Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond is the largest stretch of fresh water in Britain by surface area, a twenty-four mile blade of water lying north to south along the Highland Boundary Fault. That geological line runs straight across the loch at Balmaha, and it explains why the place looks the way it does. South of the fault the loch is wide, shallow and scattered with wooded islands, edged by farmland and gentle hills. North of it the water narrows to little more than a mile across, the shores steepen into crags, and Ben Lomond rises 974 metres directly from the eastern bank. You can stand on the summit of Conic Hill above Balmaha and see the whole transition laid out beneath you, the islands strung along the fault like stepping stones.

The loch and the hills around it form the heart of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Scotland's first, designated in 2002. What makes the area unusual is its proximity to a major city. Glasgow's western suburbs end and the national park begins within about twenty miles, which means Loch Lomond has always been a working landscape as much as a scenic one: a Victorian steamer resort, a Sunday drive, a place where Glaswegians learned to sail and swim and climb. That accessibility brings crowds to the southern shore on hot weekends, and the park authority has introduced camping byelaws and permit zones in response.

Yet the loch absorbs visitors well, largely because so much of it is hard to reach. The eastern shore road stops at Rowardennan and the West Highland Way continues on foot through oak woodland to Inversnaid and beyond, a rough and often muddy stretch that thins the numbers considerably. The islands are reachable only by boat. And the northern end, around Ardlui and Inverarnan, feels genuinely Highland, with the road and railway squeezed between water and rock. Choose your shore and your season and you can have a bay entirely to yourself.

Top things to do in Loch Lomond

The loch itself is the main event, but the surrounding hills, villages and woodlands give plenty of reason to stay several days.

• Ben Lomond - the most southerly Munro and one of Scotland's most climbed hills, with a well-made path from Rowardennan car park taking most walkers four to five hours return for a summit view down the full length of the loch.
• Conic Hill - a short but steep climb from Balmaha, around two hours return, delivering the classic view along the Highland Boundary Fault with the islands lined up below.
• Luss village - a conservation village of slate-roofed estate cottages on the western shore, with a sandy beach, a pier and a parish church founded on a site of worship dating back over 1,500 years.
• Loch Lomond Shores at Balloch - the visitor complex at the southern tip, home to the Sea Life Loch Lomond Aquarium, watersports hire, and departure point for cruises around the southern islands.
• Inchcailloch island - a National Nature Reserve reached by ferry from Balmaha, with an oak woodland circuit, a ruined church and burial ground, and a summit path barely an hour long.
• The West Highland Way - Scotland's best known long-distance path runs the full eastern shore from Drymen to Inverarnan, and the Balmaha to Rowardennan section makes an excellent day walk.
• Falls of Falloch - a powerful waterfall just off the A82 north of Ardlui, reached by a five-minute walk from a roadside car park.
• Watersports and cruising - kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing and waterskiing operate from Balloch, Luss, Balmaha and Duck Bay, and scheduled cruise boats run through the summer.

Getting to Loch Lomond

Balloch, at the southern tip of the loch, has its own railway station at the end of a branch line from Glasgow Queen Street Low Level. Trains run roughly every half hour and take around fifty minutes. From London, the fastest approach is the West Coast Main Line to Glasgow Central in about four and a half hours, then a short hop across the city; allow around six hours door to door. The Caledonian Sleeper from London Euston is an appealing alternative, and it runs up the western side of the loch itself, calling at Arrochar and Tarbet and at Ardlui, so you can step off the train onto the lochshore.

By road, the M8 and A82 from Glasgow reach Balloch in about forty minutes and Luss in under an hour. The A82 continues up the western shore towards Tarbet, Ardlui and Crianlarich, a scenic but narrow and twisting road north of Tarbet where overtaking is difficult and delays are common in summer. The eastern shore is reached separately via the A811 to Drymen, then a minor road through Balmaha to Rowardennan, where the public road ends. There is no through route around the loch, so decide which shore you want before setting off.

Parking is the main practical headache. Balmaha, Luss, Rowardennan and Balloch all operate paid car parks that fill by mid-morning on fine weekends and bank holidays. Arriving before ten, or after four, makes a considerable difference. Glasgow Airport is the nearest airport, around thirty minutes from Balloch by car; Edinburgh Airport is roughly ninety minutes.

Best time to visit Loch Lomond

Spring is arguably the finest season. April and May bring long light evenings, the oak woods on the eastern shore come into leaf, bluebells carpet the slopes above Balmaha, and the midges have not yet arrived in force. Waterfalls run strongly after winter rain, and the hills are quiet.

Summer is warmest and busiest. July and August bring the fullest programme of cruises, ferries and watersports, but also traffic queues on the A82, full car parks and the Highland midge, which is at its worst on still, damp evenings between June and early September. A breeze off the water is the best defence, which is one argument for camping on an exposed shore rather than in sheltered woodland.

Autumn is the connoisseur's choice. Late September through October turns the birch and oak woodland gold and russet, the light softens, the midges vanish after the first cold nights, and accommodation prices ease. Red deer rut on the hills above the northern loch. Rain is likely, so pack accordingly.

Winter is quiet and often beautiful, with snow on Ben Lomond reflected in still water. Daylight is short, some seasonal campsites and boat operators close, and hill walking becomes a serious undertaking requiring axe and crampons. Hotels with fires and good kitchens come into their own.

Where to stay in Loch Lomond

Balloch, at the southern tip, is the most convenient base: it has the railway station, the widest choice of guest houses and B&Bs, shops, and Loch Lomond Shores on its doorstep. It suits first-time visitors, families and anyone travelling without a car, though it feels more like a small town than a Highland village.

Luss, on the western shore, is the postcard village, with a beach, a pier and a handful of good hotels within walking distance of each other. It is a strong choice for couples and for anyone wanting to be on the water without driving far, but it is busy with day trippers between ten and five.

Balmaha and the eastern shore suit walkers above all. This is West Highland Way territory, with the Conic Hill path, the Inchcailloch ferry and the road to Rowardennan and Ben Lomond. Accommodation is limited and books out months ahead in walking season.

Drymen, a few miles inland to the east, is a proper village with a square, pubs and a settled local feel. It offers better value than the lochshore and works well as a touring base, though you will want a car.

The northern end around Tarbet, Ardlui and Inverarnan is the wildest option, with sleeper trains, steep shores and a Highland atmosphere, best for those heading onward to Glen Coe or the Highlands proper.

Food and drink in Loch Lomond

The area's food is Scottish and unfussy at its best: loch and river fish, venison and lamb from the surrounding estates, and increasingly good baking and coffee driven by the walking trade. Cullen skink, haggis with neeps and tatties, and a proper Scottish breakfast with black pudding and tattie scone are all standard fixtures on local menus.

At Balmaha, the Oak Tree Inn has been the anchor of the village since 1997, serving Scottish pub cooking and running the adjoining St Mocha coffee shop and ice cream parlour, where the beans are roasted on site. Its own beers are brewed locally. In Drymen, the Clachan Inn claims to be Scotland's oldest licensed premises and does a straightforward bar menu that suits walkers coming off the Way, while the Winnock Hotel on the square handles larger groups.

On the western shore, the Lodge on Loch Lomond at Luss has a restaurant looking straight down the water, and the Loch Lomond Arms in the village serves food in a restored coaching inn. Duck Bay, on the A82 near Arden, is a long-established loch-shore restaurant with a terrace, popular for Sunday lunch. At the far northern end, the Drovers Inn at Inverarnan is an experience as much as a meal: stone floors, open fires, stuffed animals and live music at weekends.

For self-caterers, Balloch has supermarkets and Drymen has a good village shop and butcher. Loch Lomond Shores hosts craft and food markets on selected weekends, and Loch Lomond Brewery, based at Alexandria, supplies beer to bars around the loch. Whisky drinkers are within easy reach of Glengoyne Distillery at Dumgoyne, about twenty minutes from Drymen, and Loch Lomond Distillery at Alexandria.