Balloch to Helensburgh

A new long distance route linking Loch Lomond, Gare Loch and Loch Long developed by the Helensburgh and District Access Trust. This first section links Balloch at the southern end of Loch Lomond with the leafy town of Helensburgh. The route climbs steeply with good views before heading up through forestry and descending over rough moorland with sea views.

Terrain

Paths, minor road, open moorland and forestry with limited waymarking. This section requires good navigation skills; is boggy in places, and has one very rough steep climb through dense forestry.

Public Transport

Trains or buses serve both Balloch and Helensburgh (use Helensburgh Upper Station)

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Start

Balloch Visitor Information Centre. Map and directions.

grade grade
Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Walk Statistics

Distance: 13km/8 miles
Time: 3.5 - 4.5 hours
Ascent: 157m (Profile)
Grid Ref: NS390819

Maps / GPS

View / Print route map
Buy Explorer 347 - Loch Lomond South
GPS Waypoints - QUO 2
GPS Waypoints - GPX
View in 3D
Download walk to Google Earth (KMZ file)

Accommodation

Walk Description

Stage 1

The Visitor Information Centre in Balloch is just across the road from the rail station. From here head through the car park to the River Leven and follow this to the left along a riverside path. Note the distinctive logo of the Three Lochs Way circular waymarkers on the post here. Keep on the surfaced path closest to the river passing the mixture of cruisers and sail boats moored here. When the path emerges at a road go straight across and bear left to pass through the Loch Lomond Shores retail complex with toilets near the front entrance. Follow the walkway to the right of the car park as you walk away from the loch to reach a leafy lane at a T-Junction. The cycle route version turns right here and this presents a much easier option to Helensburgh if you want to avoid the climb (and views) - to do this follow the West Loch Lomond Cycleway, which runs parallel with the busy A82 road and then shadows the B831 and B832. However the walking route turns left at the T junction, for a short distance before turning right signposted Cardross and Stoneymollan Road.

Stage 2

Follow the track and then bear right to cross the footbridge over the A82 and bear right again to head up the steep road. After a gate follow the line of trees. This is the route of an old coffin road used to carry the dead to consecrated ground to be buried. From the high point there is a superb view over Loch Lomond towards Ben Lomond. Just before the gate there is a large stone on the right, this may be where a stone cross once stood and where the coffin bearer's rested. Go through the gate and alongside the forestry. At a cross roads turn right and keep on this track until a T junction with forestry ahead, turn left here heading towards the waters of the Clyde and Gare Loch.

Stage 3

Do not cross the gate and stile but instead turn right and follow a rough route between the fence and the forestry. This area is home to the rare Green Hairstreak butterfly so its worth keeping your eye out for a flash of vivid green. At the corner of the fence cross the boggy burn and bear right along the remains of an old wall until the end of the fence. Turn left to cross the fence here and keep to the left of the stone wall until an old track is crossed. Here the best route (waymarked temporarily by red and white tape tied to the trees) is to head uphill on the right hand side of the wall until a rough path bears right into the wood in order to avoid boggy ground. The route now zig zags very steeply up through the trees, take care to look for the waymarkers, to emerge at a fence at a makeshift crossing point approximately 0.5km NE of Killoeter.

Stage 4

From here the route heads northwest across the open moorland using temporary markers. There are plans to build a path over this section in the next few years which will make navigation easier. Keeping NW descend to the Red Burn, with great views of Helensburgh and the sea ahead. Cross the burn and climb to the easier ground on the far side and bear left to head SW down towards the trees keeping the Red Burn on your left. Without permanent waymarking this section requires careful map reading to emerge onto a path by a stone wall. Keep the wall on your right and stay close to it, ignoring the larger path which branches left. Soon a metal farm gate is reached, go through this and bear slightly left to descend through the wood and cross a burn to go through another gate. Turn left immediately through another gate and onto a farm track.

Stage 5

Keep on the main track which crosses farmland and passes a large green barn. At the the surfaced road with the house opposite, bear right passing the 20 speed signs to head downhill. Ignore a turn on the left and after the road swings right turn left onto Drumfork Road (surfaced in red) to head down the back of houses to reach Cardross Road, the A814. This is the main route into Helensburgh and is not waymarked for the Three Lochs Way. Turn right and follow the road into the town centre where there is accommodation and all facilities as well as train and bus links.

Stage 6

Helensburgh is a leafy town built as a resort for nearby Glasgow in the age of paddle steamers. The residential streets boast an impressive collection of large villas of various architectural styles but the main draw is The Hill House, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The next stage of the route starts from there, and Helensburgh Upper Station is also close by. To reach The Hill House and the station from the A814 turn right up Sinclair Street and after passing the station and a fairly long climb turn left into Kennedy Drive and then right onto Upper Colquhoun Street. A quieter alternative would be to take Colquhoun Street which is one block further west.

Next stage: Helensburgh to Garelochhead

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Route Profile

Walking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is each walkers' responsibility to check it and navigate using a map and compass.