Balloch benches

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Loch Lomond at Balloch Castle
Loch Lomond at Balloch Castle. I know I’m a bit blurry!

A sunny Sunday in September found us walking at Balloch Castle Country Park and Whinney Hill Wood. Jude’s Bench Series this month is looking for occupied benches and you’ll find several of those here, and I’m also linking to Jo’s Monday Walks. Check both blogs for a virtual exploration of the world, its walks and its benches.

Balloch Castle
Balloch Castle

Balloch Castle is an early 19th-century country house at the southern tip of Loch Lomond. It now looks rather neglected (see the weeds growing out of the clock-tower above) but its estate has fared better – it has been a country park since 1980 and part of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park since 2002. As we walked along, we saw the float plane from Glasgow landing in the loch and a fine display of fungi.

Float plane on Loch Lomond
Fungi

Once past the castle, we struck off up a pathway to Whinney Hill Wood in search of a viewpoint over Loch Lomond. On the way, we came across a single-person bench – or is that just a seat? We were intrigued – only one person could have a rest at a time? Even stranger, we found another two at separate points en route. Why not just put them together so that people can be sociable? Anyway, here’s the first one both occupied and unoccupied.

Single bench
Single bench

Eventually, we reached the viewpoint:

Loch Lomond from Whinney Hill
Loch Lomond from Whinney Hill

However, the only way you could actually see the loch was from the handily placed bench. Now, Jude’s specification says occupied benches, which this certainly is, but the small print mentions seated, so will I get away with it? I was snapping John taking the view when he turned the camera on me.

Photographing Loch Lomond
Photographing me
Photographing him

After descending back into the park, we walked alongside the loch which I think gave better views than the viewpoint anyway.

Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond

The castle came back into sight from the other side …

Balloch Castle
Balloch Castle

…  and we explored its walled garden. Oh no! An unoccupied bench!

Walled Garden
Walled Garden

Finally, we watched the Astina emerging from the River Leven to take its passengers for a sail on the Loch.

The Astina
The Astina

For more views of Loch Lomond see:

Balmaha and Conic Hill

Take the High Road

The bonnie, bonnie banks

Scotland, UK , , , , ,

38 Comments »

    • We’ve been so lucky this year! We hit the good weather in Orkney and Shetland while it was awful here, then when we came back we had a lovely spell at home. Couldn’t have timed it better.

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  3. Pingback: Jo’s Monday walk : Following mountain goats! | restlessjo

  4. Lovely photos that have got me wanting to go back to Loch Lomond.

    The year before last I stayed for a couple of nights at the Camping & Caravanning Club site in Luss while en route to the western Highlands. I wanted to go across to Balmaha but the weather turned very cloudy, however I did get some gorgeous photos of various parts of the loch when it was nice. Two days wasn’t long enough though, so if and when I do go back it will be for at least three.

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  5. Having a massive catch up and so glad to have spotted this one! Love balloon castle and all on those beautiful shots on a SUNNY day sent me down memory lane.
    Love that single bench for ‘I want to be alone moment’😂

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  7. Obvious that those benches were calling out to you Anabel. Perhaps the point of the single bench/seat is to absorb the view without idle chatter? Whatever the reason they are rather lovely. And I cannot default John for standing on the bench when my peacock was doing the same! Nice walking with you again 🙂

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  8. Hard to believe that castle was a ‘country house’. Even if it is in slight disrepair, I’d happily move in tomorrow! Such magnificent surroundings. And that bench (chair) for one was certainly unique 😄

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    • Oh dear, just discovered this comment in spam, so sorry for the delayed reply. It would certainly be an amazing place to live in terms of the setting, but I suspect it has been neglected so long you would change your mind about moving in once you got inside!

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  9. I am just drawn into the beautiful scenery here and the rich greens and blues. Can one take tours of that “castle” I hope it will get the money for the needed restoration. As for that chair out there(:)) it reminds me of the pinching chair that was in an amusement park I used to go to when I was a kid. The park was Crystal Beach and there was the Magic Palace. About half-way through the palace, you were to sit on this chair and it would pinch you! Hopefully you didn’t feel any pinch

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    • Oh no! That would have been a shock, but definitely no pinching. The castle is all locked up – it belongs to the local council and I don’t know if they have any plans to revive it.

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  13. Oh, I’m torn again! 😦 I promised myself a couple of days away for my birthday next week but things are conspiring a little. I might only manage 1 night away and am not sure if it’s worth coming all the way to Scotland. So many lovely places to choose from. I’ve been watching the Scottish islands series while I was ironing this morning and I want to go to ALL of them. 🙂 Thanks for the mention.

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  16. Great oics! It’s not an area I know well but would like to explore. I’m with re the single seats – what’s all that about? Maybe more an art installation than a practical place to rest?

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