After the fun of Craig Tara, we were reluctant to head home straight away. The weather was continuing to hold and we didn't want to waste what looked like a fantastic weekend. So we made a pitstop at Tesco, called in at the house for showers and fresh pants and headed back out again within an hour. Our destination was much more our style. Cobleland Campiste is just outside Aberfoyle. It's part of the 'Camping in the Forest' network and affiliated with the Camping and Caravan Club (meaning we got a wee discount). It was peaceful and spacious and a proper place to take a deep breath and relax. The Tornado Twins immediately decamped into the trees, where they discovered a secret cottage belonging to the three bears. Delighted does not even cover it! There was a nice little play park too, and some other activities organised by the wardens. We knew straight away that it is a site we'll return to. Typically, it closes next weekend for the winter, but we'll definitely be back in the spring We had a lovely quiet evening watching Avatar on DVD (there's no internet signal) and the next day we set off on the scooters along the number 7 cycle path to Aberfoyle. It's a great flat path with some cracking views of the surrounding Trossachs. Just before Aberfoyle, there's a brilliant Bike Park for big kids (old and young) that looked great fun. Then there's the Wildlife Walk and then the play park. Lots to see and do before you even step foot in the village. By this time, we were all starving, so we had some lunch at a pub (I'm ashamed to say I don't even know what it was called, but it was next door to the Co Op!) and then climbed the hill up to The Lodge. The Lodge is the visitor centre for the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park around Aberfoyle and the National Park beyond. We've been visiting for years and there's always something new to see. You can either pay £3 to park all day or park in the village and walk up the hill like we did. It's not far but it's a bit of an uphill hike! Thankfully there's an excellent coffee shop at the centre, as well as a wildlife centre, shop, toilets, Go Ape and loads of great walks. We walked round the Waterfall Route, which takes you past fairy doors, hobbit houses, statues, water play areas and dens to the waterfall at the bottom of the gully. We also took a detour to the wildlife hide, where we saw red squirrels munching nuts. A real treat for the girls but sadly we've got no pictures as they were just a touch too far away. After the scooter home, we chilled out with sausages for dinner and ET on the telly. A real relaxing weekend and a highly recommended campsite. We live right on the edge of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and take advantage of our amazing location whenever we can.
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