IWNA Issue 1, 2019

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LOCH LOMOND AND THE TROSSACHS
I meander along nature trails in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs,
excited to follow in the footsteps of acclaimed creatives whose
works have brought many to these lovely banks.
Spanning 720 square miles, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
National Park is an icon of Scotland’s scenery. This remote and sce-
nic place drove Sir Walter Scott and William Wordsworth to write
their adventure novels and poems during the Romantic Age, spark-
ing a surge in the area’s popularity.
At Trossachs pier, I hop aboard the classic steamship Sir Walter
Scott, and travel the length of Loch Katrine, featured in Scott’s poem
“Lady of the Lake.” Published in 1810 and written during a family
vacation in the Trossachs, the narrative prose brought the region to
life. Shortly after its publication, Victorian sightseers flocked to the
loch to see the captivating land for themselves. It wasn’t just the
visitors who were enthralled: A young Franz Schubert, also inspired
by Scott’s epic, wrote one of his best-known pieces, “Ave Maria,” to
the words of the famous poem.
Ferrying across Loch Katrine on the
118-year-old steamship feels much like trav-
eling through history. The wild green expanse
shows few signs of modernization, and time is
seemingly static: It could very well be the 19th
century to an outsider. Gliding along myste-
riously dark waters, reaching depths of up to
320 feet, the boat passes forest-filled banks,
Ellen’s Isle, and Brenachoile Point — a popular
film location, featured in movies including Alfred
Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps and the 2008 thriller
Doomsday, and season two of the Starz original
series Outlander . Every now and then, a blanket
of bright-white mist momentarily swallows the
distant mountains and obscures the view, reducing visibility to foggy
silhouettes. The eerie conditions accentuate the dramatic setting.
We disembark at Stronachlachar pier, and I switch my mode of
transport to a hybrid bike designed for road and mountain condi-
tions. Pedaling along the tarmac lane, which weaves around ancient
oak-twined shores, and whizzing past gushing mountain waterfalls, I
cycle back to the starting point, a two- to three-hour ride away. The
route is remote and utterly tranquil. In Scott’s famous poem “Lady of
the Lake,” he describes Loch Katrine and its peaceful surroundings
as “so wondrous wild, the whole might seem, the scenery of a fairy
dream.” This verse could also be applied to the Trossachs; there is
something enchantingly quaint and timeless about the landscape.
As depicted by these poets, the charm of the Highlands comes
alive when you explore on foot. Well-marked trails weave through for-
ests, zigzag up mountains, and provide breathtaking vistas, and often,
a bench at the top. At Inversnaid, I climb the steep 1.5-mile RSPB
(Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) nature trail through marvel-
ous oak trees. I am rewarded with a superb view of northerly Loch
Lomond from above. Along the way, wood warblers and redstart birds
swoop before my eyes, and the sound of water trickling down from
rocky hillside rivers forms nature’s soothing melody.
On lower ground, traversing the rugged
terrain along the loch, I reach Rob Roy’s
cave. Legend has it that the cattle-rustling
fugitive Rob Roy MacGregor — depicted as
a Scottish Robin Hood–like hero in Scott’s
adventure novel Rob Roy — took refuge on
these shores with his family after their home
was burned to the ground. It was here that
he planned many of his scandalous activities
as an outlaw.
Back in 1803, a trio of prolific poets
and writers — William Wordsworth, his
sister Dorothy, and friend Samuel Coleridge — traveled through
the Trossachs, writing along the way. William composed the
poems “Stepping Westward” and “A Highland Girl,” while Dorothy
documented their six-week, 663-mile journey in her travel mem-
oir Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland, published in 1874.
Traveling by horse and carriage, and exploring mostly on foot, the
Wordsworths described the land as “a grand and solitary region.”
Following in their footsteps, I stroll along the shores of Loch
Ard before sunset, noticing the stillness of its waters. As light fades
to dusk, the lake has a kaleidoscopic quality; the shimmering loch
reflects translucent skies and towering pine trees. Two ducks non-
chalantly swim past, stirring up the calm waters and leaving a rippled
trail behind them. In an instant, the mirage is lost.
After a day of exploration, The Forth Inn, a traditional pub in the
heart of the quaint village of Aberfoyle, provides a chance to relax
and refuel. It is here that I delve into a hearty haggis burger (when
in Scotland!) and enjoy the good cheer and merriment. It’s a place
where you can mingle with locals, and sample a shot of whisky or
enjoy one of the craft beers on tap. Well worth a peek the next day,
The Wee Tablet shop is a cute confectionary in Aberfoyle. I choose
from their selection of sugary treats, settling on some authentic
John Eveson/FLPA/SuperStock; Alex Thomson/Alamy Stock Photo
62 INTERVAL WORLD n Issue 1, 2019
Soak Up Scotland’s
Scenery.
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at .
Getaways start at $739.
The Getaway price is valid April 1 through
Sept. 30, 2019.
Many Scottish artists
have been inspired by the
changing light over the
rugged highlands, like at
this river near Braemar in
Cairngorms National Park.