Who are we?
Hi there, we’re a group of local people who are passionate about ensuring Balloch Castle Country Park is a regenerative, welcoming space for everyone that visits – whether you’re based locally, or visiting from afar.
With over two hundred acres of woodland, parkland, burns, beaches, and more, all situated right on the bonnie banks of the world-famous Loch Lomond, the park almost has it all, but it also has its issues.
Our mission
Our mission is to bring stakeholders and park users together to restore nature, heritage and recreational assets and explore income generation opportunities. Our focus will be on health, wellbeing, and improving biodiversity in the park.
We hope to encourage people of all ages to become involved and give younger generations an interested in enhancing the park for the future. If you’d like to be involved, please do get in touch!
If you’d like to know more about how we operate, read our mission statement and our constitution. You can also read our Nature Restoration Plan for 2023.
Why are we doing this?
Despite receiving an estimated one million visitors every year, this vast park is suffering a rapid, ‘managed’ decline.
Abandoned watercraft litter the waters, while invasive, non-native, self-seeding conifers and bamboo plague the land. Flooding and erosion undermine woodland, mature trees, and paths alike.
You’re more likely to encounter anti-social behaviour or littering than organised events or volunteering opportunities. There are few accessible toilets, the castle is deteriorating, and there’s nowhere to grab a drink or snack.
We think there are huge opportunities to tackle these issues and improve the park, but we need your help.
Meeting Agendas
Meeting Minutes
You can view all our minutes from previous meetings on Google Drive.
Resources and Further Reading
A summary of park users responses to a survey BCCPRG undertook in July 2022, which attracted 246 responses. The survey highlights people’s main motivation for visiting the Park is to spend time in nature with friends, family and pet dogs, while highlighting a desire for additional facilities such as toilets, a café, and the restoration of the castle. The results are also available as a presentation.
Commissioned by the Loch Lomond & Trossachs Countryside Trust. An essential reference for anyone interested in the natural environment of the Park. However, BCCPRG is seeking funds to update the Woodland Management Plan with a new focus on the invasive non-native plant species (INNS) that are spreading rapidly in the Park and threatening its native and designed woodland.