Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
THE EASTERN SHORE
By car/bus
The dead-end B837 from Drymen (see p.287)
will take you halfway up the east bank to Rowardennan, as
far as you can get by car or bus (#309 from Balloch and
Drymen runs to Balmaha every 2hr), while the West
Highland Way sticks close to the shores for the entire length
of the loch.
Ferry to Rowardennan
Passenger ferries (Easter-Sept 2
daily;
T
01301 702356,
W
cruiselochlomond.co.uk) cross
from Tarbert, on the west shore.
Ferry to Inversnaid
It's also possible to get to or from
Inversnaid by ferry (£4 one-way/£5 return), which crosses
from Inveruglas, directly opposite on the western shore.
You'll have to phone the
Inversnaid Hotel
(01887 386223) to
make arrangements.
INFORMATION AND TOURS
National Park Centre
Balmaha; daily: April-Sept
9.30am-4pm. Beside the large car park and offering
information about local forest walks and occasional
wildlife workshops.
Boat tours
It's possible to join the mail-boat cruise,
which is run by MacFarlane & Son, from the jetty at
Balmaha. The timetable allows a one-hour stop on
Inchmurrin Island, which has just ten permanent
residents; it has the ruins of a monastery and castle, and
food is served in the bar of the
Inchmurrin Hotel
(May-
Oct Mon, Thurs & Sat 11.30am returns 2pm; July & Aug
daily 11.30am returns 2pm; Oct-April Mon & Thurs
10.50am
7
returns
noon;
£9;
T
01360
870214,
W
balmahaboatyard.co.uk).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
BALMAHA
Balmaha B&B and Bunkhouse
Balmaha House
T
01360 870218,
W
balmahahouse.co.uk.
Welcoming
West Highland Way accommodati
on
l
o
cated on the
loch
shore. The bunkhouse is brand new.
£70
;
b
unkhouse bed
£15
Oak Tree Inn
Balmaha
T
01360 870357,
W
oak-tree-inn.co.uk
. This well-run inn is set back from the
boatyard, and offers en-suite doubles and bunk-bed q
uads
.
There's also a convivial pub, where food is served all day.
£85
Passfoot Cottage B&B
Balmaha
T
01360 870324,
W
www.passfoot.com
. This friendly and appealing little
option is housed in a whitewashed toll cottage, enjoying
an idyllic locati
on a
nd lochside garden. Great for walks
along the shore.
£75
ROWARDENNAN
Cashel
Rowardennan, 2 miles north of Balmaha
T
01360
870234
. A lovely, secluded Forestry Commission campsite on
the loch shore with a decent loo block. Campers can launch
craft from here onto the lo
ch, and
Ben Lomond is just 4 miles
away. Closed Nov-March.
£16.10
/pitch
Clansman Bar
Rowardennan Hotel
T
01360 870273,
W
rowardennanhotel.co.uk
. Nightlife in the area centres
on this hotel's bar, which features open fires, a beer garden
and weekend live music.
Closed weekdays out of season.
Rowardennan Lodge Youth Hostel
Rowardennan
T
01360 870259,
W
syha.org.uk.
A wonderfully situated
SYHA hostel in a classic turreted Scots Baroni
al lodg
e with
lawns running down to the shore.
March-Oct.
£16.10
The western shore
Despite the roar of tra
c hurtling along the upgraded A82, the
west shore
of Loch
Lomond is an undeniably beautiful stretch of water. Ten miles north of attractive
Luss
is
the small settlement of
TARBET
, where the West Highland
train
reaches the shoreline.
North of Tarbet, the A82 turns back into the narrow, winding road of old, making for
slower but much more interesting driving. here's one more
train station
on Loch
Lomond at Ardlui, at the mountain-framed head of the loch, but most travellers continue
a couple of miles further north to
INVERARNAN
, where you'll find the
Drovers Inn,
arguably the most idiosyncratic
hotel
in Scotland.
Luss
LUSS
is the prettiest village in the region, with its prim, identical sandstone and slate
cottages garlanded in rambling roses, and its narrow sand and pebble strand. However, its
charms are no secret and its streets and beach can become crowded in summer. If you
want to escape the hordes, pop into the parish
church
, a haven of peace and has some fine
Victorian stained-glass windows and a lovely ceiling made from Scots pine rafters.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
THE WESTERN SHORE
By bus
Buses run from Tarbet to Loch Lomond's western
shore (hourly; 10min).
