
Loch Eck west side
Length
28.8 Kms
Elevation gain
366 m
Max elevation
76 m
Difficulty
**
Rating
***
Type
Out and back
Route id
584
Main road
0 Kms
Country road
5 Kms
Dirt road
23.8 Kms
Dirt path
0 Kms
Trail
0 Kms
0

Route summary
The Loch Eck west side route is a forest road run within Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. The out and back covers a distance of 28.84 Kms ( 17.92 miles )
and has an elevation gain of 366 m ( 1201 feet )
.
Description
This is a very enjoyable easy route to folllow down the west side of Loch Eck. It is advertised as a cycle route but as usual there were no bikes to be
seen while we were running. Although we had considered trying to make this a loop by using the forest tracks on the east side of the loch we were
concerned about stretches on the main road. So for the time being this route is an out and back but we will research this further.
From the large car park we take a right onto the small tarred road and then left past the small farm and onto the route proper. Very simple to follow and
you are soon out in the open before heading into the trees. During the first part of the route there are several views of the loch but generally you
are blocked by the trees.
At the
6.5 Kms
mark you start a descent down to the loch side and the views improve from that point. The track also improves before finally becoming
a single track tarred road at the end of the loch. For this description we take the route into the Benmore Botanic gardens and up to the famous golden gate.
We did actually run on a little bit further and you could of course exit the gardens and out onto various trails and small roads nearby.
We used this route as a marathon training exercise and were very happy with it as the elevation wasn't too much and the views lovely.
Route directions
Kms
1
Start
0
2
Leave the car park taking the single road to the right
0.1
3
Turn to the left
0.3
4
Keep left
0.4
5
Straight ahead
2.5
6
Keep left
4.5
7
Keep left
7.2
8
Keep left
7.7
9
Keep left, yet again
13.4
10
Into the gardens
13.8
11
Turn back at the Golden gates
14.4
12
Straight ahead retracing your steps
15.4
13
Keep right
24.4
14
Keep right - easy to miss
26.4
15
Keep right
28.5
16
Turn right back to the car park
28.5
17
Ending back at the car park
28.8

Start and end area

The car park

Start and end area

Lots of space in the car park

Start and end area

The start of the route from the car park

Start and end area

Initial part of the run on a small tarred road

Start and end area

Starting on the route proper

Heading towards Loch Eck

Out in the open for a short while

Early views of the loch

Climb up into the tree line

Early views of the loch

The top of the loch

Early views of the loch


In the tree line

Standard forest road

In the tree line


Down at the loch side

View of the loch through the trees

Down at the loch side


Down at the loch side


Down at the loch side

There was also a warning about not eating the berries

Down at the loch side

New hardcore on the path with forestry work soon. This picture from September 2021

Down at the loch side


Down at the loch side


Down at the loch side


Down at the loch side


Down at the loch side


Down at the loch side


Close to the end of the loch


Bottom of the loch

Heading towards the botanical gardens

Bottom of the loch

The route is now on single track tarred road

Bottom of the loch


Into the botanical gardens


Into the botanical gardens

The Golden Gates

Into the botanical gardens


Into the botanical gardens


Into the botanical gardens
