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Loch Lomond


AsimButtHitsASix

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Jump on a ferry at Balloch.

P.S. Was going to suggest stopping at the Oak Tree at Balmaha, but just checked and the prices have gone up.

Nice place with good food, but better wedge up.

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Don't know what happened there, didn't give you a red. :blink: Tried to send you this link http://www.sweeneyscruises.com/ferry_d.php

Went on the ferry from Balmaha to Luss and back, bit basic on the boat but astonishing scenery. If the weather's good it would be even better. Not much to do in the villages/towns, so it's up in the hills or on the Loch. Don't know the area well though, could be clubs hidden away in Balloch.

P.S. a green on the OP for balance..

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Jump on a ferry at Balloch.

P.S. Was going to suggest stopping at the Oak Tree at Balmaha, but just checked and the prices have gone up.

Nice place with good food, but better wedge up.

While you're at Balmaha, fire on a pair of good walking shoes (feck I sound about 80) and go up Conic Hill. The view from the top, along the line of islands across the loch that are part of the Highland fault line, is one of the most magnificent I've ever seen.

Also, you should go further round that side to Rowardennan, good wee pub there. On the West side of the loch, if you're old enough to remember High road, then visit Luss and pretend you're in Glendarroch, you can be Dougal and the wife can be Mrs Mack. Right up at the top in Ardlui, the Drovers is always popular.

As previously said though, take a boat trip, the scenery's awesome in all weathers.

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Unless you are into hillwalking then you should probably stick to the south east of the Loch if you are going by public transport.

You can get the train to Balloch, get on the 309 bus to Balmaha and climb Conic Hill as suggested further up http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/conic-hill.shtml fantastic views for the effort you put in and should take you no longer than 3 hours at a slow daunder.

Then get a ferry over to Inchcailloch http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/inchcailloch.shtml and take a wander round the Island, there is a good viewpoint at the summit and a nice beach and ruined church worth exploring, should take a couple of hours.

If the weather is too poor for the hill or the Loch then a nice low level alternative is to walk the West highland way section from Balmaha to Rowardennan along the loch. About 7 miles each way so 3 hours there and 3 back but there are nice pubs at either end.

There is the visitor centre at Balloch but I have never been in so dont know what is in there.

If you are into hillwalking then you have the Arrochar hills on the west side of the Loch which you can access via citilink buses out of Glasgow.

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3 hours to walk Conic Hill? Took me about half an hour last time I walked up it, hardly even a hike at all. Got to agree with Boghead Ranter though, the views from the top of the hill over the Loch are breathtaking. If you get a nice day, a picnic up there would be a good idea.

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Two nightclubs in Balloch, Nightmares (Desire) and the Batcave (the Backroom), I wouldnt go to either unless you are 18-20 and easily pleased. Few not bad pubs though, just stick to the main drag and you'll see all the pubs.

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3 hours to walk Conic Hill? Took me about half an hour last time I walked up it, hardly even a hike at all. Got to agree with Boghead Ranter though, the views from the top of the hill over the Loch are breathtaking. If you get a nice day, a picnic up there would be a good idea.

Unless you are into hillwalking then you should probably stick to the south east of the Loch if you are going by public transport.

You can get the train to Balloch, get on the 309 bus to Balmaha and climb Conic Hill as suggested further up http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/conic-hill.shtml fantastic views for the effort you put in and should take you no longer than 3 hours at a slow daunder.

Then get a ferry over to Inchcailloch http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/inchcailloch.shtml and take a wander round the Island, there is a good viewpoint at the summit and a nice beach and ruined church worth exploring, should take a couple of hours.

If the weather is too poor for the hill or the Loch then a nice low level alternative is to walk the West highland way section from Balmaha to Rowardennan along the loch. About 7 miles each way so 3 hours there and 3 back but there are nice pubs at either end.

There is the visitor centre at Balloch but I have never been in so dont know what is in there.

If you are into hillwalking then you have the Arrochar hills on the west side of the Loch which you can access via citilink buses out of Glasgow.

Depends on what level of fitness people are at and how used to walking up hill they are.

.Assuming that someone is not a regular walker you would expect them to reasonably walk uphill at 2kp/h for a 4k walk plus using naismiths rule of adding 1 minute for every 10m of ascent at 350m of ascent give 2h 35m.

Personally I do 4-5k p/h on hills but I am used to it.

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Coaches to Oban, Fort William and Skye all go up the west side of the Loch. You can get the train to Ardlui or Arrochar & Tarbet. There is a short walk from Arrochar & Tarbet but it's not far.

You can also get a train to Balloch and there are various buses that run from there in both directions towards Luss or in the other direction towards Balmaha. As has been mentioned you can also get a water taxi from Balloch to Balmaha.

For a day visit I prefer the east side of the loch.

In Balloch you have the country park which is quite nice and worth a walk round. The Tully Inn is a decent pub and does good food but is quite expensive, not hugely so, but it's definitely tourist prices. The chippie next to the station, The Balloch Fish Bar, did great fish and chips whenever I've had something out of the place.

Like I said I prefer the east side of the loch for a day visit. Probably the best view of Loch Lomond is from Gartochan looking directly up the loch. You'll pass through on the bus if you get a bus out to Balmaha.

At Balmaha there are various woodland trails you can walk on, or you can follow the WHW for as long as you wish which follows the shore of the loch. There are some nice wee beach areas along the shore there. You can also climb up to Craigie Fort just south of Balmaha for better views. It's a short but strenuous climb up a lot of steps. It should only take 10 minutes or so though. If you want to climb up something a bit bigger you can climb up Conic Hill. It's roughly about a 1,000 feet so it should take about an hour to climb and less to descend. Even if you don't get to the top there is a shoulder about three fifths up the hill that gives good views up Loch Lomond and across towards the Campsies, so actually there is no need to climb all the way to the top if you don't want to.

In Balmaha there is a visitor centre, a shop, a marina and a nice little bar, The Oak Tree Inn. Like the Tully Inn its definitely in the tourist price brackets but the food is pretty good. I was in recently and it's come along way from the sort of Findus Beef Burger and oven chips cuisine of not that long ago! The burgers are excellent.

My suggestions would be to have a day in Balloch/Balmaha and if you have another day get the train on the West Highland Line up to Crianlarich or Tyndrum. You get good views of the upper west side of the loch from the train.

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