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.
13 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomScotland
Vale of Leven
Scotland, United Kingdom · Europe
About Vale of Leven
Vale of Leven is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Cardross, 14km from Loch Lomond.
Vale of Leven is in Scotland, United Kingdom, with about 25,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Cardross, about 5 km away.
The Vale of Leven (Scottish Gaelic: Magh Leamhna) is an area of West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, comprising the valley of the River Leven. It historically formed the core of the region of Lennox.
Geographically, the Vale runs from Loch Lomond in the north to Dumbarton in the south, where the River Leven empties into theRead more
Clyde. However, the name is often applied specifically to the urban area towards the north of the valley, consisting of a number of communities. These were historically separate villages but have expanded into one conurbation. The largest of these communities is the town of Alexandria, which sits on the west bank of the Leven. Alexandria is connected to the village of Renton to the south and to the village of Balloch to the north. Across the river from Alexandria is Bonhill, which is connected to Jamestown to the north. The combined population of these areas in 2020 was approximately 22,000.
The area's name lends itself to Alexandria's local football club, Vale of Leven F.C.; the secondary school, Vale of Leven Academy; the Vale of Leven District General Hospital; and other local organisations.
Where to Stay in Vale of Leven
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Vale of Leven?
Within an hour or so of Vale of Leven: The Oak Tree Inn (13 km), Loch Lomond (14 km), Riverside Museum (21 km), Rest and Be Thankful (A83) (31 km).
Are there any good drives near Vale of Leven?
The nearest famous roads are Rest and Be Thankful (A83), Glen Orchy and Arran Coast Road (A841).
Where is Vale of Leven?
Vale of Leven is in Scotland, United Kingdom, about 5 km from Cardross.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 24,640
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Scotland
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 55.9713, -4.5793
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 Vale of Leven
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.
14 km · about 25 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.
21 km · about 25 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.
31 km · about 35 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.
32 km · about 35 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.
32 km · about 35 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.
33 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.
41 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Vale of Leven
8 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 100km.
- 31 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.
- 33 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.
- 54 kmGoatfellArran's highest peak at 874m, climbed from Brodick, with views over the Firth of Clyde and to Ireland on clear days.
- 57 kmGlen OrchyA single-track alternative to the A82 between Bridge of Orchy and Dalmally, following the tumbling River Orchy through birch woods.
- 60 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.
- 67 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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