LOCH LOMOND SHORES, Dumkinnon Bay, Loch Lomond.
ACCESS : Easy access for all. Level paths, cycle ways and generous carparks.
Lomond Shores is a commercial centre with several shops and restaurants, but it incorporates an esplanade from which you get excellent views up Loch Lomond and which on occassion has outdoor markets and events. It sits on a small bay which in turn forms a slightly larger one that is used for boating. That is Drumkinnon Bay. The promontory that links the two has the imposing LOCH LOMOND SEA LIFE AQUARIUM (discussed separately index.asp?pageid=715805).
Lomond Shores seen from the aquarium.
The esplanade with the aquarium beyond.
Views from the esplanade.
Drumkinnon Bay.
The views from here are fantastic. This photo was taken on a crisp November afternoon.
Expect the unexpected. There may be a dinosaur watching you. (Closed mid-2024).
To one side is the glass front rectangular building used for events. If you locate the gateway to the side you can enjoy an amble along boardwalks under mature trees up to the water's edge.
WOODED WALK & TREEZONE
Above you as you enter this area is Treezone. For the more adventurous this provides a more exciting way to experience the woods. (Also see DRUMKINNON WOODS which is to the south of the carpark index.asp?pageid=725899). (Treezone scheduled to close 2024).
Two views of the path through the woods. You will notice the cables and wooden structures above you that comprise the TreeZone in the treetops. These pictures were taken during a quite period. It can get quite noisy up there - but that shouldn't stop you enjoying the terrestrial pathways and views.
There are many flowers to see in spring. See index.asp?pageid=736934
The small beach with views over the Loch towards the hills and with Cameron House marina to the left.
BIRDS OF PREY
And next to that os the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre where you can learn a great deal about these magnificent birds. (As from November 2020, avian influenza has been found in some parts of Scotland. Although not here, an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone still remains acros all of Scotland and as a result this centre has had to curtail its displays).
Also see DRUMKINNON WOODS index.asp?pageid=725899 , MAID OF THE LOCH index.asp?pageid=715792and LOCH LOMOND SEA LIFE AQUARIUM index.asp?pageid=715805
VIABILITY : Much of this area had been occupied by such things as the texttile industry. The paddle boats and steamers used to be vastly more popular than today. Yet at the turn of the millenium it was only just beginning to recover from decades of decay, It was a vast swampy area with little attractive about it except for wildlife. They the initatives by those with vision turned it into what you see today. Well almost. Drumkinnon Tower, now an aquarium, failed in its initial purpose. More recently event the attractive up market shops have been transformed into something more budget. Similar fates have befell the visitor centre and some smaller shops. There is nothing in essence wrong with that, but they are symptoms of wider trends. During 2024 two more businesses threaten to close. All this reduces the attractiveness of Lomond Shores as the THE gateway to Loch Lomond and the Highlands. Tourism is a sustainble industry, but it so often contradicts itself when applied to historic and natural environments. The pressue of numbers put strains on the infrastructure which if increased, simply reduces the values of those environments.
So when FLAMINGO LAND was proposed on the open areas straddling between Lomond Shores, Loch Lomond and the River Leven down towards Balloch, there were some positive responses. However the backlash was also vehement. In mid-2024, the revised proposals were turned down. Would greater numbers of visitors in new developments, make the existing ones more viable? Possibly, but the very characteristics that make this area so attactive and valuable would be overwhelmingly compromised.
LOCH LOMOND BIRD OF PREY CENTRE : https://llbopc.co.uk/
LOCH LOMOND SHORES What's On website : https://lochlomondshores.com/whats-on/
LOMOND SHORES website : https://lochlomondshores.com/#
TREE ZONE : https://treezone.co.uk/loch-lomond/
VISIT SEA LIFE website : https://www.visitsealife.com/loch-lomond/conservation/
WALK HIGHLANDS website : https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/lomond-shores.shtml
