Our journey today was a short one, from the hotel at Balloch to Liz MacGregors fine cafe in Aberfoyle for breakfast – bacon baps and coffee – and on to a drive north to Loch Achray, Loch Venachar and Loch Katrine. Our trip to the latter was curtailed by the quantity of cash required to park the car and to obtain a glimpse of the SS Sir Walter Scott.

In general we were shocked at the number of spots where we were required to pay for parking. A short tour of a few lochs to take a few snaps at each would have cost some £10+, or roughly £5 per hour. Shocking.

I was keen on having a look at Loch Drunkie – appropriately named given our condition on one or two evenings on this tour – but we never made it. Fear of car parking charges no doubt had some influence on our decision to return somewhat prematurely to Balloch.

HOWEVER.. we were able to indulge our predilection for mid-afternoon libations at The Dog House and The Balloch House before returning to the hotel.