Ben Cleuch - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Alva Glen is a spectacular gorge situated above the village of Alva at the foot of the Ochil Hills. It is a gem of a walk, offering broadleaf woodlands, waterfalls, paths with dramatic drops, and wonderful history about the Woollen Industry. To the north of the gardens, the path runs into a more rugged area offering views down into a steep gorge, it then passes the remnants of an old dam that supplied the mills with water.

Sauchie Tower was built between 1430 and 1440 by Sir James Schaw, who came from Greenock. The tower is built of pink sandstone ashlar blocks, pinned with oyster shells. Externally the tower is very plain but internally it is much more elaborate, with ornate fireplaces, window recesses with bench seating, smaller rooms for family privacy and domestic comfort. There are now four storeys but the ground floor was once split into two levels and there were probably attic chambers in the roof.

Myreton Hill is the hill immediately behind the village of Menstrie in the Ochil Hills of Scotland. The hill is an outlier in the southern part of the Ochil Hills. It is not quite as high as its neighbour Dumyat, from which it is separated by the deep Menstrie Glen, but Dumyat is a more popular walking destination. It was one of the iconic attraction in this area and also a good trekking destination.

Castle Campbell is a medieval castle situated above the town of Dollar, Clackmannanshire, in central Scotland. It was the lowland seat of the earls and dukes of Argyll, chiefs of Clan Campbell, from the 15th to the 19th century, and was visited by Mary, Queen of Scots, in the 16th century. Mary was impressed by this and said "this reminds me of home". The castle is now managed by Historic Scotland, and admission tickets can be purchased from their website.

Dollar Glen is a small glen owned by the National Trust for Scotland. It is located in the Ochils that dramatically mark the Highland fault. It is near the town of Dollar, Scotland in the county of Clackmannanshire. It is popular with walkers and visitors, featuring on many routes in the area.

Menstrie Glen is the glen which separates Dumyat from Myreton Hill and the main body of the Ochil Hills in Scotland. Once farmed but no longer inhabited, it is now used for sheep pasture, a public water supply and recreation in the form of fishing and walking. A plan is under consideration for commercial forestry on the eastern and northern flanks of the Glen.