Plan Your Loch Katrine Visit

To help you plan and make the most of your visit to Loch Katrine, we have prepared a list of answers to frequently asked questions about cruises, accommodation, cycling and general information about visiting.

If you still have a question to ask, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team: 

Call 01877 376315

 FAQs about visiting our Piers

  • Trossachs Pier on Loch Katrine is 10 miles from Callander via the A84 to Kilmahog and A821 through Brig o’ Turk. Trossachs Pier, Loch Katrine is 7 miles from Aberfoyle via the A821 (Duke’s Pass). We advise you not to use Sat Nav as it may take you to an incorrect location. See our Find Us page.

  • Join Lochard Road (B829) at Aberfoyle (by the Co-op), a scenic road that passes Loch Ard, Loch Chon and Loch Arklet. Driving time to Stronachlachar on Loch Katrine is around 30 minutes. If you plan to sail from Stronachlachar to Trossachs Pier, you must pre-book your ticket to be sure of travel.

  • You can pay with cash or a card at our parking posts at Trossachs Pier and by cash only at Stronachlachar Pier.

  • Your parking charge contributes to the costs of preserving the iconic 123-year-old Steamship Sir Walter Scott, operated by a charitable trust.

  • Trossachs Pier has a fully licenced Steamship Café and a takeaway kiosk with outdoor and sheltered picnic areas. At Stronachlachar Pier, there is the Pier Café with a lochside outdoor picnic area. The cruise boats have onboard refreshment kiosks.

  • We have hosted many weddings and private events, using our boats and cafés at Trossachs Pier and Stronachlachar. Call us to find out more.

  • Swimming is permitted as long as our staff are aware of it and away from our cruise routes. Beware, the temperature is 4 degrees, so take care.

  • You can launch from our slipway at Trossachs Pier from 5 pm onwards and anytime at Stronachlachar, to the immediate southwest of the Pier car park.

  • Yes, there is free 30-minute visitor Wi-Fi access at Trossachs Pier and Stronachlachar Pier

  • We have a beautifully illustrated mini guide featuring Loch Katrine’s history, people, wildlife and nature. There are seven separate versions of the guide, each in a different language and priced £2, available from our ticket office.

  • Dogs not allowed inside the Steamship Café, unless an assisted person dog, they are allowed.on covered patio areas and within the Pier Café at Stronachlachar.

 FAQs about our Cruises

  • We have a variety of cruise sailings throughout the day, ranging from 45 min to 2 hours in duration. We also have charter options for private cruises at any time.

  • Please check our timetables or book a forthcoming cruise.

  • We are delighted that the historic Steamship Sir Walter Scott Steamship is back after an extensive restoration and sails daily in the summer, and on select occasions in the winter.

  • There is an accessible toilet onboard the Steamship Sir Walter Scott, with two further ones downstairs. There is a toilet on Lady of the Lake but not on Rob Roy III.

  • Yes, there is on Steamship Sir Walter Scott, but not on the other boats. Please check our accessibility page for further information.

  • Bikes can be carried at a small surcharge, subject to availability. If you plan to travel from Stronachlachar to Trossachs Pier, you must pre-book your ticket to be sure of travel.

  • For small groups, we have Osprey available for charters. The other bigger boats can also be chartered, subject to availability. Contact our booking office if you have any questions or want more information.

  • Cost £2 per dog, subject to availability. Note only Access Dogs are allowed into the front cabin of Steamship Sir Walter Scott.

  • Check our cruise options for sailings that stop at Stronachlachar. Purchase a Freedom Pass to return on a later boat to enjoy the lochside, including some pleasant walks and the Pier Café. Also, it is available for the reverse journey from Stronachlachar to Trossachs Pier.

  • Yes, we work with many tour operators from the U.K. and overseas. Contact our office, and we will be happy to help.

 FAQs about staying in our Eco Lodges

  • We have 10 lodges located in a secluded area close to the loch by Trossachs Pier opposite the Steamship.

  • Yes, all lodges are well-insulated and cosy. Most have underfloor heating, see more details and book here.

  • Sorry, we don’t have any campsites on the lochside. However, there are nearby campsites at Loch Achray (closest to Trossachs Pier) and Loch Chon (closest to Stronachlachar Pier)

  • Our lodges have a microwave combo, sink, fridge, toaster & kettle.

  • There are no open fires permitted due to the woodland setting. Gas BBQs are available for hire on-site, with different sites available. Sorry, no disposable BBQs are allowed.

  • Our Loch lodges are fully en-suite with electric shows; Glen lodges have an en-suite toilet & wash hand basin, with designated and exclusive use showers nearby. Ben lodges have designated and exclusive-use toilets & showers nearby.

  • Yes, all the lodges have free Wi-Fi and Freesat Television.

  • Yes, it is included for our Lochs & Glen Lodge guests. For the Ben Lodges, there is a cost of £20 per stay.

  • Dogs are allowed in the following lodges, Glen Finglas, Ben A’an, Ben Ledi, Loch Arklet and Loch Venachar. There is a £10 supplement; call in advance to book a lodge with your dog on 01877 376315/6—a maximum of two dogs per lodge.

  • Yes, all lodge users enjoy 10% off scheduled cruises.

  • Yes, it’s a child-friendly site in an enclosed area with an open-air play area with swings. Some of the lodges are particularly suitable for children. Call us if you want us to help recommend a lodge for your needs.

 FAQs about Staying in a Motorhome or Campervan

  • Yes, you can at both Trossachs Pier and Stronachlachar Pier (subject to availability) . Click here for more information.

  • No, we do not have grey waste disposal facilities at either Trossachs Pier or Stronachlachar, but there is a facility at Keltie Bridge Caravan Park at Callander, a 20-minute drive from our car park.

  • It is £25 to park overnight at Trossachs Pier or Stronachlachar Pier, with electricity, Wi-Fi and water. Non-serviced pitches at £10 per night. There are loch views at Stronachlachar. Free access to toilets at Stronachlachar, £5 per stay at Trossachs Pier for access to toilets and showers.

 FAQs about Cycling at Loch Katrine

  • Loch Katrine is ideal for cycling with a smooth lochside road with limited car traffic, and it is just under 14 miles from Trossachs Pier to Stronachlachar.

  • Yes, Katrine Wheelz offers cycle hire at Trossachs Pier, with a great selection of bikes for the whole family. They also have e-bikes. Click here for more information.

  • Yes, you can take hire bikes for £3 or your bike for £5 each on sailings to and from Stronachlachar. Pre-booking bikes is advisable as it is subject to availability.

  • You can only cycle around the North Shore Road.

  • A few hills are on the north shore road, but the road is suitable for families. One section of the road has a 12-degree gradient at the graveyard brae.

  • Bikes can be carried at a small surcharge, subject to availability. If you plan to travel from Stronachlachar to Trossachs Pier, you must pre-book your ticket to be sure of travel. Note: bikes are taken on boats at the users risk.

  • Yes, between May and October, you can either take our cruise to Stronchlachar and cycle back to Trossachs Pier or take a reverse route, cycling to Stronachlachar and travelling by boat with your bike to Trossachs Pier.

  • All lodge users enjoy 10% off cycle hire at Trossachs Pier.

  • Check our cruise options for sailings that stop at Stronachlachar. Purchase a Freedom Pass to return on a later boat to enjoy the lochside, including some pleasant walks and the Pier Café. Also, it is available for the reverse journey from Stronachlachar to Trossachs Pier.

  • It is possible for a two-loch experience, with cruises on Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond. Ask at our ticket office.