Luss

Luss
Dunbartonshire
Luss Parish Church
Location
Location:	56°6’2"N, 4°38’23"W
Data
Post town:	Alexandria
Postcode:	G83
Dialling code:	01436
Local Government
Council:	Argyll & Bute
Parliamentary constituency:	Argyll and Bute

Luss is a village and parish in Dunbartonshire, on the west bank of Loch Lomond. The parish extends into the loch and encompasses the islands of Inchlonaig, Inchconnachan, Inchtavannach and Inchmoan

It is in the mountainous northern part of the county, constricted against the shores of the loch by the high hill slopes to the west: the hills here between Loch Lomond and Loch Long are known as the Luss Hills. Ben Lomond, the most southerly Munro, dominates the view north over the loch

The name 'Luss' is from the Gaelic Lus, meaning 'herb'. The village's original name though was Clachan dubh, meaning 'black village'.

History

St Kessog brought Christianity to Luss at some uncertain date in the 'Dark Ages'. A number of early mediæval and mediæval monuments survive in the present churchyard, including simple cross-slabs which may date to as early as the 7th century AD, and a hogback grave-cover of the 11th century. A well-preserved late mediæval effigy of a bishop is preserved within the modern church.

The present Church of Scotland church was built in 1875 by Sir James Colquhoun, in memory of his father who had drowned in the loch in December 1873. The church is noted for its online services as well as for holding over one hundred weddings per year, most from outside the parish. Luss is the ancestral home of Clan Colquhoun.

Places of interest

Nowadays Luss is a conservation village, with a bypass carrying the busy A82 trunk road. Many of Luss' cottages have been described as picturesque. The village has a kiltmaker and a bagpipe works. In recent years, Luss became famous as a result of being the main outdoor location for the television drama series Take the High Road. Although the programme is no longer made, some in Luss remain proud of the connection: its fictional name, 'Glendarroch,' is used for some buildings.

About a mile south of the village, in a cove at Aldochlay, is a small figure on a stone plinth. A contemporary legend evolved that it is a memorial to a child drowned in the loch, but it was in fact erected in 1890 by a local stonemason, who found the statue in a London scrapyard. 'Wee Peter', as he is locally known, was moved to the site after a brief spell near the railway, and has remained there ever since.

Facilities

The Lodge on Loch Lomond Hotel from Luss Pier

The village hosts a water taxi service to Balloch, at the south of the loch, allowing visitors to transfer onwards to Glasgow by train or visit its shopping centre, Lomond Shores. Luss Pier is a popular starting point for boat trips on the loch.

The Loch Lomond Golf Club, which was for a number of years the site of the Barclays Scottish Open, is within the village's borders.

Douglas firs at Luss with the chapel behind

See also

• Luss Hills
• Luss Water

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Luss)