6 days ago
Loch Katrine tower hits huge visitor milestone in less than a year
This weekend, the Phillipe family, visiting from France, became the 30,000 to scale the three-storey Trossachs attraction which features a spectacular panoramic view across the Loch.
Loch Katrine is home to the Steamship Sir Walter Scott, and the vivid landscapes described in Scott's poem are credited with bringing national attention to the area.
Thoughtfully designed to blend into the natural surroundings, the tower offers sweeping views over Loch Katrine and the surrounding hills and mountains.
A short, accessible path leads to the tower, allowing people of all ages to enjoy the dramatic and historic setting.
The Phillipe family, from the Centre-Val de Loire region of France, were the tower's 30,000th visitors (Image: Paul Saunders) The tower has been hailed for encouraging more UK and overseas visitors to discover the 'Birthplace of Scottish Tourism' above Trossachs Pier, with a sizeable increase in the number of driver-guided tour operators from now including Loch Katrine in their tours.
Loch Katrine and the wider Trossachs area have also been boosted by the return of the seasonal Trossachs Explorer bus service linking with nearby villages and attractions, providing exciting new public transport connection options across Scotland.
READ MORE: Full steam ahead as historic ship begins 125th season on scenic loch Popular sustainable bus service returns to National Park this summer Crowds flock to new scenic tower at 'birthplace of Scottish tourism'
The recent return of Steamship Sir Walter Scott after an £850,000 restoration has also boosted visitor numbers, while a major programme of access improvements has been delivered across the pier area.
This month saw another milestone of that work with the completion of a £90,000 lift modernisation project.
The view from the tower, in winter (Image: NQ) James Fraser, CEO of Loch Katrine and a trustee of the Steamship Trust, said: 'We were delighted to present the family from France with souvenir gifts, and to let them know that their visit marks the milestone figure of 30,000 visitors to the famous viewpoint credited with being where Scottish tourism began back in the early 1800s.
'Over the first year of the scenic tower and lookouts, we have welcomed visitors from all over the world and have been delighted with their reaction to the new attraction.
'Our vision has always been to celebrate the important cultural and natural heritage of this special place in an imaginative and sensitive way. From restoring the Steamship to building the Scenic Tower and enhancing accessibility across the site, we've focused on sustainable, appealing and practical improvements.'
