Home The Route Rowardennan to Inversnaid

Rowardennan to Inversnaid

Summary:

Distance / Time: 7 miles (11.2 km) / 4 to 5 hours
Total Ascent: 544 m
Total Descent: 547 m
Max Height: 149 m
Terrain: This stretch is mostly forestry track following the eastern shore of Loch Lomond with occasional diversions onto a rocky path with crags and boulders.
Accommodation: Inversnaid
Refreshments: Inversnaid
Places of Interest: Rob Roy’s Prison, RSPB reserve.

From the large car park at Rowardennan, take the track north toward the Youth Hostel. By the entrance to the Youth Hostel the path forks; bear left along the Way through oak woodland.
After about 1 km, the path divides again. The Way follows the right fork and the left fork leads to Ptarmigan Lodge. 300 m further on, the Way itself divides. The right hand, higher path follows a forest track and is easier going but lacks the interesting features of the lower route. The lower route goes down step stone steps toward the shoreline through mature woodland. It is hard going in places; sometimes steep above the loch and sometimes scrambling among boulders and crags on the shoreline. The lower route is not recommended is carrying large rucksacks.
About 2.5 km beyond Ptarmigan Lodge, the lower path reaches Rob Roy’s Prison; a large crag with a natural cell where Rob Roy is reputed to have held hostages.
The two paths rejoin just past Rowchoish bothy and continue through pleasant woodland, hugging the shoreline, for a further 5 km to Inversnaid. Here the path crosses the Snaid Burn with its attractive waterfalls via two footbridges to arrive at the Inversnaid Hotel.
The near by Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Reserve is also well worth a visit.

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