One of the joys of visiting Loch Lomond isn't just the scenery, it’s the stories. In the ground beneath us, the buildings and scenery around us and the people we speak to every day, history is waiting to be told. At Wild Highlands Coffee, we see visitors from all over the world stopping by before setting off to explore the national park. We see their delight at some of the local place names, and their happiness when they pronounce them correctly!
So, while you enjoy your coffee as you head around the Trossachs, here are five of the most unusual place names found by Loch Lomond and the history behind them.
1. Rest and Be Thankful
It's one of Scotland's most famous road signs, and probably one which gets people scratching their heads at how it came to be so named..
Rest and Be Thankful sits on the historic military road through Glen Croe, just west of Loch Lomond. During the 1750s, soldiers under the command of General George Wade and later Major William Caulfeild built roads through the Highlands to improve access across Scotland. Many of these roads are still in active use.
The climb through Glen Croe was one of the toughest sections of the journey. At the summit, a commemorative stone invited travellers to "Rest and Be Thankful" after completing the steep ascent.
More than 250 years later, the name remains, and so does the temptation to stop and admire one of Scotland's finest viewpoints. If you're driving or cycling this route, it's well worth grabbing a coffee before you leave, perhaps with one of our coffee drip bags. What a great place to pause.
2. Hell's Glen
With a name like Hell's Glen, this might be a place you would actively avoid! However to do so would be a mistake as you’d miss out on a peaceful woodland, waterfalls and one of the area’s most scenic roads. So how on Earth did it end up with a name like that?!
Historians believe it's actually the result of a misunderstanding when the original Gaelic name was translated into English. The glen was originally known as Gleann Iarainn, meaning "Iron Glen." Over time, this became confused with Gleann Ifhrinn, which translates as "Glen of Hell." The dramatic English version stuck, even though there's very little infernal about the place itself.
3. Balloch
Almost everyone visiting Loch Lomond passes through Balloch, but few realise its name has been guiding travellers for centuries.
The word comes from the Gaelic Am Bealach, meaning "the pass.” Long before modern roads and visitor centres, Balloch marked an important route between the Scottish Lowlands and Highlands. Travellers naturally passed through this narrow opening before reaching Loch Lomond itself and today, not much has changed.
Visitors still begin their adventures here, whether they're taking a boat cruise, cycling the lochside paths, walking in Balloch Country Park or simply enjoying a relaxing day by the water.
4. Balmaha
Balmaha is one of the prettiest villages on Loch Lomond, famous for its harbour, its connection to the West Highland Way and as the starting point for climbing Conic Hill.
Its name, however, has puzzled historians for years. Initially it was believed to have originated from Baile Mo Thatha ‘the settlement of Mo Thatha’, a Celtic saint. The most widely accepted explanation today is that it comes from the Gaelic Bealach Mo Cha, meaning "The Pass of Saint Mo Cha.” Either way, a saintly origin.
5. Ben Lomond
What came first, the mountain or the loch? So goes the question as to whether Ben Lomond was named after the loch, or the other way around?
While Beinn simply means "mountain" in Gaelic, the second half of the name has a much older origin. Experts believe Lomond comes from an ancient Brittonic word meaning "beacon." Long before Scotland existed as we know it today, fires may have been lit on the summit to send signals across western Scotland. The mountain became such a prominent landmark that the loch itself eventually took its name. So in this came, the mountain came first!
Every great story deserves a fine cup of coffee
At Wild Highlands Coffee, we love seeing visitors return from a day of exploring with stories to tell. Whether you've discovered a hidden waterfall, climbed your first Munro or finally learned why Hell's Glen isn't nearly as terrifying as it sounds, every adventure is made richer by knowing a little more about the place you've visited.
So next time you're planning to explore Loch Lomond, take a few extra minutes to look beyond the scenery. You never know what fascinating story might be hiding behind the next road sign.