The Central Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 127

important population centres on the edges of the area: Glasgow, Stirling and Perth to
the south, Aberdeen to the east, and Fort William and Inverness to the north. The main
route on the western side is along the western shore of Loch Lomond, where both the
A82 and the railway line wind north to Crianlarich en route to Oban and Fort William.
In the centre of the country, the A84 cuts through the heart of the Trossachs between
Stirling and Crianlarich, while the most important route to the eastern side is the busy
A9 trunk road and the nearby railway between Perth and Inverness.
2
Loch Lomond and around
The largest stretch of fresh water in Britain (23 miles long and up to five miles wide), Loch
Lomond is the epitome of Scottish scenic splendour, thanks in large part to the ballad that
fondly recalls its “bonnie, bonnie banks”. The song was said to have been written by a
Jacobite prisoner captured by the English, who, sure of his fate, wrote that his spirit would
return to Scotland on the low road much faster than his living compatriots on the high road.
Loch Lomond is undoubtedly the centrepiece of the national park, and the most
popular gateway into the park is Balloch , the town on the southern tip of Loch Lomond;
with Glasgow city centre just nineteen miles away, both Balloch and the southwest side
of the loch around Luss are often packed with day-trippers and tour coaches. Many of
these continue up the western side of the loch, though the fast A82 road isn't ideal for a
leisurely lochside drive.
Very different in tone, the eastern side of the loch, abutting the Trossachs, operates at
a different pace with wooden ferryboats puttering out to a scattering of tree-covered
islands of the village of Balmaha . Much of the eastern shore can only be reached by
boat or foot, although the West Highland Way long-distance footpath (see p.133) and
the distinctive peak of Ben Lomond ensure that even these parts are well travelled in
comparison to many other areas of the Highlands.
Balloch
The main settlement by Loch Lomond is BALLOCH at its southwestern corner, where
the water channels into the River Leven for its short journey south to the sea in the
HIGH ROADS AND LOW ROADS AROUND LOCH LOMOND
Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps 347 & 364
The popularity of hiking and biking within Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
( W lochlomond-trossachs.org) has been recognized in an initiative entitled “4Bs” which aims to
improve the links between boats, boots (ie walking), bikes and buses around the park.
Signposting and information are increasingly good, with new cycle paths and trails being set
out all the time, in addition to enhanced provision for walking and nature trails. Indeed, with a
seaplane and wooden mail boats operating on Loch Lomond as well as a 100-year-old
steamship on Loch Katrine, getting around the park is very much part of the experience.
For those keen to take to the high road there are three obvious targets offering different
levels of challenge. Most prominent, Ben Lomond (3192ft) is the most southerly of the
“Munros” (see p.40) and one of the most popular hills in Scotland, its commanding position
above Loch Lomond affording amazing views of the Highlands and Lowlands. The well-
signposted route to the summit and back from Rowardennan takes five to six hours. If you're
looking for an easier climb, but an equally impressive view over Loch Lomond, start at Balmaha
for the ascent of Conic Hill (1175ft), a two- to three-hour walk through forest and hillside.
Finally, you need less than an hour to complete the ascent of Duncryne (470ft), a small
conical hill beside Gartocharn to the east of Balloch on the south side of the loch. The route up
is undemanding and the view wonderfully rewarding.