Loch Lomond Visitor & Tourist Attractions

Loch Lomond is unquestionably one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The scenery around here is breathtaking and it's worth a visit for that alone. There are however many other local attractions designed to keep visitors to our lochside happy. We have listed a few of these below.

(Note that the links below will open a new window.)

River Leven at Balloch

Balloch Village
Balloch is picturesque village known as the "gateway to the highlands". It is located directly at the Southern end of Loch Lomond and it is an ideal touring location with Glasgow being only 45 minutes away on the regular electric train service from the local station. Balloch is a small village but being a tourist centre it has several good restaurants, hotels and bars where you can sample the local food and drink as well as dining Italian, Indian or Chinese style.

Several events take place in and around Balloch each year. The Loch Lomond Highland Games and the Lomond Folk Festival are in July and there are many other events on the annual calendar such as the Scottish open Golf Championship. The Loch Lomond Shores complex also has its own event calendar, which you can see on their website.

 

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
Balloch is within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (Scotland's first national park).

Their temporary headquarters are actually based in the village just about 100 metres from the Loft apartment.

A new, custom built National Park HQ building will be opening in the next couple of months.

 

Balloch Country Park
We also have the Balloch Country Park and Balloch Castle within the village.

This is 200 acres of beautifully landscaped woodland walks, grassland, gardens and spectacular views over the Southern end of Loch Lomond.

Downloadable map of Balloch Country Park (Courtesy of the Park Authority)

 

Loch Lomond Shores
The popular Loch Lomond Shores complex was opened about five years ago in a blaze of publicity. Billed as a place where you can shop eat and play it has a distinctive curved shopping mall with a few specialist shops as well as the only up market Jenner's store outside Edinburgh. It also includes a full service restaurant with a Scottish theme as well as a couple of pleasant cafes. (Distance from the Loft holiday apartment ten minutes walk.)

Loch Lomond Seaplanes
During your visit you can even arrange a flight on the local seaplane service, which takes off from the Loch just North of the village of Luss. The image below is courtesy of the Loch Lomond seaplanes website and it is not taken on a Caribbean beach. This is actually Loch Lomond. (Distance from the Loft holiday apartment approx 15 minutes drive.)

Image Courtesy of Loch Lomond Seaplanes website

Loch Lomond Aquarium
This popular attraction opened in 2006 when the Drumkinnon tower at Loch Lomond Shores was taken over by Merlin Entertainments Sea Life Centre and converted into the aquarium. The theme here is based on the sea life in Loch lomond as well as more general attractions including some real live sharks. (Distance from the Loft Holiday Apartment ten minutes walk.)

Can You Experience
This is an activity centre located adjacent to the Loch Lomond Shores complex where you can hire canoes, pedaloes and bikes as well as getting involved in all manner of other outdoor activities. (Distance from the Loft holiday apartment ten minutes walk.)

Boat Trips on Loch Lomond
There are several places around Loch Lomond where you can take boat trips. Sweeneys Cruises is located only a couple of hundred yards from the Loft Apartment. They operate two large cruise boats, the Silver Marlin and the Astina. Take a trip on the loch to see it at its best. (Distance from the Loft holiday apartment two minutes walk.)

Maid of the Loch Paddle Steamer
The Maid of the Loch is a paddle steamer that was first launched on Loch Lomond back in 1953. It was taken out of service and basically left to rot in 1981. In 1992 a group of enthusiasts got together to save the Maid from dereliction. Since then the Maid, while still not ready to sail, has been restored to much of her former glory as a visitor attraction. You can visit her, have a coffee, a snack, a drink from the bar and even book her function suite for your wedding! (Distance from the Loft holiday apartment ten minutes walk.)

The Hill House, Helensburgh
Those of you who are familiar with the work of the famous Glasgow Architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh's can visit his finest domestic creation, The Hill House, in Helensburgh. The Hill House, a National Trust for Scotland property, sits on a hill overlooking the Firth of Clyde.

Helensburgh then (as now) was the home to many wealthy Glasgow businessmen. One of these, William Blackie of the publishing company, commissioned Rennie Mackintosh to design and build this house for him. It was built between 1902 and 1904 and it stands as fine example of Rennie Mackintosh's work. All the original furniture (also designed by the architect) remains in the house, which is open to the public. (Distance from the Loft holiday apartment 7 miles.)