Inversnaid () is a small rural community on the east bank of
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond (; ) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault (HBF), often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands.Tom Weir. ''The Scottish Lochs''. pp. 33-43. Published by ...
in
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, near the north end of the loch. It has a pier and a hotel, and the
West Highland Way
The West Highland Way () is a linear Long-distance trail, long-distance route in Scotland. It is long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William, Highland, Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking i ...
passes through the area. A small passenger ferry runs from Inversnaid to
Inveruglas
Inveruglas () is a hamlet on the west shore of Loch Lomond, fairly near the north end of the loch and is within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. It is situated on the A82 road (Great Britain), A82 trunk road, connecting Glasgow t ...
on the opposite shore of the loch, and also to
Tarbet. There is a seasonal ferry that also operates between
Ardlui and Ardleish as well, which is a walkable distance from Inversnaid. To reach Inversnaid by road involves a route from
Aberfoyle.
Nearby is an alleged hideout of
Rob Roy MacGregor
Robert Roy MacGregor (; 7 March 1671 – 28 December 1734) was a Jacobite Scottish outlaw, who later became a Scottish and Jacobite folk hero.
Early life
He was born in the Kingdom of Scotland at Glengyle, at the head of Loch Katrine, as r ...
known as Rob Roy's Cave. The cave is difficult to access, and is best seen from Loch Lomond, where there is white paint indicating the location of the hideout.
Inversnaid Hotel
The Inversnaid Hotel is situated on the banks of Loch Lomond, next to
Arklet Falls and on the West Highland Way. The hotel was built in 1790 for the
Duke of Montrose as a hunting lodge.
The hotel offers food & drinks to hikers on the West Highland Way in a separate extension to the building. It offers chartered tours of the area. The hotel has had many distinguished guests including authors
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poetry, Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romanticism, Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Balla ...
and Sir
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...
,
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
, and later American writer
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne (né Hathorne; July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion.
He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associat ...
and English poet
Gerard Manley Hopkins
Gerard Manley Hopkins (28 July 1844 – 8 June 1889) was an English poet and Society of Jesus, Jesuit priest, whose posthumous fame places him among the leading English poets. His Prosody (linguistics), prosody – notably his concept of sprung ...
.
Inversnaid Bunkhouse
The Inversnaid Bunkhouse is a hostel with restaurant facilities situated 1 km off the West Highland Way and Loch Lomond. The hostel was converted from the original church building, St. Kentigerna's Parish Church, in the 1990s as an outdoor centre for the
Boys' Brigade
The Boys' Brigade (BB) is an international interdenominational Christianity, Christian youth organisation, conceived by the Scottish businessman William Alexander Smith (Boys' Brigade), Sir William Alexander Smith to combine drill and fun acti ...
into its present configuration. The original stained glass is on display in the restaurant on the upper floor.
Garrison Farm
The historic Garrison of Inversnaid that was established by the Duke of Montrose during the time of
Rob Roy MacGregor
Robert Roy MacGregor (; 7 March 1671 – 28 December 1734) was a Jacobite Scottish outlaw, who later became a Scottish and Jacobite folk hero.
Early life
He was born in the Kingdom of Scotland at Glengyle, at the head of Loch Katrine, as r ...
is now a working farm that also offers Bed & Breakfast accommodation, year round.
RSPB Reserve
While most of the surrounding countryside is part of the
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, and is also under the stewardship of the
Woodland Trust, a large portion of the hill and loch side in and around Inversnaid, specifically on the northern side, is given over to an open nature reserve established and maintained by the RSPB.
School
Due to having only two pupils Inversnaid Primary School made headlines in 2010 when it was deemed to cost £54,000 per pupil, making it the most expensive primary school in the UK on a per capita basis.
The following year the school was closed and the building put up for sale by Stirling Council.
References
External links
Trossachs - Inversnaidby Gerard Manley Hopkins
Poetry Foundation - ''To a Highland Girl'' (at Inversneyde, upon Loch Lomond)by
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poetry, Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romanticism, Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Balla ...
RSPB InversnaidGarrison of Inversnaid - Listed Building Information PageThe Woodland Trust
{{Stirling Towns & Villages
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserves in Scotland
Populated places in Stirling (council area)