From the bright lights of Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, this route will take you on a meandering road to Campbeltown in the South of the Kintyre Peninsula. You will skim the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond, encounter some of the most beautiful mountain peaks in Scotland and visit some enchanting towns and villages on your journey.
Your first sighting of Loch Lomond, is from the village of Balloch. Loch Lomond, almost as famous as Loch Ness, is the largest fresh water loch in the UK. The loch is a huge 24 miles long and 5 miles wide so you'll really want to take time to explore everything this famous Scottish loch has to offer. Take a boat trip on the loch and visit one of the 38 islands, or simply enjoy the stunning scenery from the 'Bonnie Banks'.
Making your way around the west shores of the loch is fairly easy on the A82. There are plenty of places for you to stop on the way for a leisurely lunch or to roll up your trousers and have a paddle in the tranquil waters.
Heading further along the road you'll reach Tarbet - this is a great stop off point. Tarbet is a lovely picturesque village, richly wooded with ash, rowan, sycamore and oak trees. To the east of Tarbet looms the majestic Ben Lomond standing at 3195 feet, this beacon mountain is more than impressive. People travel from all over the world to ascend this challenging peak and although it can't actually be reached from this side of the loch, hill walking in this area is still very popular with paths to suit all levels.
The road west to Inveraray, set on the banks of Loch Fyne is certainly a twisty one, but well worth the effort when you arrive at this quaint West Coast town. Built in the mid 1700’s on a site of an older fishing village, Inveraray is a tourist gem on this West Coast route. The town‘s history is plentiful, from the All Saints Church, which was built in 2 halves so that sermons could be given in both English and Gaelic, to the local castle. The construction of Inveraray Castle began in 1746 and was completed for the 5th Duke of Argyll in 1789. The castle and its content lets us glimpse at the many generations of the Campbell family who have lived here over the centuries. The present day Duke is the 13th Duke of Argyll who took over his father's duties as Duke, Clan Chief and Landowner in 2001. Inveraray jail is also worthy of a tour. A Georgian courthouse and prison which was closed in the 1930’s and has now been reopened as a visitor centre and museum, a very interesting afternoon.
Kilmartin Valley lies to the west of the road south to Campbeltown. This valley with the town of Kilmartin at its centre is a very intriguing place. With over 350 historic sites from castles and duns to stone circles, a detour to this area is very worthwhile. For a further look at this area, please visit www.kilmartin.org, which will be able to fill you in on exactly what there is to see and do.
Next stop is Lochgilphead. With Loch Gilp to the South, the Crinan Canal to the West and steep hills to the North and East, this small town is encompassed by a variety of scenes. The Crinan Canal, was originally built in 1793 but closed for repairs several times before finally opening in 1817. The Canal acts as a shortcut from Loch Fyne to the Atlantic and is mainly used by pleasure crafts today. There are many small shops that are worth exploring, and you can pick up some unusual items and West Coast Scotland souvenirs!
A little further south and you come to Tarbert, Loch Fyne, the gateway to the Kintyre Peninsula. A traditional fishing town with a natural harbour, there are always boats and yachts in the bay. Tarbert is a truly pretty village where you can enjoy relaxing walks, delicious fresh seafood, and true Scottish hospitality. Tarbert also offers ferry links to Gigha, Arran, Islay and Portavadie.
Past Tarbert, into Kintyre and enjoy the countryside which is steeped in history. You will see ruined castles, such as that at Dunaverty, located in the southeast corner of Kintyre. This castle has a chequered history from being captured by King Haakon of Norway and then later in 1306 sheltering Robert the Bruce. The Knockstapple Standing stone, by Southend in southern Kintyre, is another remarkable sight. This ancient stone is over 3 metres tall and is thought to have been erected to record the ultimate lunar position thousands of years ago. This beautiful peninsula with its unusual rugged coastline has a lot to offer both the eye and mind.
The southern tip of Kintyre is more commonly known as the Mull of Kintyre, a rendition of Paul McCartney’s 1977 No. 1 hit, is essential to travelling here! Campbeltown is an ideal base for exploring the Peninsula and during the 17th Century was the main point of immigration from the lowlands of Scotland. Shipbuilding and whisky distilleries were once massive here but the ship yards have long since closed down and only one distillery still thrives, Springbank.
Like most of Scotland, Campbeltown has a fascinating and unique history. Visit the cave where the 6th Century, St Kieran, the Apostle of Kintyre lived, and the mile long causeway, which leads to Davaar Island. Campbeltown, although often forgotten, has much to offer including several golf courses one of which is championship standard, Machrihanish.
Once you have discovered Campbeltown, you can take flights from the tiny Campbeltown airport back to Glasgow, or continue up the east coast to Claonaig, where in summer you can take a ferry over to Arran, or connect back to the A83 North. If you time your trip just right, you could be lucky enough to take a trip on the worlds last sea-going paddle steamer, the Waverley. The steamer docks at Campbeltown several times a year on its journey around Britain. For more information please visit www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk.
