Walk Balmaha to Rowardennan

East Loch Lomond, near Balmaha

Conic Hill approach to Balmaha

We continue our series of reviews of the sections that form the West Highland Way within Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park with an exceptional part of the 96-mile walk.

This guide is about the section between Balmaha a Rowardennan, a beautiful and mostly easy part of the route. First, let’s cover the approach to Balmaha and Conic Hill, where you not only get a spectacular view over Loch Lomond and its islands but a preview of the route to come. Click below to see a guide to what is a highlight of the West Highland Way.

 

Walking Distances and Timings

The walk from Balmaha to Rowardennan is just under 7 miles, it’ll take you around 2.5 to 3 hours to walk it. Let’s break it down into sections:

• Balmaha to Milarrochy - 2.1km / 1.3mi

• Balmaha to Cashel - 4.6km / 2.8mi

• Balmaha to Sallochy - 6.9km / 4.2mi

• Balmaha to Rowardennan - 11km / 6.9mi

Balmaha Bay

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WHW Pathway at Balmaha

Once you approach the back entrance to the car park at Balmaha you continue into Balmaha, one of the prettiest villages in Scotland. You can read about what there is to see and do at our guide to the village linked below.

Enjoy Balmaha

Even if you’re not staying and, on a mission, to cover more ground and reach your overnight stop, it is worth noting that this will be the last chance to stock up with provisions etc. There is a small but thoughtfully stocked Village Shop, part of the Oak Tree Inn, a favourite for visitors to Loch Lomond. 

I spend a lot of time in Balmaha and often meet people that have walked the West Highland Way and choose to come back on another occasion to enjoy time in the village. You could factor in an overnight stop and day off, allowing you to explore the magical Inchcailloch Island or take a cruise. 

Craigie Fort view, Balmaha

Craigie Fort

The West Highland Way and Millennium Forest Path take you to the vantage point of Craigie Fort for more good views. Once you descend, you’ll be not far away from the bonnie banks until you reach the northern part of the loch, well beyond this section. 

Balmaha is a very popular place, and the path can get busy, especially on weekends, with visitors to Balmaha exploring the nearby scenery. Some of the coves and beaches will be very busy on warm days for the next few miles, with families playing and launching kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. 

Milarrochy Bay

Milarrochy Bay

Milarrochy Bay is very popular, thanks to its car park. Importantly there are toilets here, open in tandem with the car park. Stop to take a picture of what must be the most photographed tree in the National Park - if not Scotland! See more in our guide below.

Just beyond Milarrochy, the pathway takes you onto the b-road that runs close to the lochside. Don’t worry; you will be back along the shore before too long. The subsequent landmarks are Cashel Forest (another place to add to your visit list on a return trip) and Sallochy.

Camping at Sallochy

Sallochy Bay

If you’re camping on your West Highland Way walk, then check our guide to camping along the eastern shores of Loch Lomond, with helpful information as there is a Camping Management Zone in operation for much of the year. Sallochy is a good camping option, which you will need to pre-book.

Lochlan Maoil Duhinne

Lochlan Maoil Duhinne

Just before you arrive at Rowardennan, take a detour to the little headland called Lochlan Maoil Duhinne, this has a few camping pitches. On either side of the headland are two lovely beaches.

Rowardennan

Your destination is here, maybe an overnight stopping point, a detour to climb Ben Lomond, or a place to get something to eat and drink before venturing onto Invernsaid.

Click below for a guide to Rowardennan.

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Walking to Inversnaid

The walk begins to get a little tougher on the next stage but is manageable and very enjoyable. Click to see a guide for walking from Rowrdennan to Inversnaid.

Thanks for reading

Words and photography by Paul Saunders. Visit Paul’s Marketing and Photography websites for details of his services in Scotland.

Please let us know if you found the guide helpful in the comments section below.