Loch Lomond Shores is a small shopping complex mainly aimed at tourists so you will find an…read moreoverload of tartan and shortbread on offer here. There's a few stores including; -Jenners -Catherine Kinloch -Misty Glen -Edinburgh Woollen Mill -Thorntons -Julien Graves ...So it's not the kind of place you could go on a shopping spree but it caters for tourists and is a pleasant place to browse. In addition to the shopping centre there's also a Sea Life Centre and if you're looking for some activities then you can hop on the loch for a spot of canoeing or paddle boating. Like Gavin, I find it a little odd that there's a complete lack of place to eat apart from a small cafe attached onto Jenners and a restaurant with the worst looking menu I've ever seen.

A rainy, misty day but the perfect day to visit the Bonny Bonny Banks of Loch Lomond…read more Unfortunately, we were expecting to have views as we drove along the road as in the Lake District. It is obvious that views of the Loch are restricted to the numerous trekkers and walkers that we saw. However, what we saw through the trees, and on the odd viewpoint, was impressive.

Beautiful lake in the Trossachs area of the Highlands. We came on an extremely cold day or we would…read morehave taken a boat tour. Pretty area to hike or bike around. The tiny gift shop has hot tea served by a friendly staff.

If ever I needed encouragement at the mid-point of a challenging, torturously hilly 32 mile cycle,…read morethen catching sight of Loch Katrine was it. The Aberfoyle/Dukes Pass/Loch Katrine loop we tackled was a beautiful, scenic route and any difficult climbs paid off in the abundance of awe-inducing views as we came soaring back down. Loch Katrine was a definite highlight for me. She's a beauty and well-worth the visit whether you're planning on biking, walking or taking a trip on the flagship Sir Walter Scott steamship which we were lucky enough to catch sight of. Cyclists, this whole area in general is just great and this route has been my favourite so far. The hills are tough but coming down them is genuinely breath-taking. I definitely want to return to Aberfoyle again and do all kinds of lovely touristy things. Visiting Loch Katrine will definitely be one of them.

Strathclyde Park can either be awesome or depressing, depending of course on what you want from it;…read morequiet walking/exercise green space or amusement park holiday destination for kids. I like to go early mornings to walk the dog when it is quiet and you only have the odd jogger and the ducks in sight. I'm not sure the actual distance round the perimeter - 3 miles I think so not bad if you fancy getting a decent bit of exercise. The park also hosts Parkrun on a Saturday morning for semi-competitive folks. The boat house (loads of water sports options available) cafe is also a nice stop off point for a quick refreshment and there is plenty of green space as well as a small beach to chill out and eat some home packed grub. I tend to avoid school holidays and any time after midday as the park sits right next to M&Ds amusement park and can become a bit of a nedfest but to be honest I'm probably just being overly judgmental. Busy crowds just ain't my thing. Definitely deserving of four stars as it really is a lovely part of Scotland and a nice wee escape from the town-y environs of EK, Hamilton and Motherwell.

'Strathy Park'. It's…read morereally really nice and great for running or cycling around, especially during the summer months where this place really livens up with families having picnics, dads showing kiddies how to skip stones in the water and lots of littering from youths, just to keep everything in balance. There's some great swings and such for children and the childlike alike and it's on the site of M & D's which has a good indoor centre with arcade games, bowling and pool which can help make a day of coming here. The rides in the theme park themselves are a bit of a let down. Watch where you park your car at night, as there have been reports of 'doggers'!

Yesterday I took my 1st trip on the Govan Ferry and you know one of the best things about it? It's…read moreabsolutely FREE! Yes, you pay nowt, nada, zilch, not a penny to ride across the Clyde River from Govan to the Riverside Museum/Tallship. Most excellent indeed my friends! I managed to catch one of the last rides across from Govan to the RM at about 5:50pm & it's so handy if you want to walk-ferry-walk home or even cycle-ferry-cycle home as the ferry allows (a few) cycles on board. Double whoop! You can catch the ferry either from down at Water Row pontoon or at the Riverside Museum harbour. It runs from 8am - 6pm Mon-Fri and at the weekends 9:45am - 5:30pm. Those times midweek are pretty darn handy for you if you happen to work in Govan (as I do) or if you live in Govan and work in Partick or Yoker area. Yesterday evening was lovely & sunny so taking a cheeky wee boat across the river just felt like a wee extravagant, luxurious way to commute home from work. I imagine this must be what Beyonce feels like...stepping onto a ferry (or rather MASSIVE yacht/speedboat) to travel homewards to her 'crib'...oh yeeaahhh...Rollin' with the homies indeed. Then I was rudely awoken by a GIANT seagull (or Glasgull as I call them) screaming in my face and I was back in the room/on the Clyde *sigh* Even though I may not be a millionaire singer superstar I did feel a *wee* bit like one stepping onto a boat and not having to cross the pirates/captains palm with silver (or more likely indestructible plastic notes these days), travelling for free is always nice. You want to know the other cool thing about the Govan Ferry? Apparently if they get enough folk using it then they can build up a good argument for putting in place a proper bridge across this part of the water, which I think would be ace. Also SUPER handy for those now working/travelling to the new SUPER hospital in Govan. Jah. So, good people of Glasgow I urge you to make use of this glorious FREE service whilst you can as the only drawback here is this ferry unfortunately only runs from early July until mid August :-( I'm not sure why it's only for about a month? Answers on a postcard please. Like boats? Like rivers? Like museums of transport or really tall ships? Like the wonder of Govan? Like free things? Then what are you waiting for?! Ride the Govan Ferry like Marc Bolan did a white swan. La-la-laaaaa....*hums sea shanty*

Absolutely amazing trip to the Gulf of Corryvreckan and the Corryvreckan maelstrom! With springtide…read moreit was a 'bit more choppy' than usual (imagine churning waters and large waves crashing over the side of the boat), but with our great captain I felt really safe (most of the time, but I'm a scaredy cat ). Apart from the captain we were accompanied by a really good guide who told us interesting stories about how the gulf might have gotten it's name (with a villain and a sea hag and all) and who showed us sea eagles, red dear and a really brave/fearless sheep and her lamb half way up a cliff. Terrific experience, a must see/do as far as I'm concerned

From the owner: Seafari Adventures are Oban's 5* Visit Scotland marine wildlife tour operator. Based in the…read moreconservation area of Easdale, 16 miles south of Oban we have a fleet of powerful RIBs which are purpose designed and built to ensure you maximum viewing opportunities. Our Wildlife Tours depart throughout the day visiting the Gulf of Corryvreckan, home of the World's Third Largest Whirlpool. Porpoise, dolphins and whales feed in these food rich waters along with many seals and the occasional otter. There are deer on the islands and seabirds in the skies which are also home to both the white tailed sea eagle and golden eagle. Our two hour nature spectacular is set amongst the many islands in the area. The scenery is spectacular with both woodlands and cliffs. All Seafari boats are high speed Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats purpose built for wildlife and nature watching. Boats are driven by one of our highly experienced skippers and crewed by a qualified wildlife guide. Using our cabin RIBs we are able to offer tours to the whale feeding grounds in July and August and day tours to Iona, Staffa and the local Puffin colony.

I took one of the trips run by Calypso when Cunard's Queen Victoria was visiting the Firth of Forth…read morein July 2010. The boat and equipment were clean and well maintained. Life jackets were provided along with waterproofs if we required them. Stewart was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the area. We were taken at great speed from the jetty at North Queensferry to where the Queen Victoria was anchored, just east of the Forth Bridge. When we reached her, we slowed and were able to view (and photograph) her from the water. It's not every day you get the chance to see a cruise liner, both bridges and wildlife up close from such a unique viewpoint! I can't recommend a trip with Calypso highly enough it will definitely bring a smile to your face and is great value for money. Note: Dress warmly even on the warmest summer day, the Firth of Forth is cold.

Seaforce Powerboats were amazing! They worked hard to ensure our large group had an amazing…read moreexperience!

From the owner: Seaforce Powerboats is a professional RYA Training Centre and Fast Boat Ride operator based on the…read moreRiver Clyde, Glasgow. We pride ourselves on delivering quality service with our fantastic staff, and having fun in everything we do. Unlock your inner skipper. Escape the city. Feel excited!

Well it's easy for me to give this loch 5 stars because it is one of my very favourite places to…read morevisit! I've walked the paths and roads around here over many years and I learnt to drive on some of them too. This is the largest of a group of reservoirs in this area and named after the engineer Robert Thom (1774 - 1847). He designed the scheme to create this reservoir which has provided Greenock with water since 1827. A wonderful place to take a walk - you won't meet many people either. There are two nearby cafes and a large free car park. Video link: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AGNIjq-60ns