The Drovers Inn

The Drovers Inn is a historic stone inn, pub and restaurant beside the A82 at Inverarnan, near the northern end of Loch Lomond. Established in 1705, it served cattle drovers travelling towards the markets. Today the draw is the building’s character as much as the chance to eat: dark bar rooms, a fire and an entrance hall crowded with taxidermy, including a full-size bear.

Come for a meal or a drink if an old-fashioned, slightly eccentric pub appeals. You can experience the inn without booking a bedroom. It’s a useful stop on the drive between Loch Lomond and Crianlarich, and a place to settle in after walking in the surrounding hills.

The kitchen serves substantial Scottish pub food. Steak and Guinness pie, fish and chips and venison casserole are among its established offerings; tea and coffee make a shorter visit possible too. The pie is a useful starting point if you want the sort of meal the place is known for, rather than treating this as a quick snack counter.

Look around the reception hall before heading into the bar. The stuffed animals are a large part of the inn’s odd personality, and the small, dark interior is quite different from a modern restaurant. Its ghost stories are part of that personality too, best enjoyed as stories. Weekend live music is another part of the pub’s appeal, so check the programme if that’s what you’re coming for.

There’s customer parking on site, and dogs are welcome in the bar. The inn also offers accommodation, but some rooms are in the separate Drovers Lodge across the road. If sleeping in the historic building is the point of your stay, specify that when booking rather than assuming every room is under the same roof.

For a meal, check table availability ahead, especially if you’re travelling as a group. Wi-Fi is provided in the inn’s public areas; don’t assume that means every bedroom has the same service.