Scotland’s First National Park Features the UK’s Largest Loch and Surpasses Loch Ness in Beauty

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Scotland's First National Park Features the UK’s Largest Loch and Surpasses Loch Ness in Beauty

Scotland is a truly amazing place to visit, full of stunning destinations (including these Rick Steves says to prioritize). Not only is it a must-visit European destination for art lovers, home to some of the world’s most gorgeous golf courses, and features distillery tours that are the highlight of any trip to Scotland, it is also filled with lush countryside and majestic mountains. While a popular place to visit there is Loch Ness, the lake famous for its eponymous monster, Scotland is home to another lake that’s even more beautiful, as the song says: The “bonnie, bonnie banks of” Loch Lomond. 



You may also be surprised to learn that Scotland didn’t have a national park until 2002 – despite the fact that a Scotsman named John Muir developed the idea of a national park, and helped establish both Yosemite and Yellowstone. The Trossachs National Park sits on 720 square miles, and is located about 30 miles north of Glasgow. The park houses 21 Munros (mountains taller than 3,000 feet), 22 lochs, and 39 miles of coastland. Not to mention, the park is made up of four distinct areas with unique characteristics. One of those areas is Loch Lomond: the U.K.’s biggest and most beautiful loch.

What to do in Loch Lomond

A hiker taking a photo overlooking Loch Lomond.



Getting to Loch Lomond

The train at Balloch train station.

With the park situated within an hour’s drive of half the country’s population, visitors have lots of options for accessing the park. One of the easiest ways to decide how to best navigate your journey is by using the National Park Journey Planner app. It can give you all the potential travel options available for the locations you’re visiting, allowing you to make the best choice for your specific situation.



There are two train lines that access the park. One runs from Glasgow to Balloch, a village on the south shore of the loch that is considered the gateway to the park. Trains run every half hour and the trip is just 50 minutes long. The other train runs from Glasgow to Oban/Fort William. This train has several stops in and near the park, including Tarbet, a village on the west shore of the loch.

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Visitors can also take one of two Citylink bus routes from Glasgow, with multiple stops throughout the park, including Balloch, Luss, and Tarbet on the shores of Loch Lomond. You can check the bus schedules on the Citylink website. From Glasgow Airport, visitors can get to Balloch by car within half an hour. Guests coming from the Edinburgh Airport can make it to the park by car in about an hour and 15 minutes. Once there, you can use the Waterbus cruise service to easily explore various spots around Loch Lomond. Cruises start at £14.00 for adults and £11.00 for children.

Dave Pennells

By Dave Pennells

Dave Pennells, MS, has contributed his expertise as a career consultant and training specialist across various fields for over 15 years. At City University of Seattle, he offers personal career counseling and conducts workshops focused on practical job search techniques, resume creation, and interview skills. With a Master of Science in Counseling, Pennells specializes in career consulting, conducting career assessments, guiding career transitions, and providing outplacement services. Her professional experience spans multiple sectors, including banking, retail, airlines, non-profit organizations, and the aerospace industry. Additionally, since 2001, he has been actively involved with the Career Development Association of Australia.