Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is located centrally in Scotland, merging into the highlands towards the north. The area is very beautiful and offers lots of fantastic sights both in and around the National Park. If you're travelling in the area here are our top 5 best views to look out for:
Calton Hill, Edinburgh
Edinburgh's instantly recognisable cityscape is a blend of graceful Georgian and austere Gothic architecture, with rugged volcanic geography and has been inspiring writers and artists for generations. The top of Calton Hill, which is set right in the centre of the city, provides you with almost a full 360 of the view, with its castle, the Old and New Towns, Arthur’s Seat and the sea beyond. Together with the array of neoclassical monuments on Calton Hill itself, which first inspired Edinburgh’s moniker as the ‘Athens of the North’, this location has earned its place in the Edinburgh UNESCO site. Pathways lead you up to the top of the hill from the roads and there is the observatory and a museum up there to visit too.
Loch Katrine
Sir Walter Scott pays homage to the beautiful Trossachs in The Lady of the Lake (1810), his well known poem which takes its name from Arthurian legend. The poem features local place names and Loch Katrine is described as a 'burnished sheet of living gold' amidst an 'enchanted land'. Loch Katrine is a 13km long loch right at the heart of the Trossachs and cruises, on a steamship named SS Sir Walter Scott, make tours of it during the summer months. A two hour return trip costs £15.50 for an adult and departs from the Trossachs Pier, so you can explore this magical landscape and see for yourself why it inspired so much awe in one of Scotland's greatest literary figures. Here's their website
Ben Lomond
It's a bit of a trek, but from the top of Scotland's most southerly Munro you are rewarded with breathtaking views out across Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. From the summit of Ben Lomond you can see a vast expanse of peaks and hills rising up before you and incredible views opening out to the lowlands with their glassy lochs seeping out into the distance. The usual route up is called the 'Tourist Path' but be warned that inexperienced walkers can have difficulties attempting it, especially in bad weather. The car park to aim for is Rowardennan car park which costs £3 for the day and there are also toilets here. The walk is around 7 miles long.
Puck's Glen
An ethereal woodland world accessed via winding trails and filled with enchanting waterfalls. This secluded little glen is located near Rashfield in between Loch Eck and Holy Loch. A steep narrow gorge is arched by wooden bridges and flanked by rocky steps. Huge trees tower over you while ferns and fungi wind around your feet. This place is truly deserving of its name, seeming a very fitting home for the mischievous sprite. The trail that leads you to the glen is around 2 miles long. If you're approaching from Loch Eck on the A815, the Puck's Glen car park is on your left, but there are more detailed instructions on the Forestry Commission's website.
Loch Lomond/West Highland Way
This long distance walking trail passes right alongside the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, and showcases the serene beauty of the loch for which the National Park was named. As you walk the banks, along the trail route you can enjoy the beautiful views of the central islands. Nearby are the majestic waterfalls of Inversnaid and Arklet, which flow into the Loch. You can access the West Highland Way at Rowardennan car park or at the village of Balmaha; park the car and wander to the loch shore to pick up the path. Picnic to admire the views or, if you fancy a walk, the distance between the two is 7 miles. Be warned, however that there are no links to public transport at Rowardennan – so you'll have to walk back again!
