Paddling in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs: Spot Guide

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs is Scotland's first national park and one of the easiest places in Britain to fill a paddling week: the big loch with its islands, a string of small sheltered lochs through the Trossachs, a quiet river at Callander and the western end of Loch Tay at Killin. It suits a first-timer wanting flat water near the car as much as a touring kayaker planning an island hop. This guide covers eight launches picked from the PaddlePal Finder listings, plus when to go, where to stay and what to check before you set off.

Why paddle in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

The park is really two places. Loch Lomond is the largest expanse of fresh water in Britain by surface area, wide and island-studded at the southern end, narrow and fjord-like in the north. The west shore carries the A82 and most of the launches; the east shore has Ben Lomond, the West Highland Way and almost no road, which is exactly why paddlers like crossing to it. The Trossachs, to the east, is a tighter landscape of wooded hills and small lochs: Lubnaig, Venachar, Achray, Katrine, Ard and Chon, plus the Lake of Menteith. These are the lochs for a beginner, a windy day on Lomond, or an evening paddle after a hill walk.

When to go

The season runs from late spring to early autumn. Loch Lomond is a serious piece of water in a wind: south-westerlies funnel up its length and a flat morning can turn into a choppy afternoon, so paddle early and watch the forecast. The small Trossachs lochs are far more forgiving, and Loch Lubnaig is paddled all year. From March to September, camping management byelaws apply along the most popular lochshores, so a kayak-camping trip needs a permit or a campsite in those months. Midges arrive with early summer, and sunny weekends fill Balloch and Luss by mid-morning, so arrive early or head for the Trossachs instead.

Where to paddle

Lomond Shores, Balloch — the southern end of Loch Lomond

Balloch is where most people meet the loch for the first time. The Lomond Shores listing records parking and is tagged as a play spot, a fair description of the wide, shallow southern basin on a calm day: potter along the shore, head towards the nearest islands when conditions allow, and be back at the car for lunch. A little up the west shore, the Duck Bay pin records parking and toilets, and the park authority lists the Duncan Mills Memorial Slipway at Balloch as the public launch for heavier boats. See the Lomond Shores listing on PaddlePal Finder.

Luss — the west shore and the islands

Luss is the postcard village on the west shore, and from its beach the islands of Inchtavannach and Inchconnachan sit close enough to tempt an intermediate paddler across the strait. The Luss listing records parking, the neighbouring pin for the village car park records a café as well, and the Luss Campsite pin just to the north is tagged as a play spot, which makes it the obvious base if you want to launch from your tent. The village is busy on summer weekends, so launch in the morning and give boat traffic in the strait plenty of room.

Tarbet Pier — mid-loch on the west shore

Further north the loch narrows and the hills close in, and Tarbet is the last easy launch before the road starts to hug the shore. The Tarbet Pier listing records parking and a café. The obvious paddle is straight across to the roadless east shore below Ben Lomond, where the West Highland Way runs along the water; a Waterbus also crosses from Tarbet, handy for a one-way trip with a lift back. Tarbet is a West Highland Line station too, so you can arrive by train with an inflatable in a rucksack. The park authority has been redeveloping the visitor site here, so check its Tarbet page for the current state of access.

Inveruglas — the northern narrows

At the top of the loch, Inveruglas is the launch for the wild end: a narrow, deep stretch between steep hillsides where the water feels more like a sea loch. The Inveruglas listing records parking and a play spot, and sits a short crossing from the Inversnaid boathouse pin on the east shore. This end suits confident paddlers with a plan for the wind, which accelerates between the hills; it is also the quietest part of the loch on a still evening. Ardlui, a few miles north, has a pin that records parking and a railway station.

Stronachlachar — Loch Katrine

Loch Katrine supplies Glasgow's drinking water and was the setting for Scott's The Lady of the Lake. The eastern pier is busy with the steamship and cyclists, so the pin at the far western end at Stronachlachar is the paddler's entrance; it records parking, toilets and a café, and the park authority lists this end among its recommended paddling waters. The shore road is closed to general traffic, so you get a long, almost silent loch. Check Scottish Water's current guidance before you go, as rules on a reservoir can change.

Loch Lubnaig and the River Teith at Callander

Loch Lubnaig is the beginner's loch of the Trossachs: long, narrow and sheltered under Ben Ledi, with the A84 along one side so you are never far from the car. The Loch Lubnaig – The Cabin listing records parking and a café, the finder has half a dozen more pins along the same shore, and the park authority describes Lubnaig as suited to learners and open all year to non-motorised craft. At its southern end the loch drains over the Falls of Leny, which are for white-water paddlers only, then becomes the Teith through Callander, where the River Teith Meadows Car Park pin records parking and a pub and gives you a gentle river paddle for a change of pace.

Lake of Menteith — and Loch Venachar

The Lake of Menteith is the flat, open sheet of water between Aberfoyle and Callander with the ruins of Inchmahome Priory on its island, and the finder listing records parking. One caveat: it is first and foremost a trout fishery with boats out through the season, and anyone launching has been asked to disinfect craft first, so speak to the fishery before you turn up. If that sounds like a faff, Loch Venachar East, a few miles north on the road to Callander, records parking and is a straightforward alternative; Venachar's shores have seasonal camping permit areas, so a tent there needs booking in summer.

Loch Tay (Killin Castle) Launch — the western end of Loch Tay

Killin sits in the park's north-eastern corner, and the launch below the castle puts you on the western end of Loch Tay, a long, big-sky loch that is quieter than Lomond and a good day's touring in either direction. The listing records parking, as does a second pin at Firbush a little further along. Killin makes a good base because two Caravan and Motorhome Club sites, Maragowan and Clachan, appear on the finder a short drive from the water. The Falls of Dochart in the village are something to watch from the bridge, not a place to launch.

Beyond the water

Ben Lomond is one of the most climbed Munros in Scotland and starts from Rowardennan on the east shore; Conic Hill above Balmaha is the short version, with the islands laid out along the Highland Boundary Fault below you. On Loch Katrine the steamship Sir Walter Scott has sailed since 1900 and the shore road is a classic cycle. Callander is the Trossachs' market town with cafés and outdoor shops; Luss is worth an hour for the village and shoreline path; and Balloch has Loch Lomond Shores and Balloch Castle Country Park.

Where to stay

Balloch and Alexandria are the obvious base for the southern loch, with hotels, B&Bs and self-catering near the station and the slipway. Luss has a campsite by the loch that appears on the finder, and there are inns along the west shore road as far as Tarbet and Arrochar. For the Trossachs, Callander is the best all-round base, with Loch Lubnaig ten minutes north and Venachar and Menteith a short drive west; Aberfoyle is smaller and closer to Loch Ard and Loch Chon. Killin covers Loch Tay, and its two Caravan and Motorhome Club sites suit anyone with boards on the roof. If you want to camp wild from a kayak, read the camping byelaws first: between March and September the management zones along the busiest lochshores require a permit or a campsite pitch. The park authority's visitor pages explain the zones, permits and how to get around.

Getting there

Glasgow is the gateway: under an hour from Balloch on the A82, with Glasgow Airport the nearest airport. By rail, ScotRail runs a frequent direct service from Glasgow Queen Street to Balloch, and the West Highland Line stops at Arrochar & Tarbet, Ardlui and Crianlarich, all a walk from a finder pin with an inflatable board or a packraft. Citylink coaches along the A82 stop at Balloch, Luss, Tarbet, Inveruglas and Ardlui. For the Trossachs you really want a car: Callander is on the A84 north of Stirling, Aberfoyle on the A81, and the smaller lochs are reached by single-track roads where a full car park is normal on a summer weekend.

Before you launch

Scotland has a right of responsible access to most inland water under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and the Scottish Canoe Association's Paddlers' Access Code explains what responsible means afloat. There is no licence for a kayak, canoe or paddleboard. On Loch Lomond, though, the Loch Lomond Byelaws apply to everyone: powered craft must be registered, speed limits apply in marked areas, and paddlers are expected to give way sensibly to the Waterbus, cruise boats and the rescue service. Read them on the park authority's canoeing and kayaking page before your first visit.

The loch's own guidance asks everyone to Check, Clean, Dry against invasive species every time they leave the water, doubly so if you move between lochs in a day. On the rivers, the finder carries a tree hazard pin on the River Leny and Teith near Callander, and the Falls of Leny, the Falls of Dochart and the River Falloch are serious white water for experienced paddlers only. On the big loch the wind is the main hazard: it builds through the day, the water is cold even in August, and the islands are further than they look. Wear a buoyancy aid, carry a means of calling for help and tell someone your plan. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the police and the loch rescue boat.

Plan it with PaddlePal

Browse the full Scotland listings on PaddlePal Finder for more pins around Loch Ard, Loch Chon, Loch Achray and the east shore of Loch Lomond, then plan your route and track the paddle in the app, checking the wind forecast before you commit. Finder listings are added by paddlers and are a starting point, not a guarantee of access, so check locally on the day. PaddlePal is on the App Store.

Frequently asked questions

Can you paddleboard on Loch Lomond?
Yes. Paddleboards, kayaks and canoes need no licence or registration, but the Loch Lomond Byelaws apply to all users, so read them first. Start around Balloch or Luss in calm conditions.

Do I need a permit to kayak and camp on Loch Lomond?
Between March and September you need a permit or a campsite pitch to camp within the camping management zones along the popular lochshores. Outside those zones and dates the Scottish Outdoor Access Code applies.

Which loch is best for beginners?
Loch Lubnaig near Callander is the one the park authority points learners towards: sheltered, close to the road and rarely windy. The Lomond Shores end of Loch Lomond on a calm morning is a good second choice.

Can I get to Loch Lomond without a car?
Yes. Trains run from Glasgow Queen Street to Balloch, and the West Highland Line stops at Arrochar & Tarbet and Ardlui, both a walk from finder pins. An inflatable board or packraft is the practical option by rail.