Inveruglas Visitor Centre
Lochside viewpoint stop on the A82
Verdict
Go if you are driving the A82 and want a lochside break with a viewpoint and a view towards Ben Lomond.
Skip if you want a full day out, or if you need the viewpoint tower open: parts of the site have closed for works, so check first.
- Inveruglas visitor centre car park. Pay and display machines on site, with 3 blue badge bays, in the National Park access guide dated May 2019. Check the machine for today’s charges.
- A82 bus stop at the power station. The nearest bus stop named in the National Park access guide is on the A82 outside the Loch Sloy power station. Check Traveline Scotland for times.
- Inveruglas Isle. A small island with the ruins of a Macfarlane castle, a scheduled monument. Enjoy it as a view from the shore.
- Parking
- Paid
- Walk to the viewpoint
- 126 m
- Steps up the viewpoint
- 31
- Nearest station
- Tarbet
Fine weekends and school holidays are the busy times, when the car park fills with A82 traffic. Early morning and weekdays outside the holidays are quieter. We have no measured counts for this car park.
Inveruglas in photos
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Is Inveruglas Visitor Centre worth a stop?
Inveruglas visitor centre is a short lochside stop on the A82, on the west bank of Loch Lomond. It has a car park, toilets, a takeaway cafe and the An Ceann Mòr viewpoint, with views across the water to the Arrochar Alps and Ben Lomond. Parts of the site have closed for works in the past, so check the National Park’s Inveruglas page on the day. Staying nearby? Compare the best Inveruglas stays before you book.
Go if you want
A 20 to 40 minute break from the A82: the viewpoint, a hot drink and a look at the shore. It also suits anyone who has walked or is about to walk the last section of the Three Lochs Way, which ends here.
Think twice if you want
A full day, or a facility you can be sure is open. Look at when to visit for the weather before you plan around the view. Bringing a tent or a motorhome? The camping byelaw guide explains the permit rules from March to September.
Parking & getting there
Inveruglas visitor centre car park
- Payment
- Pay and display machines in the car park, per the National Park access guide dated 3 May 2019. Check the machine for today’s charges.
- Spaces
- Described as plentiful, with 3 blue badge bays (2019 guide). It fills on fine weekends.
- Toilets
- Public toilets, open 8:30am to 8:00pm in the 2019 guide. Hours may have changed, and the toilets have been closed for works before.
- Motorhomes
- 4 motorhome permit points in the north car park in the 2019 guide, booked in advance online. Check the National Park permit pages for what is open now.
- Address
- Inveruglas Visitors Centre, Arrochar G83 7DW.
Last checked 12 Oct 2026
Car-free
The nearest bus stop named in the National Park’s access guide is on the A82 outside the Loch Sloy power station. We have no verified bus numbers or times for it, so check Traveline Scotland on the day, and do not assume long-distance coaches stop here. The nearest station is Tarbet, 3.5 miles away, so a train to Tarbet followed by a bus or taxi is the realistic car-free route. We have no verified taxi fare. Public transport to the loch covers the wider options. If the car park is full, which car park to choose lists the alternatives.
When it is busy
Editorial estimate of a typical summer day, not measured counts. No fill times are published for this car park.
| Day | 9:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | Quiet | Quiet | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Quiet |
| Saturday | Quiet | Steady | Busy | Busy | Busy | Busy | Busy | Steady | Quiet |
| Sunday | Quiet | Steady | Busy | Busy | Busy | Busy | Busy | Steady | Quiet |
Q QuietS SteadyB BusyF Car park full
Tip: stop before 10:00 or after 15:00 on a fine weekend, when the car park is easier.
Things to do at Inveruglas
-
An Ceann Mòr viewpoint
The viewpoint structure is a short, gently sloping walk from the visitor centre, with 31 steps up to the higher level and wide views of Loch Lomond. Parts of the site, including the viewing tower, have been closed for repairs before, so look at the National Park’s page for the current position and do not plan a trip around the tower alone.
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The shore and the view to Ben Lomond
The National Park describes Inveruglas as a peaceful place to while away an hour, with views across the water to the Arrochar Alps and Ben Lomond. It is a good place to stretch your legs on the drive between Tarbet and Ardlui.
-
Inveruglas Isle
The small island off the shore holds the ruins of a Z-plan tower house that was the main stronghold of Clan Macfarlane. It survives to first-floor height and is a scheduled monument, probably abandoned and partly destroyed in the Commonwealth period of 1649 to 1660. We have no information on landing, so treat it as a view.
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The end of the Three Lochs Way
The Three Lochs Way runs from Balloch to Inveruglas and takes 3 to 4 days, with the Arrochar to Inveruglas section measuring about 8.3 km on the map data. Many walkers finish or start here. Plan the logistics before you go, because the bus and train options are limited.
1 hour, 3 hours or a full day
1 hour
A quick stop (suggested timings)
- 0:00 Park and check the machine for the charge before you walk away.
- 0:10 To the viewpoint, 126 m from the centre, if it is open.
- 0:35 A hot drink from the cafe if it is open, or a look along the shore.
3 hours
Inveruglas plus a neighbour
- 0:00 Start with the viewpoint and the shore (suggested timing).
- 1:00 Drive south to Tarbet (its station is 3.5 miles from the visitor centre) for a meal or the lochside.
- 2:30 Return along the A82, or continue to Arrochar.
A full day
On the Three Lochs Way
- 9:00 Arrive early, leave the car and check the bus options for your return.
- 9:30 Walk part of the Arrochar to Inveruglas section, about 8.3 km on the map data, in the direction that suits your transport.
- 15:00 Finish at the visitor centre for a drink if the cafe is open.
Eat & drink
-
Visitor centre cafe
The National Park describes a takeaway cafe at the visitor centre, named Café Lochan on its page. The 2019 access guide says it was run by a third party and to check its opening times. Names and hours may have changed, so check on the day.
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Bring a picnic
We have no verified shop or pub nearby, so bring water and snacks for a long stop.
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Tarbet and Arrochar
The nearest places with more choice are Tarbet and Arrochar. We have not verified individual opening hours, so check before you plan a meal around them.
Where to stay near Inveruglas
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Questions people ask
Is there a car park near the Inveruglas visitor centre?
Yes, a car park serves the visitor centre. The National Park’s access guide dated 3 May 2019 describes plentiful parking with pay and display machines and 3 blue badge bays. Check the machine for today’s charges.
Is Inveruglas visitor centre open?
We cannot confirm today’s status. The National Park’s own guide is dated May 2019, and parts of the site, including the viewing tower and the toilets, have been closed for works in the past. Check the National Park’s Inveruglas page before you travel.
What is An Ceann Mòr?
It is the viewpoint structure at Inveruglas, 126 m from the visitor centre, with 31 steps to the higher level and views over Loch Lomond. Check whether it is open before you plan around it.
Is Loch Lomond full of midges?
In summer, often yes. Midge season runs from late May to early September, peaking in July and August, and they are most active early in the morning and late in the evening on still, overcast, humid days. The National Park says to expect lots of midges in the summer months.
Can I stay overnight at Inveruglas?
Not casually. The National Park listed 4 motorhome permit points in the north car park in 2019, booked in advance online, and its campsite list shows Loch Lomond Holiday Park at Inveruglas for motorhomes and campervans only. Camping byelaws apply from 1 March to 30 September, so check the permit pages first.
How do I get to Inveruglas without a car?
Take a train to Tarbet, 3.5 miles away, then a bus or taxi along the A82. The nearest bus stop named by the National Park is outside the Loch Sloy power station. We have no verified times, so check Traveline Scotland.
What is on Inveruglas Isle?
The ruins of a Z-plan tower house that was the main stronghold of Clan Macfarlane. It is a scheduled monument, designated on 8 December 2000, and survives to first-floor height.
Is Inveruglas worth a stop?
Yes for a short break with a view on the A82, as long as you do not need the tower. More villages are compared in every village in the park.
Nearby places
- Across the lochInversnaidThe east-shore hamlet opposite Inveruglas, on the West Highland Way.
- North on the A82ArdluiA small stop at the head of the loch. Ember E5 coaches stop at Ardlui.
- 3.5 miles to the stationTarbetThe nearest railway station to Inveruglas is at Tarbet, on the West Highland line.