Glen
Glen Trool
A long loch in the Galloway hills — Galloway Forest Park, Robert the Bruce's 1307 ambush, and the way up the Merrick.
- Corbetts
- 1
- Grahams
- 3
- Bothies
- 2
- Highest peak
- Merrick (843m)
Glen Trool is a long loch in the Galloway hills within the Galloway Forest Park, a Dark Sky Park. The glen is reached on a single-track road from Newton Stewart via Bargrennan. Loch Trool sits below the Merrick (843m), the highest hill in southern Scotland, with Benyellary on its ridge.
In 1307 Robert the Bruce's men ambushed an English force here: Forestry and Land Scotland describes the soldiers being caught on the far shore of the loch near the Steps of Trool, where Bruce's men loosed a volley of stones on them. Bruce's Stone, overlooking the site, is a short stroll from its own car park at the east end of the loch (Forestry and Land Scotland Glentrool and Bruce's Stone pages, read 2026-10-28).
The road in
Single-track road etiquette
Pull into passing places to let oncoming vehicles pass. Don't park in passing places. If a faster vehicle is behind you, pull over and let them past. Do not reverse at speed — wait in a passing place.
Parking1 spot
Bruce's Stone car park
No charge listed by Forestry and Land Scotland — check signs on site. The Glentrool visitor centre car park, a few kilometres back down the glen, is pay and display.
Start for the Merrick and for Bruce's Stone. No toilets here — the nearest are at the Glentrool visitor centre café, open only when the café is, and the café closes for winter from 2 November 2026 until March 2027.
Hills from Glen Trool1 Corbetts · 3 Grahams · 8 Donalds
Bothies in the glen2 in range
Gravel cycling1 route nearby
What's in the glen
Bruce's Stone
A large granite boulder above Loch Trool commemorating Robert the Bruce's victory at the Battle of Glen Trool in 1307, when his men ambushed English soldiers on the far shore near the Steps of Trool. A short path from its car park leads to the stone.
Loch Trool
A long, narrow loch in the Galloway hills. Forestry and Land Scotland's Loch Trool Loop goes right round it from Caldons car park at the western end — 9.2km (5¾ miles), allow about 4 hours, graded strenuous, with long fairly steep slopes.
Buchan Burn waterfall
A series of falls on the Buchan Burn as it descends from the Merrick massif into the head of Loch Trool. Best viewed from the lochside path. Good in spate after rain.
Our take
Glen Trool is what you go to Galloway for. The Merrick from the glen is a good Corbett with excellent views on clear days across to Ireland. The loch setting is genuinely beautiful — the oakwoods and dark water are unlike anything further north. Dark sky quality here is exceptional in winter.
History
The Battle of Glen Trool in March or April 1307 was a turning point in Robert the Bruce's guerrilla campaign to retake Scotland. After his defeat at Methven (1306) and a winter of hiding — possibly in the cave on Rathlin Island — Bruce returned to southwest Scotland with a small force. At Glen Trool his men ambushed an English force sent by Aymer de Valence, loosing stones on the soldiers as they passed along the far shore near the Steps of Trool and then attacking from both sides.
The victory was small in military terms but significant in morale. Bruce went on to defeat Valence at Loudoun Hill weeks later, beginning a series of successes that culminated at Bannockburn in 1314. Bruce's Stone above the loch commemorates the battle. The Galloway hills were important to Bruce because he held lands in the southwest and had support from local families.
Practical
- Mobile signal
- No signal beyond Bargrennan.
- Midges
- Moderate(3/5)
- Public transport
- Buses reach Newton Stewart — check Traveline Scotland. No public transport into the glen that we can confirm — taxi or car required.
- Dogs
- On lead — livestock or ground-nesting birds present.
Map
Hills (green), bothies (brown), parking (blue), wild swimming (light blue), landmarks (dark red).
Scotland outdoor updates
Route guides, condition reports and seasonal picks — once a month, no noise.
Glen Trool — common questions
- What kind of road runs through Glen Trool?
- Single-track with passing places. Build in extra time for the approach.
- Can I take a motorhome or campervan into Glen Trool?
- We'd say no for larger vehicles: Glen Trool's narrow road, tight turns and limited passing space punish motorhomes and big campervans. Leave the van at a road end elsewhere and come in on foot.
- Are there midges in Glen Trool?
- Expect a significant midge season in Glen Trool (3/5), running late May to September. The worst of it comes on sheltered, humid evenings — breezy spots and the high tops stay clearer. Smidge and a head net earn their place from May onwards.
- Can I wild camp in Glen Trool?
- You can. Scotland's Land Reform Act 2003 gives a right to wild camp on most unenclosed land, subject to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code: stay off enclosed agricultural ground, keep numbers small, leave no trace. Note the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Camping Management Zones and their seasonal restrictions do not cover Glen Trool.
- Can I get to Glen Trool without a car?
- Buses reach Newton Stewart — check Traveline Scotland. No public transport into the glen that we can confirm — taxi or car required.