Alva brings together a distinctive landscape, park history and an annual sporting event. Alva Glen lies above the town at the foot of the Ochil Hills. In the Johnstone & Cochrane Parks, leisure facilities sit alongside historical points of interest; the Alva Games take place there in July. These are different considerations when planning a trip: a landscape bearing traces of former estates, parks with a varied range of facilities, and an event tied to a specific date.

Alva Glen and traces of the old estate

On the slopes of Alva Glen are old terraces, locally known as “The Delvins”. The name gives this landscape feature a specific place in the town’s history: these are hillside terraces, not a general term for the Ochil Hills. If you are interested in both landscapes and local history when choosing a destination, you can therefore consider Alva Glen from both perspectives.

The Ochil Hills Woodland Park has a children’s play area. Information boards there also describe the former splendour of the old estate. This brings a specific leisure feature and historical information together in the park, without requiring them to serve the same purpose: the play area is an attraction in its own right, while the boards turn attention to the estate’s past.

Another connection to the history of Alva House is Wood Hill, between Alva and Tillicoultry. Wood Hill, part of the house’s grounds, remains; Alva House itself has since been demolished. This is a different kind of historical trace from the information boards in the Woodland Park: here, part of the former estate remains as a place, while the boards describe its former splendour.

The Johnstone & Cochrane Parks

The Johnstone & Cochrane Parks are in the town of Alva, on the A91 between Stirling and St Andrews. Johnstone Park was gifted by James Johnstone in 1856. The parks offer two play areas, including a creatively designed area in the former boating pond. Picnic tables and football pitches add to the leisure facilities; there is also a multi-use sports area and a recently installed outdoor gym.

These facilities offer more than one possible focus for exploring the parks. The play areas and picnic tables sit alongside opportunities for sport; at the same time, the historical gift and the information about the old estate point to the town’s history. Which of these aspects matters most to you depends on whether you want to focus on leisure facilities, local history or both during your stay. The facilities mentioned and the historical connections are different, but equally tangible, aspects of the parks.

Alva Games: an occasion in July

The Alva Games take place every year in July and have been held in the Johnstone & Cochrane Parks for more than 160 years. They are the last remaining sports and games event in Clackmannanshire. The programme includes athletics, cycling, Highland dancing and heavyweight competitions. It also features four hill races over Torry. The programme thus brings together different sports and competitions with Highland dancing, rather than focusing on a single discipline.

July is especially relevant for planning if the Games themselves are a reason for your trip. Check the specific event dates in advance. This will help you decide whether to plan your stay around this annual event or focus on Alva’s landscape and park history. The parks also have their own themes, shaped by their facilities, independently of the event; the Games, by contrast, have a set date and a described competition programme.

Alva is therefore a destination for travellers choosing between landscape and local history and a specific sporting event. Alva Glen and the old terraces provide a landscape connection; Wood Hill and the information boards point to the former estate. The parks add play and sports areas to these historical themes. If you want to experience the Alva Games, their annual July date is another factor to consider when planning. The combination that suits you depends on your interest in each of these themes and on whether you want the event to be part of your trip.

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Go to the main travel overview: Clackmannanshire.