Where to stay while visiting Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park

Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park is enormous and it can be a minefield to pick where to stay in order to make the most out of your visit. Although it's a driving holiday you really don't want to spend your entire time in the car. After all, you make the most of the stunning scenery on foot!

After much deliberating we decided to base ourselves in the town of Balloch for three days. We picked it because it was pretty big, had lots of places to eat and pubs to drink, well within an hour of most of the attractions we had on our list and a nice place to wander around without a car. We decided to book this Airbnb for three nights. We were slightly worried about staying somewhere in the midst of a pandemic but this apartment was absolutely spotless when we arrived. There was plenty of hand sanitiser and lots of hand soap. We really couldn't fault it! Based about 15 minutes walk from town, we couldn't have picked a better location.

Balloch won't exactly light the world on fire but if you enjoy walking then you'll find lots places to visit including venturing to the castle and dipping in and out of the walled garden. As far as I know you can't actually go inside the castle but there are plenty of benches opposite it to sit and admire the view. Turn around and you'll come face-to-face with the beautiful Loch Lomond. I would recommend grabbing a drink, and sheltering from the rain like we did, at the cosy Balloch House. It's a fab place on the River Leven to whittle away a few hours and people watch. But I'd recommend booking if you want a bite to eat as it seemed pretty busy. Our Air Bnb recommend Cucina for lunch Always ask the locals for their tips! The Italian restaurant offered a three course menu for just £12.50 and we took full advantage. It was just what we needed before venturing out for an afternoon of exploring. 

Have you been to Loch Lomond? If so, where did you stay?