Luss - village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK

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.

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 is the only public transport. Citylink buses from Glasgow Buchanan stop in Luss and Inverbeg on the way to Fort William, Oban and Campbeltown. In summer they run every couple of hours.

Garelochhead Bus 302 runs three times M-Sat from Helensburgh to Luss, Inverbeg, Tarbet, Arrochar and Lochgoilhead.

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 (with frequent trains from Glasgow Queen St) 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.

April-Oct a waterbus crisscrosses Loch Lomond. Routes from Luss are to Balloch (2 or 3 a day), Balmaha (4 or 5), the island of Inchcailloch (4) and Rowardennan (one). Bikes are carried and the waterbus timetable suggests some itineraries.

See

• Luss parish church, 56.1004°, -4.6367°. Victorian but has several much older monuments in the churchyard, such as cross-slabs which may be 7th century, and an 11th C hogback grave-cover. 2019-08-25
• Wee Peter. A statue of a boy by the shore a mile south of town. 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; a local man bought the statue to adorn the village. 2019-08-25

Do

• Luss Highland Games are held on the first Saturday in July. Events include caber-tossing, dancing and pipe bands. The next are on Sa 1 July 2023.

Buy

• There's a village store in Luss (open daily 09:00-17:00) and a small shop within Inverbeg holiday park.
• Inverbeg Galleries, Inverbeg G83 8PD, +44 1436 860277. Commercial art gallery with four showrooms, set in a garden. Nothing here that your Aunty Morag wouldn't enjoy. 2019-08-25

Eat

• The Village Rest on Luss Pier Road is a bistro open daily 10:00-21:00.
• Colquhoun's Restaurant is within the Lodge on Loch Lomond, see "Sleep".
• The Boat House, A82 Loch Lomond, Alexandria G83 8QZ, +44 1389 310 777, theboathouse@cameronhouse.co.uk. 2020-12-29
• The Clubhouse At Cameron, Cameron Club & Spa on Loch Lomond, Alexandria G83 8QZ, +44 1389 310 777, theclubhouse@cameronhouse.co.uk. 2020-12-29

Drink

See hotels, there's no pub.

Sleep

• Luss Camping & Caravan Site, Luss G83 8NT (Just north of Lodge), +44 1436 860658. Open April-Oct, but may close permanently in Nov 2019. Clean well-run site. 2019-08-25
• Lodge on Loch Lomond, Luss G83 8PA, 56.10428°, -4.63881°, +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 from £160 2019-08-25
• Loch Lomond Arms Hotel and a handful of B&Bs are ranged along Pier Road in Luss.
• The Inn on Loch Lomond, Inverbeg G83 8PD, 56.144532°, -4.664736°, +44 1436 860678. Good modern hotel on loch shore. No a/c or lifts. B&B double from £80 2019-08-25
• Inverbeg Holiday Park, Inverbeg G83 8PD, 56.1486°, -4.6604°, +44 1436 860267. Open all year, with static caravans, lodges and pods; there isn't a campsite or tourer facility. Double r/o £120 2019-08-25
• Cameron Lodges, A82 Loch Lomond, Alexandria G83 8QZ, +44 3330038557, reservations@cameronlodges.co.uk. 2020-12-29

Connect

Go next

• South to Balloch
• North to Tarbet Ardlui and Crianlarich