Did you know that there are more than 31,460 lochs in Scotland? A loch (pronounced “lock”) is a lake, and Scotland is covered in them! Besides Loch Ness, Loch Lomond is perhaps the most famous loch in the country. It is the centerpiece of Scotland’s first national park, called Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Join me as I learn more about this Scottish icon!
Not only is Loch Lomond the largest loch in Scotland, but it is also the gateway to the Highlands. During my first month of this journey, I was lucky enough to visit the Highlands twice, and both times, my tour group drove past Loch Lomond to get there. The huge loch is breathtaking, and it’s no surprise that it is the subject of quite a few Scottish songs and poems. Perhaps the most famous is “The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond,” a traditional Scottish song from 1841. The song is about a pair of captured soldiers, one of whom is to be executed and one of whom is to be set free. In the song, one of the soldiers reminisces about the bonnie (beautiful) shores of Loch Lomond.
