Local A to Z Guide of the Loch Lomond AreaThis area will be updated on a frequent basis with information and interesting articles on the local area. Please check back soon for updates. View the Archive for previous insertions. © Copyright Notice: All the information appearing on this page is copyright of John (Sion) Barrington and may not be reproduced without his explicit consent. Our thanks to Sion who is a local Historian and Author of note with a vast knowledge of all things historical about Scotland in general and our local area in particular. Buy his books from your retailer and gain a real insight into Scotland's History. B - “ Balloch”Balloch, from the Gaelic, Bealach, meaning a gap or a pass. This is the pass through which the Great West Road (A82) leads into the Highlands and to the islands of the west. In days when travel and transport was largely by water, Balloch was strategically placed at the southern end of Loch Lomond, the greatest sheet of water in Britain. Here the River Leven gave egress to the Clyde and the whole world beyond. First road and then rail links followed, the Balloch ford became a bridge – and Balloch prospered. Cattle droves prepared to pay the tolls passed through the town, on their way to the trysts of Dumbarton Muir and Falkirk. The rest would swim the loch, higher up! Produce from the Highlands and fish from the loch was required to feed the textile workers of The Vale – in ever increasing amounts. Glaswegians poured out of town to escape the industrial grime and breathe in fresh air. Visitors from further afield soon began to discover the delights of the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. Finally, after many years discussion, Scotland’s first National Park became a reality. In 2000 the new authority set up camp – in a collection of portacabins! However, an imposing visitor centre, with a cluster of shops and an excellent information and education complex, has become the fulcrum of the Park. In the shadow of Drumkinnon Tower, a fifty-year old paddle steamer sits at her mooring. The Maid of the Loch was the last of her kind to be built in Britain. Undergoing a complete refit, she is already operating as a restaurant and function venue. On finishing the work, it is hoped to have the Maid of the Loch plying the waters once more. B - “ Bonhill”Bonhill would have been the first fording point across the River Leven, below Balloch. The name comes from the Gaelic, Bun Uill – a village at the foot of the burn. The burn itself has long been piped underground, still running quietly beneath Burn Street before emptying into the river. A fine metal bridge now spans the Leven, linking the community with Alexandria. The square towered church, more securely locked than Fort Knox, stands on a much older site. There has been a place of worship here since the late 12th century. Amongst the graves is one to Robert Nairn, cobbler and Covenanter – and very active in this cause. Nairn was eventually buried, under great duress, by the Episcopal minister of the day. It would seem that the cobbler had very persuasive friends! Bonhill Primary School dates from 1873 but was not the only place of learning. During the Industrial Revolution that brought the cotton mills to The Vale, some employers had enlightened views. They would ensure that their child workers were provided with a proper education, paid for by the company. It may not have been much, but it was a start. There is plenty of scope for recreation. Bonhill has Loch Lomond and the National Park right on the doorstep. Walks to the east take in Pappert Hill and Auchenreoch Muir, a strange world of cairns and standing stones. And there is sport, a nine-hole golf course, football and rugby. The newly promoted Loch Lomond Rugby Club play at Bonhill and hope to continue up through the league in the coming seasons.
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