Home Report Tillicoultry

Tillicoultry is a small town of roughly 5100 residents in the Clackmannanshire council area. It is one of the Hillfoot settlements under the beautiful Ochil Hills alongside Blairlogie, Menstrie, Alva, Devonside, Coalsnaughton, Dollar and Muckhart. The town is situated between Alva to the west and Dollar to the east on the A91, about 5 miles east of Stirling, and also about 5 miles north of Alloa. Tillicoultry was well known as a textile town with many mills, and it once specialised in quality blankets, plaids, and shawls. Coal mining also took place locally until the inevitable decline of these industries.

Today, Tillicoultry is a popular commuter settlement with a well-known shopping centre, Sterling Mills. This employs many people from the local area, but many residents also commute nearby to Alloa, Stirling, Alva, Tullibody, and to a lesser extent other settlements nearby. Like all of the Hillfoot settlements, the A91 bisects the town and allows easy travel by car to the other settlements, as well as Stirling and Bridge of Allan. Residents can take the A908 road down through Sauchie to reach Alloa. The town has no railway station of its own, the closest of which can be found in Alloa or Stirling and Bridge of Allan. The town has regular bus services connecting to the other nearby towns and villages, and for regional or national travel via train or bus, Stirling is just a short distance away.

In terms of local amenities and things to do, Tillicoultry has the Sterling Mills shopping centre which is well known and draws people from a wide area. The town also has the usual array of local services, eateries, and shops you would expect to find in a town of this size. Residents benefit greatly from the short distance to Stirling, Bride of Weir and Alloa for an even greater range of amenities and attractions. In the town, however, or rather behind the town, several burns converge in Mill Glen before flowing into the River Devon. It was these burns which provided the power for the textile industry for which the village was formerly best known. Many walkers enjoy the sound of the water travelling down as they head upwards into the glen for fantastic panoramic views over the Forth and Devin valleys. Still, on the topic of walking, the Devon Way walkway and cycling route links eastward to Dollar where wildlife such as deer, otters, kingfishers, and birds of prey can often be spotted. Woodhill Country Park can be found just west of the town. Additionally, there is the Tillicoultry Golf Club, a nine-hole course with spectacular views at the base of the Ochil Hills. So, Tillicoultry is certainly the place for nature and outdoor enthusiasts, without being too far away from the amenities and perks of modern society.

In terms of local schooling then, the town’s primary school is Tillicoultry Primary School. The nearest secondary school is Alva Academy a few miles to the west. Alva Academy takes pupils from several primary schools in the Hillfoots area.