Steamship Trust Toasts Success of 2025 and Bright Prospects for 2026
The Steamship Sir Walter Scott Trust has brought an unforgettable steamship 125th anniversary celebration year to a successful close, with a hat-trick of grant awards to improve visitor infrastructure further at Loch Katrine and has got 2026 off to a great start with two days of hugely popular Steamship Cruises with a local ceilidh band on board to welcome in the New Year in traditional style.
The triple grant awards totalling more than £200,000 for Changing Places toilet facilities, electric vehicle chargers and improved mobile phone connectivity crown a momentous year. The historic Steamship was named UK Flagship of the Year by National Historic Ships in April, and Loch Katrine’s new Scenic Tower & Lookouts, at the site credited with being the Birthplace of Scottish Tourism, was highly commended at the prestigious RSPB’s Nature of Scotland Awards in November, reflecting the Trust’s dedication to protecting and promoting the special cultural and natural heritage qualities of Loch Katrine for public enjoyment.
Hundreds of visitors and residents joined the celebrations on 1 and 2 January, enjoying special New Year Festive Cruises aboard the historic Steamship Sir Walter Scott. Guests toasted the arrival of 2026 while taking in Loch Katrine’s spectacular winter scenery, accompanied by live traditional music from the Ian Muir Band. These sailings followed a very successful December programme which included Spirit of Christmas Cruises and Sail with Santa experiences, confirming Loch Katrine as a much-loved year-round destination.
The most recent £91,000 grant award from the Scottish Government’s Changing Places Scotland Fund was particularly welcomed as this will enable the installation of fully equipped Changing Places toilets at the busy Trossachs Pier Visitor Hub, giving vital support to visitors with mobility challenges and more complex needs. Importantly, their location means carers and visitors with special needs will be able to enjoy days out to Loch Katrine and fully accessible steamship cruises in the safe knowledge they will be better catered for.
The other grant awards mean that visitors will have improved mobile phone connections with the outside world while those arriving by electric car at Loch Katrine can re-charge their vehicles for onward journeys and make a positive contribution to National Park wide efforts to create a more sustainable, low carbon visitor destination.
Steamship Trust CEO and Lead Trustee James Fraser said:
“2025 has been a very special year as we have celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Steamship Sir Walter Scott and continued to improve our visitor facilities and the overall quality of the Loch Katrine visitor experience. We are particularly pleased with the progress made to ensure we have a more inclusive visitor destination working closely with disabled groups and accessibility specialists to better understand how we can further enhance access for all, both at Trossachs Pier and on board our cruises. One of the strongest recommendations from these consultations was the introduction of a Changing Places facility. This latest grant will enable us to provide these life-changing facilities for visitors with mobility issues and more complex needs, helping ensure they can enjoy fully accessible Steamship cruises with greater dignity, confidence and independence.”
As a fitting way to welcome 2026, the Steamship crew served complimentary drams of whisky distilled using water from Loch Katrine on board the special New Year cruises, inviting passengers to toast the year ahead. For the team at Loch Katrine — and for the many visitors who will benefit from these new facilities — the grant awards represent a great start to 2026 which promises to be another busy year with over 200,000 UK and overseas visitors expected to visit the loch to enjoy its special qualities.
