Carron Dams

Two massive stone dams rise up from the Carron Valley like something from a Victorian engineering textbook - because that's exactly what they are. Built in the 1800s to supply water to the mills downstream, these aren't Instagram backdrops. They're proper industrial monuments that actually work.

Walking along the top is straightforward enough, and the views across the reservoir pull you in if the weather's on your side. The water itself - sometimes gunmetal grey, sometimes surprisingly blue - stretches back into the hills. It's the sort of place where you notice how quiet it is, which counts for something when you're staying nearby.

The real draw here is the walk itself rather than a specific "attraction" at the end of it. Families with kids who can manage uneven paths will find it worth an afternoon. Anyone interested in industrial history - the way these massive structures sit so confidently in the landscape - will get something out of it. Plan for an hour or so, longer if you're the type to actually read the stone and take photographs.

Location-wise, you're bang between Clackmannan and the Ochil Hills, which makes it a decent add-on to a stay at Highland Gateway Glamping up the road. The site itself is free and there's a car park, though facilities are minimal. Go when it's not pouring rain - the exposed tops offer no shelter and the path gets slick.