Location

Croftamie is a small village located 3 miles south west of Drymen in the western rural area of Stirling Council. It is one of the southern gateways to the National Park.

The Community Council covers an extensive rural landward area of around 25km² and is bordered by Drymen Community Council (at the Endrick) to the north and east, by Killearn Community Council to the east and south and by West Dunbartonshire Council to the west. National cycle route 7 passes through the centre of the village and the West Highland Way is just outside.

Population

At the time of the 2001 census the population was 383, when compared to the National Park and Scotland there was a lower than average proportion of 5 to 15 year olds and young adults; there was a higher than local average proportion of 45 - 64 year olds. Since the 2001 census a local nursing home has closed.

Housing

There are 139 houses of which a very high proportion - 79% - are owner occupied. Only 6% of housing is socially rented. The desirability of the area for commuters and the resultant rise in house prices makes it difficult to cater for local housing needs.

Employment & The Local Economy

38% percent of the economically active population in Croftamie work full-time. It is estimated that a high proportion of this figure actually commute to Glasgow/Stirling and beyond. Agriculture, although not as important as in the past, still provides a major contribution to local employment. Of the 50 or so employed in agriculture 50% occupy farming units, the remainder constitutes regular and casual staff. Local knowledge indicates that tourism is an important and growing sector in Croftamie.

Croftamie has a higher number of self employed than the regional or national average. The availability of suitable space for small business within the area is limited.

Roads and Transport

Croftamie is served by infrequent public bus services operating between Croftamie, Glasgow and Stirling; there are no buses through Croftamie on a Sunday. Commuting to work by bus is difficult, as although there is a service to Glasgow at an appropriate time, there is no suitable direct bus back.

Community Organisations and Facilities

At the present time the nursery building is designated as a dual use facility, for community use alongside its educational role. It is poorly suited for this and there are no other community facilities in the village. This has resulted in a virtual cessation of community events and programmes within the village. Croftamie has however a long-running SWRI; there are currently 40 members - demonstrating Croftamie's willingness and desire for community activity.

There is a shortage of clubs and activities for all age groups in the village; the majority of leisure activities are dependent upon journeys to recreational facilities either by public or private transport.

Education

Croftamie nursery serves Croftamie, Buchanan, and Drymen; providing 40 places in 2 sessions, currently 4 children from Croftamie attend. Since the closure of the primary school, children attend schools in Drymen, Killearn or Buchanan. Balfron High is the catchment secondary school.

Health and Care Services

The nearest services are GPs in Drymen, Killearn and Balfron. Hospitals in Stirling and Glasgow; dentists in Alexandria and Balfron. Drymen Health Centre dispenses their own prescriptions otherwise the nearest dispensing pharmacies are in Killearn and Balfron.

Leisure and Recreation

The lack of a community facility is perceived as the largest single factor inhibiting the development of community activities in Croftamie.

Environment and Heritage

The River Endrick is the principal environmental asset in the area and flows west to enter Loch Lomond. The river is the major inflow into the loch and forms the main spawning ground for the loch's salmon. The area is noted for its low levels of pollution and the habitat supports a wide range of species.

The Endrick area to the north of Croftamie is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), primarily because of its unique lamprey population. The other principal site of interest in the area is at Aucheneck on the Carnock Burn (a designated SSSI due to its well-preserved examples of various glacial landforms, a key site for interpreting the Ice Age of the Loch Lomond area).

Some of the features that make Croftamie special:

• The drive roads - from the north of Scotland to Glasgow over the Stockie Muir and from Argyll and the west to the Falkirk Tryst
• The railway - opened in the 1850s and closed a century later
• The annual February horse fair
• The ruined castle at Mains of Kilmaronock
• The well of St Dieldrin, reputed to contain a cure for leprosy!
• The ruins at Spittal, thought to be a Templar site
• The stone quarry and a timber mill