The Three Lochs Way: stage 1

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Three Lochs Way marker post

The Three Lochs Way is a 32-mile (52-kilometre) route that begins at Balloch, and which leads through Helensburgh, Garelochhead and Arrochar, to finish at Inveruglas. It is described in detail at the official Three Lochs Way website.

The present article is a collection of photographs illustrating the first stage of the walk, namely, the 9 mile long (14.5 km) section between Balloch and Helensburgh. A full description and map of this section of the Three Lochs Way can be found at the official website; walkers should refer to that site for details of the route, and for any updates.

As for the present article, it should not be used as a guide to the Three Lochs Way; it is simply a photographic record of the walk, intended to complement the map and description given at the official site.

Balloch to Helensburgh

In Balloch

The Three Lochs Way begins at the tourist information centre in Balloch; the following pictures show the route from there to the start of the Stoneymollan Road.

			(left) Starting point: Tourist Information Centre in Balloch (middle) Start of the riverside walkway (right) The riverside walkway
			(left) Path to Loch Lomond Shores (middle) The Retail Crescent (note: viewed from off the route) (right) The National Park Gateway Centre
			(left) The path to Old Luss Road (middle) Old Luss Road (right) The start of Lower Stoneymollan Road

The Stoneymollan Road

From the start of Lower Stoneymollan Road, the next 2.8 km or so of the Three Lochs Way is also part of the Stoneymollan Road, an old coffin road that is now a heritage path.

Not all of the photographs below are views along the direction of travel from Balloch to Helensburgh. Here, and in subsequent sections, views in the opposite direction are marked with an asterisk.

			(left) Lower Stoneymollan Road * (middle) A footbridge over the A82 * (right) Upper Stoneymollan Road *
			(left) Stoneymollan Road * (middle) Entering the woods (right) A crossroads; turn right here

On Darleith Muir

From the crossroads, the Three Lochs Way and the Stoneymollan Road go their separate ways. This part of the Three Lochs Way crosses Darleith Muir, where much of the forestry land has been cleared. It ends with an ascent, on forested slopes, to Killoeter.

			(left) This track leads to a T-junction (middle) Looking back from the T-junction * (right) Take the left branch at the T-junction, and follow the track to this gate
			(left) At the gate, turn right, and follow the gap between the fence and the woods (middle) Following the edge of the woods (right) The old wall makes a brief detour here, then resumes its westerly course *
			(left) Heading uphill through the trees (middle) The Three Lochs Way cuts straight across this forestry track (right) Emerging into the open again, on the Killoeter plateau

The Killoeter plateau

When the following pictures were taken, there was, as yet, no made path from the edge of the woods to the Red Burn; after leaving the woods, it is necessary to cross to the north-western side of the Red Burn (it is easy to do so at this point; downstream, the glen of the burn rapidly becomes much deeper). The route crosses the plateau, and leaves it on the approach to Quarry Wood.

			(left) Avoid the forestry drainage ditches (middle) Path above the north-western side of the deep glen of the Red Burn (right) Looking back along the same route *
			(left) Passing Northfield Wood * (middle) Crossing a new forestry track * (right) On the approach to Quarry Wood *

At Camis Eskan

After leaving Quarry Wood, the route once again follows well-defined tracks and roads.

			(left) Entering Quarry Wood (middle) The faint track through Quarry Wood (right) Leaving Quarry Wood
			(left) Passing a sheep fank * (middle) Passing a large barn * (right) The road leading to Craigendoran

Craigendoran to Helensburgh

The Three Lochs Way next follows the main road through Craigendoran to Helensburgh. In Helensburgh, the route heads uphill along Colquhoun Street. The course of that street is interrupted by Helensburgh Upper Station, and it is necessary to go around the station. The route then resumes its uphill course by means of Upper Colquhoun Street, which leads to the Hill House, where this first stage of the Three Lochs Way ends.

			(left) The main road through Craigendoran (middle) An old milestone (right) The main road enters Helensburgh *
			(left) West Clyde Street (middle) Colquhoun Square (right) Colquhoun Street
			(left) The top of Colquhoun Street (middle) A small detour around the railway station (right) Passing the entrance of Helensburgh Upper Station, on Sinclair Street
			(left) Munro Drive West leads to the start of Upper Colquhoun Street (middle) Resuming the uphill course: Upper Colquhoun Street (right) The end point: the Hill House

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For a similar article about the second stage of the walk, see The Three Lochs Way: stage 2.

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