Day Trips With Dogs Scotland – Are we Instagram friends? Here I share my best tips, videos and my daily life in Scotland!
I love how dog friendly Loch Lomond is – the perfect place to take your dog for a weekend walk!
Day Trips With Dogs Scotland
One weekend in April Haggis, Angus and I explored the east side of Loch Lomond. While many people choose to visit the busy, western side of the lake, we decided to stick to the eastern side, which is home to a variety of walks, nature and wildlife.
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We were greeted with perfect hiking weather – cloudy skies, blue drifts and calm lake waters. Angus loves to travel – and we love to take him on our travels, so for us Loch Lomond was the perfect base for a fun weekend away.
Although Loch Lomond is dog friendly, management is important when traveling with your dog. Read on for the paw effect guide to visiting Loch Lomond with your dog!
The best way to explore Loch Lomond is a combination of driving and walking. We found that driving along the east side of Loch Lomond gave us more freedom, but the road to Rowardennan was bumpy – it made us want to drive a bit!
Loch Lomond is very much about sustainability so we tried to visit as many places as possible. After all, one of the best parts of spending time on Loch Lomond is being immersed in nature. You can walk almost anywhere as the West Highland Way runs the length of the lake to the east.
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Another fun way to explore Loch Lomond is by e-bike; An e-bike charging station is being installed in Drymen Square and some cafes (including Cafe Saint Mocha in Balmaha) have chargers you can borrow.
The best way to get to the east side of Loch Lomond is to catch the train from Glasgow to Balloch, then the McGill bus to Balmaha. Public transport will only take you to Balmaha so you will need to walk (about 2.5 hours) or drive to get to Rowardennan Lodge Youth Hostel.
We stayed at Rowardennan Lodge Youth Hostel, one of the most dog friendly places in Scotland. The hostel was once a hunting lodge and stands on the tropical shores of Loch Lomond; It has an amazing view and you can see a view of the lake from most of the bedrooms and the living room.
Our private room had a view of Loch Lomond which was amazing to wake up to. The bathrooms are shared and the showers are some of the best I’ve seen in a hostel. The wifi is a bit spotty but I hear it will improve soon – again, this is a place where you want to relax, not surf social media!
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This blog post was written in paid collaboration with Hostelling Scotland to write the Loch Lomond Dog Guide. All opinions are my own.
There is also a large kitchen and many restaurants where you can prepare your own meals or enjoy a hot meal prepared at the hostel.
You have a choice between a continental breakfast or a cooked breakfast; You can also order a three-course dinner, which we did in one evening. We had soup and bread to start, tikka masala for main and a chocolate brownie for dessert – it was delicious!
Angus even managed to join us for dinner – we brought him his own bowl and he happily passed out while we enjoyed our meal.
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After dinner we sat in the lounge where we relaxed with a view of Loch Lomond and enjoyed a cold beer (yes, this hostel is licensed and you can buy craft beer!).
I have been on many hiking trips around Scotland and have used these hostels as a base – they are a great choice if you are looking for comfortable accommodation at an affordable price.
Hostels in Scotland One of the best things about hostels is that they are wholesome and family friendly. We met people from all walks of life – young students, pensioners walking the West Highland Way and thirtysomethings (like us) using the hostel as a base for hiking.
If you would like to bring your dog there is a small charge of £5 per night for your dog.
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The Clachan Inn is one of my favorite pubs in Scotland; The pub was licensed in 1734, making it the oldest registered pub in Scotland and one of the oldest pubs in Scotland.
The bar is dog friendly (and in my opinion the best place for lunch). The owners and bar staff were great – happy to see Angus, offering him lots of goodies and a bowl of water.
I ordered a delicious Aberdeen Angus burger and Craig had a steak pie. He swears it’s one of the best pies he’s ever had!
This pub has a local feel and definitely has a special place in my heart. I think you should visit.
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The perch is another highlight when we visit Loch Lomond. Perch on the waterfront offers stylish yet relaxed dining. They specialize in delicious brunches, lunches and homemade pastries.
Angus was greeted with treats and a pot on our arrival and a bowl of water while Haggis and I read the menu. I chose the pulled pork sandwich which was wonderful! He had a haggis caesar salad which he also said was delicious.
This pub/restaurant is casual and even dogs are welcome. Angus made a lot of friends when we went here for lunch!
You are welcome to stay outside with your dog in St. Mocha Coffee Shop & Ice Cream Parlor in Balmaha. They make their own ice cream and coffee and are very sustainable by using the product to roast their coffee. They even made Angus a pupacchino when we visited!
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Next door is the Oak Tree Inn where you can stay outside with your dog. The Oak Tree Inn has twice been named the best pub in Scotland and sources its ingredients as locally as possible. They offer a variety of food including pizza, burgers, fish and chips and steak pie.
If you like the sound of homemade soup and bread, the Soup Dragon Cafe in Drymen is a vegetarian/vegan cafe with a lovely outdoor seating area where you can sit with your dog. There are also beautiful forest walks.
If you’re looking for a more challenging hike, Ben Lomond is a popular choice. A Munro in south-east Scotland (Scotland’s highest mountain over 3,000 metres), Ben Lomond is popular on day trips from Glasgow and Edinburgh.
My suggestion is to spend more than one day in this area, especially Ben Lomond which takes 4.5 – 5.5 hours on average.
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Best of all, if you stay at Rowardennan Lodge Youth Hostel, it’s within walking distance of Ben Lomond Hostel!
If you’re looking for a short hike with amazing views, Conic Hill is a popular choice. Conic Hill is a popular climb for locals; Many Glaswegians gather on the hill at weekends to climb and return home for dinner.
The hike takes you through the woods and uphill until you reach the kissing gate, and from there the trail is steep but manageable. The kissing gate can be difficult for older dogs, but Angus eventually noticed so we didn’t have to lift him up through the gate!
The views from the first small hill are amazing – you can see Loch Lomond and its islands and Munro, Ben Lomond.
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Angus loved this short but steep hike – and we saw lots of dogs of all shapes and colors on the way up.
Remember to keep your dog on a leash at all times as there are often livestock around.
Did you know there is an island in Loch Lomond where you can take your dog? Introducing Inchcailloch Island!
The island is part of the Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve and is certainly one of the best options for exploring Loch Lomond. It is known for its forest and natural beauty; The view from the top of Tom na Nighenanhas is considered one of the best views you can see in Scotland!
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The ferry departs from Balmaha Boat Yard and Luss from April to October (this is a rough guide – and depends on the water level when the ferry departs). It operates on demand from 9am to 5.30pm and costs £7.50 for a return ticket – and yes, your dog is welcome on board!
Santa Kentigerna, an Irish missionary, settled on the island in the early 8th century. He lived on the island until his death in 734 and the legend is him
