Duck Bay is beautifully located on the southern shores of Loch Lomond in Scotland. Best known for its marina, hotel and restaurant, Duck Bay also features an idyllic lochside picnic area, whilst being a popular place for open water swimming and other water sports. In this guide, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about visiting Duck Bay. This will include details about what to do in Duck Bay. Additionally, we’ll talk about the highly-rated Duck Bay Hotel & Restaurant, set on the pristine Duck Bay Marina.
A Loch Lomond cruise is a memorable thing to do nearby. Make sure to do a Loch Lomond cruise during your visit to the area.
Table of Contents
About Duck Bay
Duck Bay is well-known for its small lochside park on the bonnie (meaning pretty or beautiful) southern shores of Loch Lomond. Indeed, this bay is one of the best places to go and chill out on the shores of the famous Loch Lomond.
But, perhaps, it’s the marina, hotel and restaurant that Duck Bay is even more renowned for. Certainly, when it comes to a short break in Loch Lomond, Duck Bay is the ideal location. Being one of the best hotels in Loch Lomond, Duck Bay Hotel & Restaurant attracts tonnes of visitors, who spend much of their visit, relaxing and dining on the splendid marina.
So, exactly where is this bay located?
Where Is Duck Bay?
Duck Bay is located in Alexandria in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park in the United Kingdom. The bay is located between Luss and Balloch. As mentioned, you’ll find the bay right at the southern end of Loch Lomond. To help get your bearings, please click on the image below to access an interactive map of the area.
Things to Do at Duck Bay
Most people visit Duck Bay to either dine on the marina or stay at the highly-rated hotel. So, of course, we’ll talk about these things in more detail. But, even if you don’t plan on dining on the marina or staying at Duck Bay Hotel & Restaurant, there are other things to do at and around the bay during a visit. Below, we’ll look at all of the best things to do at and near the bay.
Chill at the Lochside Picnic Area
Adjacent to the Duck Bay Marina, you’ll find a small lochside park. This is an ideal place to bring a picnic and enjoy the stunning views of Loch Lomond. Certainly, during our visit, we saw quite a few people unwinding and relaxing on the grassy lochside picnic area.
Open Water Swimming and Watersports
Given the bay’s ease of access, it’s a popular place for open-water swimmers. Indeed, keen open-water swimmers will regularly set off from the shores of the bay. Similarly, the bay makes for a great spot for recreational swimmers, looking to take a dip in the famous waters of Loch Lomond.
Also, the calm waters of the bay make it an ideal location for other watersports such as paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking. Although, admittedly, the nearby village of Luss is a more well-known place for paddleboarding. In fact, GetYourGuide offers excellent cheap paddleboard hire in Luss.
Drink and Eat at Duck Bay Marina
Of course, it wouldn’t be a trip to Duck Bay without eating or drinking on the marina. During our visit to Duck Bay Hotel & Restaurant (AKA Duck Bay Marina Hotel and Duck Bay Restaurant), Beck and I enjoyed a delicious hearty Scottish breakfast. It’s become our tradition to go for a least one full Scottish breakfast during our annual Scotland trips. And, Duck Bay Hotel & Restaurant certainly delivered on the breaky front! We’ve also heard the Duck Bay Marina afternoon tea is also delightful.
Stay at Duck Bay Hotel & Restaurant
If you’re looking for a hotel on Loch Lomond, look no further than Duck Bay Hotel and Restaurant. Certainly, when it comes to hotels on Loch Lomond, Duck Bay Hotel & Restaurant has to be one of your best options. The three-star hotel has plenty of rooms on offer, such as double rooms, family rooms, suites and even lodges.
When it comes to reviews, guests often rave about the location, comfort, cleanliness, staff and facilities. Certainly, staying at this Loch Lomond accommodation makes sense if you want to maximise your time in this gorgeous part of Loch Lomond.
Make sure to check out Booking.com as they may have hotel offers and deals to make your stay cheaper.
Check Out or Stay at Cameron House
The historical five-star Cameron House is also located in Duck Bay. Basically, if you want to stay in Duck Bay, this is your alternate accommodation option. It’s a Category B heritage-listed building that was first built in the 18th century. So, even if you don’t plan on staying at this luxurious accommodation option, it’s still worth checking out the impressive establishment. By doing a Loch Lomond cruise, you’ll enjoy superb views of Cameron House and learn more about its historical significance.
FYI – if you’re looking for other nearby accommodation, we recommend staying in Luss or Balloch.
Things to Do Near Duck Bay
There are also plenty of great things to do near Duck Bay. After all, around the corner from the bay is the nice town of Balloch. With this in mind, you should definitely head to Balloch during your visit to the area.
Visit Balloch
Known as the gateway town of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Balloch is a popular place for first-time visitors to scope out. During a visit, you should definitely visit River Leven, the Maid of the Loch and the Balloch Castle Country Park. Whilst there are plenty of nice cafes, pubs and restaurants. If you’re after a pint or some pub grub, we recommend heading to the Queen of the Loch.
Of course, the main reason for visiting Balloch is to do one of the famous Loch Lomond cruises.
Read more: Balloch on Loch Lomond – The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide
Do a Loch Lomond Cruise
There are many brilliant Loch Lomond cruises departing from Balloch. You’ll find Sweeney’s Cruise Co. Loch Lomond is the company that runs Loch Lomond boat cruises from Balloch.
The most highly-rated and popular Loch Lomond cruise is the Experience Cruise (AKA the Sightseeing Cruise). It’s a short one hour cruise that takes in all of the major attractions around the southern end of Loch Lomond. This narrated circular cruise is the best option for those wanting a taste of cruising Loch Lomond without spending hours on a boat.
Personally, Beck and I did this Sweeney’s Cruises’ Loch Lomond cruise and absolutely loved it. We booked this tour on GetYourGuide using this link. Given the boat trip’s popularity, you’ll find plenty of departures daily.
Also departing Balloch, the Island Discovery Tour is a two hour Loch Lomond cruise exploring more of the world-famous loch. Specifically, you’ll explore more of the small islands found in Loch Lomond – an area known as the ‘The Narrow’.
Otherwise, if you’re a keen photographer, it’s worth considering the 90 minute Loch Lomond Evening Cruise. Although, it’s worth noting that this tour has only one departure, which is usually at 7pm. Plus, this cruise tends to only run three days a week and only during summer and the shoulder seasons.
Nearby Loch Lomond Walks
There are also plenty of great walks to do near Duck Bay. Below, we’ll detail the best walks to do in and around the area.
- Duck Bay to Ben Boule: this lesser-known route is one of the only walks that starts from the picturesque bay.
- Ben Lomond: this is the most popular walk in the national park. During this walk, you’ll enjoy glorious views of Loch Lomond.
- The Cobbler (Ben Arthur): the walk to Ben Arthur is probably the second most popular walk in the national park.
- Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime: located next to Ben Arthur, you can climb both of these Munros during one memorable walk.
- Conic Hill: one of Scotland’s most iconic hill walks, which starts from nearby Balmaha.
- Devil’s Pulpit (Finnich Glen): although it technically falls outside of the national park, this place is a must-visit and not too far from Loch Lomond.
Read more: Best Loch Lomond Walks Guide
How to Get to Duck Bay
The quickest and easiest way to get to Duck Bay is to drive there yourself. If you don’t have your own set of wheels, then we recommend hiring a car using Discover Cars. You’ll find a wide variety of cars on Discover Cars for reasonable prices. The website is user-friendly and booking online is super easy.
Car Hire
If you don’t have your own car, you should hire one using Discover Cars. Personally, we use Discover Cars and highly recommend them for finding your ideal car hire at an affordable price. Booking online is super easy and the free cancellation policy is great.
To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.
Duck Bay Parking
There are two main car parks. There is both a public car park and a car park for guests. As a guest at the hotel or restaurant, you can park for free in the hotel and restaurant’s main car park. That’s what Beck and I did. As far as we’re aware, the public car park is also free of charge; but, there were talks of the Argyll and Bute Council transforming it into a pay and display car park.
Please let us know in the comments if you had to pay for parking at the public car park.
Public Transport
It’s possible to use public transport to get to the bay. From Glasgow, you can catch a bus directly there. Indeed, ease of accessibility is one of the reasons it’s a popular place to visit. We recommend using Google Maps and Citylink to help plan your journey using public transport.
FAQs
Below, you’ll find the most frequently asked questions about Duck Bay.
What Is Duck Bay?
It’s the name of a bay on the southern shores of Loch Lomond. It’s most famous for its marina, hotel and restaurant.
Is Duck Bay Dog Friendly?
As far as we’re aware, dogs aren’t allowed in the hotel, restaurant or marina. Of course, dogs are allowed at the bay itself and at the lochside picnic area.
Who Owns the Duck Bay Hotel?
It’s owned by Alan and Lynn Cawley.
Bonus Tips
- Check the official website for the latest Duck Bay menu: you’ll find outdated menus online. Head to the official website for the latest menu with up-to-date prices.
- Visit on a clear day: to take advantage of the tremendous views of the loch and surrounding mountains, try and time your visit with good visibility.
- Wedding venues in Loch Lomond: Duck Bay Hotel and Restaurant are no longer taking bookings for weddings. If you’re looking for a wedding venue in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, consider Venachar Lochside on the gorgeous Loch Venachar.
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