Glasgow Visitor Guide - Colin Baxter Glasgow Insight Pocket Guide

 Bearsden & District

Balloch Castle
Rough Guide Scotland Lonely Planet, Walking in Scotland


Photographs of Balloch Country Park

and Balloch Castle on Loch Lomond


Map of Balloch Country Park

Map of Balloch Castle Country Park

 at Balloch




Boats in River Leven at entrance to Balloch Country Park

Boats in River Leven

 at entrance to

Balloch Castle Country Park

 at Balloch





Balloch Castle in Balloch Country Park

Balloch Castle

 in Balloch Country Park




Balloch Castle in Balloch Country Park

Balloch Castle

 in Balloch Country Park



Balloch Castle in Balloch Country Park

Balloch Castle

 in Balloch Country Park





Balloch Castle in Balloch Country Park

Balloch Castle

 in Balloch Country Park




Balloch Castle in Balloch Country Park

Balloch Castle

 in Balloch Country Park




Balloch Castle in Balloch Country Park

Balloch Castle

 in Balloch Country Park




Balloch Castle in Balloch Country Park

Balloch Castle

 in Balloch Country Park





Aerial view of Balloch Castle in Balloch Country Park

Aerial view of Balloch Castle

 in Balloch Country Park




Loch Lomond from Balloch Country Park

Loch Lomond

from Balloch Country Park





Loch Lomond from Balloch Country Park

Loch Lomond

from Balloch Country Park




Cameron House across Loch Lomond from Balloch Country Park

Cameron House

across Loch Lomond


from Balloch Country Park




Luss Hills from Balloch Country Park

Luss Hills across Loch Lomond

from Balloch Country Park




Luss Hills from Balloch Country Park

Luss Hills across Loch Lomond

from Balloch Country Park




Luss Hills from Balloch Country Park

Luss Hills across Loch Lomond

from Balloch Country Park





Maid of the Loch on Loch Lomond from Balloch Country Park

Maid of the Loch on Loch Lomond

from Balloch Country Park





Waterfalls in Fairy Glen in Balloch Country Park

Waterfalls in Fairy Glen

in Balloch Country Park





Waterfalls in Fairy Glen in Balloch Country Park

Waterfalls in Fairy Glen

 in Balloch Country Park





Walled Garden in Balloch Country Park

Walled Garden

 in Balloch Country Park





Walled Garden in Balloch Country Park

Walled Garden

 in Balloch Country Park





Entrance to the Walled Garden in Balloch Country Park

Entrance to the Walled Garden

 in Balloch Country Park





Entrance to the Walled Garden in Balloch Country Park

Entrance to the Walled Garden

 in Balloch Country Park





Walled Garden in Balloch Country Park

Walled Garden

 in Balloch Country Park





BALLOCH CASTLE COUNTRY PARK - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

Location: Balloch Castle Country Park, Dunbartonshire
Grade: Easy low-level walk
Distance: 5km / 3 miles
Time: 2hours

Balloch Castle is a rare example of an almost intact designed landscape. The fashion for creating harmonious landscapes around big houses reached its peak in England with the work of Capability Brown and his contemporaries. Such large-scale landscaping was unusual in Scotland, but here at Balloch Castle we can see the work of the designer, Robert Luger, still evident on the ground as we walk around the country park.
Lugar had, of course, the natural backdrop of Loch Lomond at its most southerly point, where the River Leven runs out from the loch. He used this to good effect to create the all-important panoramas, with trees framing the loch and the surrounding hills.
Within this frame are a number of striking elements, some of which are still being uncovered as work on restoring and enhancing the landscape goes on. Thus at the side of the house there is a Chinese garden, reflecting the 19th century fascination with all things oriental. There are also many fine specimen trees. And at the north end of the park, contrasting with the sweeping contours of the main areas, is the secretive little Fairy Glen — all parks should have one! - with its sparkling burn running down and unexpected corners where the “little folk” might be hiding.
Visitors looking for a genuine castle might be slightly disappointed. At the centre of the park is a fine mansion house, designed by Luger for John Buchanan of Ardoch in 1808 and A-listed, but it isn’t really a castle. There was a genuine, much older fortification here and its scant remains can be made out from the Lochside path as we walk back south on this circuit.
The estate was purchased by Glasgow Corporation in 1915 as a public open space - a far-sighted move for which we should all be grateful. The park is leased to West Dunbartonshire Council and is now in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
Balloch Castle today offers great opportunities for peaceful recreation, and the walk described here, though short, is still very enjoyable. A recent addition has been waymarking for the John Muir Way, the long distance trail that runs from Muir's birthplace in Dunbar across central Scotland to Helensburgh. It passes through Balloch as it nears the end of its journey.
Visiting Balloch Castle is a pleasure at any time of year and it is a place you can return to many times without it growing stale.

ROUTE PLANNER
Map: OS 125,000 Explorer sheet 347 ( Loch Lomond South ). An excellent free map of the park is availabie locally or through www.trossachs.co.uk
Distance: 5km / 3 miles
Time: 2 hours
Start / Finish: Balloch railway stalion(  GR: NS390818 )
Public transport: Frequent trains to Glasgow Queen Sheet.
Information: Balloch TIC, 01389 753533.

Route:
From the station, cross Balloch Road and TR.
Cross the River Leven and take the second road on the left.
At a car park go R.
Cross broad track and continue to Kitchen Garden and Secret Garden.
Walk out to main track heading N.
Cross East Drive and continue to visitor centre and Chinese garden.
Return to main track, which becomes a path ( Coo Lane ).
At Burn of Balloch TL down Fairy Glen.
At foot of glen TL and follow main path by the loch past the Old Boathouse to walk by River Leven.
Continue to Balloch Road and TR for station.


Map of Balloch Country Park

Map of Balloch Castle Country Park

 at Balloch


 Balloch Country Park Photo Gallery :: Clyde River Walkway Photo Gallery

<< BackGlasgow ParksNext >>



Scotland Index :: Scottish Peaks :: Scotland Walks

Glencoe | Ben Nevis | Knoydart | Isle of Skye | Isle of Arran | The West Highland Way

The Eastern Highlands | The Central Highlands | The Southern Highlands | The NW Highlands


Adventure Travel : Worldwide Mountaineering : Site Index

fb icon  google+ icon Linkedin icon  twitter





 








Guide Books & Maps - Scotland:-


Western Scotland & the Western Isles OS Road Map Northern Scotland OS Road MapSouthern Scotland OS Road MapGlasgow Popular Hills - Map



Old Bearsden Glasgow - A Portrait  Glasgow from the Air  Glasgow - No Mean City  Lost Glasgow  Glasgow - The Real Gorbals Story  

Glasgow Visitor Guide - Colin Baxter Itchy Insider's Guide to Glasgow Glasgow Footprint Pocket Guide Glasgow Insight Pocket Guide Glasgow Guide Pub Companion Glasgow Scotland's Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide Scotland - Rough Guide

Glasgow Insight Pocket GuideCollins Street Map of GlasgowGlasgow: Then & NowThey belonged to Glasgow Phillips Street Atlas of Glasgow & West Central Scotland Glasgow: The Photographic Atlas100 Hillwalks around Glasgow 50 Walks in Glasgow & SW Scotland

Visit Scotland - Touring Guide Scotland: Where to Stay - Hotels & Guest Houses Scotland: Where to Stay - Bed & Breakfast Rough Guide ScotlandScottish Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide Scotland - Lonely PlanetScotland's Highlands & Islands - Lonley Planet Great Glasgow StoriesGlasgow & Surroundings - Insight Guide

West Highland Way: Official GuideWest Highland Way: Rucksac ReadersWest Highland Way: TrailblazerThe West Highland WayWest Highland Way: Footprint MapWest Highland Way - Map West Highland Way - Map West Highland Way Wet Highland Way - Official Guide

Munro Almanac The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland The Munros: Scottish Mountaineering Club The Isle of Skye The Isle of Arran Wilderness Walks Ski Mountaineering in Scotland

More Wilderness Walks 50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay Skye - W.A.PoucherMagic of the Munros Mountaineering in Scotland and Undiscovered Scotland by W.H.MurrayA Long Walk on the Isle of Skye

Classic Climbs - Central & Southern Highlands The Isle of Arran Lonely Planet, Walking in ScotlandPathfinder Guide: Skye and NW Highlands WalksPathfinder Guide: Fort William and Glen Coe Walks Rambler's Guide: Ben Nevis and Glen Coe50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay - Chris Townsend











Google Analytics







Google Analytics

extremetracking
 eXTReMe Tracker


extremetracking
Sitelock caingram.com
SiteLock
Sitelock
Sitelock caingram.info
SiteLock
Sitelock