Introduction to the Park

The National Park feels worlds apart from the bustle of city life. Yet it’s less than an hour from Glasgow and not much more from Edinburgh. A place of contrasts, it covers four distinctly different and special areas:

• Ben Lomond standing guard over Loch Lomond, the largest expanse of freshwater in Great Britain

• The Trossachs, wild glens and sparkling lochs between Callander and Aberfoyle

• Breadalbane, the high country of the north, with some of Scotland’s finest munros, Ben Lui, Ben Challum, Ben More and Ben Vorlich

• The Argyll Forest of the Cowal peninsula watched over by the Arrochar Alps and bordered by sea lochs.

The woods, mountains, lochs and coasts of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park are rich in wildlife. What you find depends on where and when you look.

In summer Loch Lomond’s ancient oakwoods ring with birdsong. Look out for redstarts, pied flycatchers and wood warblers. Ospreys are summer visitors to the loch and nearby Lake of Menteith.

In the high country of Breadalbane, goldern eagles may be seen soaring over mountain slopes. Ben Lui is known for plants such as saxifrage and mountain avens.

Porpoises and seals swim in the sheltered waters of Loch Long and Loch Goil, while crabs and sea anemones can be found in rock pools. Flocks of wading birds feed at the mouth of the River Eachaig at Kilmun.

Winter is often a good time to spot wildlife. Whooper swans and goldeneye find refuge on quiet Trossachs lochs, while Greenland white fronted geese graze by the River Endrick. Red deer, which frequent the high mountain areas, move down the slopes to find food. When the trees are bare you can often glimpse Loch Lomond’s herd of fallow deer as they bound through the woods.

The National Park Authority works in partnership with many other organisations to ensure that the richness of the habitats and the many plants and animals that live in them remain for future generations to enjoy and understand.

A good place to start a visit is the National Park Gateway Centre includes a Tourist Information Centre, a state-of-the-art interpretation centre exploring the nature, geology and social history of the National Park and a peaceful outdoor area with accessible walks down to Loch Lomond.

Getting There

BY TRAIN The Park is served by a rail station at Balloch (where the Gateway Centre is located) with regular services from Glasgow by First Scotrail.   

Getting Around the Park

The Park can be explored on foot, bike and by an extensive local network of buses.

Links

 Loch Lomond National Park
 Park Authority Web Site