Luss in Argyll and Bute is the first sizable village that you reach while heading north along Loch Lomond; 3 miles further north is Inverbeg. Although nowadays bypassed by the A82 main road, they're both busy and touristy, especially Luss where every coach excursion stops for photos and the gift shop, disgorging tourists asking if this is the loch that contains the Loch Ness Monster. You need to get away into the forests and hills or out on the water to enjoy the place.

Understand

Lus is the Gaelic word for "herb"; the village population is around 450. TV viewers will recognise it as "Glendarroch", the setting for the soap opera Take the High Road, screened 1980 - 2003. The fictional village was remote, with its characters cast in upon each other. In reality Loch Lomond south of Luss is lowland in nature: broad, dotted with small islands and not very deep, among lush fields. Further north is distinctly highland, where the loch is a deep narrow fjord hemmed in by mountains.

Get in

By bus: Citylink buses run from Glasgow Buchanan station every couple of hours, and stop in Luss and Inverbeg on their way to Fort William, Oban or Campbeltown.

Garelochhead Bus 305 runs three times M-Sa from Alexandria and Balloch to Luss. Balloch is the nearest railway station, with frequent trains from Glasgow Queen Street.

Bus 302 runs three times M-Sa from Helensburgh to Luss, Inverbeg, Tarbet, Arrochar, Lochgoilhead and Carrick Castle

By car take M8 west of Glasgow to cross Erskine Bridge then head north on A82 past Dumbarton to come onto the loch shore.

By bike: a cycle path runs from Balloch at the south end of the loch along bypassed loops of road and purpose-built track to Luss, and continues north to Tarbet, 17 miles in all. It's level going and suitable also for hikers, wheelchairs and horses.

Get around

Luss and Inverbeg are small and easily explored on foot, and there's a cycle path between them. Don't walk or cycle on the A82, which is pounding with traffic at all hours.

Sweeney's Waterbus crosses Loch Lomond April-Sept twice a day between Luss and Balmaha, with some calling at Inchcailloch island. One sailing per day is from Luss to Rowardennan then back across the loch to Tarbet. Bikes are carried and the waterbus timetable suggests some itineraries.

See

Luss Pier

• Pier Road, leading down from Loch Lomond Arms Hotel to the shore, has an attractive line of 19th century cottages.
• 1 Luss parish church, Luss Pier. This was built in 1875 but has several much older monuments in the churchyard, such as cross-slabs which may be from the 7th century, and an 11th-century hogback grave-cover. The church interior is only open for services, 11:30AM on Sunday. (updated Jul 2023)
• 2 Wee Peter is a statue of a boy on an offshore plinth by Aldochlay village. Mawkish legends are spun of how he drowned in the loch; actually he's just a piece of Victorian kitsch that turned up in a London scrapyard, and in 1890 a local man bought the statue to adorn the village. But Peter's hard to spot, and there's no public path to this part of the shore. At least he's protected there from drunks and vandals, who wouldn't hesitate to drown him again.
• 3 Inchtavannach is the closest to shore of the loch islands, and one of the largest. It was the abode of St Kessog (hence Innis Taigh a' Mhanaich, island of the monk's house), who christianised the area and was martyred in 520 AD. It's nowadays private woodland and the waterbuses don't call here.

Do

• Luss Highland Gathering is on the first Saturday in July. Events include caber-tossing, dancing and pipe bands. The next is on Sa 6 July 2024.

Buy

Luss Parish Church

• There's a village store in Luss (open daily 9AM-5PM) and a small shop within Inverbeg holiday park.
• Inverbeg Galleries, Inverbeg G83 8PD, ☏ +44 1436 860277. Sa Su 9AM-4PM. Commercial art gallery with four showrooms, set in a garden. Nothing here that your Aunty Morag would object to. (updated Jul 2023)

Eat

• The Village Rest on Luss Pier Road is a bistro open daily 10AM-9PM.
• Colquhoun's Restaurant is within the Lodge on Loch Lomond, see "Sleep".

Drink

See hotels, there's no pub.

Sleep

Loch Lomond seen from Stob Gobhlach

• Luss Camping & Caravan Site, Old Luss Road G83 8NT (Just north of Lodge), ☏ +44 1436 860658. Clean well-run site open Apr-Oct, minimum stay 2 nights. Since 2020 it's run by Luss Estates and is no longer part of Camping & Caravan Club of GB. Tent £27, caravan £36. (updated Jul 2023)
• 1 Loch Lomond Arms Hotel, Luss G83 8NY, ☏ +44 1436 860420. In village centre and comfy enough, but overpriced for what you get. B&B double £220. (updated Jul 2023)
• 2 Lodge on Loch Lomond, Luss G83 8PA, ☏ +44 1436 860201, res@loch-lomond.co.uk. Good hotel (no a/c), dog-friendly, gets mostly good reviews for service and comfort. With Colquhoun's restaurant. B&B double £180. (updated Jul 2023)
• B&Bs are ranged along Pier Road in Luss.
• 3 The Inn on Loch Lomond, Inverbeg G83 8PD, ☏ +44 1436 860430. Opened in 1814, but this is a modern hotel near loch shore. No a/c or lifts. Live music Th F Sa evenings. B&B double £120. (updated Jul 2023)
• 4 Inverbeg Holiday Park, Inverbeg G83 8PD, ☏ +44 1436 860267. Clean helpful site open all year, with static caravans, lodges and pods; there isn't a campsite or tourer facility. Double (room only) £180. (updated Jul 2023)
• See Balloch for accommodation at the south tip of Loch Lomond.

Connect

Luss and the A82 along the loch shore have 4G from all UK carriers. As of June 2023, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

• South to Balloch to reach the quieter east shore of the loch.
• North to Tarbet, where the road divides: west to Inveraray and the Argyll peninsula, or north to Crianlarich.

Routes through Luss

Campbeltown/Crianlarich ← Tarbet ←

N  S

→ Balloch → Glasgow