What is Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival?
Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival is a celebration of great food and drink set to the backdrop of the jaw-dropping vista of Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond, it is an annual festival that brings together tastes from all around the local area of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and all around the UK as well as specialities from across the world.
2015 is both the Year of Food & Drink in Scotland and the 10th Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival, with the largest number of suppliers from all over Scotland, and around the World, ever to hit the banks of Loch Lomond.
Where will it be held?
The festival is held at Loch Lomond Shores, Ben Lomond Way, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire G83 8QL.
Picture: Loch Lomond Shores
When is it?
The event will be held over Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th of September and will run from 10am to 6pm both days.
Getting there:
By car:
From the South (M74/M6)
The M74 will take you to the south side of Glasgow. On your approach to Glasgow follow the signs form the M73 which will take you to the M8 – Loch Lomond, Greenock. Leave the M8 at Junction 30, for Erskine Bridge. Over the bridge, join the A82 following signs for Crianlarich. Stay on the A82 for approximately 10 miles. You will come to a roundabout indicating Balloch to the right, take this exit (this the big roundabout with the wooden structure depicting flying geese!). At the next two roundabouts take a left. Loch Lomond Shores is directly in front of you.
From the North
We are located just off the A82 heading towards Glasgow. Once you have passed Tarbet you have another 16miles of stunning scenery along the lochside until you get to the roundabout for Balloch (this the big roundabout with the wooden structure depicting flying geese!), where you should take a left. At the next two roundabouts take a left. Loch Lomond Shores is directly in front of you.
From the East
Follow the M8 west bound heading for Greenock. Leave the M8 at junction 30, for the Erskine Bridge. Over the bridge, join the A82 following signs for Crianlarich. Stay on the A82 for approximately 10 miles. You will come to a roundabout indicating Balloch to the right, take this exit (this the big roundabout with the wooden structure depicting flying geese!). At the next two roundabouts take a left. Loch Lomond Shores is directly in front of you.
By Train:
A short walk from Balloch train station – trains directly from Glasgow Queen Street Monday to Saturday or from Glasgow Central on a Sunday. Visit Traveline Scotland for information on all bus and train timetables.
By Bus:
First Bus Service 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1E will take you to Balloch from Glasgow, Clydebank, Dumbarton, Helensburgh and you can then stroll through down the riverside walk to us, or you can hop on the 207 from there right to our door. .
Parking: The parking at Loch Lomond Shores is free and we have disabled bays close the main buildings, parent and child parking and coach parking. We are delighted to be part of the Safer Parking Scheme and have been awarded the Park Mark accreditation.
Picture: Loch Lomond Shores
Tickets:
Our event is free, parking is free and all you need to bring along is your appetite and thirst!
Highlights:
Highlights & Free Things to do
All the amazing events are free, so you can come along both days and entertain all ages without spending a penny on entertainment – do bring money to eat and drink till you burst though!
There are live cooking demos with some superb Vegan menu ideas ranging from sweet through to savoury plus some great demos on pulling together your own tapas selection at home.
Kids can get involved too with their own special set of cooking demos and live shows. Team up in the morning with the WEECook team and each child will get their own chef hat, and sit back and enjoy the three special food shows each afternoon with Professor Brainstorm, just watch out for the loud bang in the Exploding Science Show.
Celebrating the 150th birthday of the Mad Hatters Tea Party there is also a Walking Theatre performance of our very own White Rabbit show which takes you on a walk through our woods and into another world of excitement.
Daily Herb Walks with an experienced herbalist will take you to some surprising secrets that you can find in your own garden and wooded areas in every town. She will share secrets of the herbs for their remedies, foods and health properties.
We also have the belly bursting McIntosh Haggis Eating Competition, and there are prize winning trophies up for grabs. 1lb of McIntosh Haggis, eating with a specially chosen implement, and washed down with a drink of our choice, doesn’t sound that hard does it? Maybe you are up for the challenge.
Food & Drink
Real ales, Scottish cider, freshly brewed coffee and select wines will be available to everyone on our Beach Bar area, yes it really is a beach and it really has a bar, it will even have deck chairs for you to sit back and enjoy your surroundings.
The range of food is so extensive that writing a list would simply confuse you! Whether your taste-buds tinge with thoughts of vegetarian dumplings, hog roasts, sushi, paella, pork pies or fresh cheese, or if you want to stock up your kitchens with fresh meats, vegetables, jams, chutneys, home baked goods, freshly ground coffee or some Scottish hot chilli sauces then this really is the place to be.
Retail and the rest
Apart from this great Festival there are also so many things to do at Loch Lomond Shores, there are great shops, the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre, the Loch Lomond SEALIFE Centre and the TreeZone aerial adventure course
Music:
The superb O’Cajunals are playing live from 2.30 through until 5.30 on Saturday and from 12.30 till 3.30 on Sunday.
While the amazing Clann An Drumma will be performing on Saturday 11.30 – 2.30 and Sunday 12.30 – 3.00.
FAQs
Can I take my dog? "We welcome well behaved dogs on leads to Loch Lomond Shores, and many of our shops allow you to take your pet in with you whilst you browse (each shop has its own guidelines, so just ask)."
What should I wear? "Obviously we are hoping for great weather but as it is Scotland we recommend bringing along all weather footwear and a jacket in case you need one."
Can I take pictures? "You can take as many pictures as you like and feel free to post them on our Facebook page."
Can I visit the other attractions? "Whilst you are at the lovely Loch Lomond Shores why not visit the superb Birds of Prey Centre or pop into Loch Lomond SEALIFE Centre or if you are feeling adventurous try out our Wee Heilan Man Adventure Golf or even try out the Treezone Aerial Adventure Course or hire a pedalo, canoe or bike from the team at Can You Experience."
How much money should I bring? "As already mentioned the Festival is free to attend as is the parking, though there will be quite a lot of excellent stalls provide wonderful produce and crafts for you to buy. So really it us up to yourself how much you would like to spend."
Can I get a mobility scooter should I need one? "Clyde Shopmobility Services can offer you assistance to get around. By providing free access to motorised scooters and manual wheelchairs the service allows people to get around the area and become more socially active. Call them on 01389 758063 0r 07804895536 or visit www.clydeshopmobility.co.uk
