The best hiking routes in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is defined by the Highland Boundary Fault, which cuts directly through the landscape. To the south of this line, you will walk across rolling lowland hills, gentle lake shores, and deciduous woodlands. North of the fault, the terrain changes abruptly into steep, rugged mica-schist mountains, deep glens, and vast pine forests. This geological split means a single day's walk can transition from flat, grassy lakeside paths to rocky, heather-clad ridges.

Underfoot, the paths vary significantly depending on your elevation. Lowland routes around the southern shores of Loch Lomond often consist of wide, gravelled tracks and occasional wooden boardwalks over marshy ground. As you climb into the Trossachs hills or up the northern peaks like Ben Lomond, the terrain shifts to steep, eroded dirt paths, exposed tree roots, and rough stone steps. Peat bogs are common on the higher plateaus, where the trail can become waterlogged and less defined, requiring careful navigation across open moorland.

In autumn, particularly during October, the oak woodlands along the eastern shores of Loch Lomond turn a deep bronze, contrasting with the dark green of the coniferous plantations further north. The lower glens are characterized by ancient coppiced woods and historical pasture land, while the high glens show the impact of sheep grazing and forestry plantations. This is a working landscape of timber production and hill farming, where walkers frequently encounter livestock and active forestry operations alongside the recreational trails.