Balloch, West Dunbartonshire
Encyclopedia
Balloch is a small town in West Dunbartonshire
, Scotland
, at the foot of Loch Lomond
. The name comes from the Gaelic for "the pass".
Balloch is at the north end of the Vale of Leven
, straddling the River Leven
itself. It connects to the larger town of Alexandria
and to the smaller village of Jamestown, both of which are located to its south. 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'. Balloch railway station
is a terminus of the North Clyde
electric train service from Glasgow
.
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
. The largest number of boats cruising on Loch Lomond leave from here. It contains Balloch Country Park
and Balloch Castle.
Balloch is at the southern end of the first Scottish National Park. The town has a number of hotels, inns and pubs, and there are cruises leaving from Balloch up Loch Lomond. The Glasgow to Loch Lomond cycle path ends at Balloch.
The new Balloch road bridge over the river Leven is believed to have reduced the number of people jumping into the river.
The town is a popular place on a summer's day, with people flocking to it from Glasgow and Dumbarton.
Scottish Band Texas
frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri
moved to Balloch as a young child and was raised there. Celebrity Colourist Hugh Hammil lived in the Haldane from 1968 to 1974. "Lochfoot" in the Jean Robertson novels of Jane Duncan
is partly based on the town.
At 56 degrees N, Balloch is at about the same latitude
as Moscow
.
West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. Bordering onto the west of the City of Glasgow, containing many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages as well as the city's suburbs, West Dunbartonshire also borders onto Argyll and Bute, Stirling, East...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, at the foot of Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
. The name comes from the Gaelic for "the pass".
Vale of Leven
The Vale of Leven is an area of West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, in the valley of the River Leven.The areas name lends itself to Alexandria's local football club, Vale of Leven F.C., the secondary school, Vale of Leven Academy, and the Vale of Leven District General Hospital, as well as other local...
, straddling the River Leven
River Leven, Dunbartonshire
The River Leven is a stretch of water in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, flowing from Loch Lomond in the North to the River Clyde in the South...
itself. It connects to the larger town of Alexandria
Alexandria, Scotland
Alexandria is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The town is situated on the River Leven, four miles north-west of Dumbarton.As of 2001, the population of the town is 13,444...
and to the smaller village of Jamestown, both of which are located to its south. 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'. Balloch railway station
Balloch railway station
Balloch railway station is a railway station serving the town of Balloch in Scotland. The station is a terminus on the North Clyde Line, 31 km north west of Glasgow Queen Street railway station...
is a terminus of the North Clyde
North Clyde Line
The North Clyde Line is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by First ScotRail, on behalf of Transport Scotland...
electric train service from Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
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
Tourism in Scotland
Scotland is a well-developed tourist destination, with tourism generally being responsible for sustaining 200,000 jobs mainly in the service sector, with tourist spending averaging at £4bn per year. Tourists from the United Kingdom make up the bulk of visitors to Scotland...
. The largest number of boats cruising on Loch Lomond leave from here. It contains Balloch Country Park
Balloch Country Park
Balloch Country Park is a country park on the southern tip of Loch Lomond in Scotland. It was recognised as a country park in 1980, and it is the only country park in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Scotland's first national park. Balloch Country Park features nature trails,...
and Balloch Castle.
Balloch is at the southern end of the first Scottish National Park. The town has a number of hotels, inns and pubs, and there are cruises leaving from Balloch up Loch Lomond. The Glasgow to Loch Lomond cycle path ends at Balloch.
The new Balloch road bridge over the river Leven is believed to have reduced the number of people jumping into the river.
The town is a popular place on a summer's day, with people flocking to it from Glasgow and Dumbarton.
Scottish Band Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri is a Scottish recording artist and songwriter, best known as being the lead singer of Scottish rock/blues band Texas. Texas began their career in 1986, and shot to fame in 1989 with their UK Top Ten single, "I Don't Want a Lover" released from Southside...
moved to Balloch as a young child and was raised there. Celebrity Colourist Hugh Hammil lived in the Haldane from 1968 to 1974. "Lochfoot" in the Jean Robertson novels of Jane Duncan
Jane Duncan
Jane Duncan was the pseudonym of Scottish writer Elizabeth Jane Cameron, best-known for her My Friends series of semi-autobiographical novels...
is partly based on the town.
At 56 degrees N, Balloch is at about the same latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
as Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.