Doune War Memorial

You'll find this modest stone memorial standing in Doune, a small village on the road between Callander and Stirling. It's the sort of place that catches your eye if you're driving through rather than a destination you'd plan an afternoon around, but that doesn't make it less worth a stop.

The memorial commemorates local men who fell during the First World War - names carved into stone, the way these things tend to be. There's something properly moving about reading them, especially if you've got family ties to the area. It's the kind of historical marker that grounds you in the reality of war when you're on holiday in the Scottish Lowlands, a sobering five-minute pause in what might otherwise be a relaxed park break.

The whole thing takes ten minutes maximum, including time to read the inscriptions properly. It's free, obviously. The real value comes if you're staying at Keltie Bridge Caravan Park or Callander Woods - both are close enough that you could swing by on the way to somewhere else, or as part of a gentle village walk around Doune itself.

Worth the detour? Only if you've got a particular interest in local history or you're the type who likes visiting war memorials. For most families doing the caravan park circuit, you're better off spending that time at Stirling Castle or walking one of the proper trails around Callander. But if you pass through Doune anyway, stop for two minutes. It matters.