The mountains of
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park are best seen where the car cannot go. But if hiking is not your thing, or if you just enjoy being out on the water, short cruises in Scotland, on Loch Lomond and Loch Katrine, offer a different and equally dramatic aspect of some of Scotland's giants.
Cruises in Scotland on Loch Lomond
Before you go Dogs are prohibited from the nature reserve islands on Loch Lomond - so Fido stays home.
- McFarlane & Son at Balmaha Boatyard, Tel: +44(0)1360 870 214, on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, run:
- The Mailboat to Inchtavannich, Inchmurrin, Inchcruin and Inchfad. All are private islands but there's a one hour stop of Inchmurrin, where you can have a bar lunch at the hotel.
- Ferry to Inchailleach an island owned by Scottish Natural Heritage. There's a nature trail that takes about 90 minutes, the ruins of a 14th century chapel and a burial ground. The southern end has a picnic area with barbecue facililties and a safe beach.
- Scheduled cruises and charters among Loch Lomond's 23 islands and nature reserve islands.
- Sweeney's Cruises, Tel: +44(0)1389 752 376, do hour long boat trips, sailing past six stately homes, that leave every hour, from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. throughout the day, year round. A two-hour, round the islands cruise, that takes in the famous Loch Lomond Golf Course is available during the summer. Cruises leave from Balloch pier on the south end of Loch Lomond.
- Cruise Loch Lomond, Ltd., Tel: +44(0)1301 702 356, have regular cruises from Tarbet Pier, midway up the west shore of Loch Lomond. Special cruises include:
- West Highland Way Rambler combining a cruise and a walk along 9 miles of the West Highland Way
- Inversnaid Explorer, a cruise up the narrow, fjord-like northern end of the loch with a two hour stop to visit a nature reserve and picnic near a waterfall.
- Rob Roy Discovery, two hours in MacGregor country, taking in Rob Roy's prison, two islands, a ruined castle and Rob Roy's cave.
Cruises in Scotland on Loch Katrine
Loch Katrine is a deep, narrow and winding loch in the heart of MacGregor Territory. Sir Walter Scott visited and was inspired to write the poem
"The Lady of the Lake".
- The historic steamer, The S.S. Sir Walter Scott, Tel. +44 (0)1877 376 315/6, has been cruising Loch Katrine for more than 100 years - since 1899. It was refurbished in 2007, ready for the 2008 season. Leaving from Loch Katrine Pier, on the southeastern end of the loch, the steamer cruises to Stronachlachar, near the northwestern end, while the crew relates local tales and Scottish lore. There are also shorter cruises.
- The bio-fueled Ellen's Isle does 45-minute introductory cruises on Loch Katrine and an evening Rob Roy Cruise.
