Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
name by Gerard Manley Hopkins about a frothing waterfall nearby (“This darksome
burn, horseback brown/His rollrock highroad roaring down…”).
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
THE EASTERN SHORE
By car/bus
The dead-end B837 from Drymen 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 possible to get to or from Inversnaid
by ferry (£4 one way/£5 return), which crosses from Inve-
ruglas, directly opposite on the western shore. You'll have to
phone the
Inversnaid Hotel
to make arrangements.
2
INFORMATION AND TOURS
National Park Centre
Balmaha (April-Sept daily 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 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.
Warmly
welcoming West Highland Way accom
moda
tion on the
loch
sho
re. The bunkhouse is brand new.
£70
, bunkhouse
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, and food is served all day.
£85
Passfoot Cottage B&B
Balmaha
T
01360 870324,
W
passfoot.com.
This friendly and appealing little option
is housed in a whitewashed toll cottage, enjoying an idyllic
locatio
n an
d 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 loc
h, and B
en Lomond is just 4 miles
away.
April-Oct.
Pitch from
£16.10
Clansman Bar
Rowardennan Hotel
T
01360 870273,
W
rowardennanhotel.co.uk.
Nightlife in the area centres
on the hotel's
Clansman Bar
, which features open fires, a
beer garden and weekend live music.
Closes 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 Baronial
lodge w
ith
lawns running down to the shore.
March-Oct.
£16.10
The western shore
Despite the roar of traffic hurtling along the upgraded A82, the
west bank
of Loch
Lomond is an undeniably beautiful stretch of water.
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
, which is a haven of peace
and has a lovely ceiling made from Scots-pine rafters and some fine Victorian
stained-glass windows.
Tarbet and Inverarnan
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
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