile west of Aberfoyle toward Kinlochard. Walkers and cyclists share these forest tracks. Aberfoyle, a separate stop, has public toilets, places to eat and drink, and shops. Dogs are welcome in the woods; keep them under control or on a lead when wildlife or livestock are present.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
14 sightingsGolden EagleMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
37 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
100 sightingsMute SwanMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
48 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
24 sightingsEurasian BeaverMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
37 sightingsEurasian Pine MartenMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Loch Lomond & The Trossachs. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
