Ericka Liam
Best Dog Friendly Munros – Are we friends on Instagram? Here I share my best tips, videos and everyday life in Scotland!
I love dog friendly Loch Lomond – it’s the perfect place to take your pooch for a weekend of adventure!
Best Dog Friendly Munros
One weekend in April, The Haggis, Angus and I explored the east side of Loch Lomond. While many choose to visit the busy west side of the lake, we decided to stick to the east side, which is home to a variety of walks, scenery and wildlife.
Munroe Scottie Dog
We were greeted by perfect hiking weather – cloudy blue skies and calm lake water. Angus loves to travel and we love taking him with us on our adventures, so for us Loch Lomond was the perfect base for a fun weekend away.
Although Loch Lomond is dog-friendly, it is still important to keep tidy when traveling with your dog. Read on for the ultimate guide to exploring Loch Lomond with your dog!
The best way to explore Loch Lomond is by combining driving and walking. We found that traveling east from Loch Lomond by car gave us more freedom, but the road towards Rowardennon is quite bumpy – which made us want to drive less!
Loch Lomond has a strong focus on sustainability, so we tried to cover 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 everywhere as the West Highland Way runs along the lake to the east.
Great Days Out For You And Your Dog
Another fun way to explore Loch Lomond is by electric bike; An e-bike charging point is being built in Drymen Square, and chargers can be rented from some cafes (including St. Mocha Coffee Shop in Balmaha).
The best way to get to the eastern end of Loch Lomond is to take the train from Glasgow to Balloch and then the McGill bus to Balmaha. Public transport only takes you to Balmaha, so to get to Rowardenan Lodge Youth Hostel you have to walk (approx. 2.5 hours) or drive.
We stayed at Rowardennan Lodge Youth Hostel, one of Hostelling Scotland’s dog-friendly properties. Once a hunting lodge, this hostel is situated on the bony shores of Loch Lomond. It has a fantastic view and you can enjoy the view of the lake from most of the bedrooms and the living room.
Our private room overlooked Loch Lomond, which was lovely to wake up to. The bathrooms are shared and the showers are some of the best I have encountered in a hostel. The Wi-Fi is a bit spotty, but I hear it will be improved soon – plus it’s a place you want to relax, not surf social media!
Dog Friendly Cottages In Scotland With Last Minute Availability
This blog post is a paid collaboration with Hostelling Scotland to create a dog friendly guide to Loch Lomond. All opinions are my own.
There is also a large kitchen and several dining rooms where you can prepare your own meals or enjoy a hot meal at the hostel.
You can choose between a continental breakfast or a cooked breakfast; You can also order a three-course meal for dinner, which is as much as we ate one evening. Soup and roti to start, tikka masala for main course and chocolate brownie for dessert – it was delicious!
Angus was even able to join us for dinner – we brought him his own bowl and he was happy to have a snack while we enjoyed our meal.
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After dinner we retired to the lounge where we relaxed overlooking Loch Lomond and had a quiet beer (yes, this hostel is licensed and you can buy craft beer!).
I have been on many walking tours around Scotland and used these hostels as a base – they are a great choice if you are looking for comfortable and affordable accommodation.
Hosting One of the best things about hostels in Scotland 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 people in their thirties (like us) using the hostel as a base for hiking.
If you wish to bring your dog, there is a small charge of £5 per night for your dog’s stay.
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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 pub area is dog friendly (and in my opinion the best place to sit and eat). The owners and bar staff are great – they were happy to see Angus and gave him lots of goodies and a glass of water.
I ordered the Aberdeen Angus burger which was delicious and Craig had the beef pie. He swears it’s one of the best cakes he’s ever had!
This pub has a local feel and definitely has a special place in my heart. In my opinion it is a must visit.
Angie Munro On Linkedin: #travel #job #dogfriendly #tourism #dachshund #instagram #contentcreator
Perch was another highlight when we visited Loch Lomond. The Perch is a waterfront restaurant that offers stylish yet casual dining. They specialize in delicious brunches, lunches and homemade cakes.
When we arrived Angus was greeted with treats and pats and a bowl of water while Haggis and I studied the menu. I chose the pulled pork sandwich which was great! Had a Caesar salad with haggis which he also said was delicious.
This pub/restaurant has a more casual feel and dogs are also welcome. Angus made a lot of friends when we had dinner here!
You can spend time with your dog at St. Cafe and Ice Cream Parlor. Mocha in Balmaha. They produce their own ice cream and coffee and are very sustainable, using the by-products from coffee roasting. When we visited they even made Angus Pappachino!
Walks With The Dogs
Next door is the Oak Tree Inn where you can sit outside with your dog. The Oak Tree Inn has been voted best pub in Scotland twice and sources its ingredients as locally as possible. They serve a variety of dishes including pizza, burgers, fish and chips and steak pie.
If you like the sound of soup and homemade bread, Drymen’s Soup Dragon Cafe is a vegetarian/vegan cafe with a beautiful outdoor seating area where you can sit with your dog. There is also a beautiful forest hiking trail.
If you’re looking for a more challenging walk, Ben Lomond is a popular choice. As Scotland’s most southerly Munro (Scotland’s mountain over 900 metres), Ben Lomond is also popular with day-trippers from Glasgow and Edinburgh.
I suggest you spend more than one day in this area, especially Ben Lomond takes 4.5 – 5.5 hours on average.
Holiday Cottages Near A Munro
The great thing is that if you stay at Rowardenan Lodge Youth Hostel, your trip to Ben Lomond starts from the hostel!
If you want a short hike with great views, Conic Hill is a popular choice. Conic Hill is a popular hiking trail with locals; Many glass people will gather on this hill this weekend, climb it and come home for dinner.
The route goes through the forest and gently climbs upwards until you reach a kissing gate, and from there the path is steep but easy to follow. The kissing gate can be a bit difficult for bigger dogs, but Angus eventually figured it out and we didn’t have to carry him through the gate!
The view from the first little hill is amazing – you can see Loch Lomond and the islands and of course Munro and Ben Lomond.
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Angus enjoyed this short but steep walk and we saw many dogs of all breeds and colors along the way.
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 you can take your dog to? Introducing the Isle of Inchcailloch!
The island is part of the Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve and is one of the main options for visiting Loch Lomond. It is known for its wild and natural beauty; The view from the top of Tom towards Nigheananhas is considered one of the most beautiful you can see in Scotland!
Dog Friendly Days Out In Scotland
Ferries run from Balmaha Boat Yard and Loos from April to October (this is an approximate guide – it also depends on the water level when the ferry runs). It runs on request from 9am to 5.30pm and a return ticket costs £7.50 – and yes, your dog is welcome on board!
Helgen Kentigern, an Irish missionary, settled on the island in the early 8th century. She lived on the island until her death in 734, and legend says that she
