Drymen Camping
UK Scotland Central Scotland Stirlingshire
Prime base for exploring the West Highland Way, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
The sense of relief is writ large on the faces of the campers plotting up at Drymen Camping, grateful as they are for a scenic setting to pitch up for the night. For you see, this Stirlingshire spot is virtually an obligatory stopping point for walkers on the epic West Highland Way. Running directly past the campsite, the West Highland Way is Scotland’s most famous long-distance walk. You can usually tell which way walkers have come, as those heading north from Glasgow will be nursing just a few first-day blisters and twinges, while those staggering in from the north will have a catalogue of aches and pains after trekking all the way from Fort William.
The tranquil site is spread across a grassy, tree-dotted field, with expansive views of the rolling fields surrounding. The site itself offers a few basic creature comforts – there’s a facilities block with hot, walk-in showers and proper loos, while a communal shelter doubles as a place to prepare food and wash your dishes. For guests who’d rather forego pitching-up tents, the quartet of glamping pods – a pair of kocoons and geopods each sleeping up to two guests – are the natural choice for those wanting to walk the West Highland Way unencumbered by all the kit and caboodle.
Walkers and cyclists are truly spoiled for choice here. The campsite lies directly on the West Highland Way and National Cycle Route 7 (that’s the John O’Groats to Land’s End stretch), while the Rob Roy Way and John Muir Way are both eminently reachable from site. And even for those not enthused by long walks, a quick stroll on the WHW is practically compulsory round these parts. An easy option is to trek just a mile north up the road to the small town of Drymen, where a sprinkling of welcoming pubs brighten up the main square.
The campsite also lies within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park – 720 square miles of spectacular burns, corbetts, lochans and munros to explore. If you haven’t had your fill of natural wonders, seek out Garadhban Forest or the Pots of Gartness where you can watch salmon leaping upstream. Or you may recognise the nearby Devil’s Pulpit – a rocky limestone outcrop protruding from the blood waters of Finnich Glen said to be a where Old Nick addressed his minions – from TV’s Outlander.
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Details
Facilities
Facilities block with hot walk-in showers and toilets. There’s a small communal sheltered area where campers can prepare food and wash dishes. Free mobile charging point provided. Picnic benches available throughout the site. Campfires are not permitted in the main campsite but off-ground BBQs are allowed – BBQ stands can be provided if required.Suitable For
Campers, glampers, well-behaved dogs on leads and small campervans– yes (no electric hook-up or water provided, no motorhomes or caravans please).Nearby
Drymen Camping lies within the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park (01389 722600). There are countless scenic walks suit all ages and abilities. If it rains, the Loch Lomond Shores complex (01389 751031) is filled with shops and eateries, plus Sea Life Loch Lomond (01389 721500). The campsite is located directly on the West Highland Way and is generally considered the first night’s stop on the route (all WHW baggage transfer companies deliver and pick-up from the campsite). The Rob Roy Way also starts from Drymen and the campsite lies beside the cycle route of the John Muir Way and National Cycle Route 7 – the latter forms part of the iconic Lands End to John O’Groats route. If you prefer your walks on horseback, Loch Lomond Pony Trekking (07745 277320) offers treks high into the moorland on the south western edge of Loch Lomond. For whisky lovers, Glengoyne Distillery (01360 550254) is 10 mins away by car and Glasgow is less than an hour away.Food & Drink
The historic Clachan Inn (01360 660824) in Drymen, dating back to 1734, is just less than 2 miles away and serves up reliable pub grub and an enviable array of Scottish whiskies. Just 5 mins drive away, The Drymen Inn (01360 660123) boasts hearty fayre and popular live music and quiz nights. The Winnock Hotel (01360 660245) specialises in sophisticated interpretations of the best local produce such as king scallops and cullen skink. The Salmon Leap Restaurant at The Buchanan Arms Hotel (01360 660588) is – despite its name – the place to go for a steak. In Killearn The Old Mill (01360 550068) is a popular choice with its own kitchen garden and an atmospheric yurt for candlelit dining, while the award-winning Three Sisters Bake (0333 344 7344) is famous for cakes. For a family-friendly option, look no further than The Beach Tree (01360 550297) in Dumgoyne. Kids eat for free and there’s a petting zoo home to friendly Shetland ponies, pygmy goats and a whole menagerie of furry friends.Open
April – end of October.
Why book with Cool Camping?
- Best Price Guarantee, with no fees
- Instant booking confirmation
- Trusted for over 10 years
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Social Distancing Measures
Drymen Camping welcomes you!
Due to the coronavirus Drymen Camping has implemented the following:
- reduced number of pitches to aid social distancing
- hand sanitiser stations
- contactless payment system available
- face masks and hand sanitiser available for sale
- complete sanitisation of all facilities using Eco-Mist's TriBioSan
- enhanced cleaning measures and frequency
Accommodation
30 grass tents pitches plus 2 kocoons & 2 geopods (each sleeping up to 2 guests)
Kocoons
Pod
Sleeps 2
2 Available
Each Kocoon sleeps two people on fixed memory foam benches furnished with pillows but please bring bedding with you. No dogs permitted in Kocoons sorry. We have hot walk-in showers as well as a communal sheltered area so you can prepare food and wash dishes.
Family Pitch for larger tents / Campervan
Grass pitch
Sleeps 6
8 Available
Ideal for Families with larger tents (max 8-man tent) or small Campervans (no Motorhomes / Caravans accepted). Guests staying at our site have free use of the facilities such as toilets and hot walk-in showers. We have also a communal sheltered area for phone charging, preparing food and washing dishes.
Standard Pitch (max small 4-man tent)
Grass pitch
Sleeps 4
22 Available
Guests staying at our site have free use of our facilities such as toilets and shower block with hot walk-in showers. We have also built a communal sheltered area so you can prepare food and wash dishes.
Location
Contact Drymen Camping, Gartness Road, Drymen, By Loch Lomond, Stirlingshire G63 0DN
Getting There
The campsite is a 30-minute drive from Stirling. Take the A811 west for 20 miles and then look out for a turning towards Gartness. The site is along the old Gartness Road and is signposted.
There is no direct public transport to the site, though trains run from Glasgow Queen Street to Balloch Railway Station from where you can connect with the 309, run buy Garelochead Minibuses & Coaches (01436 810200) to Drymen village square.
Reviews
Add Your ReviewRated ★★★★★ over 26 reviews
Perfect for a first night on the WHW
Perfectly located for the WHW with friendly staff. Extremely good value for money. Well spaced out pitches. Excellent facilities with showers, toilets, water and charging area. Would definitely stay again.
Great campsite with excellent facilities
This campisite is on the west highland way and about 25 minutes walk from Drymen. Facilities were great, lots of toilets and showers and a kitchen area. Would definitely stay hear again.
Great camping spot!
Myself and my boyfriend found this campsite very last minute, and being fairly new to camping we didn't really know what to expect but this campsite was everything you needed! The campsite owner was great, he met us on arrival, allowed us to pick out pitch (which were all spaced out and marked up well) and also gave us some great advice on where to go for walks and nearest pubs/cafes. The campsite itself is on the smaller side which made it very peaceful and close walk to the facilities (which is always good when you need to take a trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night). The facilities were great, hot showers and toilets that were kept clean daily, washing facilities for your dishes and a charging station which is also a massive plus. I would definitely book here again, we can't wait for our next visit.
Best weekend ever
We are first time campers and as usual took to much but the campsite owner was outstanding we picked our pitch and he let us take the car near so we could empty our stuff, he gave exceptional advice on how and where to pitch, we did not go for a family pitch which was a good idea coz we mixed with various people. The facilities were first class and kept so clean every time someone had a shower the owner was in there cleaning, and for a clean freak that was amazing. With hot showers washing facilities for your dishes and even a charge station free for your phones, most places we looked at asked for a charge even for the mobiles. The owner was always at hand and checking to make sure all guests where comfortable and happy. Would we book it again well that’s a big YES
Lovely night away
We turned up just for a Saturday night to test out our new tent and get out the city. Campsite was lovely, our pitch was nice and level, only sharing our little hedged off area with two other tents! Toilets were clean and tidy. About a half hour walk into Drymen where we had dinner at the Clachan inn which was delightful - recommend booking! All in all, big thanks to everyone as it was a great night away!
Clean, Well Maintained and Great Hub
I pitched up for 4 night to go to Loch Lomond, Aberfoyle and Callander. It was a great hub to go and see The Devils Pit, Rivers, Waterfalls, Lakes, Forests and Wildlife. So much to see and all accessible from to Drymen Village, just over a mile away. The scenery at the camp is really nice too. There is a small bird that visits pitch 23/24 everyday for a feed. If your there go and visit him/her. Looking at booking for next year.
Clean, very well laid out
Loved this campsite - Jill who organised the check in was great and provided lots of tips and advice about the local area. The place was spotless throughout with very good COVID measures in place. There was a very relaxed, friendly atmosphere in the small-sized tent area. I definitely plan to stay here again. The only downside was some of the other guests ignoring the Covid guidance.
Great site in a beautiful location
Highly recommend this site. Host was really friendly and helpful. The facilities were excellent and regularly cleaned. The setting is stunning with an easy walk into Drymen. All made for a relaxing couple of days.
Idyllic setting natural feel
Facilities were well laid out, cleaned often. We were met on arrival and Covid rules etc explained to us and personally direct to our site. Site management was very pleasant and helpful. We had plenty of room for our camper and awning with good space between campers. We were a short walk away from the lovely village of Drymen with great pubs and places to eat. We were looking for a relaxing weekend and this site hit the mark. The plus was the beautiful countryside.
Relaxed site, lovely setting
We found this a really relaxed site in a lovely setting, it’s not too institutional and is also a small site which we liked. We had booked a regular pitch for a 4 man tent but it turns out that we have a ‘large’ 4 man tent so they moved us up to one of the bigger pitches no problem - much more space and a better outlook so I’d recommend this for families. Kids were happy with the on site phone charging and pizza delivery options. And it’s a beautiful setting.
Highly recommend!
Absolutely stunning site and area. All the facilities were to a very high standard, couldn’t ask for more in a campsite!
Perfectly basic
Had a nice couple nights under the stars here in September. It’s just what is required. Facilities were very good and had a good cleaning routine. The host was nice and informative. It’s a good base for exploring the area. Mostly this campsite it used by walkers. We had 5 under 5’s with us. They were desperate to go see the horses so maybe somehow make it more accessible so the kids can explore more. Overall though can’t fault it.
Great quiet site with plenty of space for our campervan
Great little campsite, set on a small farm with nearby animals and chickens. The owner was very friendly and helpful. We had the outer field all to ourselves on level ground for our camper. Very quiet site and a good location nearby Loch Lomond
Few says away
What a fab little campsite 30 minutes walk from Drymen where there is a lovely hotel Where we had a fab meal and we found out that if your walking the West highland way this is the first camp you'll stay at.. We were 15 minutes on bike into Balloch where we had wander round loch lomond.. only down fall at camp there is no cooking facility's if you fancy a cuppy you need to bring your own kettle and stove..
Friendly, good facilities
Drymen camping was a lovely campsite for our first night on the west highland way. The owners were really friendly and welcoming and covid safety measures were in place in the communal area. The showers are hot which we appreciated after a rainy day!! We also made the most of the homemade pizzas delivered to our tent!! Thanks for having us, would recommend.
Brilliant location, very safe, clean and quiet.
Gavin was a very friendly host and kept the campsite, food prep area and toilets clean and safe during these Covid-19 times. The site is quiet and friendly and close to a lovely village. Lovely evening sunsets and so many starts to gaze at.
Warm welcome, great site
My wife and I spent a fantastic couple of days here despite the stormy weather, we were made very welcome by the friendly staff and fellow campers. Individual safety breif on arrival with a very well organised social distancing and sanitising routines, facilities were clean and well maintained and the addition of charging points for phones and gadgets well appreciated. Although the location is remote this is an ideal spot to pitch and enjoy the surrounding countryside ( families would benefit from having transport ) and the pitch’s were very reasonably priced. If you are hiking, cycling or just looking for a quite get away then I would highly recommend that you stay at Drymen Camping thanks to the staff for a very enjoyable stay.
Good facilities and felt friendly, safe and clean
We really enjoyed our stay in the kocoons. Everything felt safe and well cleaned under the current circumstances and facilities were in good working order. The kocoons were very cozy and practical. I really appreciated that they provided camp chairs. Felt very glad to be in an enclosed, warm little place in the rain after our long hike up Ben Lohmond but still enjoyed the rustic charms of a campsite atmosphere. There was a town a convenient walk away with a shop open late and nice pubs/cafes.
Fantastic
Welcoming staff, massive space, very clean toilets and showers. Would definitely recommend
Perfect spot for camping!
We really enjoyed our one night stay at Drymen Camping! Everything felt really safe and clean regarding coronavirus, with plenty of hand gel stations, which was great. We walked into Drymen for some food, which only took about 25 minutes and the road was easy to follow. Although we were not walking the West Highland Way, I can see how this site would be an ideal spot along the way. Would recommend.
Great camp site
I just stayed for five days at Drymen camping. The owner Gavin made me feel very welcome and was helpful. The safety measures due to the coronavirus were clearly explained and the toilets and showers were kept very clean. We had a bad storm while I was there and the rain drained away very quickly from the pitches, so there was no flooding. It is in a great spot for exploring the countryside round about, or for walkers on the different routes that pass close by. I will definitely visit again later this year.
Good time
We spent 6 nights and we are happy. Really can't complain. Hot showers and clean toilets (deap cleaning every day). We could charge ours phones in the shared area. Gavin was on hand to welcome us in, explain the procedures and campsite rules especially around Covid precautions! Was lovely view. Campsite is on the hill, we didn't to worry aboud flooded when heavy rain comming. 100% We are recomanded this place.
Kocoon bliss
I spent two nights in one of the camping pod kocoons and had a great stay! Gavin was on hand to welcome me in, explain the procedures and campsite rules especially around Covid precautions! The pod came with camping chairs to use and the bed was comfy. Really nice showers and loos too, and a huge undercover area for communal drying towels or gear and a sort of kitchen/ wash up area. Gavin also gave me some great advice for local hikes and things to do in the area.... which there is LOTS of! The neighbourhood is full of friendly cows and great views, with easy access to Drymen. Will gladly (and hopefully) stay there (camping or in a pod) again soon!
Great value for money
Just back from two nights here and really can't complain. Great hot showers and clean toilets. You can even charge your phone in the shared area. We were in the big field and it was great. It's nothing fancy but a great base for all the things to see and do near by. Lots of hand sanitising stations and social distancing markers. Hand gel and masks were also available to buy. Only disappointment was you are not allowed to have a camp fire but we would be happy to stay again.
Lovely wee camp site
A lovely wee campsite with big field next door for larger tents. We were a family of four meeting up with another two families. The field was spacious for the kids to run around and play plus far enough away from the “Serious hiker campers” for us not to worry about our kids disturbing them. You can see great effort has been made to comply with Covid guidelines. There are plenty of hand sanitising units and very regular cleaning of the shower/toilet block facility. Good hot shower and free mobile charging. Good location for site seeing and nearby Drymen with shops, pubs and restaurants.
Clean, friendly, close to Loch Lomond
We stayed here as a family this week, we were one of the first guests to stay after lockdown eased. The owners have done a good job ensuring the safety of visitors, there’s clear one way signs and plenty of anti bac available. The showers and toilet areas were very clean and the camping areas have clearly been marked out. The campsite was a good base for us to explore the surrounding area. There were a few other families there which was nice for our toddler but I think usually the other campers tend to be West Highland Way walkers.
Why book with Cool Camping?
- Best Price Guarantee, with no fees
- Instant booking confirmation
- Trusted for over 10 years
- A chance to win prizes in our regular competitions
