Loch Lomond and The Trossachs Private Tour Scotland

Loch Lomand

Loch Lomond is only thirty minutes from Glasgow City Centre, yet it is a world away. It is possibly one of the best known Scottish destinations possibly as a result of the famous traditional song, The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond” that has somehow made itself familiar worldwide.

By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond,
Where me and my true love were ever wont to gae
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond.

Chorus:
O ye’ll tak‘ the high road, and I’ll tak‘ the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland a’fore ye,
But me and my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond.

Loch Lomond is the gateway to the Highlands. It’s where the lowland central belt ends and something very different begins.

The Loch itself is 22.6 miles long (36.4Km) and is the largest inland water feature (in terms of surface area) in mainland UK. The road only goes up the western side of the loch, with most of the Eastern side only accessible by foot or by boat. The West Highland Way, the most famous walk in Scotland, goes up the east of the loch.

The loch forms part of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and holds multiple conservation designations. There are many strange and wonderful things to see and note. For instance, there is a white stag on the small island of Inchcailloch, ‘Island of the old women’. There was a nunnery on this island that was founded by St Kentigern.

On Inchconnachan, there is a colony of wallabies, which were introduced in the 1940’s and have been living there wild ever since. Some of the islands can be accessed by boat from Balmaha.

The Troshachs

The Trossachs contains the towns of Aberfoyle and Callander, Loch Lomond and Loch Katrine, which supplies most of Glasgow with its drinking water. There are boat trips available on Loch Katrine too, which is the only way to see it as there are no roads surrounding it.

Visit the towns of Callander and Aberfoyle both traditional old Scottish towns dating back hundreds of years. In fact, the area has been settled since Neolithic times and even the Romans had a presence there. The famous folk hero Rob Roy MacGregor also bided from these parts.

A trip to the Trossachs would not be complete without visiting the only lake in Scotland, The Lake of Menteith. Just up the hill from Aberfoyle is The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre, which is great for bird watching (including birds of prey) and some short walks. It is also a good place to see red squirrels. They have a hide, so you can watch the squirrels feed not ten feet from you. It’s a rare opportunity to see these rare and very shy creatures.

The Trossachs looks and feels like the Highlands, despite only being an hour from Glasgow. It is often overlooked as visitors drive past it on their way further North. However you would be bypassing some real treasure. Great walks, amazing scenery, peace and quiet. It is all found in abundance in the Trossachs.