Alva Glen - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

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.

Menstrie Castle is a three-storey manor house in the town of Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, near Stirling, central Scotland. From the early 17th century, it was home to Sir William Alexander. The castle was restored in the 20th century, won a Civic Trust award, and now incorporates holiday accommodation, private flats, and a museum and cafe run by the National Trust for Scotland.

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.

Ben Cleuch is the highest of the rolling Ochil Hills which lie to the NE of Stirling. . It is the highest point in the range, Clackmannanshire and the Central Belt of Scotland; the summit is marked by a trig point within a stone windshelter and a viewpoint indicator.

Gartmorn Dam Country Park covers an area of 370 acres and offers visitors a peaceful retreat to enjoy walking, cycling, horse riding, fishing or simply have a picnic. There are fine views over Clackmannanshire and the Firth of Forth, and you can watch for red squirrels scampering among the branches. There are 3 miles of gravel and earthy paths in the forest, with some short uneven sections and short moderate slopes.