ROAD closures are in place around Loch Lomond after a surge in visitors led to “indiscriminate and dangerous” parking in the area.

Officers reported that car parking at Rowardennan on the east of the loch is beyond capacity, leading drivers to park on the clearway.

Roadways are now partially blocked, “endangering the safety of other road users” and posing problems for emergency service vehicles, Forth Valley Police Division warned in a Facebook post.

“Road closures are now in place on the B837 Drymen to Balmaha road and visitors are asked not to try and use this route,” the force wrote.

 

“Similar issues are also being experienced at Ben A'an Car Park in The Trossachs. If an area is busy, please consider visiting other quieter areas of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park,” they added.

On the Loch Lomond website, several car parking facilities are listed as red – meaning they are very busy or there are no spaces left at all.

Car parks categorised as red currently include Arrochar/Succoth, Balmaha, Ben Ledi, Bracklinn Falls, Callander Crags, Inveruglas, Loch Ard, Loch Lubnaig South, The Cabin at Loch Lubnaig, Loch Venachar, Luss, Milarrochy Bay and Rowardennan.

READ MORE: Scottish national park issues warning ahead of expected surge in visitors

Ahead of this weekend’s pleasant weather, with Covid restrictions to ease from Monday, national park and council bosses had urged people to act responsibly while visiting.

The B837 was also closed last weekend due to careless parking. Stirling Council chief executive Carol Beattie said: “That’s a situation we all want to avoid and, sadly, the council also had to hand out over 100 parking tickets to drivers who ignored our repeated messages for people to park safely.”

People planning visits to Loch Lomond and The Trossachs are encouraged to visit https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/ for more information.