Camping Balloch: Lomond Woods, nearby sites and permit rules
The holiday park, the bye-law ban in the castle park and the nearest tent sites
Camping in Balloch means Lomond Woods Holiday Park on Old Luss Road (G83 8QP), a short walk from the loch. Its own page lists touring and motorhome pitches, glamping pods and lodges, and does not mention tents. The National Park lists it under motorhomes and campervans. Balloch Castle Country Park's bye-laws do not allow camping.
- Shore permit, per tent per night
- £4.50
- Permit needed
- Mar–Sep
- Longest permit stay
- 3 nights
- Fine for a byelaw breach, up to
- £500
Today: 11°C and heavy showers, sunset 18:22. Book ahead for summer weekends, and ask Lomond Woods whether tents are taken before you plan around it.
Where can you camp in Balloch?
At Lomond Woods Holiday Park, Old Luss Road, Balloch, G83 8QP, which describes itself as a short walk from Loch Lomond, the attractions and the bars and restaurants. Its page lists hot tub lodges, deluxe lodges, caravans, glamping pods and touring and motorhome pitches, with an electric vehicle charger at the car park entrance, heated washrooms, laundry and a dog-walk area. It does not say whether tents are accepted, and it gives no pitch numbers, dates or prices, so phone 01250 878123 before you plan around it.
Balloch Castle Country Park is not an option. West Dunbartonshire Council's bye-laws for the park do not allow camping, overnight parking or drinking alcohol. The park is open 24 hours, but the walled garden is locked overnight.
For a tent, the nearest places the National Park lists are further up the loch: Lagganbeg Caravan Park at Gartocharn (tents and motorhomes), Luss Caravan & Campsite (tents and motorhomes), and Milarrochy Bay and Cashel on the east shore. Between 1 March and 30 September the National Park's camping management zones allow camping only in a campsite or with a permit, at £4.50 per tent or motorhome per night for up to three nights. Its pages name no places for each zone, so check the camping map. From 1 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 no permit is needed. A breach can mean a fine of up to £500.
Campsites and camping near Balloch
What each option involves, from the park's own page, the National Park's list or the council's bye-laws. Check anything marked as not found before you travel.
| Option | When | What you get | Booking and cost | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lomond Woods Holiday Park, Balloch | Not stated on the page we read. Ask the park. | Touring and motorhome pitches, glamping pods, lodges and holiday caravans. Heated washrooms with an accessible bathroom, laundry, free Wi-Fi (light browsing only), two children's play areas, an electric vehicle charger at the entrance and a dog-walk area. Barbecues are allowed in open spaces. Tents are not mentioned. | Phone 01250 878123 or book through the operator's booking site. The page shows no prices. | Open in maps |
| Balloch Castle Country Park | Open 24 hours. | Parkland above the shore, with a walled garden that is locked overnight. | The bye-laws do not allow camping or overnight parking, so do not plan a night here. | |
| Lagganbeg Caravan Park, Gartocharn | Not found. Contact the site. | The National Park's list names it under tents and motorhomes. | We found no dates, prices or booking terms, so we give none. | |
| Milarrochy Bay Camping and Caravanning Club site | 27 March to 26 October 2026, and 22 March to 25 October 2027, according to the club's page. | Grass, hook-up and hardstanding pitches on the east shore, with showers, a shop and a designated dog walk. | "From £10.50" is shown as the members price. The Balmaha camping page has the detail. | |
| Camping on the loch shore with a permit | Permit needed 1 March to 30 September. None needed 1 October 2026 to 28 February 2027. | £4.50 per tent or motorhome per night for up to three nights in one area. Tents arrive from 1pm and leave by 11am; motorhomes 7pm to 10am. No facilities. | Through the National Park's booking system up to four weeks ahead. Camping rules around the loch has the full process. |
Rates are those the sources show. We give no prices for sites whose own pages did not show them.
How to camp near Balloch
Choose your kind of night
A serviced pitch or pod at Lomond Woods, a tent pitch further up the loch, or a permit pitch on a shore. Each is booked differently, so decide first.
Ask about tents first
Lomond Woods lists touring and motorhome pitches and does not mention tents. Phone before you go, and have a second option in mind.
Book the permit if you need one
Permits can be booked up to four weeks ahead and cancelled up to one week before, with no refund for bookings under £9. The National Park's booking line is 01389 722001.
Arrive by train if you can
Where to stay in Balloch covers the town as a base without a car. Trains run direct from Glasgow about twice an hour, and bus 309 runs to Balmaha.
Eat and plan the weather
Balloch cafes and pubs covers what we can confirm. A tent is only as good as the forecast: weather and best time to go shows the months.
Check before you go
- Lomond Woods: tents, pitch numbers, dates and prices are not on the page we read. Phone first.
- Lagganbeg: no dates or prices found.
- Balloch Castle Country Park does not allow camping or overnight parking, so do not sleep in a vehicle there.
- The National Park's byelaw pages name no places for each camping zone and refer to a map. Check the zone map before you pitch anywhere that is not a campsite.
- A breach of the camping byelaws can mean a report to the Procurator Fiscal and a fine of up to £500.
- Dogs: Lomond Woods is pet-friendly with a dog-walk area. We found no dog rules for Lagganbeg.
Camping elsewhere on the loch
If Balloch is full or not the right base, these are the next camping pages.
- BalmahaOn the east shore. Where to camp around Balmaha covers the club site, the island campsite and the permit rules.
- DrymenA night under canvas near Drymen covers the pitches and pods on the West Highland Way.
- LussOn the west shore. Luss camping has the options there.
Eating, weather and a roof
Back to the town: nearby Balloch covers the shore, the castle and the cruises.
Questions people ask
Is there a campsite in Balloch?
Lomond Woods Holiday Park has touring and motorhome pitches, glamping pods and lodges. Its page does not mention tents, so phone it first.
Can you wild camp at Loch Lomond without a permit?
Between 1 March and 30 September, camping in the National Park's camping management zones is only possible in a campsite or with a permit. From 1 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 no permit is needed. A breach can mean a fine of up to £500.
How much is a camping permit at Loch Lomond?
£4.50 per tent or motorhome per night, for up to three nights in one area, booked up to four weeks ahead.
Can you camp at Balloch Castle Country Park?
No. The park's bye-laws do not allow camping, overnight parking or drinking alcohol.
Does Lomond Woods Holiday Park take dogs?
Its page says it is pet-friendly and has a dog-walk area.
Is there an electric vehicle charger at Lomond Woods?
The park's page lists a charger at the car park entrance.
How do I get to Balloch without a car?
Trains run direct from Glasgow to Balloch about twice an hour.
What is the nearest tent campsite to Balloch?
The National Park lists Lagganbeg Caravan Park at Gartocharn and Luss Caravan & Campsite for tents and motorhomes. Milarrochy Bay and Cashel are on the east shore.