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Balloch Castle

Castles

Balloch Castle

Highlight • Castle

Balloch Castle

Recommended by 252 hikers out of 258

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

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Location: Balloch And Haldane, West Dunbartonshire, West Scotland, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Best Hikes to Balloch Castle

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1. Balloch Castle & Knockour Hill loop from Balloch — Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park

11.6km

03:17

200m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

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Moderate

4.7

(130)

462

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2. Balloch Castle – Fairy Path Stream loop from Balloch

10.5km

03:05

240m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

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Moderate

4.5

(31)

191

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3. Fairy Path Stream – Ducks on Loch Lomond loop from Mollanbowie Estate

6.57km

01:45

60m

Moderate hike. Great for any fitness level. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

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Moderate

Tips

Dan Hobson

September 30, 2019

Balloch Castle Country Park affords wonderful views over Loch Lomond. The park comprises 200 acres (80 ha) of semi-rural ornamental woodland, parks, gardens, meadows, and shoreline. The castle itself is closed but still a fine building to admire.

Felix

July 14, 2019

A small castle located in a beautiful park. The whole park is worth a visit. From the hill on which the castle is located you have a beautiful view of Loch Lomond.

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Brian

February 20, 2017

The present castle was built as a residence in 1808–1809 at the order of John Buchanan of Ardoch (1761–1839), who had bought the estate in 1800. Buchanan was a Glasgow merchant, the son of Thomas Buchanan of Ardoch (who died in 1789). John Buchanan was involved in his father's hat-making business, and also like his father was a partner in the Ship Bank, Glasgow's oldest banking house, founded in 1749. He represented Dunbartonshire in parliament from 1821–1826.

The architect of the Tudor Gothic building was London-based Robert Lugar, who had designed the nearby Tullichewan Castle in 1792. The building's turrets and crenellations are purely decorative with no defensive value. The lancet windows, tracery, hoodmoulds and blind arrow-slits are all borrowings from earlier building styles. Although an unimaginative designer, at Balloch Lugar helped to introduce the asymmetrical, "picturesque" form of castellated house into Scotland. The new castle may incorporate stone from the earlier castle, or the fabric of an earlier building on the site. Buchanan established the parkland around the castle, including the planting of ornamental trees and imported shrubs.

Details

Informations

Elevation 100 m

Open at all times

Free Entry

Contacts

Balloch Country Park, Drymen Road, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, G83 8LX

www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/leisure-parks-events/parks-and-greenspaces/parks/balloch-castle-country-park

wdc.greenspace@west-dunbarton.gov.uk

01389 752977

Weather

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Tuesday 13 January

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13 %

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Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h

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Location: Balloch And Haldane, West Dunbartonshire, West Scotland, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Balloch Castle

1. Balloch Castle & Knockour Hill loop from Balloch — Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park

2. Balloch Castle – Fairy Path Stream loop from Balloch

3. Fairy Path Stream – Ducks on Loch Lomond loop from Mollanbowie Estate

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