Tour of Scotland

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond, close to Glasgow and the Clyde towns, is the best known of the Scottish freshwater lochs, and is one of the most beautiful. The loch is the largest single stretch of fresh water in Great Britain, being twenty-four miles long and at its greatest width five miles. At its southern end Loch Lomond is dotted with numerous islands, on some of which are the ruins of former monastic buildings. From Balloch, at the foot of the loch, one can sail the full length to Ardlui. The road follows the western shore, passing through Luss, a village which boasts of being the prettiest in Scotland, and is the scene for the Scottish TV soap [Take the] High Road.

The northern part of Loch Lomond is wild and lonely, and on the eastern shore the mountains reach down to the water. Towering above them all is Ben Lomond which is an easy climb from Inversnaid or Rowardennan. From the summit the view extends, on a clear day, over the whole of the estuary of the Clyde, to the mountains of Arran and to the Campsic Fells to the south-west of Stirling.

The Bonnie Banks O’ Loch Lomond

By yon bonnie banks, and by yon bonnie braes
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
There me and my true love spent mony happy days
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond.

Oh, ye’ll tak' the high road, and I'll tak’ the low road
And I’ll be in Scotland before ye
But trouble it is there, and mony hearts are sair
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond.

’Twas there that we parted in yon bonnie glen
On the steep, steep side o’ Ben Lomond
Where in purple hue the Highland hills we view
And the moon glints out in the gloamin’.

There the wild flowers spring and the wee birdies sing
And in sunshine the waters are sleepin’
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring again
Though resigned we may be while we're greetin’.

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• “Loch Lomond” music midi file