15/07/2012

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To start at the southern end of Loch Lomond, the sluice gates at Balloch on the River Leven which control the water level in the loch.

The view from the other side of the sluice gates.

On a different visit, zooming in on the barrier above the sluice was a heron, as you can see it was very close to the centre of a busy town but was unconcerned by human activity as it watched out for fish to eat.

Either side of the sluice is a slipway, presumably for transferring boats past this barrier.  There's plenty of boats in the loch as this page shows.

Looking down river from the quay where cruises on the loch leave from Balloch.

Across the river were plenty of ducks and swans waiting to be fed by passers by.

Looking up stream towards the Loch.  You wouldn't think you were only 20 miles from Glasgow and within yards of a suburban railway station with frequent trains to that city.

One of the boats that does trips around the Loch passing the mass of moored craft at the end of her cruise.

This tree is growing almost in the water of the loch near Balloch.

Going up the west bank of the loch we come to Luss with this view along the waterfront to the pier, which offers speed boat rides, with Ben Lomond in the distance.

The view south down the loch from Luss.

At the south end of the beach is a jetty from which this boat does trips around the many islands in this part of the loch.  There are 38 islands in Loch Lomond, most of which are in a band across the loch between Luss and Balmaha.

Luss seen from boat above as she left Luss on her cruise through the islands.

Ben Lomond seen from Loch Lomond.

Four views of some of the islands in Loch Lomond seen from the boat.

It was difficult to chose what to take a photo of and then to select those to put on here, everywhere you look is fabulous scenery.

A last view from this boat trip of Luss with the hills behind it.

A few miles up the Loch from Luss brings us to Firkin Point, this is the view looking up the loch deeper into the Highlands.  As with many views of the Highlands there is one mountain after another as far as you can see.

Zooming in on one of the mountains, the variety and quality of scenery around Loch Lomond is amazing.

Over on the east bank is Balmaha, its cove is filled with boats while out in the Loch are more islands.

Another view of the boats and their reflections at Balmaha.

A closer view of the reflections in this peaceful corner of Loch Lomond.

Two shots of a Goosander duck and her ducklings on the loch near Balmaha.

More boats at Balmaha.  The Highland Lowland Boundary Fault runs within yards of where this photo was taken, Balmaha is in the Lowlands, behind me was the Highlands, if you drive through there to the location of the next few photos you'll notice the difference as you leave the village!

 Now to Milarrochy Bay where there is a Camping and Caravanning Club camp site from which this next series of views were taken.  This is the view from the slipway at the site looking along the loch shore.

Looking straight out over the loch from the site.

Two more views out over the loch from the site.

Two versions of the view from the awning of our caravan, it was lovely to look at over breakfast!

Two shots taken as the evening sun highlighted the tops of the trees and a nearby peak.

Being so close to the loch you don't have to go out to feed the ducks, they come to you!

Three views of the sun setting over Milarrochy Bay, Loch Lomond.

Now some photos taken on the loch from a pleasure cruise boat.  The first is of Ben Lomond towering beside Loch Lomond.

Inchmurrin, the largest island in the loch, with a farm, holiday chalets - and a naturist camp, the only one on a Scottish island.

Moving between the islands near Luss, yes, there is a channel for a largish vessel just right of centre!

Another closer view of Ben Lomond (3,100 feet) with the sun just catching the summit.

Two views of places on the shore of the loch.

The old paddle steamer Maid of the Loch and the new (for the millenium) Loch Shores visitor and shopping complex at Balloch Pier.

Another view of the Maid of the Loch from the shoreward side.  She is the largest freshwater paddle steamer in Britain and the last paddle steamer built here, in 1953, six years after the better known Waverly which is the last sea going paddle steamer.  She is presently being restored with the aim of her steaming the loch again but for now she has a nice café/restaurant and can be looked around at her berth.

For now that's it, but there will in time be more of this extremely beautiful part of Scotland.

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