Blog
Our site is 5* rated by VisitScotland and we work hard to make sure that our facilities reflect that rating and more.
With 1000s of free parking spaces, a large coach park, and priority disabled parking, your visit to Loch Lomond Shores is smooth from arrival if you are travelling by car or coach. In fact, if you have an electric car, you can even charge your car while you enjoy your time with us at our electric car charging points located in our coach car park.
For those arriving by train, there are numerous and frequent trains to Balloch train station, a short five to ten-minute walk from us. Balloch also has a bus station around ten minutes from our location so we’re well connected by public transport. You can find out more about public transport to Loch Lomond Shores by visiting https://www.travelinescotland.com/public-transport.
Our toilet facilities are in our main foyer and within our mall. The ladies’ and gents toilets in the foyer also have disabled toilets and, within the ladies, there are mother and baby facilities.
If you have mobility issues you can also use one of our free wheelchairs located in our foyer area. These are free but there are a limited quantity.
Accessibility is a key area that we pride ourselves on and all areas of the site are accessible to those with mobility issues or families with young children in prams and buggies – either through being located on the ground floor or by having an elevator to get to upper floors.
Seating is available throughout the site, both inside and out, where you can enjoy the views, rest, or, in the promontory and on the beach we have picnic benches and metal BBQ holders where you can enjoy dining alfresco.
For those looking to share our amazing views on social media, we have site-wide free Wi-Fi that you can join to keep connected.
Dog lovers are also not left out of our thoughts. Most of our stores are dog-friendly, including Jenners. As well as enjoying some exercise, you can also browse our stores. All we ask is that you check with our smaller mall stores and cafes that they’re happy for you to bring in your four-legged friend.
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Right on the shores of Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond Shores is a unique visitor attraction that features stores, cafes, outdoor activities and SEA LIFE Loch Lomond – all set within stunning scenery.
Here’s an A to Z guide to what we offer visitors:
A – Action packed activities including Treezone and watersports provided by Loch Lomond Leisure
B – A bird of prey centre with over 30 species of birds of prey and owls.
C – cappuccinos and tasty treats from our cafe
D – Designer brands in clothing and accessories for men, women and children
E – Eagles at Loch Lomond Birds of Prey
F – Fish and a huge range of sea and loch creatures courtesy of SEA LIFE Loch Lomond
G – golf of the adventure variety for family fun
H – hiring of bikes and boats from Loch Lomond Leisure
I – Ice cream cones for the kids from Loch Lomond News and Caffe at the Shores.
J – Jewellery at Loch Lomond Jewellers
K – Kites of the feathered variety at Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre
L – Loch Lomond at it’s best with great views of the loch we sit alongside.
M – markets on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month
N – Nature with lots of things to see and do outdoors including woodland walks.
O – Otters Lily, Pickle and Cub who live at SEA LIFE Loch Lomond
P – Playpark for the kids to enjoy
Q – quiet outdoor spaces where you can enjoy exploring nature
R – Rolex pre-owned watches from Loch Lomond Jewellers
S – shoes and boots of all different styles in our stores Pavers, Hawkshead and Jenners
T – Treetop adventures courtesy of Treezone
U – unmatched in our diverse offering by any other Scottish visitor attraction
V – viewpoints across Loch Lomond for great photo opportunities
W – watersports including kayaking, canoeing, SUP, boat hire and even banana boat rides
X – xtra-ordinary (yes, we cheated!) family day out
Y – yearly programme of events – both big and small.
Z – zeal for making sure you have a great visit with us.
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Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre is home to over thirty Birds of Prey and Owls, representing twenty-six species including all 5 British Owls. Birds of all sizes, the Little Owl, Kestrels, Buzzards, Hawks, Falcons and Eagles, including “Orla”, our Golden Eagle.
It is a 24-hour operation where owner Stewart, his family, staff and volunteers care for all the birds 365 days a year. With many of the birds in Stewart’s care the result of rescues, they are also on call to help with injured and unwanted birds and provide them with care and a home if required.
Because of this, Stewart is keen to share his knowledge on what you should do if you find an injured owl or Bird of Prey.
What to do if you find an injured Owl or Bird of Prey
- If you find yourself in a situation, where there are signs that the Owl or Bird of Prey is sick or injured, contact a local Falconry or Bird of Prey Centre, or Wildlife Rescue Centre, and ask if they can be of assistance, preferably, sending someone to pick up the patient.
- If it is not possible for them to send someone, and you are required to transport it, then use a blanket or jacket to wrap the patient, taking care to avoid the beak and feet. Wrap the patient tightly, keeping the wings closed and tight to the body, and place on the floor of the vehicle, ensuring the heater is turned down to avoid overheating, and take the patient to the centre. Ideally, a cardboard box with air holes, or a cat transport box can be used to contain the patient.
- If the patient cannot be transported to a centre immediately, and you are required to take it home, then it should be placed in a box and placed in a quiet dark room.
- If you do not have a local Falconry or Bird of Prey Centre, or Wildlife Rescue Centre, then contact your local vet. There are few vets with the necessary expertise to treat Owls and Birds of Prey, but, they should have contact details for those vets who can offer the correct advice.
What to do if you find a young bird on its own
- Despite what most people think, Owls and Birds of Prey do not have a sense of smell. Therefore, touching young birds during rescue does not affect the reaction of the parents. Nestlings (those birds which are too young to leave the nest), and fledglings (those birds which are about to leave or have left the nest), sometimes find themselves outside the nest without the strength or ability to get back.
- If you find one of these, and the chick is safe from predation by cats etc, then leave it.
- If the chick is on the ground, or in a situation where predators such as cats can get access, then lift the chick off the ground onto a branch or structure to prevent it being predated. In most cases, the adults will feed the chick and will endeavour to get it to regain the nest. Tawny Owls are well known for branching (exploring the tree surrounding the nest) before they have fledged, and sometimes find themselves isolated.
- Please try to check to ensure the nest hasn’t been predated and the youngster is isolated due to escaping. If this is the case, then a local Wildlife Rescue Centre or Falconry/Bird of Prey Centre must be contacted.
For information on Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre and how you can visit and support Stewart and his team, go to https://llbopc.co.uk/.
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Just a short walk along our beach will bring you to The Maid of the Loch, a magnificent example of Clyde-built ship engineering with a stunning art deco-inspired interior.
A much-loved feature on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, she attracts thousands of visitors every year and, over the last 20 years, a loyal band of volunteers has focused every available hour on her conservation. With support they hope to safely steer the Maid to a new phase of her life, relaunching her as a fully operational paddle steamer.
The Maid is the very last paddle steamer to be built in Britain, and is the UK’s only remaining example of an ‘Up an Doon’ Vessel – A ship that’s been built twice!
Assembled in the Glasgow shipyard of A&J Inglis, the Paddle Steamer Maid of the Loch was, first of all, bolted together and then taken apart, transported to her new home in Balloch on rail wagons and reassembled on the Balloch Slipway before her launch into the sparkling waters of Loch Lomond on Thursday 5th March 1953.
Licensed to carry 1,000 passengers, she was the largest paddle steamer to sail on Loch Lomond and was host to royal guests and celebrities as well as three million day-trippers during her 28 years on the water. Many of these people have very cherished memories of sailing on the Maid and many more know of the ship by hearing about these memories from older friends and relatives. Dates, engagements, weddings and wakes – the Maid has hosted them all!
The Maid’s popularity as a pleasure steamer was at its height in the 1950s and early 1960s. But as the lure of affordable foreign travel beckoned, so passenger numbers and revenue dwindled. Decommissioned in 1981, the Maid was subjected to a sorry period of neglect, decay and vandalism until her purchase, in 1992, by Dumbarton District Council.
Advertised as having ‘commodious saloons’ and serving ‘lunches and teas of the highest quality at popular prices’ she was the last (and largest) in a long line of paddle steamers to sail on Loch Lomond. For 28 years, she gave great pleasure to millions of visitors who enjoyed sailing on the ship and exploring the villages and climbing the hills around the shores.
It was in 1996 when, on the point of dereliction, she was rescued by the very determined volunteers of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company, who continue to take care of her to this day. An ambitious rescue mission, where the aim was always to return the ship to sailing again on the Loch, was launched. Since then our charity, staffed entirely by volunteers, has raised over £2m and invested this in the first stages of the Maid’s conservation.
To find out more about the continued efforts to restore her to her former glory and to plan your visit go to https://www.maidoftheloch.org/
