Loch Lomond is a great base to tour the lower western areas of Scotland giving easy access to some of the prettiest places in the UK. The other good thing is that you can reach the shores of the loch in around 5hrs from the base of Great Escape Campers in Derbyshire

Where to Stay

There are several good campsites in the Loch Lomond area, some with direct access to the water, which is particularly good if like us you like stand-up paddle boarding. The ones we have stayed on or visited include www.lusscampsite.co.uk,       www.woodleisure.co.uk/our-parks/lomond-woods, http://inverbeg.com, Loch Lomond Holiday Park www.argyllholidays.com/parks/loch-lomond-holiday-park and the Camping and Caravanning Club site at Milarrochy Bay www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/glasgow/drymen/milarrochy-bay-camping-and-caravanning-club-site

The view of Loch Lomond Holiday Park

Things to Do

Water Activities

The Loch itself affords an abundance of activities to do that can easily occupy a couple of days. Loch Lomond is the biggest Lock or Lake in the UK and for those of you who like to spend time on the water, there are several ways you can do this. Use your own power and go wind surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, use motorcraft such as jet ski’s or motorboat or you can choose to go on a leisurely cruise around the loch and its 30 islands.

The town of Balloch on the southern shores of the Loch offers traditional Scottish shopping, a Sea Life centre www.visitsealife.com/loch-lomond/, perfect for the kids on a rainy day, a crazy golf course, a bird of prey centrehttps://llbopc.co.uk and Tree Zone, an aerial tree adventure course https://llbopc.co.uk.

Ben Lomond

Hill walks in Scotland are plentiful and the Trossachs offer more than their fair share. Ben Lomond is one of the most popular Munros (a mountain over 3,000 ft) and the summit gives spectacular views over the Trossachs and into the Highlands. The path to the summit is well defined but with all hill walking you should be fully prepared before setting off. You should allow yourself at least 6 hours for the hike.

More information can be found by visiting www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/ben-lomond.shtml.

Three Lochs Forest Drive

Three Lochs Forest Drive is a 7 mile-long picturesque drive that takes you past three lochs – – Lochan Reòidhte, Loch Drunkie and Loch Achray.

There’s something for everyone along the route, including short, easy trails and a picnic site beside peaceful Loch Drunkie. You’ll find accessible toilets and plenty of parking there too. Permits for Loch Ard are available from James Bayne fishing tackle shop in Callander and the local post offices.

Stay the Night in your campervan or motorhome

Campervans will be allowed to park overnight at a small selection of our forest car parks. From the South of Galloway up to Easter Ross, there are participating car parks across Scotland. Visit our Stay the Night webpage to find out where you can stay, how to use a Stay the Night car park, as well as our terms and conditions.

Scenic Drives

The Trossachs and the Highlands have some of the most scenic drives there is anywhere in the world and we took the opportunity to sample two of these routes.

The first of these leaves Loch Lomond by following the A82 along the western shores of the loch before bearing left onto the A83 at Tarbet. The road continues passed the northern shore of Loch Long and then takes the route known as “Rest and Be Thankful’ towards Inveraray which gives stunning viewpoints of the Beinn Ime mountain range.

Inveraray Castle is worth a visit, even if it is just to visit the coffee shop or walk in the gardens. The castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Clan Campbell and stands on the shores of Loch Fyne. The original castle was built circa 1400’s although the castle as we now see it was built in 1877.

Leave Inveraray on the A83 and follow the shores of Loch Fyne towards Lochgilphead. Upon reaching the town head North along the A816 coastal road towards Oban. There are many areas to stop and admire the incredible scenery along the route but perhaps one of the best is in the village of Arduaine, pull into the car park of the Loch Melfort Hotel.

The route ends in the town of Oban, the gateway to the Isles. Return back to Loch Lomond via the A85 and the A82.

Another spectacular drive is the road from Loch Lomond to Fort William, the A82. Once you get beyond the Bridge of Orchy and begin your ascent of Rannoch Moor you will be mesmerised by the stunning beauty of this wilderness. There are plenty of photo opportunities and hikes along the way, as is the Glencoe Mountain Resesort www.glencoemountain.co.uk/.

The road to Skyfall

Just beyond the entrance to the resort heading towards Fort William is the road to Glen Etive, one of Scotlands most scenic drives and famous for been the road to Skyfall, James Bonds ancestral home. James Bond’s author, Ian Fleming had a lodge in the glen, which is perhaps why it was used during the film

The 12-mile road is packed with the best Scottish scenery has to offer – mountains, moorland, rivers, waterfalls, lochs. The road is a dead end, finishing at Loch Etive but the return route offers a different perspective and viewpoint from when travelling the opposite direction.

Near the beginning of the road, you will see two mountains, which are known in Gaelic as the ‘Herdsmen of Etive’ – Buachaille Etive Mor and Buachaille Etive Beag. Buachaille Etive Mor is one of the most photographed mountains in Scotland.

Wild camping is allowed in Glen Etive, so you can just find a spot by the lake or along the river and park your van for the night. There are no facilities though, so you’ll need to bring everything you need, https://outaboutscotland.com/glen-etive/

Back onto the A82 and towards Fort William is a lovely little car park at An Torr & Signal Rock which provides access to some nice walks through the forest and along the River Coe. www.wildlochaber.com/glencoe/walking/an-torr-and-signal-rock     Arriving in Fort William offers many options in which to fill your time, see our other itinerarywww.greatescapecampers.co.uk/the-highlands-of-scotland-and-the-cairgorms-national-park/, however one thing that I would highly recommend if you can fit it into your schedule is take the Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig, often referred to as the greatest railway journey in the world. The journey includes the crossing of the 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct ( made famous in the Harry Potter films) and the passing of Morar and the silvery beaches used in the films “Highlander” and “Local Hero”. https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/steam-train-trip