Crianlarich ?

Got a few days off over the new year and I've booked myself in at Crianlarich YHA.

Don't know much about the place - anyone have any walk recommendations, any good pubs ? etc. 

I think the Pub is called The Rod and Reel?

Food was pretty good when I visited. 

I don't remember seeing any other pubs, but there is one of those 'coach holiday' hotels that might have a public bar. 

The YH is excellent - I've stayed there quite a few times in winter- nice small rooms, good kitchen, splendid warden, the local Spar shop is ok but I'd take as much of my own food as I could, pub is fine, and you have dozens of wonderful munros in every direction - the closest is probably Cruach Ardrain, just out the back door through the trees and up the ridge. If you want some low level walking the West Highland Way is nearby which you could follow in either direction, or for a short wander take the track by the River Cononish towards Ben Lui from Dalrigh or Tyndrum - nearby is Scotland's only gold mine!

PS. I'm pretty sure the coach holiday hotel is just for coach tours.

I have stayed at Crianlarich YH numerous times.   There are lots of hills in the area for walking the only problem is that if you use OS Landranger series you need three maps.

You can walk from the Hostel to a few of them others are within a ten - fifteen minutes drive.   You also have the West Highland Way which passes the village just to the west. 

If the weather is bad higher up you can walk up Glen Cononish between Crianlarich and Tyndrum.

closest is probably Cruach Ardrain, just out the back door through the trees and up the ridge

It's the "through the trees" I have a problem with, it's more like wallow through the trees it is seriously boggy!

There is another Hotel/bar about 1/4 mile out of Crainlarich along the Road to Killin, If you`ve got a car its worth driving down to the Inveranan Drovers inn, around 3 miles down the Loch lomond road for a pint, a great place for new years eve.

http://www.thedroversinn.co.uk/

Thanks for all of your replies. It seems like I've made a good decision in choosing Crianlarich, I wanted to go somewhere with easy access to the hills but has facilites nearby and is going to be peaceful but not too quiet. I was lucky to get in at the hostel - I called them yesterday and they only had a few places left.

Really looking forward to it, hoping to bag a few munros and have some fun.

Another option with a car is a 30 min drive to the legendary Clachaig Inn Glencoe, lots of live entertainment on, expect it to be heaving =

http://www.clachaig.com/p/v/whats-on/december/

wish I was there

The Ben More Lodge Hotel at the E end of Crianlarich does a nice curry - good price, good portions, pretty authentic.

Lindsay, you're not wrong about the maps - I went to the library today and hired out the OS Explorer maps 364, 365, 377 and 378 - for the hills around Crianlarich I might need them all.

Well, after contributing to this thread reminded me what a good place it is, I got in my car on Sunday evening, drove to Crianlarich YH, got a room to myself, and spent Monday climbing Ben Lui in glorious sunshine! Shin deep snow all the way from the base of the hill to the ridge. A fantastic day. It is indeed a grand place to base yourself!

BTW, I think memory map will now sell you any bit of map you want, so you could get all you need for a few quid.

I got in my car on Sunday evening, drove to Crianlarich YH, got a room to myself, and spent Monday climbing Ben Lui in glorious sunshine! Shin deep snow all the way from the base of the hill to the ridge. A fantastic day.

Aye, some of us were at work yesterday thinking what a cracking day it would be to be out in the hills!

Back to pubs in Crianalrich I've been in the Rod & Reel a couple of times.  Admittedly it's a couple of years ago but it was nothing special but I'm sure any pub in Scotland at Hogmanay will be a lively place.  Alan mentioned the Clachaig - we were there last year and it was very, very busy!  It is indeed only a 30 minute drive but only problem with the suggestion to go there is you'd need to get back somehow unless you stay sober which would seem to defeat the whole point!  btw we only had to stagger back to a cottage half a mile away and hardly managed that!

Enjoy!