Hands up if you love a good beer garden! Beer Gardens in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
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n Scotland, we’re well versed in trying to eek the summer out for as long possible - even when the rain hits you can still find us under a parasol in a good beer garden! Around here we really are spoiled for choice as to where to indulge in our favourite past-time…
• The Lake of Menteith Hotel, Port of Menteith You’d be hard pressed to find a more romantic spot for enjoying an out of doors beverage that on the banks of Scotland’s only ‘lake’. A perfect place to watch the sunset!
• The Drymen Inn, Drymen Just a few miles from the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, the Drymen Inn offers a fantastic beer garden out back, a great spot if you are walking the West Highland Way. • Buchanan Castle Golf Club, near Drymen Enjoy a round of golf then a glass of wine in the sun at the picturesque Golf Club in the lovely Buchanan Castle Estate outside Drymen. • The Old Mill Inn, Killearn Definitely the quirkiest beer garden around… with a 20ft Mongolian Yurt and huge tent set in a gorgeous garden at the back of the pub.
• Lion & Unicorn, Thornhill Not too far from Stirling is this welcoming pub, popular with locals. Enjoy their fantastic huge and sunny beer garden, and if it gets too cold they have three log-burning fires to warm up by inside! • The Fintry Inn, Fintry You can’t miss this lovely traditional pub in the village of Fintry – look out for the bicycle mounted on the wall outside! Why not try some of their real ale made on the premises in their great wee beer garden? • The Rowardennan Hotel, Rowardennan Pretty much right at the bottom of Ben Lomond, a fantastic spot to enjoy a drink al fresco after a long hike (or a very short one, to the bar!)
• The Blane Valley Inn, Blanefield The ‘BV’ - as it’s affectionately known as to locals – has a great wee beer garden out front, a perfect spot for people watching in the sunshine!
• The Oak Tree Inn, Balmaha A staple Loch Lomond favourite, enjoy the fresh air with a beer in hand underneath the large oak tree itself… and you can now visit Balmaha via the new (disabled access) pontoon on Loch Lomond, brilliant!
By Abbé L. M. Farrell
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www.parklifescotland.co.uk