Loch Lomond islands

Islands you can visit

Two islands have a public route on or off the water. The National Park Authority says Inchcailloch is part of a nature reserve, and the larger Inchmurrin is the biggest freshwater loch island in Great Britain.

• Inchcailloch

  Go for oak woodland, deer and short walks, a short ferry from Balmaha.

  Ferry, adult return £10

• Inchmurrin

  Britain’s biggest freshwater island. The ferry runs by arrangement for guests, so we cannot promise a day-trip landing.

  Ferry, adult return £8, 15 min

Islands to see from the water

The rest are private, apart from Bucinch and Ceardach, which the National Trust for Scotland manages. Inchconnachan is the one people search for because of its wallabies. We have not verified any public landing there, so treat it as a view from a boat.

• Boat trips and cruises

  Compare every operator, route, fare and season, including Sweeney’s two-hour Island Discovery.

  Sweeney’s two-hour Island Discovery £29 adult

• Nature and wildlife

  What lives on and around the loch, and where to look.

Camping and island rules

Camping rules apply on the islands as on the shore. Inchcailloch has a small basic campsite that needs a permit, and wild camping elsewhere follows the National Park byelaws.

• Camping permits and byelaws

  Permit zones, dates and fines for camping around the loch.

  Byelaw season 1 March to 30 September

Which island suits you?

Inchcailloch is the one to pick for a half day. The ferry from Balmaha costs £10 for an adult return and £5 under 16, and runs daily in summer from 9:25am to 5pm, usually every half hour. Dogs are welcome on a lead.

On the island, expect a nature reserve of 52 ha of oak woodland, paths that take 30 to 45 minutes each, a summit at 85 m, fallow deer and the ruins of a 13th-century church and burial ground. It is a short outing, not a hike.

You can also reach Inchcailloch by cruise from Luss. On the Cruise Loch Lomond timetable checked on 12 October 2026, Luss to Inchcailloch left at 10:00, 11:30, 13:15 and 14:45.

Choose Inchmurrin only if you are a guest or can arrange the crossing. The ferry from Burnfoot, Arden, takes 15 minutes and costs £8 return for an adult and £4 under 12, but it has no set timetable. The island has the ruins of a Lennox castle at its south end.

When the islands are reachable

The main boat season runs from 27 March to 1 November in 2026, and Cruise Loch Lomond's scheduled cruises run to the end of October.

The Inchcailloch ferry aims to run to at least the end of September and gives no later date, so phone 01360 870 214 before an autumn trip.

To camp on Inchcailloch you need a permit, and the stay is limited to two nights for a party of up to six. Camping permits apply from 1 March to 30 September.

To see the islands you cannot land on, Sweeney's Island Safari from Luss takes 75 minutes and costs £21 for an adult. The two-hour Island Discovery costs £29.

Swimming and safety around the islands

The loch is cold open water, and the island shores are wildlife refuges. The National Park says its lochs and rivers stay cold enough to cause cold water shock even on warm days. Enter slowly, never swim alone, and remember you are coldest about 10 minutes after getting out. We found no published monthly loch temperature.

Take extra care on the islands, which are wildlife refuges, stay on paths, and keep dogs on a lead. April to July is the critical ground-nesting season.

Own a boat? Motorised craft on the loch must be registered with the National Park Authority, and the Duncan Mills Memorial Slipway at Balloch charges £27.80 for a single launch and retrieval from 1 April 2026.

Questions people ask