Fallin Bing (1 mile)
The former mining village of Fallin lies 3 miles east of Stirling. The local Polmaise Colliery closed in 1987 and the surrounding industrial landscape has been reclaimed. It's an easy stroll up the remains of the old bing (spoil heap) there are excellent views across the Forth Valley. Proof - if it's needed - that a massive ascent is not necessarily an essential part of obtaining a panoramic sweep.
Locate the car park adjacent to the small open-air mining museum, just off the main road through the village. It is on your left when travelling towards Stirling. The museum is free to browse and displays a range of mining machinery and equipment. Follow the obvious path towards the bing and up the low rise. An information board gives details of the changes to the landscape over the years.
From the summit, you can see the town/city of Stirling (delete as appropriate) rising to the west with the glowering Ben Ledi in the far distance. Another prominent landmark is the Wallace Monument. To the north of the bing, the River Forth follows a meandering course with the Ochils standing proudly behind.
After descending the bing, an optional extra is to follow the railway path which follows the course of the mineral connection to the main line. First skirt the football field and pass through a housing estate before picking up the trackbed. At the edge of the village we cross a remarkable wooden trestle bridge - apparently the only surviving example of such a construction in Scotland. It is possible to walk as far as the Bannock Burn, a distance of a mile and a half each way. Return by the reverse route.
