Bridge of Allan

Bridge of Allan is a leafy, prosperous small town on the Allan Water, set between the Ochil Hills and the carse of Stirling. It grew up around a medieval bridge over the river and was transformed in the 19th century when copper mining on the nearby Airthrey estate gave way to the discovery of mineral springs. The town was developed as a fashionable Victorian spa, attracting visitors including Robert Louis Stevenson, who spent boyhood holidays here and drew on the surrounding landscape in his later writing.

Today the centre retains a distinctly Victorian character, with handsome stone villas, a broad Henderson Street lined with independent shops, cafes and a traditional bakery, and the elegant Allan Water Hotel. The riverside walk from the railway station follows the Allan Water through wooded gorges towards the University of Stirling campus and the landscaped grounds of Airthrey Castle, with the National Wallace Monument rising prominently on Abbey Craig nearby.

The town is an easy base for exploring central Scotland. Stirling, with its castle and old town, is just a few minutes away by rail, while the Ochils offer good hill walking from the doorstep, including paths up Dumyat for wide views over the Forth valley.