Trossachs Pier
The pier at the eastern end of Loch Katrine, with the steamship, a cafe, bike hire and a paid car park
Verdict
Go if you want to board the Sir Walter Scott, hire a bike for the lochside road or stop for a coffee on the pier.
Skip if you want a free roadside stop or a hill walk. Parking is paid and the pier is built around the boats.
- First 2-hour sailing
- 10:30
- Short circular cruise
- 45 min
- Bike hire, from
- £15
- Dogs on boats, each
- £2
The short answer
Trossachs Pier is the working heart of Loch Katrine: the steamship Sir Walter Scott sails from it, and it has a gift shop, the Steamship Café, a takeaway kiosk and bike hire. On the spring and summer timetable we checked on 12 October 2026, the first 2-hour sailing to Stronachlachar leaves at 10:30. Parking is by posts on site and the tariff was not in the text we could read. For the wider picture of the loch, a guide to Loch Katrine covers the cycle road and the story of the loch, and for more ideas try things to do.
What you get
Sailings on the Sir Walter Scott
From 27 March to 25 October 2026 the spring and summer timetable has a 2-hour cruise to Stronachlachar at 10:30 and 14:30, a 1-hour circular at 13:00, and 45-minute circulars at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:15, 14:15, 15:15 and 16:15. Returns from Stronachlachar leave at 11:30 and 15:30. The operator says sailings run daily all year, with selected sailings in winter between 26 October 2026 and 25 March 2027. Book online or phone the ticket office on 01877 376315. Fares were not in the text we could read.
The Steamship Café and kiosk
The pier has a fully licensed Steamship Café and a takeaway kiosk. Dogs are not allowed inside the cafe, apart from assistance dogs, but are fine on the covered patios. We found no opening hours, so check on the day. For a bigger choice of meals, Aberfoyle cafes and pubs is the nearest town.
Gift shop and bike hire
There is a gift shop on the pier. Katrine Wheelz hires bikes there, including e-bikes, from £15, for anything from one hour to all day, with helmets included and a minimum age of 14. The lochside road to Stronachlachar is just under 14 miles one way.
Staying on site
The operator lists ten eco-lodges and motorhome pitches at Trossachs Pier. We have no verified prices or availability, so ask the operator. If you prefer a town base, a bed for the night in Aberfoyle compares the options, and the stop in Aberfoyle is the nearest village.
The steamship and its trust
Steamship Sir Walter Scott Ltd operates the cruises, and the vessel is maintained by the Steamship Sir Walter Scott Trust. Part of your parking charge goes towards the upkeep of the boat. Queen Victoria took a boat excursion on Loch Katrine in 1869, and the loch inspired Walter Scott’s poem The Lady of the Lake.
On foot from the pier
Forestry and Land Scotland says you can return along the shore on foot or by bike, or follow shorter trails from the pier. We found no distances, so look at the signs at the pier. The bigger hill days are Ben A’an on foot and Ben Venue on foot, both a short drive away.
How long to allow
These are planning estimates built from the checked facts. They are not timed visits.
| Time you have | What fits | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| One hour | A 45-minute circular cruise, then a coffee at the Steamship Café. | Book ahead on busy days. |
| Half a day | The 2-hour cruise to Stronachlachar and back. | The two sailings leave at 10:30 and 14:30 on the spring and summer timetable. |
| A full day | Sail one way and cycle the just-under-14 miles back, between May and October. | Pre-book, especially the afternoon sailing. |
| A wet day | A boat trip and the cafe, but we have no verified shelter details. | Phone the ticket office on 01877 376315 before you drive. |
Prices and hours
- Cruise fares
- Not in the text we could read. Check the operator’s booking page.
- Cruise timetable
- Spring and summer: 27 March to 25 October 2026. Winter: selected sailings, 26 October 2026 to 25 March 2027.
- Cycle hire
- From £15, one hour to all day, helmets included, e-bikes available, minimum age 14.
- Dogs on the boats
- £2 per dog, subject to availability. Only assistance dogs go in the front cabin of the Sir Walter Scott.
- Parking
- Pay at the posts. The tariff was not in the text we read.
- Cafe hours
- Not stated in the text we read. Check on the day.
Getting there and parking
Most visitors drive. For comparison with other places, car park prices and rules covers the wider area.
Trossachs Pier car park
- Postcode
- FK17 8HZ (Trossachs Pier)
- Payment
- At the posts: cash or card at Trossachs Pier, cash only at Stronachlachar Pier
- Tariff
- Not published in the text we read. Check the posts on arrival.
- Why you pay
- The charge contributes to the upkeep of the Steamship Sir Walter Scott
Last checked 13 Oct 2026
Car-free
We have not verified a bus stop at Trossachs Pier. The Trossachs Explorer links Aberfoyle and Callander all year (Stirling Council) and relaunched on 29 June 2026 with four return journeys a day; check Traveline Scotland for the nearest stop on the day.
Is it for me?
| If you are | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Families | Good | A 45-minute circular is a short first boat trip, and there is a cafe and a kiosk. |
| Cyclists | Good | Bikes and e-bikes for hire at the pier, with a smooth lochside road and limited traffic. |
| Dog owners | Check | £2 per dog on the boats, subject to availability. Dogs are not allowed inside the Steamship Café. |
| Wheelchairs and buggies | Check | There is disabled access on the Sir Walter Scott but not on the other boats. Phone first. |
| Visitors without a car | Poor | We have not verified public transport to the pier. |
| Hill walkers | Mixed | Gentle trails from the pier; the big hills are a short drive away. |
Questions people ask
Are the Trossachs in the Scottish Highlands?
The Trossachs is one of four areas of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, with Loch Lomond, Breadalbane and Cowal. We have not sourced a boundary that places it in the Highlands, so we describe it by the National Park instead.
How long is the walk around Loch Katrine?
We found no verified walk right round the loch. The distance we can give is the lochside road from Trossachs Pier to Stronachlachar, just under 14 miles one way, on a loch that is 8 miles long.
What are the sailing times for the Sir Walter Scott cruises?
On the 2026 spring and summer timetable, 27 March to 25 October, the 2-hour cruise sails at 10:30 and 14:30, the 1-hour circular at 13:00, and 45-minute circulars at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:15, 14:15, 15:15 and 16:15. Winter sailings are selected only.
Is Loch Katrine worth visiting?
An opinion: yes, for a steamship trip, a flat cycle or a coffee on the pier, but not for a quick roadside look. Parking is paid and the boats are the main draw.
Is there a cafe at Trossachs Pier?
Yes. There is a fully licensed Steamship Café and a takeaway kiosk. Dogs are not allowed inside the cafe except assistance dogs.
How much is parking at Trossachs Pier?
We did not find a tariff. You pay at the posts, by cash or card at Trossachs Pier, and the charge contributes to the upkeep of the steamship.
Can I stay at Trossachs Pier?
The operator lists ten eco-lodges and motorhome pitches on site. Check availability with the operator, because we have no prices.
Where is Trossachs Pier?
At the eastern end of Loch Katrine, with the postcode FK17 8HZ. Aberfoyle is the nearest village we cover. Our loch cruises compared guide lists the boats on the other lochs in the park.