Loch Katrine Eco Camping

Details

Facilities

Woodland camping (some pitches with electric, two are wheelchair friendly) with access to a shared toilet and shower block. Open fires and charcoal BBQs are not permitted. There is no direct access to the loch from the campsite, a fence prevents access, but there are view points and access to the water a short walk up the lochside. Most of the campervan/motor-home pitches are in the car park (with electric, water and WiFi) but there's also a lochside campervan pitch with hook up facilities. All eco lodges feature a small kitchenette with combo microwave, fridge and sink, Freeview HDTV, free Wi-Fi, lighting and heating, while the Glen lodges have en-suite toilets and the Loch lodges have en-suite toilets and showers and underfloor heating. All sleep up to four people and there is an additional wheelchair-friendly lodge with space for two adults and the option for up to two additional fold down sofa beds for young children. Finally, for the best views, there is also the luxury, elevated, two-person Loch Katrine lodge with fully glazed frontage. All guests, campers and glampers alike, receive 20% off sailings on the Rob Roy 111 and the Lady of the Lake and cycle hire. There is a small shop on site where a limited range of supplies are available as well as a café/tearoom. Fishing on Loch Katrine is by boat only and requires a permit.

Suitable For

Glampers, campers, tents, campervans and motorhomes all welcome. Dogs welcome in some pods (£8 supplement per night). No caravans, stag or hen parties.

Nearby

Catching a boat tour from Trossachs Pier to Stronachlachar is a must. The hamlet is full of history and not more than an hour’s walk from Inversnaid, a checkpoint on the West Highland Way. For cyclists, the road along the northern shore of the loch is a relatively flat, car-free tarmac surface, making it the ideal alternative route to the other end of the water. You can hire bikes from Katrine Wheelz (01877 376366) at Trossachs Pier and bikes can also be booked on board the boats, so you can cross the loch and cycle back. For other routes in the Trossachs, the ‘School House Cycle’ is a family-friendly trail that enjoys views across Loch Katrine and surrounding hills such as Ben A’an and Ben Venue. The trail itself is an easy ½-mile and can be combined with a cycle from Trossachs Pier or Stronachlachar but it also links up with 35-mile national route 7. Between Loch Katrine and Loch Achray, Ben A’an (Gaelic for “pinnacle” ) is one of Scotland’s more accessible peaks and one of the most rewarding hikes in the area. There are a series of well catalogued routes, for varying levels of hikers in the Great Trossachs Forest and Queen Elizabeth Forest Park (the latter boasts a visitor centre at the Lodge in Aberfoyle). The route from Loch Achray to the summit of Ben A’an is 2½ miles long, for those looking to experience the hilltop view without a complex climb. Other nearby attractions include the castles at Stirling (01786 450000) and Doune (01786 841742), whisky distilleries at Deanston (01786 843010) and Glengoyne (01360 550 254), the National Wallace Monument (01786 472140), Blair Drummond Safari Park (01786 841456) and Go Ape Aberfoyle (0845 094 9032).

Food & Drink

There aren’t many spots with a view like Loch Katrine's own Steamship café (01877 376 799). Grab some pre-exploration breakfast, lunch or enjoy a much deserved tea and cake, all overlooking the loch. Situated at the Trossachs Pier, the café offers a warm welcome and extensive array of locally sourced fresh food on offer for families, hikers and cyclists in the area, as well as those staying at the campsite. Open daily on a seasonal basis but not in the evenings. There are a number of places to eat and drink in lochside settings and also in the nearby settlements of Brig o Turk, Callander and Aberfoyle. A daytime visit to the Pier Café at Stronachlachar by boat is highly recommended.

Opening Times

All year.