The Scottish Pearl

First of all, I picked a great day to visit Luss. The weather was perfect! And the ride over was lovely. I was particularly enchanted by the view of the ride to Glasgow.

On the way to Glasgow, passing Burnside

A year ago I made a short stop at Luss, It was a little peek into the village. This day trip was to spend some quality time by the water. This pretty village is located within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park in the Argyll and Bute region. Specifically on the western shore of Loch Lomond.

As I hopped off the bus and passed the Loch Lomond Arms hotel, I could see the village.

Loch Lomond Arms Hotel

The main street to the village is adorned with quaint pretty cottages and shops. I could not help but think that there must be a code in the village. All the cottages had well maintained flower pots and gardens. It was all picture-perfect. Not a rebel between them and hence my thought.

Luss Village Homes and Shops

I walked through the homes and shops, with one thought in mind. The water. The road led me to the primary pier, the Luss Pier. I was surprised at how busy it was. I don’t know why I was surprised as it is a popular spot but as I decided to visit on a weekday, I had assumed there would be fewer people present. I was wrong. I guess a lot of people were on holiday.

Loch Lomond at Luss Village

Loch Lomond is beautiful. I have visited the loch a few times but at different access points and each time the loch has been stunning. Today it felt like the playground for children and adults alike. I think many visitors were relatively local, mainly from Glasgow. It makes sense that this would be their summer playground. Having said that many visitors were also present from beyond that geographical scope.

Loch Lomond at Luss Village

In between short spurts of reading, I did a lot of water-watching, hill-watching and people-watching . I wondered about the history of the place which led me to look it up. I found the following:

Around 1,500 years ago, an Irish missionary, St Kessog, arrived at Loch Lomond, bringing Christianity to the area. At the time Luss was called Clachan Dhu (the dark village) because it lay in the shadow of the surrounding hills. St Kessog was martyred and his body embalmed with sweet herbs. Legend has it that the herbs grew and covered his grave, providing a new name for the village – lus is Gaelic for herb. The present church was built in 1875 but the graveyard is much older. The earliest stones date from the 7th or 8th century and includes an 11th century Viking hogback grave. Inside there’s a lovely ceiling made from Scots pine rafters and some beautiful Victorian stained-glass windows.

[From Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Website]

I found the history intriguing. I love names that have meaning. “Lus” means herb; this was my learning point of the day.

After spending time on the water, it was time to walk the woods. I wanted to learn more about the church and adjacent footpaths.

Luss Parish Church Grounds

The grounds from the water to the woods of the church grounds were lovely. A lush setting and a tranquil trail. Perfect. The burial grounds had a premium location, overlooking the loch. The church was built in 1875 and is dedicated to Saint Kessog.

It was all delightful.

Woods near Luss Village Parish Church

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