Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park map

Loch Lomond (; ) is a freshwater Scottish

loch ''Loch'' ( ) is a word meaning "lake" or "inlet, sea inlet" in Scottish Gaelic, Scottish and Irish Gaelic, subsequently borrowed into English. In Irish contexts, it often appears in the anglicized form "lough". A small loch is sometimes calle ...

which crosses the

Highland Boundary Fault The Highland Boundary Fault is a major fault zone that traverses Scotland from Arran and Helensburgh on the west coast to Stonehaven in the east. It separates two different geological terranes which give rise to two distinct physiographic ter ...

(HBF), often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands.

Tom Weir Thomas Weir Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MBE (29 December 1914 – 6 July 2006) was a Scottish climber, author and broadcaster. He was best known for his long-running television series ''Weir's Way''. Early life a ...

. ''The Scottish Lochs''. pp. 33-43. Published by Constable and Company, 1980. Traditionally forming part of the boundary between the

counties A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

Stirlingshire Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling ( ) is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county of Scotland. Its county town is Stirling.Registers of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. It borders Perthshir ...

and

Dunbartonshire Dunbartonshire () or the County of Dumbarton is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbar ...

, Loch Lomond is split between the

council areas For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" (), which are all governed by single-tier authorities designated as "councils". They have the option under the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Sc ...

Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute (; , ) is one of 32 unitary authority, unitary council areas of Scotland, council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod ...

and

West Dunbartonshire West Dunbartonshire (; , ) is one of the 32 Local government in Scotland, local government council areas of Scotland. The area lies to the north-west of the Glasgow City council area and contains many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages. ...

. Its southern shores are about northwest of the centre of

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

, Scotland's largest city. The Loch forms part of the

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park () is a national park in Scotland centred on Loch Lomond and the hills and glens of the Trossachs, along with several other ranges of hills. It was the first of the national parks of Scotland, two nati ...

which was established in 2002. From a limnological perspective, Loch Lomond is classified as a dimictic lake, meaning it typically undergoes two mixing periods each year. This occurs in the spring and autumn when the water column becomes uniformly mixed due to temperature-driven density changes Loch Lomond is long and between wide, with a surface area of . It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area; in the United Kingdom, it is surpassed only by

Lough Neagh Lough Neagh ( ; ) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland and is the largest lake on the island of Ireland and in the British Isles. It has a surface area of and is about long and wide. According to Northern Ireland Water, it supplies 4 ...

and

Lough Erne Lough Erne ( , ) is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is the second-biggest lake system in Northern Ireland and Ulster, and the fourth biggest in Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River E ...

in Northern Ireland. In the

British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

as a whole there are several larger loughs in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...

. The loch has a maximum depth of about in the deeper northern portion, although the southern part of the loch rarely exceeds in depth. The total volume of Loch Lomond is , making it the second largest lake in Great Britain, after

Loch Ness Loch Ness (; ) is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. Loch Ness is best known for claimed sightings of the cryptozoology, cryptozoological Loch Ness Mons ...

, by water volume.Due to its considerable depth and latitudinal location, Loch Lomond exhibits thermal stratification during the summer months, with a distinct epilimnion, metalimnion, and hypolimnion forming in deeper areas. These stratification patterns have important implications for nutrient cycling and aquatic ecology within the loch. During periods of stratification, a decrease in hypolimnetic oxygen can occur in the deeper northern basin, which can affect the species distribution patterns. Loch Lomond is considered oligotrophic (north of HBF) to mesotrophic (south of HBF), with relatively low to moderate nutrient levels and generally good water quality, although localised pressures such as agriculture and tourism can contribute to nutrient enrichment. The loch contains many islands, including

Inchmurrin Inchmurrin () is an island in Loch Lomond in Scotland. It is the largest lake island, fresh water island in the British Isles. Geography and geology Inchmurrin is the largest and most southerly of the islands in Loch Lomond. It reaches a he ...

, the largest fresh-water island in the

. Loch Lomond is a popular leisure destination and is featured in the song "

The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond" (or "Loch Lomond") is a traditional Scotland, Scottish folk song (Roud Folk Song Index, Roud No. 9598). including

Ben Lomond Ben Lomond (, ), , is a mountain in the Scottish Highlands. Situated on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, it is the most southerly of the Munros. Ben Lomond lies within the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park and the Loch Lomond and The Trossach ...

on the eastern shore, which is in height and the most southerly of the Scottish

Munro A Munro (; ) is defined as a mountain in Scotland with a height over , and which is on the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) official list of Munros; there is no explicit topographical prominence requirement. The best known Munro is Ben Nevi ...

peaks. A 2005 poll of ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

'' readers voted Loch Lomond as the sixth greatest natural wonder in Britain.

Etymology

Loch Lomond takes its name from the highest peak in the area,

, , meaning ‘beacon mountain’ i.e. a site for warning beacons. However, the region in which the loch is located is anglicised as Lennox and Loch Lomond "was of old ''Loch Leamhna''" after the River Leven which means ‘elm water’ in Gaelic.

Formation

The depression in which Loch Lomond lies was carved out by

glacier A glacier (; or ) is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving downhill under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires ...

s during the final stages of the last

ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages, and g ...

, during a return to glacial conditions known as the Loch Lomond Readvance between 20,000 and 10,000 years ago. The hydrology and structure of the loch are strongly influenced by its glacial origins and underlying geology. Formed during the last glaciation, the loch occupies a classic glacial trough, carved by ice movement from the Ben Lui region. The loch lies on the HBF, and the difference between the Highland and Lowland geology is reflected in the shape and character of the loch: in the north the glaciers dug a deep channel in the Highland

schist Schist ( ) is a medium-grained metamorphic rock generally derived from fine-grained sedimentary rock, like shale. It shows pronounced ''schistosity'' (named for the rock). This means that the rock is composed of mineral grains easily seen with a l ...

, removing up to 600 m of bedrock to create a narrow, fjord-like

finger lake A finger lake, also known as a fjord lake or trough lake, is "a narrow linear body of water occupying a glacially overdeepened valley and sometimes impounded by a morainic dam."Kotlyakov and Komarova (2007), 255. Where one end of a finger lake ...

.This area is underlain by ancient Precambrian and Cambrian schists and quartzites, which contributed to the formation of the deep and narrow northern basin, reaching depths of up to 190 metres . Further south the glaciers were able to spread across the softer Lowland

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

, leading to a wider body of water that is rarely more than 30 m deep. The southern part of the loch features younger Devonian sandstones and volcanic rocks, especially near the Campsie Fells, resulting in a broad, shallow basin. In the period following the Loch Lomond Readvance the sea level rose, and for several periods Loch Lomond was connected to the sea, with shorelines identified at 13, 12 and 9 metres above sea level (the current loch lies at 8 m above sea level). The change in rock type can be clearly seen at points around the loch, as it runs across the islands of

Creinch Creinch (, Tree Island) is an island on the Highland Boundary Fault in Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; ) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault (HBF), often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Centr ...

Torrinch Torrinch or Inchtore () is a wooded island in Loch Lomond in Scotland. The name Torremach is also recorded for it.Wilson, Rev. John ''The Gazetteer of Scotland'' (Edinburgh, 1882) Published by W. & A.K. Johnstone Geography It is one of the sma ...

and

Inchcailloch Inchcailloch () is an islet on Loch Lomond in Scotland. It is at its highest point. It is also known to some as Inchebroida. The name Inchcailloch means "Isle of the old woman" or "Isle of the Cowled (Hooded) Woman" in the Scottish Gaelic ...

and over the ridge of

Conic Hill Conic Hill (from Gaelic "còinneach" meaning moss) is a prominent hill in Stirling, Scotland. Location and description It is on the east bank of Loch Lomond, beside the village of Balmaha. It is a sharp little summit which is on the Highland ...

. The loch's shape and many of its islands follow the line of the HBF separates the ancient metamorphic rocks of the Highlands from the younger sedimentary rocks of the Lowlands. To the south lie green fields and cultivated land; to the north, mountains.

Catchment

Loch Lomond has a catchment area of approximately 781 square kilometres. The primary inflows include the River Falloch in the north, the Endrick Water in the southeast, and the Fruin Water, along with numerous smaller streams. The loch drains southward via its sole outflow, the River Leven, which eventually joins the River Clyde at Dumbarton. With a relatively short water residence time of approximately 1.9 years, Loch Lomond is a dynamic freshwater system shaped by both climatic and geological forces. Rainfall varies significantly across the catchment, with the mountainous western Highlands receiving over 3,000 mm annually, while the southern lowlands average around 1,500 mm. This variation contributes to differences in river discharge and water chemistry throughout the loch. The loch's water quality is generally high, with low nutrient levels and good ecological status, although areas such as Luss Bay can experience temporary declines following heavy rainfall due to diffuse pollution from surrounding agriculture and forestry. The contrasting sub-catchments of the River Falloch and River Endrick have a notable impact on water chemistry within the loch. The River Falloch drains a mountainous, base-poor catchment north of the HBF, characterised by steep slopes, high rainfall (averaging 2,842 mm per year), and acidic, nutrient-poor soils. This results in oligotrophic inflows with low nutrient and organic content, supporting lower productivity in the northern basin. In contrast, the River Endrick originates in a more fertile, base-rich catchment south of the HBF. It flows through improved grasslands and farmland, contributing higher nutrient loads and organic matter. This mesotrophic inflow raises productivity and nutrient concentrations in the southern basin, which also receives lower rainfall (around 1,500 mm per year). Vegetation within the catchment is varied and reflects the topographic and geological diversity. In the north, upland moorlands and remnants of Caledonian pine forest dominate, while the south supports more managed landscapes, including agricultural land, riparian woodlands, and patches of deciduous forest. Native species such as Scots pine, birch, and oak are common, and the area supports a mosaic of heathland and bog habitats. Many areas are designated as conservation sites, including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), recognising their biodiversity and ecological importance. Loch Lomond is also geologically unique due to its glacial landforms and subsurface features. The loch’s basin contains sedimentary layers that have accumulated since the last ice age, including the recently identified Inchmurrin Formation, formed by landslides after deglaciation. In some areas, sediment deposits reach depths of up to 127 metres. Between the major geological zones lies the Highland Border Complex, a narrow band of mixed metamorphic and sedimentary rocks representing an ancient ocean basin. Human pressures such as diffuse agricultural pollution, bank modifications, and the spread of invasive species pose ongoing challenges. Restoration efforts focus on improving water quality and restoring degraded peatlands to enhance natural water retention and carbon storage. Luss Bay and other parts of the loch are designated bathing waters monitored by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), although swimming is not recommended after heavy rainfall due to runoff contamination. Overall, Loch Lomond's hydrology is shaped by a complex interplay of glacial history, geological contrasts, climatic variation, and human influence. These factors create a highly diverse and dynamic catchment that supports a wide range of ecological, recreational, and conservation functions.

Islands

The loch contains thirty or more other islands, depending on the water level. Several of them are large by the standards of British bodies of freshwater.

, for example, is the largest island in a body of freshwater in the British Isles. Many of the islands are the remains of harder rocks that withstood the passing of the glaciers; however, as in

Loch Tay Loch Tay () is a freshwater loch in the central Scottish Highlands, highlands of Scotland, in the Perth and Kinross and Stirling (council area), Stirling Subdivisions of Scotland#Council areas, council areas, the largest body of fresh water in ...

, several of the islands appear to be

crannog A crannog (; ; ) is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually constructed in lakes, bogs and estuary, estuarine waters of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Unlike the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, which were built ...

s, artificial islands built in prehistoric periods. English travel writer, H.V. Morton wrote: Writing 150 years earlier than Morton,

Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...

had however been less impressed by Loch Lomond's islands, writing:

Flora and fauna

The Scottish dock (''Rumex aquaticus''), sometimes called the Loch Lomond dock, is in Britain unique to the shores of Loch Lomond, being found mostly on around

Balmaha Balmaha ( Gaelic: ''Baile Mo Thatha'') is a village on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond in the council area of Stirling, Scotland. The village is a popular tourist destination for picnickers and day trippers from Glasgow as well as walkers on ...

on the eastern shore of the loch. It was first discovered growing there in 1936 (else it grows eastwards through Europe and Asia all the way to Japan).

Powan The powan (''Coregonus clupeoides'') is a kind of freshwater whitefish endemic to two lochs in Scotland, Loch Lomond and Loch Eck. It has been successfully introduced in two other sites, Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Scheme, Loch Sloy and the Carron V ...

are one of the commonest fish species in the loch, which has more species of fish than any other loch in Scotland, including

lamprey Lampreys (sometimes inaccurately called lamprey eels) are a group of Agnatha, jawless fish comprising the order (biology), order Petromyzontiformes , sole order in the Class (biology), class Petromyzontida. The adult lamprey is characterize ...

, lampern,

brook trout The brook trout (''Salvelinus fontinalis'') is a species of freshwater fish in the char genus ''Salvelinus'' of the salmon family Salmonidae native to Eastern North America in the United States and Canada. Two ecological forms of brook trout h ...

perch Perch is a common name for freshwater fish from the genus ''Perca'', which belongs to the family Percidae of the large order Perciformes. The name comes from , meaning the type species of this genus, the European perch (''P. fluviatilis'') ...

loach Loaches are ray-finned fishes of the suborder Cobitoidei. They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish found in rivers and creeks throughout Eurasia and North Africa, northern Africa. Loaches are among the most diverse groups of fish; the ...

common roach The roach, or rutilus roach (''Rutilus rutilus''), also known as the common roach, is a fresh- and brackish-water fish of the family Cyprinidae, native to most of Europe and western Asia. Fish called roach can be any species of the genera ''Rut ...

and

flounder Flounders are a group of flatfish species. They are demersal fish, found at the bottom of oceans around the world; some species will also enter estuary, estuaries. Taxonomy The name "flounder" is used for several only distantly related speci ...

. The river lamprey of Loch Lomond display an unusual behavioural trait not seen elsewhere in Britain: unlike other populations, in which young hatch in rivers before migrating to the sea, the river lamprey here remain in freshwater all their lives, hatching in the Endrick Water and migrating into the loch as adults. The surrounding hills are home to species such as

black grouse The black grouse (''Lyrurus tetrix''), also known as northern black grouse, Eurasian black grouse, blackgame or blackcock, is a large Aves, bird in the grouse family. It is a Bird migration, sedentary species, spanning across the Palearctic in m ...

ptarmigan ''Lagopus'' is a genus of birds in the grouse subfamily commonly known as ptarmigans (). The genus contains four living species with numerous described subspecies, all living in tundra or cold upland areas. Taxonomy and etymology The genus ''L ...

golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of pr ...

pine marten The European pine marten (''Martes martes''), also known as the pine marten, is a mustelid native to and widespread in most of Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, and parts of Iran, Iraq, and Syria. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red Lis ...

red deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...

and

mountain hare The mountain hare (''Lepus timidus''), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a species of Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. Evolution ...

s. Many species of

wading bird Birders in Canada and the United States refer to several families of long-legged wading birds in semi-aquatic ecosystems as waders. These include the families Phoenicopteridae (flamingos), Ciconiidae (storks), Threskiornithidae (ibises and s ...

s and water vole inhabit the loch shore. During the winter months large numbers of geese migrate to Loch Lomond, including over 1% of the entire global population of Greenland white-fronted geese (around 200 individuals), and up to 3,000

greylag geese The greylag goose (''Anser anser'') is a species of large goose in the waterfowl family Anatidae and the type species of the genus '' Anser''. It has mottled and barred grey and white plumage and an orange beak and pink legs. A large bird, it m ...

. In January 2023 RSPB Scotland released a family of

beavers Beavers (genus ''Castor'') are large, semiaquatic rodents of the Northern Hemisphere. There are two existing species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers are the second-large ...

into the southeastern area of the loch under licence from

NatureScot NatureScot () is an Scottish public bodies#Executive NDPBs, executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for Scotland’s natural heritage, especially its nature, natural, genetics, genetic and scenic diversity. ...

. The beaver family, consisting of an adult pair and their five offspring, were translocated from a site in Tayside, where beaver activity was having a negative impact that could not be mitigated. One of the loch's islands, Inchconnachan, is home to a colony of red-necked wallabies. Invasive species pose a significant threat to the biodiversity and ecological balance of Loch Lomond and its surrounding habitats. Several invasive non-native species have established themselves in the area, particularly along riverbanks and loch shores, where they outcompete native plants and disrupt local ecosystems. The most problematic invasive plant species in the Loch Lomond catchment include Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica), Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), and American Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus). These species are targeted for control by local conservation organisations, as their rapid spread and dense growth can threaten native flora and fauna, destabilise riverbanks, and reduce habitat quality for wildlife. Efforts to manage and eradicate these invasives are ongoing, with volunteers and park authorities working to monitor, map, and treat affected areas to protect the loch's unique biodiversity.

Conservation designations

As well as forming part of the

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park () is a national park in Scotland centred on Loch Lomond and the hills and glens of the Trossachs, along with several other ranges of hills. It was the first of the national parks of Scotland, two nati ...

, Loch Lomond holds multiple other conservation designations. 428 ha of land in the southeast, including five of the islands, is designated as national nature reserve: the

Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve (NNR) () encompasses 430 hectares of land at the southeastern part of Loch Lomond in the council areas of Stirling and West Dunbartonshire, in Scotland. It covers the islands of Inchcailloch, Clairinsh, T ...

. Seven islands and much of the shoreline form a

Special Area of Conservation A special area of conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and ap ...

(SAC), the ''Loch Lomond Woods''. This designation overlaps partially with the national nature reserve, and is protected due to the presence of Atlantic oak woodlands and a population of

otters Otters are carnivorous mammals in the Rank (zoology), subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic animal, aquatic, or Marine ecology, marine. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae Family (biology), family, whi ...

. Four islands and a section of the shoreline are designated as a

Special Protection Area A special protection area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and cer ...

due to their importance for breeding

capercaillie ''Tetrao'' is a genus of birds in the grouse subfamily known as capercaillies. They are some of the largest living grouse. Feathers from the bird were used to create the characteristic hat of the bersaglieri, an Italian ace infantry formation. ...

and visiting Greenland white-fronted geese: this designation overlaps partially with both the national nature reserve and the SAC. Loch Lomond is also a designated

Ramsar site A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O) *** Permanent 8 ha (P) *** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts) **

national scenic area, one of forty such areas in Scotland, which have been defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development.

History

People first arrived in the Loch Lomond area around 5000 years ago, during the

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

era. They left traces of their presence at places around the loch, including Balmaha, Luss, and Inchlonaig.

Crannog A crannog (; ; ) is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually constructed in lakes, bogs and estuary, estuarine waters of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Unlike the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, which were built ...

s, artificial islands used as dwellings for over five millennia, were built at points in the loch. The

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

built a double-row of defense forts within sight of the loch at

Drumquhassle Drumquhassle was a Roman fort associated with the Gask Ridge in Scotland. It was found from aerial photography in the late 1970s. The name selected for the fort deliberately made it hard for English born readers to pronounce. The fort was from th ...

in the first century, and was built to protect themselves against the Highland tribes during their invasion of Scotland. Known as a “glen-blocker” fort, it dates back to the Flavian dynasty (69 – 96 AD). The crannog known as "The Kitchen", located off the island of Clairinsh, may have later been used as a place for important meetings by

Clan Buchanan Clan Buchanan ( ) is a Scottish Highlands, Highlands Scottish Clan whose origins are said to lie in the 1225 grant of lands on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond to clergyman Sir Absalon of Buchanan by the Earl of Lennox."The Scottish Clans and T ...

whose clan seat had been on Clairinsh since 1225: this usage would be in line with other crannogs such as that at

Finlaggan Finlaggan (, ) is a historic site on Eilean Mòr in Loch Finlaggan, on the island of Islay, around 4 km west of the ferry terminal at Port Askaig. History Finlaggan was the seat of the Lords of the Isles and of Clan Donald. Two of the thr ...

Islay Islay ( ; , ) is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Known as "The Queen of the Hebrides", it lies in Argyll and Bute just south west of Jura, Scotland, Jura and around north of the Northern Irish coast. The island's cap ...

, used by

Clan Donald Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald or Clan McDonald ( ), is a Highland Scottish clan and one of the largest Scottish clans. Historically the chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of Lord of the Isles until 1493 and two of those chiefs a ...

. During the

Early Medieval The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Middle Ages of Europ ...

period

viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...

raiders sailed up

Loch Long Loch Long is a body of water in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The sea loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end, to the Arrochar Alps at the head of the loch. It measures approximately in length, with a wi ...

, hauled their longboats over at the narrow neck of land at Tarbet, and sacked several islands in the loch. The area surrounding the loch later become part of the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

of Lennox, which covered much of the area of the later

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

Loch Lomond became a popular destination for travellers, such that when

James Boswell James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (; 29 October 1740 ( N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his biography of the English writer Samuel Johnson, '' Life of Samuel ...

and

visited the islands of Loch Lomond on the return from their tour of the Western Isles in 1773, the area was already firmly enough established as a destination for Boswell to note that it would be unnecessary to attempt any description.S. Johnson & J. Boswell (ed. R. Black). ''To the Hebrides: "Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland" and "Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides"'', p. 423. Published by Birlinn, 2007.

Leisure activities

Boating and watersports

Loch Lomond is one of Scotland's premier boating and watersports venues, with visitors enjoying activities including

kayak ] A kayak is a small, narrow human-powered watercraft typically propelled by means of a long, double-bladed paddle. The word ''kayak'' originates from the Inuktitut word '' qajaq'' (). In British English, the kayak is also considered to be ...

ing,

Canadian canoe Canadian is the byname used in some countries for the descendants of the birch bark canoe that was used by the indigenous peoples of Northern America as a convenient means of transportation in the densely forested and impassable areas of No ...

ing,

paddle board Paddleboarding is a water sport in which participants are propelled by a swimming motion using their arms while lying or kneeling on a paddleboard or surfboard in the ocean or other body of water. Paddleboarding is usually performed in the open ...

ing, wake boarding,

water skiing Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on one or two skis. The sport requires sufficien ...

and wake surfing. The national park authority has tried to achieve a balance between land-based tourists and loch users, with environmentally sensitive areas subject to a strictly enforced speed limit, but the rest of the loch open to speeds of up to . The ''Maid of the Loch'' was the last

paddle steamer A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine driving paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, whereby the first uses were wh ...

built in Britain. Built on the Clyde in 1953, she operated on Loch Lomond for 29 years. She is now being restored at Balloch pier by the Loch Lomond Steamship Company, a charitable organisation, supported by West Dunbartonshire Council. Cruises also operate from Balloch, Tarbet, Inversnaid, Luss and Rowardennan. Loch Lomond Rescue Boat provides 24-hour safety cover on the loch. The rescue boat is a volunteer organisation and a registered charity. The national park authority also have other boats on the loch such as ''The Brigadier''.

Police Scotland Police Scotland (), officially the Police Service of Scotland (), is the national police force of Scotland. It was formed in 2013, through the merging of eight regional police forces in Scotland, as well as the specialist services of the Scottis ...

also operates on the loch using

RIBs The rib cage or thoracic cage is an endoskeletal enclosure in the thorax of most vertebrates that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum, which protect the vital organs of the thoracic cavity, such as the heart, lungs and great vessels ...

and jet skis and work in conjunction with the national park authority. The loch has served as the venue for the Great Scottish Swim, which is held each year in August.

Angling

Fly Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced ...

and

coarse fishing Coarse fishing (, ) is a phrase commonly used in United Kingdom, Great Britain and Ireland. It refers to the angling for rough fish, which are fish species considered undesirable as food or game fish. Freshwater game fish are all salmonids, parti ...

on Loch Lomond is regulated by the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association (LLAIA), who issue permits to members and visiting anglers. The association employ

water bailiff A water bailiff is a law-enforcement officer responsible for the policing of bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes or the coast. The position has existed in many jurisdictions throughout history. Scotland In Scotland, under the Salmon and Fresh ...

s to monitor the actions of anglers on the loch and ensure angling is carried out in accordance with permit conditions.

Land-based activities

Loch Lomond Golf Club Loch Lomond Golf Club is located in Luss, Argyll & Bute, Scotland on the shore of Loch Lomond. The course occupies land previously held by Clan Colquhoun and includes the clan's seat of Rossdhu House as its clubhouse. History While Clan Colquh ...

is situated on the south-western shore. It has hosted many international events including the Scottish Open. Another golf club, "The Carrick" has opened on the banks of the Loch adjacent to the Loch Lomond Club. 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 ...

runs along the eastern bank of the loch, and Inveruglas on the western bank is the terminus of the

Loch Lomond and Cowal Way The Loch Lomond and Cowal Way is a waymarked footpath in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, which runs between Portavadie and Inveruglas. It was formerly known as the Cowal Way, a reference to the Cowal peninsula, but was renamed in December 2018 to ref ...

. The West Loch Lomond Cycle Path runs from

Arrochar and Tarbet railway station Arrochar and Tarbet railway station is a railway station on the West Highland Line in Scotland. It stands between the villages of Arrochar, Scotland, Arrochar and Tarbet, Dunbartonshire, Tarbet. It is sited from Craigendoran railway station, Cr ...

, at the upper end of the loch, to

Balloch railway station Balloch railway station is a railway station serving the town of Balloch in Scotland. The station is a western terminus of the North Clyde Line, sited northwest of , measured via Singer and Maryhill. History Although the line through the sta ...

, at the south end. The long cycle path runs along the west bank. At the southern end of the loch near Balloch is a large visitor and shopping complex named Loch Lomond Shores.

Access and camping

As with all land and inland water in Scotland there is a right of responsible access to the loch and its shoreline for those wishing to participate in recreational pursuits such as

walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined as an " inverted pendulum" gait in which the body vaults o ...

camping Camping is a form of outdoor recreation or outdoor education involving overnight stays with a basic temporary shelter such as a tent. Camping can also include a recreational vehicle, sheltered cabins, a permanent tent, a shelter such as a Bivy bag ...

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

and

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. In some parts of Europe, canoeing refers to both canoeing and kayaking, with a canoe being called an 'open canoe' or Canadian. A few of the recreational ...

. In 2017 the

national park authority A national park authority is a special term used in Great Britain for legal bodies charged with maintaining a national park of which, as of October 2021, there are ten in England, three in Wales and two in Scotland. The powers and duties of all su ...

introduced

byelaw A by-law (bye-law, by(e)law, by(e) law), is a set of rules or law established by an organization or community so as to regulate itself, as allowed or provided for by some higher authority. The higher authority, generally a legislature or some other ...

s restricting the right to camp along much of the shoreline of Loch Lomond, due to issues such as litter and anti-social behaviour that were blamed on irresponsible campers. Camping is now restricted to designated areas, and campers are required to purchase a permit to camp within these areas between March and October. The byelaws were opposed by groups such as Mountaineering Scotland and Ramblers Scotland, who argued that they would criminalise camping even where it was carried out responsibly, and that the national park authority already had sufficient powers to address irresponsible behaviour using existing laws.

Transport

The main arterial route along the loch is the

A82 road The A82 is a major road in Scotland that runs from Glasgow to Inverness via Fort William, Highland, Fort William. It is one of the principal north-south routes in Scotland and is mostly a trunk road managed by Transport Scotland, who view it a ...

which runs the length of its western shore, following the general route of the Old Military Road. The road runs along the shoreline in places, but generally keeps some distance to the west of the loch in the "lowland" section to the south. Much of the southern section of the road was widened to a high quality single carriageway standard over the 1980s, at an estimated cost of £24 million (£ million as of ), while Luss itself is now bypassed to the west of the village along a single carriageway bypass constructed between 1990 and 1992. At Tarbet, the A83 branches west to

Campbeltown Campbeltown (; or ) is a town and former royal burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies by Campbeltown Loch on the Kintyre Peninsula. Campbeltown became an important centre for Scotch whisky, and a busy fishing port. The 2018 populatio ...

while the A82 continues to the north end of the loch. This part of the road is currently of a lower standard than the sections further south. It is sandwiched between the shoreline of the loch and the mountains to the west, and it runs generally alongside the

West Highland Line The West Highland Line ( – "Iron Road to the Isles") is a railway line linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban in the Scottish Highlands to Glasgow in Central Scotland. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of indepen ...

. The road narrows to less than in places and causes significant problems for

heavy goods vehicles A large goods vehicle (LGV), or heavy goods vehicle (HGV), in the European Union (EU) is any lorry with a gross combination mass (GCM) of over . Sub-category N2 is used for vehicles between 3,500 kg and and N3 for all goods vehicles over ...

(HGVs), which have to negotiate tight bends and the narrow carriageway width. At Pulpit rock, the road was single-track, with traffic flow controlled by traffic lights for over 30 years. The road was widened in 2015 as part of a £9 million improvement programme, including a new

viaduct A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers or columns supporting a long elevated railway or road. Typically a viaduct connects two points of roughly equal elevation, allowing direct overpass across a wide ...

bringing the carriageway width to modern standards. The A811 runs to the south of Loch Lomond between Balloch and

Drymen Drymen (; from ) is a village in the Stirling district of central Scotland. Once a popular stopping place for cattle drovers, it is now favored by visiting tourists given its location near Loch Lomond. The village is centred around a village gr ...

, following the route of another military road at a distance of between 2 and 3 kilometres from the loch. From Drymen the B837 extends north, meeting the eastern shore of the loch at

where the road terminates. A minor road extends north as far as

Rowardennan Rowardennan ( Gaelic: ''Rubha Aird Eònain'') is a small rural community on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond in Stirling council, Scotland. It is mainly known as the starting point for the main path up Ben Lomond. Rowardennan is at the norther ...

, a further 11 km away, however beyond this point no road continues along the eastern shore, although there is road access to

Inversnaid Inversnaid () is a small rural community on the east bank of Loch Lomond in Scotland, near the north end of the loch. It has a pier and a hotel, and the West Highland Way passes through the area. A small passenger ferry runs from Inversnaid to ...

via another minor road that comes in from

Loch Katrine Loch Katrine (; or ) is a freshwater loch in the Trossachs area of the Scottish Highlands, east of Loch Lomond within the Stirling (council area), Stirling council area. It mostly lies within the Shires of Scotland, historic and registration c ...

to the east via the northern shore of

Loch Arklet Loch Arklet is a freshwater loch and reservoir in the Trossachs area of the Scottish Highlands. It is within the historic county and registration county of Perthshire and the district of Stirling. It is situated to the east of Loch Lomond ...

. As Loch Arklet is over 100 m above Loch Lomond and less than 2 km to the east this road must descend steeply to reach Inversnaid. The West Highland railway line joins the western shore of the loch just north of

. There is a further station alongside the loch at

Ardlui Ardlui () is a hamlet in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. It is located at the head of Loch Lomond. It is on the A82 road between Crianlarich and Glasgow and Ardlui railway station is on the West Highland Line between Glasgow Queen Street and ...

Ordnance Survey The Ordnance Survey (OS) is the national mapping agency for Great Britain. The agency's name indicates its original military purpose (see Artillery, ordnance and surveying), which was to map Scotland in the wake of the Jacobite rising of ...

1:50000 ''Landranger Map''. Sheet 56. Loch Lomond and Inverary. This line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine ''Wanderlust'' in 2009, ahead of the iconic Trans-Siberian line in Russia and the Cuzco to Machu Picchu line in Peru. The railway system also reaches the loch at

, which is the terminus of the

North Clyde Line The North Clyde Line (defined by Network Rail as the ''Glasgow North Electric Suburban'' line) is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by ScotRail. As a result of the incorporation of the Airdrie–Bathgate rail ...

. Several different operators offer ferry services on the loch. Since 2004 '' Loch Lomond Seaplanes'' operates an aerial tour service from its

seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tech ...

base near Cameron. On 22 April 1940, a

BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the British state-owned national airline created in 1939 by the merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd. It continued operating overseas services throughout World War II. After the ...

Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra The Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra was an American civil passenger and cargo aircraft built by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation during the late 1930s. An outgrowth of the earlier Model 10 Electra, the Model 14 was also developed into larger, ...

(''Loch Invar'', registration G-AFKD) aircraft flying from

Perth Airport Perth Airport is an international airport, international, domestic airport, domestic and general aviation airport serving Perth, Western Australia. It is the List of the busiest airports in Australia, fourth busiest airport in Australia meas ...

Heston Aerodrome Heston Aerodrome was an airfield located to the west of London, England, operational between 1929 and 1947. It was situated on the border of the Heston and Cranford areas of Hounslow, Middlesex. In September 1938, the British Prime Minister, ...

in London crashed at Loch Lomond, killing all five passengers and crew.

Hydroelectricity

The

Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Scheme The Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Scheme is a hydro-electric facility situated between Loch Sloy and Inveruglas on the west bank of Loch Lomond in Scotland. It is also within the Arrochar Alps. History Loch Sloy is a relatively small loch located ...

is situated on the west bank of Loch Lomond. The facility is operated by

Scottish and Southern Energy SSE plc (formerly Scottish and Southern Energy plc) is a multinational energy company headquartered in Perth, Scotland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. SSE operates in the United Kingdom a ...

, and is normally in standby mode, ready to generate electricity to meet sudden peaks in demand. It is the largest conventional hydro electric power station in the UK, with an installed capacity of 152.5 MW, and can reach full-capacity within 5 minutes from a standing start. The

hydraulic head Hydraulic head or piezometric head is a measurement related to liquid pressure (normalized by specific weight) and the liquid elevation above a vertical datum., 410 pages. See pp. 43–44., 650 pages. See p. 22, eq.3.2a. It is usually meas ...

between Loch Sloy and the outflow into Loch Lomond at

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 ...

is 277 m.Loch Lomond's limnological characteristics, including its classification as a dimictic lake, can influence thermal stratification and oxygen distribution, which may interact with hydroelectric operations through alterations in inflow and outflow patterns. Additionally, the deep inflow of cold, oxygen-rich water from the Sloy system can affect hypolimnetic conditions, potentially enhancing oxygenation at depth and modifying nutrient cycling within the loch.

In popular culture

Song

The loch is featured in a well-known song which was first published around 1841. The chorus is:

:Oh, ye'll tak the high road, and I'll tak the low road, :And I'll be in Scotland afore ye; :But me and my true love will never meet again :On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.

The song has been recorded by many performers over the years. The original author is unknown. One story is that the song was written by a Scottish soldier who awaited death in enemy captivity; in his final letter home, he wrote this song, portraying his home and how much he would miss it. Another tale is that during the

Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745 was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession, when the bulk of t ...

a soldier on his way back to Scotland during the 1745–46 retreat from England wrote this song. The "low road" may be a reference to the

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

belief that if someone died away from his homeland, then the

fairies A fairy (also called fay, fae, fae folk, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Cel ...

would provide a route of this name for his soul to return home. Within this theory, it is possible that the soldier awaiting death may have been writing either to a friend who was allowed to live and return home, or to a lover back in Scotland.

Other

*Loch Lomond (like

) is often used as a shorthand for all things Scottish, an image partly reinforced by the self-titled song. An archetype is the

Lerner and Loewe Lerner and Loewe is the partnership between lyricist and librettist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe. Spanning three decades and nine musicals from 1942 to 1960 and again from 1970 to 1972, the pair are known for being behind the cr ...

musical ''

Brigadoon ''Brigadoon'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and score by Frederick Loewe. The plot features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every 100 years; on ...

''. The opening lyrics of the song "

Almost Like Being in Love "Almost Like Being in Love" is a show tune with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. It was written for the score of their 1947 musical '' Brigadoon''. The song was first sung by David Brooks and Marion Bell, in the Broadway ...

" are: "Maybe the sun gave me the power/For I could swim Loch Lomond and be home in half an hour/Maybe the air gave me the drive/For I'm all aglow and alive!" *It is mentioned in the song " You're All the World to Me" from the musical film ''

Royal Wedding ''Royal Wedding'' is a 1951 American musical comedy film directed by Stanley Donen, and starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Set in 1947 London at the time of the wedding of Princess ...

'' in the line: "You're Loch Lomond when autumn is the painter!" *The village of

Luss Luss (, 'herb') is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, on the west bank of Loch Lomond. The village is within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. History Historically in the County of Dunbarton, its original name is ''Clacha ...

("Glendarroch") on the shores of the loch was the location for the

TV soap ''TV Soap'' was a fortnightly magazine covering American, Australian and UK daytime and primetime soap operas, published in Australia. ''TV Soap'' was founded by Ben Mitchell and launched in September 1984, as a rival to ''TV Week''. It was one of ...

Take the High Road ''Take the High Road'' (renamed ''High Road'' from 1994 to 2003) was a Scottish soap opera produced by Scottish Television, which started in February 1980 as an ITV (TV network), ITV daytime programme, and was broadcast until 2003. It was set in ...

'', and the loch itself was given the fictional name Loch Darroch for the purpose of the series. *Luss ("Lios") and the islands nearby were used as the setting for E. J. Oxenham's first book, ''Goblin Island'', published in 1907. *Loch Lomond is also the brand name of the Scotch whisky drunk by

Captain Haddock Captain Archibald Haddock (French: ''Capitaine Archibald Haddock'') is a character in the comic book series ''The Adventures of Tintin''. He is Tintin (character), Tintin's best friend, a seafaring captain in the Merchant Navy or Merchant Mar ...

Hergé Georges Prosper Remi (; 22 May 1907 – 3 March 1983), known by the pen name Hergé ( ; ), from the French pronunciation of his reversed initials ''RG'', was a Belgian comic strip artist. He is best known for creating ''The Adventures of T ...

comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...

series ''

The Adventures of Tintin ''The Adventures of Tintin'' ( ) is a series of 24 comic albums created by Belgians, Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name Hergé. The series was one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century. By 2007, a c ...

'', featured prominently in ''

The Black Island ''The Black Island'' () is the seventh volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. Commissioned by the conservative Belgian newspaper for its children's supplement , it was serialised weekly from A ...

''. A non-fictional whisky by the same name is produced at the

Loch Lomond distillery Loch Lomond distillery is a Highland single malts, Highland Single Malt Scotch whisky distillery in Alexandria, Scotland, near Loch Lomond. History The first site of the former Loch Lomond Distillery dates back to 1814, sited at the north end of ...

. *''Loch Lomond'' is the opening track on guitarist Steve Hackett's 2011 album '' Beyond the Shrouded Horizon''. *In

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short-subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical, farce, and slapstick comedy. Six total ...

episode "Pardon My Scotch" a gentleman asks 'Are you laddies by any chance from Loch Lomond?', whereupon Curly replies 'No we're from lock jaw'. *One of the road signs in the

Merrie Melodies ''Merrie Melodies'' is an American animated comedy short film series distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It was part of the ''Looney Tunes'' franchise and featured many of the same characters. Originally running from August 2, 1931, to Septem ...

short " My Bunny Lies over the Sea" points to Loch Lomond. *

Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright and actor. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Raj, British India, where he spent his ...

created an episode of ''

The Goon Show ''The Goon Show'' is a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme. The first series, broadcast from 28 May to 20 September ...

'' entitled ''The Treasure of Loch Lomond''. The main character, Neddie Seagoon, discovers he has Scottish heritage and travels to Scotland to claim a fortune owned by his uncle, who discovered a galleon full of treasure at the bottom of the loch. * In the

Mel Brooks Melvin James Brooks (né Kaminsky; born June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodie ...

film

Spaceballs ''Spaceballs'' is a 1987 American space opera parody film co-written, produced and directed by Mel Brooks. It primarily parodies the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, but also other popular franchises such as ''Star Trek'', '' Alien'', '' The Wi ...

, the character "Snotty" delivers the line "Lock one... lock two... lock three... Loch Lomond..." while locking transporters onto "President Skroob". * In Santa Cruz County, California, United States, lies

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 ...

, a small body of water named after Loch Lomond in Scotland. Near Loch Lomond, California, is

which was named by Scot John Burns in 1851. *In Canada, there is a Loch Lomond by Thunder Bay, Ontario, as well as a Hamlet named for the loch in southern Alberta. * Loch Lomond features as the backdrop for a song sequence in the 1998

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

film ''

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' (transl. ''Something Happens'') is a 1998 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Karan Johar, in his directorial debut, and produced by his father Yash Johar. It stars Shah Rukh Khan, ...

''. *The tune of "Loch Lomond" can be heard in the first 1:13 of the son
"Castle Leoch"
from the Outlander, Season 1, Volume 1 soundtrack by Bear McCreary.

References and footnotes

Notes

Citations

External links

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

The Loch Lomond Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lomond, Loch Lochs of West Dunbartonshire National scenic areas of Scotland Ramsar sites in Scotland Protected areas of West Dunbartonshire Protected areas of Argyll and Bute Protected areas of Stirling (council area) Freshwater lochs of Scotland Lochs of Argyll and Bute Lochs of Stirling (council area) Highland Boundary Fault 2018 European Aquatics Championships Open water swimming