Exploring Scotland’s famous trail in Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park
This 5 day tour walking the southern Highlands and West Highland Way takes you along Scotland’s famous path and into Scotland’s first National Park. Enjoy staying in a cosy village Inn and exploring forests, lakes and wild glens (valleys) surrounded by mountains.
This is an excellent taster trip of the Scottish Highlands complete with boat rides, steamer loch cruise and medieval castle!
For women’s tour click here!
Our tour starting 8. May will include an evening performance in our host village Gartmore by renowned Scottish folk duo Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham.
Meander through lush forests along the shores of Loch Lomond. Relax over a picnic and boast about hiking on Scotland’s most famous long distance trail, the West Highland Way.
Waterfalls, wild roaming goats and deer accompany you on your journey and refreshing streams and lovely beaches may entice you for a dip.
As water is so much part of the scenery, we include a boat ride or two, an island exploration and a sail on a Victorian steamboat.
Ideal for walking at an easy level, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park offers an excellent introduction to walking in the Scottish Highlands.
Most days en route to the starting points of your walks will give you a sense of the surrounding area without spending much of your time on a bus.
Our groups are of a personable size of no more than 8 persons and accompanied throughout by an experienced and knowledgeable guide.
Generally, a day includes 4 – 5 hours walking with a relaxing lunch break and delicious picnic. Occasionally we finish our walking day in one of the old Scottish pubs on the way home.
You’ll be staying in the cosy Black Bull Inn where you’ll be spoiled with delicious Scottish food and local ales as well as a ‘wee dram’ to celebrate the day.
Find out about wild goats with spectacular horns, how the Vikings carried their boats over mountains, stories of local clans and their warfare or the history behind the coppiced oak forests along the shores of Loch Lomond and the people who lived here not so long ago.
We meet in Glasgow around 10:00h. (meeting point to be confirmed)
Our first hike takes us into the gentle hillside at the foot of the lake’s big mountain, Ben Lomond (974m) and the remains of an ancient settlement, Ardess. Traces of a remarkably industrious and industrial past keep us musing about previous lives and changes in the landscape.
In the afternoon, we join Scotland’s most famous long distance trail, the West Highland Way, along the shores of this most beautiful lake.
A super introduction to Highland landscapes and not too taxing for a first day’s hike.
In the evening we receive a hearty welcome at the Black Bull Inn for some delicious food and a cosy nights sleep.
(B/L) Drive 1 hr/ Walking 3 hrs, 5 km + 2 km, undulating, 60m alt
The lush and dense Trossachs forests, dotted with picturesque lakes, were the home of Scotland’s famous Rob Roy who roamed the area to rob from the rich and provide for the poor. Loch Katrine, the biggest of the Trossachs lakes, is set amidst rugged hills and features as the romantic backdrop in Walter Scott’s 19th century legends and poems.
The day begins with a drive through this beautiful area to Loch Katrine where you board a small cruise vessel to the northern end of the lake. Following a very brief journey to Loch Lomond we spend the afternoon walking along its eastern shores enjoying magnificent views across the water to the peaks of the southern Highland mountains.
(B/L)Sailing 1 hr/ Walking3 hrs, 8 km undulating/ Drive 30 mins
A little bit of sightseeing today: we drive north into the Highlands and along the complete length of Loch Lomond’s shores to the lake’s northern tip. Here we join a delightful and gentle stretch of the West Highland Way, hiking along an old cattle drovers’ path which takes us past the great Ben Glass waterfall and the foothills of rugged mountains beyond.
Wild goats are roaming these lovely forests of birch -, oak – and hazel trees and ruins of old settlements point to a lively history of the area. There are grand views, particularly when Loch Lomond appears like a discovery.
Once at the shore of the loch we signal the ferryman who is to rescue us back to civilization and a a lovely loch shore pub invites for a ‘wee dram’. Returning home, we drive east through beautiful Highland glens Dochart and Ogle enjoying wonderful mountain scenery.
(B/L) Drive 1 hour each way/ Walking 4 hrs, 8 km, undulating
Doune Castle, a medieval regal stronghold much featured in literature, drama and film, sits beautifully between two rivers in woodlands south of the Trossachs. It is the quintessential castle to explore and introduces us to important events in Scottish history.
Following a scenic drive through the Trossachs east to west our final hike takes us through the ancient woods of Glen Finglas offering outstanding views of Loch Venacher and various of the Trossachs’ lakes and the big mountain Loch Lomond.
(B/L) Drive 2 hrs/ Walking 3 hrs, 8 km, 290 m alt
This is a wonderfully relaxing and varied hike. A gentle elevation with ever changing views over the hills and the wide, expansive landscapes changing from the Lowlands to the Highlands. The peak of Conic Hill marks a spectacular geological fault line and offers panoramic views as far as the coast, the Isle of Arran and the Highland mountains.
After picnic lunch we take a short boat ride from Balmaha across to the romantic island of Inchcailloch where we walk its magic woods and come across ancient history of local clans and hermit saints – and great views over the loch.
We return to Glasgow for your onward journey by 17:30.
(B/L) Walking 3 hrs walk, 6km, 361 m alt + 1 hr walk, 2km, 87m alt
You’ll be staying in the cosy, comfortable and community owned Black Bull Inn, right in the middle of the National Park in the delightful village of Gartmore.
Food is an important part of our holiday and you’ll enjoy treats of delicious Scottish cuisine and specials with a twist to sate your appetite as well as excellent local ales to quench your thirst at the end of your hiking day.
Prices are based on 2 sharing a room. We always match guests with same sex, of course. If however, you prefer single room accommodation then please let us know. A supplement is available from £150, depending on availability.
Fitness
This holiday is designed for guests with a good general level of fitness, balance and mobility. We hike mostly on good paths which may, however, be narrow, rough, uneven, rocky and slippery when wet. You should to be sure footed, have experience hiking on unpaved trails and be comfortable on hilly and briefly steep terrain and ascents of up to 350 metres.
Equipment & Clothing
Following your booking, we send you our recommended kit list which you may find helpful.
Travel Insurance
We also strongly advise that you take out a comprehensive travel insurance to provide cover in case of an accident, loss of luggage, cancellations, delays etc. It makes for an even more relaxed holiday.
If you are unsure, please do get in touch and we’ll be happy to discuss any issues.
