Walk: Benmore’s Big Tree Trail

📌 Cowal, Argyll & Bute
★★

This short, steep walk opposite Benmore Botanic Garden is named by Forestry and Land Scotland as the “Big Tree Trail”. That mightn’t sound particularly special given that almost all of Cowal’s other popular walks are also in forest – but this energetic circuit turns out to have bundles of character. One quirky highlight is a ladder staircase to hurdle a recently fallen giant (apparently containing enough wood to build 60 garden sheds); there are also some decent views over Strath Eachaig from the higher parts.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on the A815 opposite Benmore Botanic Garden, 4 mi north of Sandbank

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NS 143855

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.025829,-4.980820

🚌 Bus to Benmore Botanic Garden

🚗 Car park for Benmore Botanic Garden

📝 Key info

▶ 2 km / 1 mi | ▲ 120 m | ⌛ 45 min

Features: 🌲 Cowal forest… & big trees

⬤ Easy | Clear paths & tracks, often steep.

➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – cross A815 – track junction at G.R.: NS 146855 – track junction at 🧭 NS 148851 – start. Route marked in blue on map 🔗 here (Big Tree Trail)

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Small birds, with several birds of prey screeching overhead.

Weather: Good sunny spells, temperature in mid teens.

July 2023