Balloch

Balloch is a small town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, at the foot of Loch Lomond.

Balloch, or Bealach, comes from the Gaelic word ‘bal’ (baile or ball) which means village or hamlet, so Balloch means village on the Loch – as in nearby Loch Lomond. The word can also mean “the pass”.

Balloch, Scotland

See more photos of Balloch

Balloch is at the north end of the Vale of Leven, straddling the River Levenitself. It connects to the larger town of Alexandria and to the smaller village of Jamestown, both of which are located to its south. It also borders the Kilpatrick Hills. To the east of the town lies the major local authority housing scheme in the area known as ‘The Haldane’ or ‘The Mill of Haldane’. At 56 degrees N, Balloch is at about the same latitude as Moscow.

With its accessible location at the southern end of Loch Lomond and just off the main road from Glasgow to the West Highlands, it is an important centre of tourism, especially from Glasgow and Dumbarton. The town has a number of hotels, inns and pubs, and there are cruises from Balloch up Loch Lomond, and other services, including to nearby locations like Luss, and the Renfrew Ferry service. The largest number of boats cruising on Loch Lomond leave from Balloch. It contains Balloch Country Park and Balloch Castle, and is at the southern end of the first Scottish national park, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

There is a Sea Life Centre located in the town. The Loch Lomond Youth Soccer Festival used to take place in the town. “Lochfoot” in the Jean Robertson novels of Jane Duncan is partly based on the town. The PS Maid of the Loch is currently being restored at Balloch pier.

The A811 road (based on an eighteenth-century military road) goes from Balloch to Stirling, and the A813 goes from Dumbarton to Balloch. The Glasgow to Loch Lomond cycle path (part of National Cycle Route 7) ends at Balloch. The West Loch Lomond Cycle Path also runs from Balloch.
The town was formerly served by two railway stations on the Caledonian and Dunbartonshire Junction Railway: Balloch Central, and Balloch Pier, which closed in 1988 and 1986, respectively. The town now has one railway station, which is a terminus of the North Clyde electric train service from Glasgow.

Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland

Come to see this beautiful city with specific atmosphere, unique, historical architecture and wonderful smiling Scottish people. 

Edinburgh Castle and Princess Street Gardens.  To see the original image click on it. 

To see many more images of Edinburgh check my stock travel photography website here 

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, situated in Lothian on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth. It is the second most populous city in Scotland and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh lies at the heart of a larger urban zone with a population of 778,000.

The city is also the annual venue of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and home to many national institutions such as theNational Museum of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland and theScottish National Gallery. Edinburgh’s relatively buoyant economy, traditionally centred on banking and insurance but now encompassing a wide range of businesses, makes it the biggest financial centre in the UK after London. Many Scottish companies have established their head offices in the city.

Edinburgh is rich in associations with the past and has many historic buildings, including Edinburgh Castle and an extensive Georgian New Town built in the 18th century. Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town are jointly listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has long been known abroad as a centre of education, particularly in the fields of medicine, Scots law, the sciences and engineering.
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583 and now one of four in the city, was placed 17th in the QS World University Rankings in 2014.
The city is also famous for the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe, the latter being the largest annual international arts festival in the world.
In 2004 Edinburgh became the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, an accolade awarded in recognition of its literary heritage and lively literary activities in the present.
The city’s historical and cultural attractions, together with an annual calendar of events aimed primarily at the tourist market, have made it the second most popular tourist destination in the United Kingdom after London, attracting over one million overseas visitors each year.

 

Glasgow

Come to visit the City of Glasgow in Scotland, United Kingdom

Glasgow,  George Square, Scotland. If you wish to see more images of Glasgow, click on the images and you will be taken to my photography website.

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, it’s situated on the River Clyde, in the Central Belt on the west coast of Scotland and is easily accessible by road, rail and air. Inhabitants of the city are referred to as Glaswegians.

Glasgow is one of Europe’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities. It boasts world famous art collections, the best shopping in the UK outside of London, first-class sports and leisure facilities, a vast array of restaurants and bars, and the most vibrant and exciting nightlife in Scotland. The city is home to Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Lonely Planet describes Glasgow as ‘Scotland at its artsy, riotous, high-octane, good-time best’.

Just beyond the city itself lies some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery – ancient castles, lochs, glens and miles of beautiful coastline. There are some of the best opportunities for walking, sailing, trout fishing and playing golf. Glasgow is also only 42 miles from Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh.

2 Short videos I recorded last summer in Glasgow

And this one below is the longer one but it is not mine, so depending how much time you have check the one you like.

I myself love this music and the drummers 🙂