Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is a protected area in central Scotland that covers a wide swath of Loch Lomond, surrounding hills and the Trossachs region. It was designated as a national park in 2002 to conserve landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage.

The park includes extensive freshwater shoreline, many islands and a mix of upland hills and lower wooded glens. Key recreational activities are hillwalking, sailing, mountain biking and wildlife watching, and popular destinations within the park include the loch’s shores and the ascent of Ben Lomond.

Historically the landscape is a product of glacial sculpting and centuries of pastoral land use; settlements, estates and designed landscapes developed around the loch and glens from medieval times onwards. The national park framework brought a coordinated approach to planning, access and conservation in the early 21st century.

Geographically the park spans parts of the southern Highlands and the Central Belt fringe, extending from the southern end of Loch Lomond to central highland glens north and east of Glasgow, and incorporates lowland shores, islands and mountainous terrain.

• Designation: Designated a national park in 2002, the area is managed for a mix of recreation, nature conservation and local communities.
• Visitor points: The western and southern shores offer popular viewpoints and visitor facilities; Balloch at the southern end provides visitor services and boat access to Loch Lomond.

What to See #

• Loch Lomond: Loch Lomond is the largest freshwater loch in Great Britain by surface area and contains many islands, with the largest being Inchmurrin.
• Ben Lomond: Ben Lomond rises to 974 metres and is one of the park's most frequented Munros, with a popular ascent from the eastern shore near Rowardennan.
• The Trossachs: The Trossachs refers to a smaller, wooded and loch-filled area east of Loch Lomond that contains classic Highland scenery of glens, lochs and wooded hillsides.