Visit to loch lomond

Xk59D · 01 October 2011, 10:25

went to loch lomond yesterday as we had a small window of decent weather so only managed a few hours but well worth it.

launched from balloch memorial slipway at the ranger station for £15 (or pay £55 for season), excellent facilities available and a car park designed for car/trailer combo with eyes concreted in for chains, although i did not i was only one that locked my trailer up :-)

note the fish spotted-the entire loch seems to have a very healthy fish supply as there was always a decent amount on the finder. makes a change from what i usually see on the clyde.

Xk59D · 01 October 2011, 10:31

more......

dougcrock · 01 October 2011, 11:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xk59D

launched from balloch memorial slipway at the ranger station for £15 (or pay £55 for season),

i believe the fee is voluntary as they have not the proper authority to charge for a public asset
Saying that i to paid this year
good photos weather looks good

Xk59D · 01 October 2011, 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougcrock

i believe the fee is voluntary as they have not the proper authority to charge for a public asset
Saying that i to paid this year
good photos weather looks good

that was not mentioned-they did mention an additional voluntary fee but i was too busy tbh to listen to the girl as i was making up the registration boards as to what it was.

be interested to know if it is indeed legal or not but tbh the facilities there now are worth 55 quid a year IMO so no problems from me either way.

cheers

dougcrock · 01 October 2011, 11:45

the only probs with the site and Balloch no where to moor for a stop ashore it would not have been to much expense to add a few visitor pontoons as its always a rush getting launched and out of the way of others
doug

Xk59D · 01 October 2011, 11:56

i think it is fair to say doug that is a failing on the loch in general?

i don't know if it is any different from when you were last there but there is quite a lot of pontoon you can get in the water and get ready to go from. certainly couldn't stay there for hours though.

i guess they look at it that if they can have a visitor pontoon then they can charge someone to tie alongside it 2 grand a year.....money rules as they say.

cheers

dougcrock · 01 October 2011, 12:36

My friend Peter (from switzerland) was staying at Ardlui for 6 weeks and found it hard to stop and go ashore for any length of time at both Balloch and Balmaha He coverered over 2000km in his ribcraft during his stay
doug

Xk59D · 01 October 2011, 12:41

that proves pretty much the point we have both made. if LL has a failing it is facilities for boats to stop somewhere and get ashore. however it wouldn't stop me from going :-)

is there better scenery in the world!?!

cheers

Dr Doof · 01 October 2011, 13:09

Fantastic pictures.

Looks amazing.

Cookee · 02 October 2011, 07:14

Went up there for a wedding a couple of weeks ago ........

Yes that is me in a kilt! We rented kilts of rthe day - my wife told me I looked better in a kilt than a suit!

Xk59D · 03 October 2011, 14:04

some video from day-

Loch video

password=lochlomond

cheers

Chris Caton · 03 October 2011, 21:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xk59D

that proves pretty much the point we have both made. if LL has a failing it is facilities for boats to stop somewhere and get ashore. however it wouldn't stop me from going :-)

is there better scenery in the world!?!

cheers

we've been going to Loch Lomond for best part of 30 years, there are plenty of places to stop, you just need to get away from baloch as there's not much there anyway!
Inchmurrin: hotel with own jetty, good food and beer!
Luss: pier with t shop, good cafe round the corner that does the best take away creme scones

Inchmoan: got to be one of the best beaches in the world to pull up on and have a brew

Rowardennan Hotel: good jetty to tie up at, good food & beer

Inversnaid Hotel: you can get into the harbour past the ferry, again good food & beer

Inveruglas: good pontoons to tie up onto and excellent cafe with hot chocolate to warm you up

Ardlui: what can you say!! fuel on the water, and not expensive considering the effort they must go to to have fuel delivered! got to be the best food and beer on the Loch, a really warm welcome, and well worth the effort of an early start to the day for breakfast, or a late finish if you want a really good evening meal and a late night cruise!!

and that's not to mention all of the beaches etc you can pull up on for a picnic, or to just sit on the boat and watch the wildlife. and if you don't want to do any of that, where better is there to go to just have the best blast you will ever have on a rib on an inland water, you can go from almost one end of the Loch to the other flat out, no one will bother you as long as you don't speed in the slow bits, it's epic!!

Xk59D · 04 October 2011, 10:18

i think the point was maybe lost-it is difficult to get tied alongside shore side and leave your boat there long term-i.e overnight/couple of days.

the loch has PLENTY of places to tie alongside/beach short term as you have shown above. that is all but a few but certainly a few notable ones there worth a looksy.

cheers

jezza2011 · 04 October 2011, 10:40

Is there anywhere to camp on the loch?
looks like there are plenty of islands to camp on if its allowed

hadd · 04 October 2011, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by jezza2011

Is there anywhere to camp on the loch?
looks like there are plenty of islands to camp on if its allowed

. Yes you can camp on some of the islands & it's free , there is also few camp sites on the east side of the loch as well , I,v stayed on the campsites myself ,all good .

Dry_Doc · 04 October 2011, 14:26

Wild camping is allowed in Scotland, so you can camp almost anywhere so long as you're courteous - i.e. not in a field where there are animals or growing crops, in view of habitation, in large groups or for more than a few nights. You must also leave no trace of you having been there (no rubbish, bury your crap etc).
A few of us walked the West Highland Way earlier this year and wildcamped most of the time. It was great! LL was my favourite part of the trip.

Chris Caton · 04 October 2011, 17:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xk59D

i think the point was maybe lost-it is difficult to get tied alongside shore side and leave your boat there long term-i.e overnight/couple of days.

the loch has PLENTY of places to tie alongside/beach short term as you have shown above. that is all but a few but certainly a few notable ones there worth a looksy.

cheers

probably more like i missed the point, nothing new there then

if you are looking for some where to stay, try the Culag b&b, just north of Luss, excellent b&b, own slipway & pontoon & moorings, it's also the seaplane base.

Excellent campsite at Milarrochy Bay, camping & caravan club site, own slipway and some moorings, but I think they are usually taken for the season, but no probs launching each day.

Ardlui is excellent for b&b, own visitor pontoons, launching etc.

Rowardennan Hotel is good, but beware of cost of boating from there: they charge for launch/recovery & moorings, approx £125 per wk for visitors

Poly · 04 October 2011, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dry_Doc

Wild camping is allowed in Scotland, so you can camp almost anywhere so long as you're courteous.

Unfortunately this is no longer the case on the east side of loch lomond due to a local bylaw (its not clear why they needed a new law when the "problem" campers were generally breaking existing laws and this wasn't being enforced). I don't think the new law applies on the islands?

As a technical point the right to Wild Camp, enshrined in the Land Reform Act (Scotland) 2003, probably does not apply to a site you have accessed by RIB, since it applies as an adjunct to responsible access rights which does not apply to motorised transport. That said you are very unlikely to have a problem in any quiet/secluded area.