Loch Lomond Islands (North)

Portnellan Farm, Gartocharn

Loch Lomond’s Islands

Part 2 of my island adventure, reporting on a trip around (and sometimes onto) Loch Lomond’s 22 named islands in a speedboat. The first outing was to the southern islands, including Inchmurrin, Inchcailloch, Inchconnachan and Inchmoan. If you haven’t read that article, it is linked below.

Looking at the map below, you can see the area we are covering, starting just south of Rowardennn and Ben Lomond and going right up to the red marker at Ardlui, close to the top of Loch Lomond.

 

Portnellan Farm

Our first trip would take some beating; it had been a fantastic adventure. But I knew less about the islands at the northern end and wanted to discover more about them. I had recently walked from Rowardennan to Inverarnan, along the route of the West Highland Way, and was keen to land on the islands that I’d seen from the walk.

Once again, I was a passenger on a speedboat tour operated by Chris Scott-Park of Portnellan Farm. Above and below, you can see the stunning view from the family farm. Over the years, this view and access to the loch have allowed them to diversify the farm into tourism.

The farm is at the southern end of the loch at Gartocharn, located next to Ross Priory. Chris runs regular speedboat tours, as well as renting kayaks and paddleboards. We boarded the boat via the jetty that he and his father David had built. David joined us for the trip, and as we were preparing to set off, we saw an osprey fly over.

Portnellan Farm, Gartocharn

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If you are interested in a speedboat tour, contact Chris. Prices vary depending on how long you would like out on the water. You might want to include time to explore an island, enjoy a picnic or call in at one of the Loch Lomond pubs near a jetty! Check out the Portnellan Farm website, Facebook and Instagram pages to find out more about the activities.

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Ross Islands, Loch Lomond

The Ross Islands

These small islands marked the end of our trip around the southern end of Loch Lomond. They are opposite Luss and a couple of miles south of Rowardennan. Like many of the islands, there isn’t a suitable place to land a boat. However, we were already pushing on, heading north to visit the islands that I had been keen to explore for a long time.

Ben Lomond, Rowardennan

Rowardennan

As well as looking at the islands, we were also attracted by points of interest along the shore. We slowed down just ahead of Rowardennan to admire the beaches. Not far from them is the route of the West Highland Wa, which we will be following until the point that it reaches the northern end of the loch.

Rowardennan, Loch Lomond

Rowardennan Youth Hostel

We were getting closer to Ben Lomond, and it would have been an ideal (but warm) day to climb it. Not a cloud in the sky to interrupt the view. Down at water level is the jetty used by Cruise Loch Lomond for their water bus connections to and from Rowardennan. This is a popular hostel, mainly due to its excellent location and views.

Rowardennan Youth Hostel

Cruise Loch Lomond, Near Tarbet

Cruise Loch Lomond

Cruise Loch Lomond is based at Tarbet and we saw quite a few of their fleet of boats around this part of the loch.

Ben Arthur - ‘The Cobbler’

The Cobbler

Crossing to the other side of the loch, heading north towards Tarbet, we had a hazy view of Ben Arthur, The Cobbler. You can see the distinctive shaped summit, which gives it its name.

Tarbet Isle, Loch Lomond

Tarbet Isle

Tarbet Isle is also known as Honeymoon Island, so named because newly married couples would come to the island to test their marriage suitability. The idea being that if they could manage to live together for a week on this small island, then the chances of the marriage lasting were exceptionally high!

Inveruglas Isle, Loch Lomond

Inveruglas Isle

Our first stopping point was Invergulas Isle and the opportunity to explore the former territory of the Clan MacFarlane, complete with a ruined castle.

An Ceann Mòr, Inveruglas, Loch Lomond

Inveruglas Pyramid - An Ceann Mòr

There’s a good view from both the island and Chris’s speedboat of An Ceann Mòr the pyramid at Invergulas. Read more about it at the link below.

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Eilean I Vow

We travelled from Inveruglas Isle to Eilean I Vow, or Island I Vow as it is also known. Like Inveruglas Isle, there is a ruined castle to explore. This castle was built in 1577 to replace the one on Inveruglas Isle. Today it is protected as a special site, and there has been archaeology work in recent years.

The castle walls were covered in ivy, making it hard to spot them from the water. You can climb into a former room of the castle.

Ardlui

The next stop was at the northern end of the loch and Ardlui. Here you can see the hotel from the water, with occasional wakeboarder and water skier. Loch Lomond Wakeboard is based at Ardlui Marina. Also in operation was the ferry that connects the Ardlui Marina with Ardleish Farm on the other side of the loch. Ardleish is on the path of the West Highland Way.

Rob Roy's Cave

By now, we had seen all of the islands, but there was a chance to see a few landmarks on the return trip. First, Rob Roy's Cave, on the West Highlands Way just north of Inversnaid, where legendary outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor hid. Presumably, 'Cave' wasn't written outside it in his day; otherwise, the secret hiding place wouldn't have been as effective!

Inversnaid

Just to the right of the Inversnaid Hotel are the magnificent Arklet Falls.

West Highland Way

It’s a tough walk along the section of the West Highland Way from Rowardennan to Inverarnan. Here’s the view from the loch.

Thanks for reading

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

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