Loch Lomond & the Trossachs Newsletter
Visit Loch Lomond

An independent traveller’s guide

The pier at Inversnaid with a small boat alongside, on grey Loch Lomond with hills beyond
Photo: Euan Nelson, CC BY-SA 2.0

Inversnaid

East-shore hamlet with a waterfall, a nature reserve and a hotel

Verdict

Go if you want a waterfall, oak woodland and the West Highland Way with very few facilities. Where to stay in Inversnaid covers the hotel and bunkhouse.

Skip if you need shops or a choice of places to eat. We have not verified any shop here, so bring supplies.

Sketch map of Inversnaid: the loch shore, the pier, the hotel and the bunkhouse Sketch map of Inversnaid: the loch shore, the pier, the hotel and the bunkhouse. Marked places: Inversnaid pier, Inversnaid Hotel, Inversnaid Bunkhouse.
  • Inversnaid pier. Cruise Loch Lomond boats call here in season. The bunkhouse offers a free pick-up from the pier most days.
  • Inversnaid Hotel. A coaching hotel with a council-run car park of about 40 spaces. Whether it takes overnight parking is not stated.
  • Inversnaid Bunkhouse. A converted church with rooms, camping and a licensed restaurant, 800 m from the West Highland Way.
Road in, from Aberfoyle
B829
By water, from Tarbet
Waterbus
West Highland Way from Rowardennan
12.1 km
Spaces in the council car park at the hotel
c. 40

Fine weekends and school holidays are the busy times, and the small car parks fill first. Weekdays and early mornings are easier.

Last checked 12 Oct 2026 Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Open in maps

Inversnaid in photos

Boats moored at the Inversnaid harbour jetty with a wooded hill and mountains behind
The harbour at Inversnaid.Tim Heaton, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A waterfall tumbling over rocks between green trees at Inversnaid
The falls at Inversnaid.Tim Heaton, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Inversnaid Hotel beside a quiet road, with a bus parked nearby and wooded hills behind
The Inversnaid Hotel.Bill Kasman, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Is Inversnaid worth it?

Inversnaid is worth it if you want a waterfall, a nature reserve and a stretch of the West Highland Way from one small place. It sits on the north-east shore of Loch Lomond, reached by the B829 from Aberfoyle or by boat from Tarbet. It is a hamlet, not a village with a high street: the choice is a hotel, a bunkhouse and the shoreline.

Go if you want

A short walk to Arklet Falls, the RSPB oak woodland, a section of the West Highland Way, or a cruise across the loch from Tarbet. The pier and falls suit an hour or two.

Think twice if you want

Shops, a big choice of food or lots of parking. Check weather and best time to go before a long walk, since the paths are rocky.

Parking & getting there

Inversnaid Hotel car park and RSPB Garrison Farm

Hotel car park
Council-run, about 40 spaces, no height restriction (RSPB page).
Garrison Farm
7 spaces including 1 accessible, with an accessible toilet.
Postcode
FK8 3TU (the RSPB reserve).
Price
Not stated in our sources. Check the signs.

Last checked 12 Oct 2026

Open in maps Apple Maps

Car-free

The waterbus and Cruise Loch Lomond cruises run from Tarbet to Inversnaid, and Tarbet has a station and coach stops. The bunkhouse offers a free pick-up from Inversnaid Pier most days. We found no bus service in our sources, so check Traveline Scotland. See how to get here for the route to Tarbet.

When it is busy

Editorial estimate of a typical summer day, not measured counts. No fill times are published for these car parks.

How busy Inversnaid gets by hour, summer pattern
Day9:0010:0011:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:00
WeekdayQuietQuietSteadySteadySteadySteadyQuietQuietQuiet
SaturdayQuietSteadyBusyBusyBusyBusySteadyQuietQuiet
SundayQuietSteadyBusyBusyBusyBusySteadyQuietQuiet

Q QuietS SteadyB BusyF Car park full

Tip: arrive before 10:00 on a fine weekend. The Garrison Farm car park is small, so have a second plan.

Things to do in Inversnaid

  1. Arklet Falls

    A short walk from the car park

    The falls are near the car park, with paths, steps and a bridge that get you close. They can also be seen from a boat. Wet steps are slippery, so wear shoes with grip.

  2. RSPB Inversnaid reserve

    Four trails · over 400 steps on the woodland trail

    More than 800 hectares of Atlantic oak woodland rising from the loch. The trails are rocky with changes of gradient. During the ground-nesting season, 1 April to 15 August, keep dogs on short leads.

  3. West Highland Way

    12.1 km from Rowardennan

    About three miles of the Way pass through the reserve. From Inversnaid the Way continues 8.4 km north to Inverarnan. See how to walk the West Highland Way for the route.

  4. Inversnaid Circular cruise

    75 minutes · adult £17

    Cruise Loch Lomond sails from Tarbet to Inversnaid and back, with scheduled cruises to the end of October. Boats pass Rob Roy’s Cave north of Inversnaid, best seen from the water.

  5. Waterbus to Tarbet

    Across the loch

    The waterbus links Inversnaid and Tarbet with Rowardennan, and from Rowardennan the Ben Lomond path starts. Check the timetable and the days it runs before you plan a one-way trip.

1 hour, 3 hours or a full day

1 hour

A quick stop (suggested timings)

  1. 0:00 Park at the hotel car park and walk to the pier.
  2. 0:20 Up the path to Arklet Falls and the bridge.
  3. 0:50 Back to the car.

3 hours

Falls and the woodland trail (suggested timings)

  1. 0:00 Start from the hotel car park or Garrison Farm.
  2. 0:30 Arklet Falls, then the RSPB woodland trail.
  3. 2:30 Back to the pier. Lunch at the bunkhouse if booked ahead.

A full day

On the West Highland Way

  1. 9:00 Take the waterbus from Tarbet or park at Inversnaid.
  2. 10:00 Walk the Way towards Inverarnan, 8.4 km, or back towards Rowardennan, 12.1 km.
  3. 16:00 Check the last boat or pick-up before you set out.

Eat & drink

  • Inversnaid Bunkhouse restaurant

    Licensed · Along the shore

    A licensed restaurant and bar with seasonal, locally sourced meals, and packed lunches. Breakfast, dinner and packed lunches are booked at check-in, so ask whether non-residents can eat.

  • Inversnaid Hotel

    Check first · At the pier

    The hotel has a lounge bar and dining room. Its site does not say whether they are open to non-residents, so phone ahead.

  • Picnic

    Bring your own · Shore

    We have not verified any shop here. Bring water and food for the day.

Where to stay in Inversnaid

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Browse all stays near Inversnaid

Questions people ask

Where is the Inversnaid Hotel located?

On the north-east shore of Loch Lomond at Inversnaid, beside the pier, at the Stirlingshire end of the B829 from Aberfoyle. Inversnaid hotel and where to stay has the details.

How do I get to Inversnaid?

By road on the B829 from Aberfoyle, or by waterbus and cruise from Tarbet. Walkers arrive on the West Highland Way.

Is there parking at Inversnaid?

Yes, a council-run car park at the hotel with about 40 spaces, and 7 spaces at the RSPB's Garrison Farm. Ask about overnight parking. The Inversnaid car park guide will cover it.

Can I camp at Inversnaid?

The bunkhouse lists camping, and a permit applies elsewhere from 1 March to 30 September. See camping near Inversnaid.

Is Inversnaid worth visiting?

Yes, for the falls, the oak woodland and the West Highland Way, if you accept very few facilities.

Are dogs allowed at the RSPB reserve?

Yes, on short leads during the ground-nesting season, 1 April to 15 August. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout.

Nearby places