My spouse and I will be driving around Scotland in late September of this year. Our itinerary is planned except for three nights after we leave the Isle of Skye and prior to staying in Hexham near Hadrian's Wall in northern England. We would like to visit Loch Lomond and would appreciate some guidance. We enjoy hiking; would love to work in a boat ride and some fishing. Would like to stay somewhere around Loch Lomond for two nights then drive a few hours southeast for a partial day and one night prior to driving the rest of the way to the Wall.
Posted by
Last Frontier aka Alaska 🏔️
3560 posts
Full disclosure, I haven't been here, but in doing lots of research on our upcoming trip to Scotland, I might suggest that Inveraray is close to Loch Lomond and is a great base from which to explore that area.
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
We had 3 nights between Skye and the Lake District. Our stops were Fort William, Callander (in the Trossachs) and Glasgow. You could get the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig (check times), then visit Glencoe before spending 2 nights in Oban. From Oban you can spend a day visiting the Isles of Mull and Iona. Head to Loch Lomond for your 3rd night. (It sounds like Glasgow does not figure in your plans).
Posted by
3123 posts
On the western shore of Loch Lomond, boats leave out of the charming village of Luss. If you can't find lodging in Luss, a few miles south is Duck Bay where there is a fairly large & nice modern hotel & restaurant. There's also a luxury resort but I can't think of the name of it offhand. For boat tour options (from Luss and also out of Balloch at the southern end of the loch), see Cruise Loch Lomond and Sweeney's Cruises.
Your entire drive down from Isle of Skye will be really scenic -- pick up the A82 at Invergarry and follow it through Fort William (you may want to turn off to walk up Neptune's Staircase at Banavie and/or to see the ruin of Old Inverlochy Castle) then through Glencoe. From Inverarnan you'll be following the western shore of Loch Lomond all the way.
At Balloch there's a big roundabout with big signs to head for Stirling and Edinburgh, which is what I'd do if I wanted to end up at Hexham and see more of Scotland along the way. I'd skirt Edinburgh to the south on the A720 and pick up the A68 southbound at Dalkeith. Alternatively you can take the route over the Erskine Bridge on the M8 through to Glasgow down to Carlisle and then head east. I think that is less direct though it might be faster because most of it is divided highway ("dual carriageway"). Depends on time of day and traffic congestion.
Posted by
Aberdeen
10 posts
There's also a luxury resort but I can't think of the name of it offhand.
I suspect you're thinking of Cameron House. The main hotel burnt down in December. The lodges are still available, but the availability of facilities isn't what it was.
Posted by
3123 posts
Yes, I was thinking of the Cameron House luxury resort, where the fire occurred in December. I wasn't sure how extensive the damage was.