Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
| Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
|
|||
| Location: | Perth and Kinross , Stirling , West Dunbartonshire , Argyll and Bute , United Kingdom | ||
| Surface: | 1865 km² | ||
| Founding: | July 19, 2002 | ||
| Address: | Official website of the national park, engl. | ||
 |
|||
Nov2007.jpg) |
|||
 |
|||
The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (Engl. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park , Gaelic Pàirc Nàiseanta Loch Laomainn is nan Tròisichean ) is one of 15 national parks of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with an area of 1865 km².
After a new law to protect the landscape was passed in the Scottish Parliament , it was established on July 19, 2002 - the first of two national parks on Scottish territory. The park was officially opened by Princess Anne on July 24, 2002. The second national park in Scotland is the Cairngorms National Park .
The site
The national park is geographically divided into four regions, Loch Lomond , the Trossachs , Breadalbane and the Argyll Forest .
The park's boundaries extend from Tyndrum to Killin in the north, from Loch Earn to the east via Callander and Aberfoyle, and from there on to Balloch in the south. To the west, the park is bounded by Argyll Forest. The enclosed area is characterized by mostly natural deciduous forests and managed coniferous forests, wild valleys, rugged mountain heights, numerous lakes and rivers. The site touches the Council Areas of Perth and Kinross , Stirling , West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute .
22 lakes are part of the park, in addition to those already mentioned, Loch Katrine , Loch Tay , Loch Rannoch and numerous smaller lakes. In the national park there are 21 Munros (name for peaks over 3000 ft [914.4 m]), the highest of which is Ben More at 1174 m; 19 Corbetts (designation for mountains over 2500 ft [762 m]), numerous Grahams (designation for mountains over 2000 ft [609.6 m]) and about 50 rivers or larger streams.
Two "Forest Parks" are embedded in the area, the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park and the Argyll Forest Park . Around 15,600 people live in the national park (as of 2001).
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is the largest lake in Scotland at 71 km². Depending on the water level, it has 30 to 60 islands of various sizes, the largest being Inchmurrin with a length of around 2.4 km.
On the middle eastern bank, Ben Lomond rises to a height of 974 m. Ben Lomond is the southernmost and one of the most climbed Munros in Scotland. The landscape of the lower eastern coast is dominated by an extensive forest and forest area. Starting from Balmaha on the east bank, the West Highland Way hiking route runs along the lake. The foothills of the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park begin even further east .
The A82 runs along the entire west bank from Balloch on the southern tip to Ardlui in the north. The lake is nestled in the southern foothills of the Highlands . The southern half of the lake is dominated by Doune Hill (734 m), Beinn Eich (763 m), Beinn Chaorach (713 m) and Beinn Ruisg (593 m). The northern half from Tarbet is already geographically integrated into the mountain landscape of the Arrochar Alps .
Argyll Forest
The hilly Argyll Forest covers the western part of the national park and was created in 1935 as part of a huge reforestation program. These include the forest areas of the Glenbranter Forest and Kilmun Forest and the villages of Ardentinny , Glenfinnart , Benmore , Arrochar and Talbet . The latter two have their own train stations and are therefore a popular starting point for hiking tourists.
The passage Glen Croe spreads its way through the hilly terrain along the Argyll Forest . When driving on the A 83 over the 250 m high pass Rest and Be Thankful , (“Stay and be thankful”) you will be rewarded with a brilliant view of the Beinn Ìme .
Already outside the western border of the Argyll Forest at Loch Fyne is Inveraray , with the Inveraray Castle and Inveraray Bridge .
Arrochar Alps
To the south and east of the Argyll Forest are the Arrochar Alps. They denote a group of Munros, Corbetts and Grahams that line up around Loch Long and Loch Goil , near the villages of Arrochar and Lochgoilhead .
These include the Munros Beinn Ìme (1011 m), Beinn Bhuidhe (948 m), the Ben Narnain (926 m) and Ben Vane (916 m). The most famous mountain in the Arrochar Alps is Ben Arthur (884 m). The mountain, also known as The Cobbler , is not a Munro and only classified as Corbett , but due to its rocky summit structure, which is comparatively demanding in terms of mountaineering, it is a popular destination for mountaineers.
Trossachs
The dense, pristine forests with Loch Katrine and the many small lakes as well as the Ben A'an (461 m) and the Ben Venue (729 m) are known as the Trossachs.
The Trossachs are located in the eastern part of the national park. In the south and east of the Trossachs is the spacious Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. This park area includes the Strathyre Forest , the Achray Forest and the Loch Ard Forest .
Loch Katrine connects to the north of the Forest Park, and at its southern tip, the Trossach Pier , there is a well-developed parking lot. A small steamer, the Sir Walter Scott , calls at Stronachlachar on the north-western bank from here several times a day .
The eastern limit is the Lake of Menteith . Nearby is Callander with its dramatic waterfalls, the Bracklin Falls and the Falls of Leny . To the south is the town of Aberfoyle .
The larger lakes of the Trossachs also include Loch Achray , Loch Ard , Loch Chon , Loch Venachar and Loch Drunkie .
Breadalbane
Breadalbane forms the northern area of the national park and is also part of the south-central highlands. Breadalbane includes the wild, rugged giants Ben Vorlich (943 m), Ben Challum (1025 m), Ben Lui (1130 m), and the highest mountain in the national park, Ben More (1174 m). These are bordered in the north by the villages of Killin with its Falls of Dochart , in the east by Lochearnhead and in the west by Crianlarich . The forest area of the eastern Strathyre is already part of the Elizabeth Forest Park.
In the Breadalbane are the lakes Loch Doin and Loch Voil , on the east bank of the latter lies the town of Balquhidder . Also in the valleys, notable waters include Loch Earn , Loch Dochart and Loch Lubhair .
The extensive walking routes of the West Highland Way and National Cycle Route 7 run through this area.
tourism
The national park with its magnificent mountain, lake and forest landscapes offers an excellent infrastructure for hiking , mountaineering , mountain biking , horse riding , golfing , swimming , canoeing etc. The location of the park north of the greater Glasgow area is also beneficial . Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is a major contributor to tourism in Scotland as the majority of tourists cite scenic beauty as the main reason for visiting.
Management of the national park
All agendas relating to administration, scientific and forestry matters, conservation and beautification measures, nature protection and protection of the cultural heritage in the national park, as well as the provision of information and awareness-raising work on nature protection lie with the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority , based in Balloch . The organization is obliged to draw up and adhere to an annual catalog of measures approved by the responsible Scottish minister. The organization's budget consists of private donations and taxpayers' money.
25 board members oversee the national park agendas, five of them from the local administration and 20 members from the Scottish government.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Map on the Scottish Government website ( Memento of November 10, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Susanne Tschirmer: Scotland. DuMont Reiseverlag, 2006, ISBN 3-7701-7615-4 , p. 168.
- ^ Susanne Tschirmer: Scotland. DuMont Reiseverlag, 2006, ISBN 3-7701-7615-4 , p. 28.
literature
- Susanne Tschirmer: Scotland. DuMont Reiseverlag, 2006, ISBN 3-7701-7615-4 .