I’ve got many childhood (and adulthood) memories of walking the many nature trails, walks along the loch and woodlands, picnic lawns and of course the pretty, but off limits eponymous Balloch Castle. It’s easy to see why so many people enjoy visiting Balloch. Climb one of Scotland's most popular munros on this challenging walk in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. This walk takes in either 77 or 94 miles of stunning Scottish countryside, dependent on the route taken along Loch Tay, with Ben Lawers, Ben Ledi and several Lochs passed by. Balloch is a great destination with its country walks, loch cruises, shops and restaurants, at the gateway to Scotland’s first National Park. Balloch and Drymen to Balmaha on Loch Lomond: 30th June 2012 It was promising to be dry this weekend for the first time in a couple of weeks so I decided to (reluctantly) give an additional trip to the Scottish Real Ale Festival in Edinburgh a miss and instead get out into the countryside for a walk. TreeZone Loch Lomond is in the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park on the banks of bonny Loch Lomond. It would be a shame though if a visitor was only to see Balloch on a trip to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs. Day 2: Drove to Balmaha to hike the very popular Conic Hill Walk. Located diagonally across from Balloch park's main gated entrance. Balloch – Loch Lomond Shores. Book a magical school trip to explore the enchanted Loch Lomond Faerie Trail! ... plus a lot of folk putting their boots on and setting off for a walk – Loch Lomond looks tempting, while the West Highland Way carries on north. It is full of busses and tourists and you will have to queue to get access to the toilets. Guide to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, including facts, history, things to do, where to stay and eat, the best walks in the national park and where to wild camp. This is likely to be in reference to the River Leven providing a pass between Loch Lomond and the Sea. Stoneymollan Road, a delightful ancient route linking Balloch and Cardross. You can hike up a mountain, or take it easy with a stroll around the loch itself. Balloch, often referred to as the gateway to Loch Lomond, is a delightful village on the south of the national park. Here is our guide on the best hikes in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The views is a little different because Luss is located in front of one of Loch Lomond's main island: Inchlonaig. A lovely circular walk through Balloch Country Park, with good views over Loch Lomond and a visit to a well-planted walled garden and the outside of Balloch House. When you visit Loch Lomond, you’ll soon discover all the amazing walks and scenery available nearby. The climb takes place on a good path with a steady gradient, starting from the Rowardennan car park. Loch Lomond walking trails and hikes. The mountains sits on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond rising to a height of 974 metres (3,196 ft). There are 200 acres to explore with nature trails, guided walks, peaceful woodland, a delightful walled garden and Balloch Castle which now serves as the visitor centre. Route map for 'Loch Lomond 10K' - a 10.1km running route near Balloch, UK. A great place to visit with views across Loch Lomond. Balloch is a pituresque town located on the south edge of the shores of Loch Lomond.Balloch is taken from the gaelic ‘bealach’ which translates as mountain pass. Guest access With a range of indoor, outdoor and water-based activities alongside great shopping and eating establishments, Loch Lomond Shores is a must-visit stop on your trip to the area. Balloch is historically famous for being an important gateway for boats entering Loch Lomond during the 1800’s. Balloch grew up around an early ferry and river crossing point at the south end of Loch Lomond. As well as easy walks around Loch Lomond Shores, Balloch is also part of the John Muir Way which is a 134 mile walk from coast to coast but also allows you to enjoy sections of the walk from Balloch. Easy 5 minute walk to the nearest supermarket and 10 minute walk into Balloch town centre and the edge of the loch. You will be met at Loch Lomond Adventures by our staff who will hand out guidebooks for you to self-guide through the trail. On the eastern shore, footpaths and cycle trails criss-cross the Ben Lomond mountain and the smaller Conic Hill. You can cycle with Loch Lomond just minutes away for an entire 15 miles (24 km) among Balloch and Tarbet. There are so many trails here that it’s hard to do the same walk twice. Route map for 'Loch Lomond 5K Route' - a 4.94km running route near Balloch, UK. Best walks in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. It is part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. The Maid is a magnificent example of Clyde-built ship engineering with a stunning art deco inspired interior. GUEST REVIEW “Had a fantastic time at the lodge, climbed Conic Hill, had lunch at the Oaktree and went swimming in the Loch. The West Loch Lomond Cycle Path is without traffic for a lot of its length. Plotted with the plotaroute.com route planner. Considering a day trip from Glasgow to Loch Lomond to do some hiking. Ben Lomond Way. News Walk of the week: Balloch Castle Country Park, Loch Lomond THIS is a great walk for a family day out. Located at the southern point of the Loch Lomond, Balloch is a great place to get introduced to Scotland’s beautiful nature by taking a walk in Balloch Castle Country Park. By some called the gateway to Loch Lomond it is situated at the Southern end of the Loch and divided by the River Leven that runs from the Loch to the river Clyde. Loch Lomond Shores: Lock walk - See 1,025 traveler reviews, 439 candid photos, and great deals for Balloch, UK, at Tripadvisor. Plotted with the plotaroute.com route planner. Follow; Follow; Follow VISIT US. Last week, updated plans for a £30m leisure facility near the small town of Balloch at the southern end of the loch were presented to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park. From ruined castles to high summits, you can find brand new Loch Lomond walking trails every day of your holiday here. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park in Scotland boasts steep mountain peaks, overlooking rolling hills, untamed forests and glistening lakes. … Already a much-loved feature on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, she attracts thousands of visitors every year and, over the last 20 years, a loyal band of volunteers has focused every available hour on her conservation. Balloch is not everyones favourite place, but it does its job well as a gateway to the National Park. Opening hours - current and standard. Visit Balloch, Loch Lomond. It covers an area of 720 square miles (1,865 square km) and comprises forest, lochs, mountains, rivers and hills. This guide picks out the highlights of the village, a … The surrounding highlands area is home to red deer and oak woodlands. Loch Lomond is a lake in southern Scotland. Downloadable map available here. Luss - Loch Lomond beach. This beautiful country park at the southern tip of Loch Lomond has got to be one of my favourites in and around Glasgow. The Rob Roy Way is a long distance walk that runs between the south west Loch Lomond village of Drymen to the north east burgh of Pitlochry, at the foot of the Cairngorms. Bonnie Banks is situated right on the shores of Loch Lomond and on Balloch road which has some stunning restaurants close by as well as being a short walk to Loch Lomond Shore where you can find upmarket shopping outlets, fashionable coffee shops, the Sea Life centre, water sports as well as the most beautiful views!! We would train to Balloch, and our first thought was to take the bus to Luss for a look around, ferry to Balmaha and hike Conic Hill, then bus to Drymen for a bit and back to Balloch for the return to Glasgow. ), ☎ 01389-753437, . Following the old road on the banks of Loch Lomond you intermittently hear the new road traffic as you travel through quiet stretches of trees and loch side beaches. Loch Lomond’s only country park can be found in Balloch. Their opening hours are as follows: Grapetree - 9am to 5pm daily Loch Lomond News - 9am to 5pm daily Caffe at the Shores - 11am to 4pm. First recognised as a country park in 1980, it was originally developed in the early 19th century. It is based at Loch Lomond Shores, Balloch, with a view to rival anywhere, looking up the awesome Loch Lomond towards the iconic Ben Lomond on its Eastern shore. Grapetree, Caffe at the Shores (takeaway only) and Loch Lomond News remain open. Loch Lomond’s only country park commands impressive views over its waters, spanning 200 acres which include walled gardens, nature trails and guided walks. Enjoy water activities like pedal boats, nature walks and Segway tours, great … Prices starting at £2 per pupil, with accompanying staff free! For those looking for something less arduous, they can stroll to Cameron House or Balloch Park and the village of Balloch so they can enjoy more of the local landscape. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs is one of two national parks in Scotland. Transport to and from Balloch is plentiful and varied from the Railway Station, which runs to Glasgow with connections to … Great location for a base to explore both sides of Loch Lomond and the surrounding area. Helensburgh’s beautiful tree lined streets, especially colourful in Spring and Autumn. Families with small kids and easygoing recreational 4×4 fans (an opulent method of saying ‘people who like cycling on calm ways’) have a lot of alternatives, particularly on ranger service tracks. Enjoy the walk? With exit and entry points at several car parks along the route you can enjoy sections at a time rather than experiencing the full route from Balloch … After a quick lunch, we walked to the Balloch Castle and Country Park for an enjoyable stroll along the shores of Loch Lomond and the estate lands of the Balloch Castle. The stunning view over Loch Lomond when you cross the Highland Boundary Fault at Goukhill Muir. Sweeney’s Cruises at Balloch Bridge welcomes aboard passengers wishing to take a relaxing boat trip around this area of outstanding natural beauty. It is also on NCN7 and the John Muir Way walk. … Not only is it just a 30-minute drive from central Glasgow, it also prides itself on its own country park featuring 200 acres of trails, gardens, shores and the 13th century Balloch Castle. The park, named after Balloch Castle features a number of interesting gardens. Loch Lomond gift house, Balloch Road (On the main street. Midway between Balloch and Tarbet, Luss is the most popular place to stop on the shore of Loch Lomond. A two minute walk down Balloch Road from the Bus Terminal, and a five minute walk up Balloch Road from the train station. 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