View source for Luss

{{Short description|Village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox UK place
| gaelic_name = Lus
| official_name = Luss
| static_image_name = Luss church (front view).JPG
| static_image_caption = [[Luss Parish Church]]
| static_image_width = 200px
| population = 450
| population_ref =
| unitary_scotland = [[Argyll and Bute]]
| lieutenancy_scotland =
| constituency_westminster = [[Argyll and Bute (UK Parliament constituency)|Argyll and Bute]]
| constituency_scottish_parliament = [[Dumbarton (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Dumbarton]]
| country = Scotland
| sovereign_state =
| coordinates = {{coord|56.101491|-4.6422516|region:GB_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| os_grid_reference = NS 35756 93004
| map_type =
| map_alt = Scotland
| map_relief = yes
| post_town = Alexandria
| postcode_area = G
| postcode_district = G83
| dial_code = 01436
| edinburgh_distance_mi =
| london_distance_mi =
| website =
| hide_services = yes
}}
'''Luss''' ({{langx|gd|Lus}}, 'herb') is a village in [[Argyll and Bute]], Scotland, on the west bank of [[Loch Lomond]].  The village is within the [[Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/rr-content/uploads/2016/07/Downloadable-map-of-Loch-Lomond-and-the-Trossachs-National-Park.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=16 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614215203/https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/rr-content/uploads/2016/07/Downloadable-map-of-Loch-Lomond-and-the-Trossachs-National-Park.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==History==
Historically in the [[County of Dunbarton]], its original name is ''Clachan dhu'', or 'dark village'. [[Ben Lomond]], the most southerly [[Munro]], dominates the view north over the loch, and the [[Luss Hills]] rise to the west of the village.
[[Saint Kessog]] brought [[Christianity]] to Luss at the early 6th century in the [[Early Middle Ages]].  A number of [[early medieval]] and [[medieval]] monuments survive in the present churchyard, including simple cross-slabs which may date to as early as the 7th century AD, and a [[hogback (sculpture)|hogback]] grave-cover of the 11th century.  A well-preserved late medieval effigy of a [[bishop]] is preserved within the modern church.  The present [[Church of Scotland]] [[Luss Parish Church|place of worship]] was built in 1875 by Sir James Colquhoun, 5th Baronet, 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, mostly for couples from outwith the parish. Luss is the ancestral home of [[Clan Colquhoun]] and the McInturners of Luss, a sept of [[Clan Lamont]].
==Places of interest==
[[File:Loch Lomond Statue - geograph.org.uk - 2249723.jpg|thumb|left|'Wee Peter' statue in [[Loch Lomond]], just to the south of the village]]
Nowadays Luss is a [[conservation village]], with a bypass carrying the busy [[A82 road|A82]] trunk road. In its position just off the main road to the West Highlands, it is visited by many tourists, and has a large car and coach park and a number of tourist-oriented shops.
Its Outstanding Conservation Area contains 36 buildings, 24 of which are of Category B or C [[listed building|listed]] status.<ref name=caa/> Many of Luss' cottages, several of which are located on [[Pier Road]], have been described as picturesque. Five of these are Category B listed, were built in the mid-19th century,<ref name=caa>[http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/CAA-Luss.pdf Luss Outstanding Conservation Area Appraisal] – [[Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park]]</ref> and are identical constructions; namely [[Avonlea and Ivy Bank]], [[Fernlea and Ivy Cottage]], [[Laurel Cottage and Ravenslea]], [[Rose Cottage and The Sheiling]] and [[Yewbank and Lonaigview]].
Between 1980 and 2003, Luss was the main outdoor filming location for the [[Scottish Television]] drama series ''[[Take the High Road]]''. Largely as a result of this, the village of 120 residents attracts more than 750,000 visitors each year.<ref>[https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13414190.many-taking-high-road-luss/ "Too many taking the High Road to Luss"] – ''[[Glasgow Herald|The Herald]]'', 23 June 2015</ref> Although the programme is no longer made, the village's name in the series, "Glendarroch," is used for some buildings.
The village has a kiltmaker and a bagpipe works.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lussonline.net/ |title=Luss On Line |publisher=Luss On Line |access-date=2012-01-23}}</ref>
About a mile south of the village, in a cove at [[Aldochlay]], is a small figure on a stone plinth. A [[urban legend|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_V0Ph8TPg0 |title=Wee Peter - LUSS TV - YouTube |publisher=uk.youtube.com |date=2007-02-27 |access-date=2012-01-23}}</ref>
==Facilities==
The village hosts a water taxi service to [[Balloch, West Dunbartonshire|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.
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==Gallery==
{{Gallery
| title       = Luss
| width       = 200
| height      = 200
| align       = center
| File:Luss Loch Lomond (3439616004).jpg|Cottages on [[Pier Road]], viewed from Loch Lomond
| File:Luss Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 1599458.jpg|Luss Parish Church
| File:Luss, Alexandria G83, UK - panoramio.jpg|Luss shoreline from Loch Lomond
| File:Colourful cottages at Luss - geograph.org.uk - 1358192.jpg|Colourful cottages at Luss
}}
==See also==
*[[List of listed buildings in Luss]]
*[[Colquhoun baronets]]
==References==
<references/>
==External links==
{{Wikivoyage}}
{{oscoor gbx|NS 35756 93004}}
* [http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/ The Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park - website]
{{Commons category|Luss}}
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[[Category:Luss| ]]
[[Category:Villages in Argyll and Bute]]
[[Category:Loch Lomond]]
[[Category:Parishes in Dunbartonshire]]