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Discovering the Highlands one hill at a time! We've climbed Ben A'an a few times, as it's about a 45-minute drive from Lochside House. It's only 461 m high, but the views from the top are epic! And you can just about see Lochside House with the naked eye - a little white dot near the end of the Loch. Starting from the car park by Loch Achray, the trail is a 2-3 hour journey of scenic bliss (with a fair sprinkling of sweat). Steady climb, some more demanding rocky bits, but totally worth it for the summit panorama! 🤩📸 No ice creams at the top, but overlooking Loch Katrine and Loch Achray, the summit serves up a visual feast. Perfect for a quick hike to get your heart rate up in the 100s, if you're into that! Pro tip: Proper footwear is a must – unless you're into free mud spa treatments! 😂🧗‍♂️ And tag us in your photos, because this spot is Instagram gold, especially at sunrise or sunset. 🌅 #BenAan #ScottishHighlands #Trossachs #HillHiking #ViewsForDays #LochWow #NatureLovers #ScotlandAdventures #EpicViews #scottishholidays #scottishholidaycottage

Who wants to try out our fancy new bathroom?

Loch Lomond is just a 4.5-mile walk from Lochside House and Apartment along the scenic Old Military Road to Inversnaid. As you head out of Stronachlachar, keep your eyes peeled for the signposted footpath on the right hand side about half a mile from the house. The undulating path runs parallel to Loch Arklet and spectacular views gradually open up towards the distant hills behind Loch Lomond. You're now marching down an old military road, built in the 18th century as part of an historical network to improve access through the Scottish Highlands, especially for military purposes following the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 - 1745. After about four miles of fairly easy walking, you reach the site of the old Inversnaid Garrison, its main purpose being to monitor and maintain control of movements along Loch Lomond. The Garrison was built in 1718 and remained a garrison barracks for 80 years. Don't miss the information board for a quick history lesson! Continue walking along the quiet road and down the hill to Inversnaid, on Loch Lomond, where you can join the footpaths along the tranquil shoreline, which is part of the world-famous West Highland Way in both directions. To the right of the large hotel are the bonnie, tumbling falls that feature in Gerard Manley Hopkins' poem "Inversnaid". Inversnaid Gerard Manley Hopkins This darksome burn, horseback brown, His rollrock highroad roaring down, In coop and in comb the fleece of his foam Flutes and low to the lake falls home. A windpuff-bonnet of fáwn-fróth Turns and twindles over the broth Of a pool so pitchblack, féll-frówning, It rounds and rounds Despair to drowning. Degged with dew, dappled with dew Are the groins of the braes that the brook treads through, Wiry heathpacks, flitches of fern, And the beadbonny ash that sits over the burn. What would the world be, once bereft Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left, O let them be left, wildness and wet; Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.

The Sir Walter Scott steamship has been sailing on Loch Katrine since 1900. It calls in at Stronachlachar Pier twice a day on its round trip from the Trossachs Pier. It's a great thing to do when you're staying with us. You can also hire bikes at the Trossachs Pier and take them one way on the ferry and cycle back to the Trossachs Pier, or vice versa. The Pier Cafe is a wonderful place to have lunch or afternoon tea, or just a quick cuppa.

Round-leaved sun dew. One of our lovely guests sent us this photo of these beauties today, seen not far from Lochside House.

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Early morning walk

Giant's-eye view

"Happiness, not in another place but this place...not for another hour, but this hour." Walt Whitman

#scottishholidaycottage #winteroffer #autumnbreak #trossachsnationalpark

Homeward bound