The river Leny is a short river enjoyed by a lot of local paddlers to the Stirling area.  Paddlers heading to Fort William or driving back South also catch this wee gem traveling in either direction.

The Leny is more than a one hit wonder, the Falls of Leny, it offers some decent grade III+ water with the Falls of Leny being the test piece of the river at Grade IV, grade V in high water!

The Leny is situated close to Stirling taking taking the A84 heading towards Callander. 

The Leny is a popular river for those wanting to try their grade IV boating skills. 

Depending how large your group is it can take anything from 45 minutes to 2-3 hours, depending on group size and competence.

There is 1noticeable rapid on the river, offering different lines and routes down the rapid, the Falls of Leny.  Please do not rock up to this and think it’s a piece of cake.  The Falls have had terminal results for some paddlers.   After the Falls a smaller rapid, Wee Stinker, is about 500 meters past the falls on a right hand bend running into the essess.  Wee Stinker is aptly named!

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service.
Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and
Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland 

To get to the river you’ll want to take the A84 from Stirling towards Callander.  Park at Callander and stock up on food or fuel.  Buy an ice cream and get some pictures.   Drive through Callander, and Kilmahog you’ll start to see the river on the left hand side.  You’ll soon come to a long stretch of road, about 700 meters, there is a lay by on the left.  Park here and if your car is pointing North, the river is on the left. 

There are a couple of get outs I would recommend.  The first is back to where the gauge on the river is.  From the gauge, head along the road about another 50meters and there is a car park.  Park here.  When on the river you’ll notice the bridge, as you go under it about 20 meters, get out river right and walk up the small embankment to the car. 

Alternatively, continue paddling down the river to Callander and get out at the large car park on river left.  When there is medium water in the river this is a pleasant and easy enough paddle.  Please beware of some of the overhanging trees and tricky routes through the trees. 
To get an idea of the river level there is a gauge on the bridge, upstream side, where the A821 crosses the river Leny at grid NN 608 082.
In very high water please be wary of the small footbridge*.  You’ll need to check and make sure you can get under it!!!
 

From the get in there is an easy stretch to the first bridge, grade I/II.  From the bridge it’ll start to get choppy and the grade will slowly increase to grade III and a tad higher when there is a lot of water in the river.
From the first bridge you go under there are two 'broken bridges'.  Their supports/stanchions can still be seen.  Both of these are off set.  In other words the first stanchion on river right will match up with the other stanchion a few meters down river on the river left and so on.

Once you come to the second stanchion on river right you’ll want to get ready to get off and inspect for the fall coming up! 
From the last stanchion there is about 30 meters or so till the river sweeps round to the left and the Falls of Leny await.  The easiest place to inspect is river left.  However, the easiest portage is river right.  Don’t get too caught up about which side to get off or look at to portage.  They are both reasonably the same.  I prefer the left. 
However, miss either of the eddies and you’re paddling the falls.  Ensure you have inspected the run in and portage before getting on the water!!!
The Falls of Leny are normally run on the left.  However, in low water there will be a lot of boulders showing which have and can pin kayakers for some time!  The river right line, in low water, is relative easy.  However, in higher water the hole at the bottom will get grippy!  Protection on the right is more difficult if not impossible!

After the Falls there is a small gorge section that you’ll also want to check whilst looking at the Falls.  If you portage the whole lot you’ll find yourself in the large pool at the bottom. 

Form here there is a 500 meter section till you come to wee stinker!  This then feeds into the essess, an easy grade III read and run rapid, grade IV at higher levels.  After the essess the river will form another grade III rapid which should take you under a small footbridge*.  After this, there is river right line at  an island split. You’ll soon come to the bridge where the first get out is.  Get out here or continue an easy grade II section for about 15 minutes till you come to Callander.