The first loch tourists think of when they hear Scotland is usually Loch Ness. Its mysterious monster Nessie rose to fame in 1934 when the London physician Robert Kenneth Wilson supposedly took a picture of it. Each year, the loch attracts thousands of visitors to look out for a creature in the lake. Even though loch Ness has its own charm and spots you shouldn’t miss, there are also other lochs in Scotland which ooze with stunning nature.
One of these is certainly Loch Lomond. The 39km long loch starts at Balloch and reaches far into to the Highlands. If this is your first time going to Loch Lomond, here comes a list of spots you shouldn’t miss out on.
Luss
If you start your roundtrip from Glasgow, then your first stop at Loch Lomond is about 30-40 minutes away. Luss is a cute village on the west bank of the loch with a great view over the water. From its beach you can hop on a boat tour across the Loch if you want. But to be fair, the view from the beach is already quite nice and hard to beat.
You might find Luss a bit too busy since it has a huge parking spot that also busses can use. If you find it too crowded, you can try Firkin Point where you will be rewarded with a quieter viewpoint over the loch. Watch out for it on Google Maps because the exit is quite hidden.
Drovers Inn
After your first stop(s) at Loch Lomond, it’s probably time for lunch. One of the pubs on your way around the loch is called Drovers Inn. It opened in 1705 and its interior hasn’t change much ever since. If you’re lucky and it’s not too busy, you might catch a seat right next to the old fireplace. The pub has a good selection of traditional food, including Haggis, Neeps & Tatties (also available in a vegetarian version).
Killin – Falls of Dochart
After having lunch at the pub, you will find yourself driving through the Highlands. Before you start driving South again, it’s worth doing a little detour to the Falls of Dochart that are just before the little town of Killin. In order to find a parking space, you will need to drive over the tiny stone bridge that crosses over the waterfalls. The bridge is very thin, so you might end up driving backwards because only one direction at a time is possible.
Once you have your car parked, you can take a walk back across the bridge and climb along the stones next to the scenic waterfalls.
Doune Castle
For those of you who are Game of Thrones, Outlander, or Monthy Phyton fans, you shouldn’t miss out stopping by Doune Castle. To be fair, the courtyard of the castle looks a bit disappointing without all the film animations, but the castle rooms are worth the visit. Especially the Great Hall is in good state and you will quickly recognise the location in which the scene “Knights of the Round Table at Camelot” was directed for the Holy Grail movie.
Balmaha
After Doune Castle, you can check if you can make it to a last stop at Loch Lomond to see the sunset. Balmaha is a relatively quiet village on the loch with parking spaces without charge.
From the car park, you can climb up Conic Hill to get an amazing view over the loch. That might not be on your list after a long round trip, but is definitely worth to do another time.
Balloch
In case you find Balmaha too much of a detour, you can stop at Balloch on your way back. The village is right at the bottom of Loch Lomond and the carpark right next to the castle is great for a stop. From Balloch, it’s only a 30 minutes’ drive back to Glasgow.
Everyone probably has their own favourite spots at Loch Lomond, and once you’ve been there for the first time, you will probably prefer to spend your day at just one spot. But for those who visit the loch for the first and want to see as much as possible in one day, then this roundtrip might be great for you!
Continentals in Scotland 