Caravan Parks In Dunbartonshire | MOTORHOMEingLife

Balloch at the southern tip of the loch is the obvious base, and Lomond Woods Holiday Park there is open all year with hardstanding electric hook-up and serviced pitches, half a mile from the loch and the train station. For a lochside pitch in a pretty village, Luss Caravan and Camp Site sits right on the water ten minutes up the shore. Both are private parks and both are popular, so book ahead. Balloch suits anyone wanting shops, cruises and the train into Glasgow, while Luss is the choice if waking up beside the water matters most to you.

They do. Much of the Loch Lomond shore falls inside Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, which runs seasonal camping byelaws in management zones. That means you cannot simply pull a motorhome up at the lochside overnight in those areas without a permit. The practical answer is to use a licensed park such as Lomond Woods or Luss, which are exempt, or to hold a permit for a management zone if you want to camp in one. The national park authority publishes maps of the zones, so check them before you plan any stop away from a licensed site.

Yes, more than almost anywhere else in Scotland. Loch Lomond is a honeypot within easy reach of Glasgow, so the loch-shore pitches at Balloch and Luss sell out for July, August and every decent weekend weeks in advance. We reserve serviced pitches well out for summer and always ring to confirm rig length, since some lochside pitches are tight. In May and September you can book more easily and the water is quieter. Turning up on spec in summer is a recipe for disappointment, so plan your dates and lock the pitch in early, especially for weekends.

This is a premium area, so expect to pay more than in quieter parts of Scotland. Hardstanding pitches with electric hook-up around Balloch and Luss typically run from about £28 to £42 a night in season, with serviced pitches at the top end. Electric hook-up is included in the pitch price rather than metered on these private parks, usually a 16 amp supply. Off-peak and midweek rates drop, sometimes to around £15 at Balloch if you catch them early, but summer weekends carry a real premium. For longer stays, check whether electricity stays included or moves to a meter.

The public element here is the national park land itself, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs, which gives you walking, the Munros above the loch and waymarked trails, much of it reachable from the parks. But the national park's camping byelaws restrict where you can actually stay overnight, so the private holiday and touring parks remain the sensible base while the public land supplies the days out. Ben Lomond across the water is a popular first Munro, and Balloch Country Park gives easy public walking on the doorstep. So we use a private pitch for facilities and the national park for the outdoors.

Late May through September gives the mildest weather, but the loch is also busiest and wettest then, and midges arrive from June. Our favourite windows are late spring and September, when the water is calmer, pitches are easier to book and the midges have eased. July and August are peak in every sense, warm but crowded and dear. Autumn brings colour to the wooded shores and quieter sites before the winter closures. Whenever you come, plan for rain, because Loch Lomond is one of the wettest spots in Scotland and makes its own weather regardless of the forecast.

Both are offered, and we strongly prefer hardstanding here because Loch Lomond is so wet that grass pitches can turn soft quickly. Lomond Woods Holiday Park has hardstanding touring pitches on 16 amp electric hook-up plus serviced pitches, and about half of Luss Caravan and Camp Site is hardstanding with electric hook-up. Hardstanding keeps a heavy motorhome off soft ground and makes hitching cleaner in the rain that is almost guaranteed at some point. Grass pitches are pleasant in a dry spell but a gamble otherwise. Ask for hardstanding when you book, because those pitches are the first to sell out.

Yes. Lomond Woods Holiday Park at Balloch offers serviced pitches that add fresh water, wastewater drainage and a TV aerial to the electric hook-up right at the pitch, so you can settle in and tour out by train and car without moving the van. They cost more than a standard pitch but are worth it for a longer loch stay, saving trips to the service point. They also tend to be the larger, better-drained pitches, which matters given the local rainfall. Serviced pitches are the first category to go for summer, so book them early if you want to stay put and explore.

The train. Balloch station is half a mile from Lomond Woods Holiday Park, with a direct line into Glasgow city centre, so you can leave the caravan or motorhome on the park and skip city driving entirely. Driving a big outfit into Glasgow is stressful and parking is limited, so we never do it from here. The same train also gives easy access to the wider area for a day out. From Luss you would drive back to Balloch or Alexandria for the train. Using the rail link is one of the real advantages of basing at Balloch.

Yes, both Lomond Woods and Luss welcome dogs, asking that they stay on a lead around the site and are cleaned up after. The area is excellent for dog walkers, with loch-shore paths, the Balloch Country Park trails and the West Highland Way passing nearby for longer walks. Some parks limit the number of dogs per pitch, so check the rules when you book. The pebble beach at Luss is a favourite with dogs, and the wooded shores give plenty of shade in summer. Keep dogs under close control near the water and on the hill paths, where sheep and wildlife are about.

Lomond Woods Holiday Park at Balloch is open all year, which makes it a rare and useful winter base on the loch. Many other nearby sites close from late October to March, so off-season plans need checking. If you come in winter, ring ahead to confirm facilities such as showers and the service point are running, and expect cold, damp lochside conditions with snow on the Munros above the water. Hardstanding pitches and reliable drainage matter more than ever in the winter wet here. Sort your heating and gas before you arrive, as the loch can be genuinely cold once the light goes.

A lot within a short drive or walk. Loch cruises run from Balloch, and the Bird of Prey Centre and country park are right there. Luss is a lovely conservation village with a pebble beach, and the west shore road leads to Tarbet and beyond. Walkers have Ben Lomond across the water for a first Munro and the West Highland Way passing through. Further afield the Trossachs, Stirling and even Glasgow by train are all easy day trips. From a Balloch base you can mix loch time, hill walking and a city day without ever moving the van far.

The main one is the A82 up the west shore of the loch. As far as Balloch it is wide and easy, but beyond Tarbet it narrows, twists and hugs the water with heavy coach and day traffic, so a big caravan or motorhome needs patience and slow, steady driving. Avoid it at peak times on summer weekends if you can. Balloch and Luss village centres get very congested in season, so use the parks rather than lochside car parks with a large vehicle. The A811 towards Stirling is a flatter alternative. Check each park's access, as some lochside pitches are tight to reach.

Balloch at the southern tip of the loch is the obvious base, and Lomond Woods Holiday Park there is open all year with hardstanding electric hook-up and serviced pitches, half a mile from the loch and the train station. For a lochside pitch in a pretty village, Luss Caravan and Camp Site sits right on the water ten minutes up the shore. Both are private parks and both are popular, so book ahead. Balloch suits anyone wanting shops, cruises and the train into Glasgow, while Luss is the choice if waking up beside the water matters most to you.

They do. Much of the Loch Lomond shore falls inside Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, which runs seasonal camping byelaws in management zones. That means you cannot simply pull a motorhome up at the lochside overnight in those areas without a permit. The practical answer is to use a licensed park such as Lomond Woods or Luss, which are exempt, or to hold a permit for a management zone if you want to camp in one. The national park authority publishes maps of the zones, so check them before you plan any stop away from a licensed site.

Yes, more than almost anywhere else in Scotland. Loch Lomond is a honeypot within easy reach of Glasgow, so the loch-shore pitches at Balloch and Luss sell out for July, August and every decent weekend weeks in advance. We reserve serviced pitches well out for summer and always ring to confirm rig length, since some lochside pitches are tight. In May and September you can book more easily and the water is quieter. Turning up on spec in summer is a recipe for disappointment, so plan your dates and lock the pitch in early, especially for weekends.

This is a premium area, so expect to pay more than in quieter parts of Scotland. Hardstanding pitches with electric hook-up around Balloch and Luss typically run from about £28 to £42 a night in season, with serviced pitches at the top end. Electric hook-up is included in the pitch price rather than metered on these private parks, usually a 16 amp supply. Off-peak and midweek rates drop, sometimes to around £15 at Balloch if you catch them early, but summer weekends carry a real premium. For longer stays, check whether electricity stays included or moves to a meter.

The public element here is the national park land itself, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs, which gives you walking, the Munros above the loch and waymarked trails, much of it reachable from the parks. But the national park's camping byelaws restrict where you can actually stay overnight, so the private holiday and touring parks remain the sensible base while the public land supplies the days out. Ben Lomond across the water is a popular first Munro, and Balloch Country Park gives easy public walking on the doorstep. So we use a private pitch for facilities and the national park for the outdoors.

Late May through September gives the mildest weather, but the loch is also busiest and wettest then, and midges arrive from June. Our favourite windows are late spring and September, when the water is calmer, pitches are easier to book and the midges have eased. July and August are peak in every sense, warm but crowded and dear. Autumn brings colour to the wooded shores and quieter sites before the winter closures. Whenever you come, plan for rain, because Loch Lomond is one of the wettest spots in Scotland and makes its own weather regardless of the forecast.

Both are offered, and we strongly prefer hardstanding here because Loch Lomond is so wet that grass pitches can turn soft quickly. Lomond Woods Holiday Park has hardstanding touring pitches on 16 amp electric hook-up plus serviced pitches, and about half of Luss Caravan and Camp Site is hardstanding with electric hook-up. Hardstanding keeps a heavy motorhome off soft ground and makes hitching cleaner in the rain that is almost guaranteed at some point. Grass pitches are pleasant in a dry spell but a gamble otherwise. Ask for hardstanding when you book, because those pitches are the first to sell out.

Yes. Lomond Woods Holiday Park at Balloch offers serviced pitches that add fresh water, wastewater drainage and a TV aerial to the electric hook-up right at the pitch, so you can settle in and tour out by train and car without moving the van. They cost more than a standard pitch but are worth it for a longer loch stay, saving trips to the service point. They also tend to be the larger, better-drained pitches, which matters given the local rainfall. Serviced pitches are the first category to go for summer, so book them early if you want to stay put and explore.

The train. Balloch station is half a mile from Lomond Woods Holiday Park, with a direct line into Glasgow city centre, so you can leave the caravan or motorhome on the park and skip city driving entirely. Driving a big outfit into Glasgow is stressful and parking is limited, so we never do it from here. The same train also gives easy access to the wider area for a day out. From Luss you would drive back to Balloch or Alexandria for the train. Using the rail link is one of the real advantages of basing at Balloch.

Yes, both Lomond Woods and Luss welcome dogs, asking that they stay on a lead around the site and are cleaned up after. The area is excellent for dog walkers, with loch-shore paths, the Balloch Country Park trails and the West Highland Way passing nearby for longer walks. Some parks limit the number of dogs per pitch, so check the rules when you book. The pebble beach at Luss is a favourite with dogs, and the wooded shores give plenty of shade in summer. Keep dogs under close control near the water and on the hill paths, where sheep and wildlife are about.

Lomond Woods Holiday Park at Balloch is open all year, which makes it a rare and useful winter base on the loch. Many other nearby sites close from late October to March, so off-season plans need checking. If you come in winter, ring ahead to confirm facilities such as showers and the service point are running, and expect cold, damp lochside conditions with snow on the Munros above the water. Hardstanding pitches and reliable drainage matter more than ever in the winter wet here. Sort your heating and gas before you arrive, as the loch can be genuinely cold once the light goes.

A lot within a short drive or walk. Loch cruises run from Balloch, and the Bird of Prey Centre and country park are right there. Luss is a lovely conservation village with a pebble beach, and the west shore road leads to Tarbet and beyond. Walkers have Ben Lomond across the water for a first Munro and the West Highland Way passing through. Further afield the Trossachs, Stirling and even Glasgow by train are all easy day trips. From a Balloch base you can mix loch time, hill walking and a city day without ever moving the van far.

The main one is the A82 up the west shore of the loch. As far as Balloch it is wide and easy, but beyond Tarbet it narrows, twists and hugs the water with heavy coach and day traffic, so a big caravan or motorhome needs patience and slow, steady driving. Avoid it at peak times on summer weekends if you can. Balloch and Luss village centres get very congested in season, so use the parks rather than lochside car parks with a large vehicle. The A811 towards Stirling is a flatter alternative. Check each park's access, as some lochside pitches are tight to reach.