Balloch Castle Country Park

📌 Balloch, West Dunbartonshire
★★★

Balloch Castle Country Park lies just to the north of Balloch, with a scenic path along the east bank of the River Leven providing easy access on foot from the village and railway station. The park is mostly a planned landscape centred around 19th century Balloch Castle. Although it’s technically (just) south of the Highland Boundary Fault and therefore in the Lowlands, there are hints of Highland grandeur in the views across the loch from the shoreline paths. There’s quite a lot to see here, and seeking out the various bits and pieces (including the walled garden, Chinese garden, Fairy Glen and Loch Lomond itself) is more complicated than you might expect due to aimlessly meandering paths (who designed these?!). The expanse of open grassland in the middle of the park used to be grazed by sheep and cattle, but nowadays, as the park leaflet helpfully informs you, “you’re more likely to see a lawnmower”. Charming.