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Webcam at Loch Lomond Webcam, Scotland
At 23 miles long, Loch Lomond is the largest inland body of water in Great
Britain and is at the heart of
Scotland's first national park.
The surrounding hillsides are the sites of many ancient clan feuds & Highland gatherings. Loch Lomond's reputation as one of the world's most romantic places has come through the words of generations of travellers who have explored the shores and surrounding hillsides. The area was first popularised by the writings of Sir Walter Scott in the early 19th century.
William Wordsworth and Gerald Manley Hopkins have both praised the areas outstanding natural beauty. The song "Bonnie Banks 0' Loch Lomon' " was written about the loch and refers to two of Bonnie Prince Charlie's men left behind in Carlisle after his retreat from England. One was to be executed, the other released. The spirit of the dead soldier travelling by the 'low road' would reach Scotland before his comrade, struggling over miles of high, rugged country.
The loch straddles the Highland Boundary Line - a fault that divides the highlands from the lowlands. The line runs directly across the loch and explains the change in surrounding hillsides from rolling hills in the south to rugged fjord-like mountains to the north.
The loch provides for many activities including fishing, walking and cruising. On the shores of the loch stretch five miles of gentle, all-weather path way to stroll along and enjoy the scenery.
Luss.
Luss is the setting for Scottish Television's "Take the High Road" programme. It is very popular with couples who come to Luss Parish Church to get married. There are many places of interest to visit within a short distance of Luss.
It is also the ancestral home of the Clan Colquhoun
Ben Lomond.
Ben Lomond is the southern most Munro in the Highlands, and standing at 974
metres high, dominates the landscape around the loch. The Ben and
surrounding hills are excellent places for the more adventurous and
energetic walkers. The hills are home to a large selection of wildlife
amongst the woodlands and heather.
Tarbet.
Tarbet has a
Tourist Information Office, Post
Office, restaurants, tea rooms and a picnic park. The park has ample free
parking and from here you can take a boat cruise on the loch. Queen Victoria
described Tarbet as "a small town" with "splendid passes, richly wooded and
the highest mountains rising behind".
Take a train from Tarbet and enjoy the ultimate in scenic touring. Take a day trip on the West Highland Line north to Fort William and beyond. An experience not to be missed!
Arrochar.
Arrochar is
a welcome and hospitable rural Highland village nestling between Loch Long
and rugged mountain peaks. Arrochar was once home to the savage MacFarlane
clan and was the landing site of Viking raiding parties. From here, they
would roll their long boats over land on logs to Tarbet and Loch Lomond,
from where they could advance further inland
Helensburgh.
Helensburgh
is an elegant Victorian town, once described as a "museum of villas". These
"villas" are fine houses built by Victorian entrepreneurs using wealth
generated in Glasgow. The finest of these houses is
Charles Rennie
Mackintosh's Hill House.
Helensburgh is also the birthplace of John Logie Baird, the inventor of television.
Helensburgh boasts a promenade, a pier for ferries, an unusual range of individual shops, and the largest selection of coffee shops on the north Clyde shore.
Glasgow.
Glasgow is renowned for it's pubs and nightlife. The many clubs and
nightspots are both up-to-date and fashion conscience. Glasgow also enjoys a
lively and cosmopolitan restaurant scene. During the day, Glasgow has a wide
and varied shopping choice, and numerous art galleries, museums and visitors
centres. These include the Art Gallery, the Museum of Transport, and the
Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery. Glasgow is the
UK City of Architecture & Design 1999
and is home to the Lord Foster-designed Clyde Auditorium, nick-named the
"the Armadillo" due to it's shape.
Stirling.
Stirling
is home to
Stirling Castle. In site of the castle
walls, is the site of the Battle of Bannockburn where, in 1314, Robert the
Bruce defeated the English occupying forces in the final conflict of the
Scottish Wars of Independence.
Close by is the National Wallace Monument erected in tribute to Scotland's first freedom fighter, Sir William Wallace, whose story is depicted in the movie "Braveheart".
Callander.
Callander
is the location of the
Rob Roy & Trossachs Visitors Centre,
Rob Roy was a real life Highlander, cattle
dealer, and outlaw who became a Scottish folk hero.
Things To Do!
Fishing.
Scotland
could be described as the home of trout and salmon fishing and Loch
Lomond is home to salmon, sea trout and brown trout. Loch Lomond and the
River Leven can produce salmon from the opening day of the season.
Loch Lomond is however legendary for it's
pike and is one of Scotland's premier pike waters. In 1934, the head of
a pike estimated to have weighed 70 lbs was found in the River Endrick,
a tributary of the loch. The loch is home to good stocks of other course
fish and, uniquely, the powan, a freshwater herring. The River Endrick
offers roach, dace and bream in good numbers.
The Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association can provide further information on local fishing including prices of permits.
West Highland Line.
The
West Highland Line
(Scottish Gaelic:
Rathad Iarainn nan Eilean - "Iron
Road to the Isles") is considered the most scenic railway line in
Britain, linking the ports of
Mallaig and Oban on the west coast of
Scotland to Glasgow.
The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers
of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the iconic
Trans-Siberian and the Cuzco to Machu Picchu line in Peru. The ScotRail
website has since reported that the line has been voted the most scenic
railway line in the world for the second year running.
Passenger services on the line are operated by
First ScotRail: three daily return services between Glasgow Queen Street and Mallaig/Oban, and one nightly (except Saturdays) Caledonian Sleeper service between London Euston and Fort William.During the summer season a
steam locomotive-hauled daily return service between Fort William and Mallaig known as "The Jacobite" is operated by West Coast Railways.Onward ferry connections operated by
Caledonian MacBrayne are available from Mallaig to the Isle of Skye, to the small isles of Rùm, Eigg, Muck, and Canna, and to Inverie on the Knoydart peninsula. From Oban ferries sail to the islands of Lismore, Colonsay, Coll, Tiree, Mull, Barra and South Uist.The West Highland Line is one of two railway lines which access the remote and mountainous west coast of Scotland, the other being the
Kyle of Lochalsh Line which connects Inverness with Kyle of Lochalsh.Download an excellent free West Highland Line line guide complete with route maps from the ScotRail website at:
www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/files/pdf/WHLlinelft.pdf
Golf.
There is the
exclusive
Loch Lomond golf
course,
home of the Loch Lomond World Invitational. There are another 17 courses
locally and Lomond Castle is within two hours drive of the majority of
Scotland's most famous courses.
Click here
for a list of Golf Courses around Loch Lomond.
Walking.
Within two minutes of Glen View you can
follow many country park walks of gentle, all-weather pathways.
Queen Elizabeth Forest Park encompasses a wide area east of Loch Lomond taking walkers along loch side and woodland trails.
The Luss Heritage Trail is a popular tourist walk. More details including a 3D tour and maps can be found on the Walk Highlands Website.
Whisky Trail.
If
you are a Whisky enthusiast or just want to experience whisky on a trip
to Scotland,
SCOTLANDWHISKY
will be an invaluable reference.
The site has the details of every Scotch Whisky distillery open to the public and a Map of Scotland's Distilleries, from Speyside and the Highlands of Scoltand, to Islay and Campbeltown.
Wildlife.
The
Scottish Wildlife
Trust
has been championing nature conservation for
almost 50 years. From maintaining a network of over 120 reserves and
campaigning at a local and national level for greater protection for
wildlife to the groundbreaking reintroduction of beavers in Mid-Argyll,
our activities aim to protect Scotland's wildlife for the future.
Castles.
There are a number of castles in the area to
visit,
click here
for
more information.
Additional Information Sources.
Further information about Scotland can be found from the following sources:
Scottish Tourist Board +44 (0) 171 930 8661
Central Information Dept +44 (0) 131 332 2433
Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling & Trossachs - Tourist Board
The National Trust for Scotland +44 (0) 131 226 5922