Stirling is a council area in central Scotland, covering 2,186 square kilometres (844 sq mi) with a population of 92,604 at the 2022 census. It runs from the Forth valley at Stirling and Bannockburn north-west to Crianlarich and Tyndrum, and takes in a large part of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
The area is often called Stirlingshire, the name of the historic county. The two are not the same: the modern council area lost Falkirk, Grangemouth, Denny and Kilsyth to other councils in 1975 and 1996, and gained Callander, Killin and Balquhidder from Perthshire.
| Country | Scotland, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Status | Council area, created 1996 |
| Historic county | Stirlingshire (different boundaries) |
| Area | 2,186 km2 (844 sq mi) |
| Population (2022) | 92,604 |
| Population (2011) | 90,247 |
| Largest settlement | Stirling |
| Administrative centre | Stirling |
| Council | Stirling Council |
| Highest point | Ben More, 1,174 m |
Towns and Villages in the Stirling Council Area
The council area has 83 named settlements on record. Stirling itself was granted city status in 2002. Dunblane, Bridge of Allan, Bannockburn and Callander are the main towns; west of them the settlements are village-scale, and north of Callander they thin to single stops along the A84 and A82.
- Aberfoyle
- Achmore
- Ardchyle
- Ardeonaig
- Arngibbon
- Arnprior
- Ashfield
- Auchenbowie
- Auchlyne
- Auchtertyre
- Auchtoo
- Balfron
- Balmaha
- Balquhidder
- Bannockburn
- Blairdrummond
- Blairlogie
- Blanefield
- Boquhan
- Bridge of Allan
- Brig o’ Turk
- Buchanan Smithy
- Buchany
- Buchlyvie
- Callander
- Cambusbarron
- Cambuskenneth
- Causewayhead
- Chartershall
- Clifton
- Cowie
- Crianlarich
- Croftamie
- Dail Malio
- Dalmary
- Deanston
- Doune
- Drumvaich
- Drymen
- Dumgoyne
- Dunblane
- Duncroisk
- Dykehead
- Fallin
- Fintry
- Gargunnock
- Gartmore
- Gartness
- Glen Beich
- Glengyle
- Glentirranmuir
- Inverardran
- Inverarnan
- Inversnaid
- Kepculloch
- Killearn
- Killin
- Kilmahog
- Kinbuck
- Kingshouse
- Kinlochard
- Kippen
- Lix
- Lochearnhead
- Manor Powis
- Milton of Buchanan
- Mugdock
- Plean
- Port of Menteith
- Rowardennan
- Ruskie
- Saint Ninians
- Shandon
- Stirling
- Stockiemuir
- Strathblane
- Strathyre
- Stronachlachar
- Suie
- Thornhill
- Throsk
- Tullich
- Tyndrum
Geography
The Highland Boundary Fault crosses the council area from Aberfoyle to Callander, and it splits the landscape in two. South and east lie the flat carselands of the Forth, drained farmland around Stirling, Thornhill and Kippen. North and west the ground rises fast into the Trossachs and the Breadalbane hills.
Ben More above Crianlarich, at 1,174 metres, is the highest point. Ben Lomond, 974 metres, stands on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond within the council area. Loch Katrine, in the heart of the Trossachs, has supplied Glasgow’s drinking water since 1859. Flanders Moss near Thornhill is one of the largest intact raised bogs in Britain.
Neighbours are Perth and Kinross to the north and east, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk to the east, North Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire to the south, and West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute to the west.
Demographics
The 2022 census counted 92,604 residents, up 2,357 on 2011. Density is about 42 people per square kilometre, but more than half of the population lives in Stirling and its immediate neighbours, Bannockburn, Bridge of Allan and Cambusbarron.
Dunblane, on the northern approach to Stirling, is the second largest settlement and has grown as a commuter town for both Stirling and Edinburgh. The Trossachs and Breadalbane parishes are sparsely settled and have an older age profile, with a large seasonal-let housing stock.
Economy and Local Life
The University of Stirling, on the Airthrey estate below the Ochils, is one of the larger employers, along with the council, NHS Forth Valley and Police Scotland, whose headquarters are at Randolphfield in Stirling.
Tourism is the other pillar. Stirling Castle and the National Wallace Monument draw visitors year-round, and the Trossachs, Loch Lomond’s eastern shore and the West Highland Way carry heavy walking traffic between spring and autumn. Farming holds the carselands and the hill ground: dairy and arable on the Forth flats, sheep and forestry above. Deanston distillery at Doune works in a converted cotton mill.
History
Stirling controlled the lowest bridging point on the Forth, which made it the strategic key to Scotland. Andrew Moray and William Wallace destroyed an English army at Stirling Bridge in September 1297, and Robert the Bruce won at Bannockburn, two miles south, in June 1314.
Stirling Castle served as a royal residence and stronghold through the Stewart period; James V’s palace block there was restored and reopened in 2011. Dunblane Cathedral dates from the thirteenth century on a much older foundation. Doune Castle, built for the Duke of Albany around 1400, is among the best preserved medieval castles in Scotland.
Getting There
The M9 links Stirling to Edinburgh and the M80 to Glasgow, meeting north of Bannockburn. The A9 continues north to Perth, the A84 and A85 run through Callander to Crianlarich, the A82 passes Tyndrum for Fort William, and the A811 crosses west to Loch Lomond.
Stirling station is a junction on the routes from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Perth, Dundee and Inverness, with local stations at Dunblane, Bridge of Allan and Larbert just outside the boundary. The West Highland Line calls at Crianlarich and Tyndrum. Glasgow and Edinburgh airports are each about 35 miles away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of the Stirling council area?
92,604 at the 2022 census, up 2,357 on 2011.
What is the largest town in the Stirling council area?
Stirling, which holds city status. Dunblane, Bannockburn and Bridge of Allan follow.
Is Stirlingshire the same as the Stirling council area?
No. Historic Stirlingshire also covered Falkirk, Grangemouth, Denny and Kilsyth, which are now in other council areas, while the modern council area took in Callander, Killin and Balquhidder from Perthshire.
How many towns and villages are there?
83 named settlements are on record across the council area.
Which national park covers part of the area?
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park takes in the whole western and northern half, including Aberfoyle, Callander, Balmaha, Killin and Crianlarich.
What postcodes cover the Stirling council area?
FK7 to FK9 for Stirling, Bannockburn and Bridge of Allan, FK15 for Dunblane, and FK16 to FK21 for Doune, Callander, Killin and the Trossachs. Drymen and Balfron use G63.