cafe
The Oak Tree Inn
A popular stopping point on the A82 beside Loch Lomond, where road trippers heading to the Scottish Highlands pause to take in one of Scotland's most beautiful lochs.
16 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomScotland
Dumbarton
Scotland, United Kingdom · Europe
About Dumbarton
Dumbarton is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Bonhill, 17km from Loch Lomond.
Dumbarton is in Scotland, United Kingdom, with about 20,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Bonhill, about 4 km away.
Dumbarton (; Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Breatann [t̪um ˈpɾʲɛht̪ən̪ˠ]) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. In 2006, it had an estimated population of 19,990.
Dumbarton was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde, andRead more
later the county town of Dunbartonshire.
Dumbarton Castle, on top of Dumbarton Rock, dominates the area. Dumbarton was a royal burgh between 1222 and 1975.
Dumbarton emerged from the 19th century as a centre for shipbuilding, glassmaking, and whisky production. However, these industries have since declined, and Dumbarton today is increasingly a commuter town for Glasgow 13 miles (21 km) east-southeast of it. Dumbarton F.C. is the local football club.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Dumbarton?
Within an hour or so of Dumbarton: The Oak Tree Inn (16 km), Loch Lomond (17 km), Riverside Museum (19 km), Rest and Be Thankful (A83) (34 km).
Are there any good drives near Dumbarton?
The nearest famous roads are Rest and Be Thankful (A83), Arran Coast Road (A841) and Glen Orchy.
Where is Dumbarton?
Dumbarton is in Scotland, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Bonhill.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 19,950
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Scotland
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 55.9443, -4.5706
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Dumbarton
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Loch Lomond
Britain's largest freshwater lake by surface area, where Highland mountains meet Lowland shores in a landscape immortalised in song.
17 km · about 20 min drive
museum
Riverside Museum
Glasgow's Zaha Hadid-designed transport museum on the Clyde, packed with classic cars, a recreated cobbled street of vintage vehicles, and the tall ship Glenlee moored outside.
19 km · about 20 min drive
famous road
Rest and Be Thankful (A83)
The famous climb out of Glen Croe in Argyll with the old military road beside it; landslide-prone but a spectacular gateway to the west coast.
34 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Loch Katrine
The loch of Scott's Lady of the Lake, cruised by the 1899 steamship Sir Walter Scott and encircled by a traffic-free cycle road.
34 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Loch Achray and Ben A'an
A small Trossachs loch under Ben A'an, whose short steep path yields one of Scotland's best effort-to-view ratios.
34 km · about 40 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Rest and Be Thankful
A famous viewpoint at the top of Glen Croe where 18th-century soldiers carved the name into a stone after completing the military road.
36 km · about 40 min drive
castle
Doune Castle
A well-preserved 14th-century courtyard castle near Stirling, filmed for Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Game of Thrones and Outlander.
42 km · about 50 min drive
Driving roads near Dumbarton
- 34 kmRest and Be Thankful (A83)The famous climb out of Glen Croe in Argyll with the old military road beside it; landslide-prone but a spectacular gateway to the west coast.
- 36 kmRest and Be ThankfulA famous viewpoint at the top of Glen Croe where 18th-century soldiers carved the name into a stone after completing the military road.
- 53 kmGoatfellArran's highest peak at 874m, climbed from Brodick, with views over the Firth of Clyde and to Ireland on clear days.
- 58 kmArran Coast Road (A841)The 90km loop around Arran, taking in the Boguillie and the Ross road climbs — a classic day's drive or ride from the Brodick ferry.
- 60 kmGlen OrchyA single-track alternative to the A82 between Bridge of Orchy and Dalmally, following the tumbling River Orchy through birch woods.
- 64 kmElectric BraeFamous optical-illusion stretch of the A719 on the Ayrshire coast where cars appear to roll uphill. Drivers have pulled over to test the gravity-defying slope since the 1930s.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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