Balloch, West Dunbartonshire
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| Balloch | |
| Scottish Gaelic: Bealach | |
  Balloch shown within Scotland |
|
| Population | 3,806 [1] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Council area | West Dunbartonshire |
| Lieutenancy area | Dunbartonshire |
| Constituent country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GLASGOW |
| Postcode district | G83 |
| Dialling code | 01389 |
| European Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | West Dunbartonshire |
| Scottish Parliament | Dumbarton |
| Website: http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk | |
| List of places: UK • Scotland | |
- For other uses of this term see Balloch.
Balloch (pronounced /ˈbæləx/, Gaelic: Bealach) is a small town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the banks of Loch Lomond. The name is a corruption of Scottish Gaelic bealach meaning a pass in hills or mountains.
It is at the north end of the Vale of Leven, straddling the River Leven itself. It connects to the larger town of Alexandria and to the smaller village of Jamestown, both of which are located to the south of Balloch. To the east of the town lies the major local authority housing scheme in the area known as 'The Haldane'. Balloch is a terminus of the North Clyde electric train service from Glasgow.
With its accessible location at the southern end of Loch Lomond it is an important centre of tourism. The largest number of boats cruising on Loch Lomond leave from here. It contains Balloch Country Park and Balloch Castle.
Scottish Band Texas frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri was born in Glasgow but moved to Balloch as a young child and was raised there. Celebrity Colourist Hugh Hammil lived in the Haldane from 1968 to 1974. "Lochfoot" in the Jean Robertson novels of Jane Duncan is partly based on the town.
Balloch is also parallel to Moscow, Russia.
[edit] References
- ^ Census, 2001
