As you probably already know from my seemingly-never-ending articles about Scottish hikes here at Travelness, Scotland is one of my favorite countries for exploring walks and wanders.
In this guide, I’ve put my busy little feet to some use once more, and I’ve brought you this… the 17 best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.
Slip into those little hiking boots, and come join the two-footed fun!
The Best One-Day Walks in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
1. The Southern Shores of Loch Lomond (from Balloch)
Alright, this stroll isn’t gonna win any ‘most exciting walk in the world’ awards.
But Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is (obviously!) most well-known for being the home of Loch Lomond.
And this gentle meander from busy Balloch takes you along a tiny part of its southern shores. Start by walking along the western side of the River Leven (which runs into Loch Lomond). When you hit Balloch Pier, continue west to Cameron House Marina.
You can then retrace your steps by heading back the way you came, or you can walk back to the town along the wooded lane of Old Luss Road.
This walk is a nice option for people with kids. Along the route, you’ll pass SEA LIFE Aquarium (one of the best aquariums in the UK), Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Center (one of the best zoo-style venues in the UK), and lots of lovely picnic spots.
2. Conic Hill
For short but beautiful, Conic Hill is one of the best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.
If you’re on the hunt for excellent views of Loch Lomond (and that’s probably why you’re here!!) without having to exert much effort, you won’t find better than this.
Start at the village of Balmaha (with its cute boat yard, from where you can tackle trips to the little island of Inchcailloch). From here, head to the village’s main car park, and follow a short trail northeast, which brings you to the summit of Conic Hill.
The route takes you through stretches of forest, and along an easy-to-follow path. As you climb further, the forest becomes more sparse, and the panoramas become more incredible. Highly recommended!
You then return the way you came, which I usually hate doing. But in this case, it’s a lovely return, as you face excellent vistas of Loch Lomond all the way back to your starting point.
3. Ben Lomond
The most southern munro in Scotland (a munro is any mountain in Scotland which has a peak of 3,000 feet/914.4 meters or more), the summit of Ben Lomond measures in at 974 meters (3,193 feet).
It’s one of the most popular ascents in the nation. Again, it (of course) gives you excellent views of Loch Lomond—but this time, you need to put in some effort to get them.
Start from the car park in the tiny village of Rowardennan. Head east through some woods, which thin out after you cross a small bridge. Soon, Ben Lomond looms up ahead—keep following the easily-navigable path.
To make the route into a loop, take the rocky and harder-to-find trail heading southwest from the summit. It’ll eventually bring you back to your starting point. This is a brilliant moderate walk.
4. Inversnaid RSPB Nature Trail
If you’re on the hunt for exciting and adventurous, this isn’t the trail for you—it’s short, flat, and calm, and the views are nothing special.
But if you like birds, you’ll love this wander. It takes you through a section of the Inversnaid RSPB Nature Trail, on the eastern part of the northern banks of Loch Lomond.
Some of the top feathery specimens here include wood warblers, redstarts, pied flycatchers, and black grouse (I have literally no idea what any of that means, but I’m good at using Google. Hopefully it means more to you than it does to me).
Start at the Inversnaid Hotel, and wander north along the banks of Loch Lomond for around 1 mile (1.6km). Return the same way you came. Along your walk, you’ll hit woods, a couple of short-but-steep ascents, and (hopefully) lots of birds. Make sure you bring some binoculars.
5. Loch Katrine Sort-of Circular
For the first time, we’re moving away from the banks of actual Loch Lomond… and we’re bringing you to another of the nation’s best lochs (I reckon Loch Katrine is way prettier than Loch Lomond, but I’m also the sort of guy who think George Harrison was the best Beatle).
Anyway, this long but lovely meander takes you on a giant wander around the northern and western shores of Loch Katrine.
Start at Stronachlachar, a tiny settlement on the western banks of the loch.
Follow the shores north and east, all the way around to the Loch Katrine Visitor Center, just west of Loch Achray. To get back to where you started, you’ll need to take a boat from the pier here.
On the walk, you’ll pass distant peaks, remote homes, and lots of lochside views. If you want a long but simple one-day adventure, this is one of the best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.
6. Part 1 of the Great Trossachs Path (Inversnaid to Trossachs Pier)
If you want to make the above Loch Katrine hike even longer, this is the option for you.
Instead of starting at Stronachlachar, you instead begin at the Inversnaid Hotel (also the starting point for the RSPB trail we’ve already covered). The Inversnaid Hotel is around 5 miles (8km) west of Stronachlachar.
During this extra section of stroll-based excitement, you’ll wander along (and sometimes above!) the northern banks of lovely Loch Arklet.
This hike is part of the longer Great Trossachs Path… which, in its entirety, stretches for a further 12 miles (19 km). The second part runs further east, from Trossachs Pier to Callander.
For long but easy, this is another of the best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. And if you have time, I also recommend tackling the second part of the trek (there are a small number of places to overnight in and around Trossachs Pier).
7. Ben A’an
Just east of Loch Katrine, you’ll find the small summit of Ben A’an.
Its accessible peak measures in at a tiny 461 meters (1,512 feet)—and just like with Conic Hill, the views here far outweigh the effort you put in to get them.
Start at the designated Ben A’an car park, just north of the shores of Loch Achray. Follow the track north, which brings you through some thin forests, and quickly within sight of the small summit.
From the top, you can see pretty much the entirety of Loch Katrine—and in the other direction, you’ll see both Loch Achray, and (part of) Loch Venachar. Walk back the same way you came.
For a decent compromise between challenging and easy, Ben A’an is a brilliant choice. It’s one of my favorite short walks in southern Scotland, and it’s hugely popular.
8. Callander Crags
If you want pretty panoramas without having to drive very far, Callander Crags is a great choice—you can wander along this walk right from the heart of Callander town.
Start from the officially-designated Callander Crags car park, just a couple streets north of the town’s Co-Op food store.
From here, you climb up a bunch of pretty woodland, until you reach a ridge of crags (as you’ve probably guessed from the name of this walk, you’ll be wandering along the length of these rocky guys).
Continue northeast to Jubilee Cairn before then briefly retracing your steps and continuing to head southwest. The path eventually loops around to bring you back to where you started.
If you like panoramic views of towns and villages, you’ll love this one. From various points along the walk, you can see Callander, Loch Venachar, and loads more little bodies of water.
9. Ben Ledi
Ben Ledi is also close to Callander. And like Callander Crags, it’s also one of the best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park for anyone who doesn’t want to drive very far.
The loftiest peak in the Trossachs, Ben Ledi’s peak measures in at 879 meters (2,884 feet)—and it’s a very popular ascent.
Again, you get great views of Callander from up here. But because it’s a little longer than the route we’ve just covered (and quite a lot more challenging), you also see Loch Lubnaig, Ben Lomond, Ben More, and lots of distant peaks. On clear days, you can sometimes even see Stirling Castle from the route.
Walks this close to civilisation aren’t usually this good— and if you want to tackle the Trossachs part of the park, this is my #1 pick.
10. The Cobbler
The strangely-named (and strangely-shaped) Cobbler has one of the most distinctive outlines of any peak in Scotland.
Lumpy, jagged and bizarre, it’s one of the most famous hikes in the nation—and because it’s so popular, it’s good to tackle this one early in the morning.
The peak sits just west of Tarbet, which is on the northern end of Loch Lomond.
Find the big car park just south of Succoth, then follow the easy-to-locate trail southwest. Along your wander, you’ll see Loch Long, Ben Lomond, and a whole load of craggy cliff-style ridges. This part of Scotland is hugely popular with rock climbers—on the way up here, you’ll see why.
For an iconic adventure, this is one of the best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. It’s a good compromise between challenging and beautiful, it’s suitable for most abilities, and you get varied views all the way along the route.
11. Ben Vorlich (via Loch Sloy)
North of the Cobbler, you’ll find Ben Vorlich.
There are lots of ways to clamber up this beefy behemoth… but the shortest, easiest and most popular is the path taking you close to Loch Sloy, just to the west of the peak. During the trail, you’ll ascend a total of 945 meters (3,100 feet).
Start at the Inveruglas Visitor Center, right on the banks of the loch. Follow the path beside the A82 road before turning right onto a road leading under a railway.
As you continue along the trail, you get excellent views of Loch Sloy (and its dam), fantastic panoramas of the northern part of Loch Lomond, and a huge number of distant peaks. To get back to where you started, you want to retrace your steps.
If you like dramatic views of jagged horizons, this is one of the best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.
12. Benvane
If you’re looking for an under-the-radar adventure, this ascent up Benvane is one of the best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. Not many people know about this wander, so it’s great if you’re seeking solitude.
The peak (which measures 821 meters/2,964 feet) sits in the eastern side of the park, between Strathyre and Brig o’Turk.
Start in the already-remote spot of the end of the road at Ballimore. There’s a tiny car park here, along with the quite-hard-to-find trail (so use Maps.me or similar).
The views here aren’t as good as some of the others on our list. But along the way, you’ll see lots of quiet farmland, a wide vast valley (Glen Buckie), and the majority of beautiful Loch Lubnaig. The peak is usually empty and quiet, so it’s a great picnic spot.
When you’re done, return the way you came.
13. Ben More
The loftiest of the park’s munros, Ben More is one of the best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park if you’re looking for a genuine challenge.
The peak measures in at 1,174 meters (3,852 feet). It’s in the northern part of the park, near the village of Crianlarich.
It’s not a hugely long wander… but the trail starts steep—and it never really stops getting steep.
At the western end of Loch Lubhair, you’ll find a layby on the A85 road. Park up, walk west along the road for a little while, then turn left. Start your ascent, and you quickly start rising steeply above the loch.
When you reach Ben More, push further on to Stob Binnein, a slightly-smaller peak with equally-brilliant views. When you’re done at Stob Binnein, keep pushing in the same direction to close off your loop. The whole way, you’ll see endless distant peaks, and a big pretty ridge.
The Best Multi-Day Walks in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
14. The Three Lochs Way
The Three Lochs Way is one of Scotland’s lesser-known long-distance trails. If you want to enjoy a multi-day wander without the company of endless other tourists, this is the hike for you.
And because it’s only 34 miles (55km), it’s a pretty accessible challenge.
It takes you from Balloch (at the southern tip of Loch Lomond), to Inveruglas (close to the northern tip of Lomond). But here’s the enticing twist: instead of following the shores of Loch Lomond, the trail instead brings you on a roundabout route to two more bodies of water (Gare Loch and Loch Long) in a sort-of semi-circle.
Along the way, you hit lots of the region’s lesser-known areas, including the Glen Loin Woodlands, quiet Glen Fruin, the shores of both extra lochs, and the towns of Helensburgh and Garelochhead. If you like underrated and quiet, you’ll love this wander.
15. The Rob Roy Way
The Rob Roy Way takes you from the southern tip of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park to the southern tip of the Cairngorms National Park.
You cut through the nation in a northwesterly line… and more than half of the hike is inside Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. It runs through the Trossachs, and in the eastern side of the park… so it’s great for seeing lots of the region’s lesser-known stuff.
There are two options for the hike: you can either take the standard route (measuring 79 miles/127km), which most people tackle. Or if you absolutely love punishing yourself like some sort of maniac, you can add an optional detour.
This detour adds an extra 17 miles (27km) to the trail, and it offers a much longer way to wander between Kenmore and Aberfeldy (instead of the direct route).
➡️ For much more information on the Rob Roy Way, here’s our full guide.
16. The West Highland Way
The most famous long-distance walk in Scotland, the West Highland Way takes you from Milngavie (just north of Glasgow) to super-famous Fort William.
Just like the Rob Roy Way, this hike is great for seeing loads of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park—you wander through the region for around half the route.
But while the Rob Roy Way shuttles you through the eastern side of the park, the West Highland Way instead runs through the western side of the park (and way beyond).
So if you want to see lots of the park’s most famous sights on a monster challenge, this is the trail for you. Highlights include lots of Loch Lomond, the touristy villages of Tyndrum and Balmaha, excellent views of Ben Nevis, and ascending Conic Hill as part of your walk.
The highest point on the West Highland Way is The Devil’s Staircase (548 meters/1,800 feet).
➡️ For way more detail, check out our full guide to the wander.
17. The John Muir Way
The John Muir Way runs from west-coast Helensburgh to east-coast Dunbar, and it’s a lengthy but brilliant challenge. En-route, you’ll tackle a total ascent of around 14,000 meters (46,000 feet).
For a (very!) short while, the trail runs along the southern tip of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. The rest of the time, it’s a relatively urban route, passing through the southern stretch of Scotland that runs between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Along the way, you’ll hit canals, beaches, woods, industrial relics, a huge number of towns and villages, and lots of insights into history and heritage. For learning while you walk, the John Muir Way is an excellent adventure.
If you prefer towns, cities and civilisation to desolation and solitude, you’ll love this wander. And because it runs through lots of convenience-packed places, you don’t need to carry much with you.
Before You Go
Thanks for joining us on our merry meanders along the 17 best walks in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.
For more information on wandering around the trails of Scotland, check out our guides to the best walks in Glencoe, the best walks on the Isle of Skye, and the best walks in and around Edinburgh.
See you next time, ya hike-loving hero!
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