Beecraigs Country Park

Beecraigs is a wonderful Country park that offers loads of different dog- walking opportunities as well as Fly-fishing on the loch, Caravan and camping, forestry courses, deer and highland cow herds, a cracking restaurant and even archery! A real variety of open water area, forestry, meadowland and animal parkland is available. There is a really good visitor center near the top car park which has a model of the park, a ranger on hand to chat to and many walking leaflets if you want to follow a particular route.

Personally I like to do the following route (approx 2.5 miles) with my dogs:

Park in the top car park where the visitor center is. Walk over the wooden deer viewing platform at the East corner of the car park (after taking in the cracking view across West Lothian towards the Forth Bridges) and down past the highland cow and Deer fields (Sutherland way) towards the forest and Loch. Turn left after entering the forest area around the loch and head right around the loch, but before getting to the gate at the Southwest tip of the Loch- turn of up a track to the right of the wee burn (river) you'll see there. Keep heading uphill over the little wooden bridge and following to the left of the road that leads uphill quite steeply. Almost at the top of the hill look across the road to your right and you'll see a signpost for Balvornie pointing West. Cross the road and head along the forest path that winds West for about 15mins uphill (the dogs love this bit and it's very "Lord of the Rings" in it's scenery!) until you pop out at another paved road that continues Westwards. At the very end of this wide path you'll reach two smaller car parks on your right hand side. However, cross the road in front of you and head instead into the meadow area and do a circuit of that. Then head towards the two car parks you saw before and pass the new wooden adventure play and climbing area at the Northwest of the forest section you were in before. Follow the Eastern path through the forest towards the campsite and restaurant area and it will lead you back to the car park (and Visitor center) where you started.

There's a good downloadable PDF info sheet that is linked to below

Car Park Opening TimesSummer09:00 - 22:00Winter09:00 - dusk

Visitor Centre Opening Times09:00 - 17:00