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Home , Achnacroish, Achosnich, Ardgartan, Ardlui, Ardlussa, Arinagour

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Southern Highlands & Islands

Why Go? LOMOND & From the rasping spout of a minke whale as it breaks the AROUND ...... 261 surface, to the ‘krek-krek-krek’ of a corncrake, the coast ...... 261 and islands of southwest are fi lled with unusual SOUTH ...... 265 wildlife experiences. You can spot otters tumbling in the , watch sea eagles snatch fi sh from a lonely loch, and ...... 265 thrill to the sight of dolphins riding the bow-wave of your ...... 268 boat. Kilmartin Glen ...... 271 Here, sea travel is as important as road and rail – dozens ...... 272 of ferries allow you to island-hop your way from the Isle of ...... 275 of Clyde to and beyond, via the distilleries of Islay, the wild mountains of Jura and the scenic delights of Isle of Jura ...... 279 diminutive . Isle of Colonsay ...... 282 The bustling town of Oban is the gateway to the isles – OBAN & MULL ...... 283 from the peaceful backwaters of and Lismore to Oban ...... 283 the dramatic coastal scenery of Mull and the wild, wind- swept of and . ...... 289 Isle of ...... 296 NORTH ARGYLL ...... 300 When to Go Oban Best Places to °C/°F Te m p Rainfall Inches/mm Stay 40/104 10/250 30/86 8/200 » Cottage Hotel ( p 2 9 2 ) 20/68 6/150 » Achnadrish House (p 294 ) 10/50 4/100 » George Hotel (p271 ) 0/32 2/50

-10/14 0 Best Places to Eat J FDNOSAJJMAM » C a f é F i s h ( p 2 9 3 ) May Feis Ile (Islay June Roadsides August The best Festival) cele- and gardens month of the year » Waterfront Restaurant brates traditional become a blaze of for whale watch- (p 286 ) Scottish music colour with deep- ing off the west » Colonsay Hotel (p282 ) and whisky. pink rhododen- coast. » Argyll Hotel (p297 ) dron blooms. R Sea of the S 260Hebrides i (1344m) de T rip Loch #\ Glencoe #\ Carna Coll #\ Tobermory Loch A82 Linnhe all /· up o B Shuna C el l Loch Aline #\ Loch a Port Loch r Lyon

t Tuath F Sound of Loch SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS o Lismore r Etive Loch Mull sa Ben y na Keal #\ ch Cruachan r Lochay Dunstaffnage #\ (1124m) O #\ R Tyn drum Mull #5 #\ /·A85 #\ Oban #] rt Tay n u i l t cha Kerrera L #\ #\ Lo onan #\ Lochawe F Iona Firth of a #\ Loch #\ l /·A816 l Buie Lorn o Loch Ardbrecknish c h #\ Awe ARGYLL66 #\ R (974m) #\ #\ (881m) R Ta r b et Toberonochy Argyll #\ /·A815 Forest #\ Loch Arrochar Katrine Kiloran Gulf of #3 Kilmartin #\ Park Bay #\ #\ Corryvreckan Loch /·A814 Rowardennan Isle of Goil #\ Loch Colonsay 666Lomond6#\ Loch COWAL #\ Loch 56°N # #\ Sween A82 2 #\ Gare /· /·A813 Long Loch Ardrishaig #\ Balloch LOCH LOMOND & AROUND Oronsay Kilmun #\ #\ Loch Loch Achahoish Loch Riddon Isle of #\ Fyne #\ #] #] Jura Loch #\ Caolisport Port Kyles of #\ #\ Ta r b e r t 6666 Askaig Bute /·A78 #\ #\ Isle C a Port Loch of Bute ld Sound West Loch #1 e Charlotte Indaal #\ Mount Stuart r #\ Isle of of Islay Tarbert #\ #4 Sound #\ Islay of Bute R Port Millport y e Laggan #\ Charlotte W Bay a t #\ e a #\ Port Tay i n l oa n r s Sound r #\ Ellen o of Gigha I n Gle Kilmarnock #] Sound Kintyre #\ of Jura Isle of Firth of /·A83 Arran Holy Clyde #\ Isle Kilbrannan Sound Bay #] 020km #] Ayr e# 010milesCampbeltown

North Gare Channel Southend Loch Rathlin #\

Island Mull of °W

5 6°W Kintyre 6 Southern Highlands & Islands Highlights 1 Staring in wonder at the 3 Riding a high-speed 5 Whale watching in the magnifi cent marble-clad halls motorboat through the waters off the west coast of of Mount Stuart (p269 ) surging white water of the Mull (boxed text, p 295 )6 2 Walking barefoot across Gulf of Corryvreckan (boxed the strand from Colonsay to text, p280 ) Oronsay (p 282 ) to visit the 4 Sitting by a log fi re in the medieval priory Port Charlotte Hotel (p278 ), sampling some of Islay’s fi nest single-malt LOCH LOMOND & Rowardennan is the starting point for an ascent of Ben Lomond (974m), a popular 261 AROUND and relatively easy fi ve- to six-hour round The ‘bonnie banks’ and ‘bonnie braes’ of trip. The route starts at the car park just Loch Lomond have long been ’s ru- past the Rowardennan Hotel. ral retreat – a scenic region of hills, lochs Boat Trips and healthy fresh air within easy reach of The main centre for boat trips is Balloch, Scotland’s largest city (Loch Lomond is & AROUND SOUTHERN LOMOND HIGHLANDSLOCH & ISLANDS where Sweeney’s Cruises (www.sweeney within an hour’s drive of 70% of Scotland’s .uk.com; Balloch Rd) off ers a range of trips population). Since the 1930s Glaswegians including a one-hour cruise to have made a regular weekend exodus to the and back (adult/child £7/4, departs hourly), hills – by car, by bike and on foot – and to- and a two-hour cruise (£12.50/6, departs day the loch’s popularity shows no sign of 1pm and 3pm) around the islands. The quay decreasing. is directly opposite Balloch train station, The region’s importance was recognised beside the tourist offi ce. Sweeney’s also when it became the heart of Loch Lomond runs hourly cruises from the Maid of the & the National Park (www Loch jetty at Loch Lomond Shores. .lochlomond-trossachs.org) – Scotland’s fi rst Cruise Loch Lomond (www.cruiselochlo national park, created in 2002. mondltd.com) is based in Tarbet and off ers ACTIVITIES trips to and Rob Roy Mac- Gregor’s Cave. You can also be dropped Loch Lomond off at Rowardennan and picked up at In-

Loch Lomond is the largest lake in mainland versnaid after a 9-mile hike along the West ACTIVITIESLOCH LOMOND Britain and, after Loch Ness, perhaps the Highland Way. most famous of Scotland’s lochs. Its proxim- The mail boat, run by Balmaha Boat- ity to Glasgow (20 miles away) means that yard (www.balmahaboatyard.co.uk; The Boat- the tourist honeypots of Balloch, Loch Lo- yard, Balmaha), cruises from Balmaha to the mond Shores and Luss get pretty crowded loch’s four inhabited islands, departing in summer. The main tourist focus is along at 11.30am and returning at 2pm with a the A82 on the loch’s western shore, and at one-hour stop on Inchmurrin (adult/child the southern end, around Balloch, which oc- £9/4.50). Trips depart daily in July and Au- casionally becomes a nightmare of jet skis gust, and Monday, Thursday and Saturday and motorboats. The eastern shore, which in May, June and September. is followed by the long- distance footpath, is a little quieter. Other Activities Loch Lomond straddles the Highland The mostly traffi c-free Clyde and Loch Lo- border and its character changes as you mond Cycle Way links Glasgow to Balloch move north. The southern part is broad (20 miles), where it links with the West and island-studded, fringed by woods and Loch Lomond Cycle Path, which contin- Lowland meadows. However, north of Luss ues along the loch shore to Tarbet (10 miles). the loch narrows, occupying a deep trench You can rent rowing boats at Balma- gouged out by glaciers during the Ice Age, ha Boatyard for £10/30 per hour/day (or with 900m mountains crowding in on ei- £20/50 for a boat with outboard motor). ther side. Lomond Adventure (%01360-870218), also in Balmaha, rents out Canadian canoes 2 Activities (£30 per day) and sea kayaks (£25). At Loch Lomond Shores (p262 ) you can Walking hire canoes (£12/17 per half-/full hour) and The big walk around here is the West bicycles (£12/17 per three hours/full day), Highland Way (www.west-highland-way.co.uk), take a guided canoe trip on the loch (£30 which runs along the eastern shore of the for two hours) or try power kiting (£30 for loch. There are shorter lochside walks at Fir- 2½ hours). kin Point on the western shore and at sever- al other places around the loch. You can get 8 Information further information on local walks from the Balloch tourist office (%0870 720 0607; Bal- national-park information centres at Loch loch Rd; h9.30am-6pm Jun-Aug, 10am-6pm Lomond Shores (p 262) and Balmaha (p262 ). Apr & Sep) Balmaha National Park Centre ( %01389- Inveruglas to Inversnaid (%01877-386223; 262 722100; Balmaha; h9.30am-4.15pm Apr-Sep) Inversnaid Hotel) On demand; no fixed time- National Park Gateway Centre ( %01389- table. 751035; www.lochlomondshores.com; Loch Loch Lomond Shores to Balmaha (www.clyde Lomond Shores, Balloch; h10am-6pm Apr-Sep, cruises.com; hlate Jul-early Sep) Five daily. to 5pm Oct-Mar; iW) Rowardennan to Luss (www.cruiselochlomond Tarbet tourist office (%0870-720 0623; ltd.com; hJul-Sep) One daily. Departs Rowar- h SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS 10am-6pm Jul & Aug, to 5pm Easter-Jun, Sep dennan at 9.30am; Luss at 4.15pm. & Oct) At the junction of the A82 and the A83. Tarbet to Inversnaid (www.cruiselochlomond ltd.com; hApr-Oct) Three daily. 8 Getting There & Away BUS First (www.fi rstgroup.com) Glasgow Tarbet to Rowardennan (www.cruiselochlo buses 204 and 215 run from Argyle St in central mondltd.com; hApr-Oct) Twice daily. Departs Glasgow to Balloch and Loch Lomond Shores Tarbet 10am and 4pm; Rowardennan at 10.45am (1½ hours, at least two per hour). and 4.45pm. (www.citylink.co.uk) coach- WESTERN SHORE es from Glasgow to Oban and Fort William stop at Luss (£8, 55 minutes, six daily), Tarbet (£8, The town of Balloch, which straddles the 65 minutes) and Ardlui (£14, 1¼ hours). River Leven where it fl ows from the south- ern end of Loch Lomond, is the loch’s main TRAIN There are frequent trains from Glasgow to Balloch (£4.15, 45 minutes, every 30 minutes) population centre and transport hub. A Vic- and a less-frequent service on the West High- torian resort once thronged by day-trippers land line from Glasgow to Arrochar & Tarbet transferring between the train station and

LOCH LOMOND & AROUND station (£10, 1¼ hours, three or four daily), the steamer quay, it is now a ‘gateway cen- halfway between the two villages, and Ardlui tre’ for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs (£13, 1½ hours), continuing to Oban and Fort National Park. William. Loch Lomond Shores (www.lochlomond shores.com), a major tourism development a 8 Getting Around half-mile north of Balloch, sports a national- Pick up the useful public transport booklet park information centre plus various visitor (free), which lists timetables for all bus, train attractions, outdoor activities and boat and ferry services in Loch Lomond and the Tros- trips. In keeping with the times, the heart sachs National Park, available from any tourist of the development is a large shopping mall. offi ce or park information centre. It’s also home to the Loch Lomond Aquar- BUS McColl’s Coaches (www.mccolls.org. ium (www.sealife.co.uk; adult/child £12/9; uk) bus 309 runs from Balloch to Balmaha (25 h10am-5pm), which has displays on the minutes, every two hours). An SPT Daytripper wildlife of Loch Lomond, an otter enclo- ticket (www.spt.co.uk/tickets) gives a family sure (housing short-clawed Asian otters, group unlimited travel for a day on most bus and not Scottish ones), and a host of sea-life ex- train services in the Glasgow, Loch Lomond and hibits ranging from sharks to stingrays to Helensburgh area. Buy the ticket (£9.80 for one adult and one or two children, £17.50 for two sea turtles. adults and up to four children) from any train The vintage paddle steamer Maid of station or the main Glasgow bus station. the Loch (www.maidoftheloch.com; admission BOAT There are several passenger ferries on free; h11am-4pm daily May-Oct, Sat & Sun only Loch Lomond, with fares ranging from £3 to £7 Nov-Apr), built in 1953, is moored here while per person; bicycles are carried free. Except for awaiting full restoration – you can nip the ferries out of Loch Lomond Shores, these are aboard for a look around. mostly small motorboats that operate on de- Unless it’s raining, give Loch Lomond mand, rather than to a set timetable – telephone Shores a miss and head for the little pic- or visit for more information. ture-postcard village of Luss. Stroll among Ardlui to Ardleish (%01307-704243; Ardlui the pretty cottages with roses around Hotel; h9am-7pm May-Sep, to 6pm Apr & Oct) their doors (the cottages were built by the On demand. local laird in the 19th century for the work- Balmaha to (%01360-870214; ers on his estate), then pop into the Clan Balmaha Boatyard, Balmaha; h9am-8pm daily) Colquhoun tourist office (adult/child £1/ On demand. free; h10.30am-6pm Easter-Oct) for some Balmaha to Luss (www.cruiselochlomondltd background history before enjoying a cup .com; hJul-Sep) Four daily. of tea at the Coach House Coff ee Shop. 4 Sleeping & Eating a cruise on the mail boat (see p261 ). There Drover’s Inn PUB £ are several picnic areas along the lochside; 263 o( %01301-704234; www.thedroversinn.co. the most attractive is at Millarochy Bay (1.5 uk; ; bar meals £8-10, steaks £15- miles north of Balmaha), which has a nice 17; hlunch & dinner; p) This is one howff gravel and superb views across the (drinking den) you shouldn’t miss – a low- loch to the Luss hills. ceilinged place with smoke-blackened The road ends at Rowardennan, but the

stone, bare wooden fl oors spotted with West Highland Way continues north along SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSLOCH & ISLANDS LOMOND & AROUND candle wax, barmen in kilts, and walls the shore of the loch. It’s 7 miles to Inver- festooned with moth-eaten stags’ heads snaid, which can be reached by road from and stuff ed birds. There’s even a stuff ed the Trossachs, and 15 miles to Inverarnan bear, and the desiccated husk of a basking on the main at the northern end shark. The bar serves hearty hill-walking of the loch. fuel such as steak-and-Guinness pie with mustard mash, and hosts live folk music 4 Sleeping & Eating on Friday and Saturday nights. We recom- Oak Tree Inn INN ££ mend this inn more as a place to eat and ( %01360-870357; www.oak-tree-inn.co.uk; Bal- drink than to stay – accommodation (single/ maha; dm/s/d £30/60/75; pc) An attractive double from £40/78) varies from eccentric, traditional inn built in slate and timber, old-fashioned and rather run-down rooms the child-friendly Oak Tree off ers luxurious ACTIVITIES in the old building (including a ghost in guest bedrooms for pampered hikers, and room 6), to more comfortable rooms (with two four-bed bunkrooms for hardier souls. en suite bathrooms) in the modern an- The rustic restaurant dishes up hearty nexe across the road. Ask to see your room lunches and dinners (meals £8 to £15) such ACTIVITIESLOCH LOMOND before taking it. as steak-and-mushroom pie, and roast Arctic char with lime and chive butter, Loch Lomond Youth Hostel HOSTEL £ and cooks up an excellent bowl of Cullen (SYHA; %01389-850226; www.syha.org.uk; Ar- skink (soup made with smoked haddock, den; dm £18; hMar-Oct; piW) Forget about potato, onion and milk). roughing it, this is one of the most impres- sive hostels in the country – an imposing Passfoot Cottage B&B ££ 19th-century country house set in beautiful ( %01360-870324; www.passfoot.com; Balmaha; grounds overlooking the loch. It’s 2 miles s/d from £55/64; hApr-Sep) Passfoot is a pret- north of Balloch and very popular, so book in ty little whitewashed cottage decked out advance in summer. And yes, it is haunted. with colourful fl ower baskets, with a lovely location overlooking Balmaha Bay. The Ardlui Hotel HOTEL ££ bright bedrooms have a homely feel, and ( %01301-704243; www.ardlui.co.uk; Ardlui; s/d there’s a large lounge with a wood-burning £60/95; p) If the Drover’s Inn is a little stove and loch view. rough for your bedtime tastes, nip down the road to the plush Ardlui Hotel, a comfy Rowardennan Hotel HOTEL ££ country-house hotel with a great lochside ( %01360-870273; www.rowardennanhotel.co location and a view of Ben Lomond from .uk; Rowardennan; s/d £65/90, bar meals £7-11; the breakfast room. hlunch & dinner; p) Originally an 18th- century drovers’ inn, the Rowardennan Coach House Coffee Shop CAFE £ has two big bars (often crowded with rain- (Luss; mains £5-11; h10am-5pm) With its sodden hikers) and a good beer garden (of- chunky pine furniture and deep, deep sofa in ten crowded with midges). It had just been front of a rustic fi replace, the Coach House taken over by new owners at the time of is one of the cosiest places to eat on Loch research, and much-needed refurbishment Lomond. The menu includes coff ee and tea, has made it a pleasant place to stay, with a home-baked cakes, scones, ciabattas and choice of traditional but stylish hotel rooms more substantial off erings such as haggis. and luxury self-catering lodges.

EASTERN SHORE Rowardennan Youth Hostel HOSTEL £ The road along the loch’s eastern shore ( %01360-870259; Rowardennan; dm £17; hMar- passes through the attractive village of Oct) Housed in an attractive Victorian lodge, Balmaha , where you can hire boats or take this hostel has a superb setting right on the loch shore, beside the West Highland Way. Cashel Campsite CAMPSITE £ trate on the food. The menu looks familiar, 264 ( %01360-870234; www.forestholidays.co.uk; with fi sh and chips, soups, salads and sau- Rowarden nan; dm £6.50, tent sites per 2 people sages, but it makes an eff ort to source sus- incl car £15-17; hMar-Oct; c) This is the most tainably and locally, and the quality shines attractive campsite in the area. It’s 3 miles through. north of Balmaha, by the loch. Crianlarich Hotel HOTEL, PUB ££ CRIANLARICH & TYNDRUM ( %01838-300272; www.crianlarich-hotel.co.uk; SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS POP 350 Crianlarich; budget/standard d £90/105; pW) Surrounded by spectacular hillscapes beg- On the junction where all roads meet, this ging to be walked, and on the West High- has large rooms with appealingly comfort- land Way, these villages are well-visited able beds, compact bathrooms, and a feeling service junctions on the main A82 road, that they spent more on the reception area just north of the Loch Lomond & the Tros- than the carpet. It’s good value in the low sachs National Park. Crianlarich has a train season. The bar meals (mains £8 to £13) are station and more community atmosphere pricey but served in a most elegant space, than Tyndrum, but Tyndrum (tyne-drum), with venison, lamb hotpot and salmon 5 miles up the road, has two stations, a bus available. The restaurant serves classier interchange, petrol station, late-opening dinners (two courses £28). motorists’ cafes and a fl ash tourist office Tyndrum Lodge Hotel HOTEL, PUB ££ (%01838-400246; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct) – a ( %01838-400219; www.glhotels.co.uk; Tyndrum; good spot for route information and maps s without bathroom £28, s/d £33/66; pW) The for walking and ascents of popular An Cai- heart of Tyndrum is this cheerily run pit- LOCH LOMOND & AROUND steal (995m), (1174m) and mag- stop that features decent-value rooms and nifi cent Ben Lui (1130m). two convivial bars. Walkers should head for 4 Sleeping & Eating rooms 1 to 12, which are towards the back Crianlarich makes a more appealing base and a bit quieter, ensuring a decent night’s t ha n Ty nd r um: vehicles slow dow n t hroug h shut-eye. Shared bathrooms have baths not town and the views and food choice are showers; breakfast is a buff et aff air, and bar better. meals (£7 to £9) are supplemented by week- end all-you-can-eat curry nights. Crianlarich SYHA HOSTEL £ ( %01838-300260; www.syha.org.uk; Station Rd, 8 Getting There & Away Crianlarich; dm £18.75; piWc) Well-run and BUS Scottish Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) runs comfortable, with spacious kitchen, din- several buses daily to , Glasgow, ing area and lounge, this is a real haven for Oban and Skye from both villages. A postbus walkers or anyone passing through Crian- (www.royalmail.com) links Crianlarich, Tyndrum larich. Dorms vary in size – there are some and Killin twice on each weekday and once on great en suite family rooms that should be Saturday. prebooked – but all are clean and roomy. TRAIN Trains run from Tyndrum and Crianlarich to Fort William (£15, 1¾ hours, four daily Monday Strathfillan Wigwams CAMPING, CABINS £ to Saturday, two on Sunday), Oban (£8.90, one ( %01838-400251; www.wigwamholidays.com/ hour, three or four daily) and Glasgow (£16.10, strathfi llan; camping per adult/child £6/3, wig- two hours, three or four daily). wam d small/large £28/33, lodge d from £45; pi) This charismatic place, 3 miles from Crianlarich and 2 miles from Tyndrum, is Helensburgh off the A82 and has 16 heated ‘wigwams’ – POP 16,500 essentially wooden A-frame cabins with With the coming of the railway in the mid- fridge and foam mattresses that can sleep 19th century, Helensburgh – named in the four at a pinch. More upmarket are the self- 18th century after the wife of Sir James contained lodges with their own bathroom Colquhoun of Luss – became a popular and kitchen facilities. There’s also camping seaside retreat for wealthy Glaswegian with access to all facilities. families. Their spacious Victorian vil- las now populate the neat grid of streets Real Food Café CAFE £ that covers the hillside above the Firth S(www.therealfoodcafe.com; Tyndrum; meals of Clyde, but none can compare with the £6-9; h10am-10pm; c) Don’t be put off by the splendour of decor of this former chain eatery – concen- Hill House (NTS; www.nts.org. uk; %01436-673900; Upper Colquhoun St; adult/ child £8.50/5.50; h1.30-5.30pm Apr-Oct). Built BOOTS, BOATS, BIKES 265 in 1902 for the Glasgow publisher Walter & BUSES Blackie, it is perhaps architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s fi nest creation – its A new service called Loch Lomond timeless elegance feels as chic today as it 4Bs (www.lochlomond4bs.co.uk) allows no doubt did when the Blackies moved in you to explore Loch Lomond’s hiking and biking trails by using ferry services

a century ago. SOUTHERN ARGYLL HIGHLANDSSOUTH & ISLANDS Helensburgh has a ferry connection with and buses with bike trailers to deliver Gourock (p133 ) via , and a fre- you to the start and fi nish of your cho- quent train service to Glasgow (£5, 50 min- sen route. utes, two per hour). For example, if you don’t have time for the full 95 miles of the West High- land Way, you can spend a day on one of its most scenic sections. Starting A r r o c h a r ACTIVITIES from Balloch train station, a bus takes POP 650 you to Tarbet, then you travel by boat The village of Arrochar has a wonderful to Rowardennan and the start of the location, looking across the head of Loch 7-mile hike along the eastern shore of Long to the jagged peaks of the Cobbler Loch Lomond to Inversnaid, where the (881m). The mountain takes its name from boat returns you to Tarbet and the bus the shape of its north peak (the one on the back to Balloch (bus £5, ferry £14.50). right, seen from Arrochar), which looks like The service operates daily July to a cobbler hunched over his bench. The vil- September, and on holiday weekends ACTIVITIESARROCHAR lage has several hotels and shops, a bank from Easter to June. See the website and a post offi ce. for full details of timetables and pos- If you want to climb the Cobbler, start sible walking and cycling itineraries. from the roadside car park at Succoth near the head of . A steep uphill hike through the woods is followed by an easier section as you head into the valley below the SOUTH ARGYLL triple peaks. Then it’s steeply uphill again to the saddle between the north and central peaks. The central peak to the left (south) is Cowal the highest point, but it’s awkward to get to – The remote Cowal peninsula is cut off scramble through the hole and along the from the rest of the country by the lengthy ledge to reach the airy summit. The north of Loch Long and – it’s an peak to the right is an easy walk. Allow fi ve area more accessible by boat than by car. It to six hours for the 5-mile round trip. comprises rugged hills and narrow lochs, There’s good camping at with only a few small villages; the scen- Caravan & Campsite (%01301-702293; www. ery around Loch Riddon is particularly forestholidays.co.uk; Ardgartan; tent site plus car enchanting. The only town on the main- & 2 people £15-17; hApr-Oct) at the foot of Glen land is the old-fashioned holiday resort of Croe. Bike hire also available. Dunoon. The black-and-white, 19th-century Vil- From Arrochar, the A83 to Invera- lage Inn (%01301-702279; www.villageinnarroc ray loops around the head of Loch Long har.co.uk; Arrochar; s/d from £50/75; mains £8- and climbs up . The pass at the 18; hlunch & dinner; pW) is a lovely spot for head of the glen is called the Rest and Be lunch, or just a pint of real ale – the beer Thank ful – when the original military road garden has a great view of the Cobbler. through the glen was repaired in the 18th There are 14 en suite bedrooms; the ones century, a stone was erected at the top in- at the top end of the price range have four- scribed ‘Rest, and be thankful. This road was poster beds and a view over the loch. made, in 1748, by the 24th Regt…Repaired Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) buses from by the 93rd Regt. 1786’. A copy of the stone Glasgow to Inveraray and can be seen at the far end of the parking area call at Arrochar and Ardgartan (£8, 1¼ at the top of the pass. hours, three daily). See p262 for trains to There’s a Forest Enterprise tourist of- Arrochar & Tarbet station. fice (%01301-702432; Ardgartan; admission free; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct) at the foot of the glen, ferry from Gourock to Dunoon (see p133 for 266 with information on various walks on the details). Cowal peninsula. As you descend Glen Kinglas on the far DUNOON & AROUND side of the Rest and be Thankful, the A815 Like Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, Dunoon forks to the left just before Cairndow; this (population 9100) is a Victorian seaside re- is the main overland route into Cowal. sort that owes its existence to the steamers that once carried thousands of Glaswegians SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS From Glasgow, the most direct route is by

GAELIC & NORSE PLACE NAMES

Throughout the Highlands and islands of Scotland the indigenous Gaelic language has left a rich legacy of place names. They’re often intermixed with names left behind by the Viking invaders who occupied the western and northern islands between the 8th and 13th centuries. The spelling is now anglicised, but the meaning is still clear once you know what to look for. Here are a few of the more common Gaelic and Norse names and their meanings. GAELIC PLACE NAMES ach, auch – from achadh (fi eld) ard – from ard or aird (height, hill) avon – from abhainn (river or stream) bal – from baile (village or homestead)

SOUTH ARGYLL ban – from ban (white, fair) beg – from beag (small) ben – from beinn (mountain) buie – from buidhe (yellow) dal – from dail (fi eld or dale) dow, dhu – from dubh (black) drum – from druim (ridge or back) – from dun or duin (fort or castle) glen – from gleann (narrow valley) gorm – from gorm (blue) gower, gour – from gabhar (goat), eg (height of the goats) inch, insh – from inis (island, water-meadow or resting place for cattle) inver – from inbhir (rivermouth or meeting of two rivers) kil – from cille (church), eg Kilmartin (Church of St Martin) kin, ken – from ceann (head), eg (head of Loch Leven) kyle, kyles – from or caolas (narrow sea channel) more, vore – from mor or mhor (big), eg Ardmore (big height), (big ) strath – from srath (broad valley) tarbert, tarbet – from tairbeart (portage), meaning a narrow neck of land between two bodies of water, across which a boat can be dragged tay, ty – from tigh (house), eg Tyndrum (house on the ridge) tober – from tobar (well), eg Tobermory (Mary’s well) NORSE PLACE NAMES a, ay, ey – from ey (island) bister, buster, bster – from bolstaor (dwelling place, homestead) – from gja (chasm) holm – from holmr (small island) kirk – from kirkja (church) pol, poll, bol – from bol (farm) quoy – from kvi (sheep fold, cattle enclosure) sker, skier, – from sker (rocky reef) ster, sett – from setr (house) vig, vaig, wick – from vik (bay, creek) voe, way – from vagr (bay, creek) on pleasure trips ‘doon the watter’ (down at this large Victorian villa overlooking the the water) in the 19th and 20th centuries. As bay about 0.75 miles north of the CalMac 267 with Rothesay, Dunoon’s fortunes declined ferry pier. The owners are the essence of in recent decades when cheap foreign holi- Scottish hospitality, and can provide excel- days stole its market – however, while the lent evening meals (£20 per person) if you Bute resort appears to be recovering, Du- wish. noon is still a bit down in the dumps. Chatters RESTAURANT ££

The tourist office (%0845 225 5121; 7 Al- SOUTHERN ARGYLL HIGHLANDSSOUTH & ISLANDS ( %01369-706402; 58 John St; mains lunch £5-9, exandra Pde; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm dinner £15-22; hlunch & dinner Wed-Sat) Chat- i is on Sat & Sun Apr-Sep, shorter hr Oct-Mar; ) ters is a pretty little cottage restaurant with the waterfront 100m north of the pier. tartan sofas in the sitting room and a few 1 Sights & Activities tables in the tiny garden. It serves a mix The town’s main attraction is still, as it of lunchtime snacks and brasserie dishes, was in the 1950s, strolling along the prom- and is famous for its open sandwiches and ACTIVITIES enade, licking an ice-cream cone and tempting homemade puddings. Booking watching the yachts at play in the Firth of recommended. Clyde. On a small hill above the seafront is 8 Getting There & Away a statue of Highland Mary (1763–86), one of the great loves of Robert Burns’ life. She Dunoon is served by two competing ferry ser- vices from Gourock (p 133) – the CalMac (www. was born near Dunoon, but died tragically calmac.co.uk) ferry is better if you are travelling young; her statue gazes longingly across the on foot and want to arrive in the town centre. fi rth to Burns’ home territory in .

TIGHNABRUAICH ACTIVITIESCOWAL GARDEN POP 200 (www.rbge.org.uk; Benmore; adult/child £5/1; Sleepy little Tighnabruaich (tinna-broo- h This 10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Mar & Oct) ach), a colony of seaside villas built by garden, 7 miles north of Dunoon, was wealthy Glasgow families at the turn originally planted in the 19th and early of the 20th century, is one of the most 20th centuries. It contains the country’s attractive villages on the . fi nest collection of fl owering trees and It was once a regular stop for Clyde shrubs, including spectacular displays of steamers, and the old wooden pier is still , and is en- rhododendrons and azaleas occasionally visited by the paddle steam- tered along a spectacular avenue of giant er Waverley (see p117 ). planted in 1863. Californian redwoods The link with the sea continues in the A highlight is the recently restored Victo- Tighnabruaich Sailing School (www.tssar rian fernery, nestled in an unlikely fold gyll.co.uk; Carry Farm; hMay-Sep), 2 miles in the crags. The here (which stays cafe south of Tighnabruaich. A fi ve-day open all year) is a nice place for lunch or dinghy-sailing course costs £230, exclud- a coff ee. ing accommodation. z Festivals & Events The village is home to An Lochan (%01700-811239; www.anlochan-argyll.co.uk; Cowal Highland Gathering HIGHLAND CULTURE (www.cowalgathering.com) Held in Dunoon Tighnabruaich; mains £10-22; p), a luxurious in mid-August. The spectacular finale boutique hotel (rooms £110 to £180) that’s traditionally features 3000 bagpipers comfortable, but in our opinion, a tad playing en masse. over-priced. The food is exquisite, and uses fresh, locally sourced produce – summer- Cowalfest ARTS, OUTDOORS vegetable risotto with basil dressing, to (www.cowalfest.org) A 10-day arts and seared scallops with black pudding, apple walking festival featuring art exhibitions, puree and curry oil. film screenings, guided walks and bicycle If all you want to do is fi ll up with good, rides throughout the Cowal peninsula. hearty homemade grub, go for the mussels and chips at the Burnside Bistro (mains £6- 4 Sleeping & Eating 15; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner) in the village Dhailling Lodge B&B ££ centre, or a bar meal at the Kames Hotel ( %01369-701253; www.dhaillinglodge.com; 155 (mains £8-15; hlunch & dinner), a mile to the Alexandra Pde; s/d £40/76; piW) You can ex- south. perience some of Dunoon’s former elegance Isle of Bute CASTLE 268 (HS; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk; King St; adult/ POP 7350 The island of Bute lies pinched between child £4.20/2.50; h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep, to the thumb and forefi nger of the Cowal pen- 4.30pm Sat-Wed Oct-Mar) Just two blocks in- insula, separated from the mainland by a land from the pier are the splendid ruins of narrow, scenic strait known as the Kyles of 13th-century Rothesay Castle, with seagulls Bute. The cuts and jackdaws nesting in the walls. Once a

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS through the middle of the island so that, favourite residence of the Stuart kings, it geologically speaking, the northern half is is unique in Scotland in having a circular in the Highlands and the southern half is plan, with four massive round towers. The in the – a metal arch on landscaped moat, with its manicured turf, Rothesay’s Esplanade marks the fault line. fl ower gardens and lazily cruising ducks, The Isle of Bute Discovery Centre makes a picturesque setting. (%01700-505156; www.bestofbute.co.uk; Espla- Bute Museum MUSEUM nade, Rothesay; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am- (www.butemuseum.org; 7 Stuart St; adult/child 5pm Sat & Sun Jul & Aug, 10am-5pm daily Apr-Jun £2/1; h10.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat & 2.30- & Sep, shorter hr Oct-Mar; i) is in Rothesay’s 4.30pm Sun Apr-Sep, 2.30-4.30pm Tue-Sat Oct- restored Winter Gardens. Mar) The most interesting displays in Bute The fi ve-day Isle of Bute Jazz Festi- Museum are those recounting the history val (www.butejazz.com) is held over the fi rst of the famous Clyde steamers. Other galler- weekend of May. ies cover natural history, archaeology and ; the prize exhibit is a stunning jet ROTHESAY SOUTH ARGYLL necklace found in a burial on From the mid-19th century until the 1960s, the island. Rothesay – once dubbed the Margate of the Clyde – was one of the most popular holiday 4 Sleeping resorts in Scotland. Its Esplanade was bus- Boat House B&B ££ tling with day-trippers disembarking from ( %01700-502696; www.theboathouse-bute.co. the numerous steamers crowded around uk; 15 Battery Pl; s/d from £45/65; W) The Boat the pier, and its hotels were fi lled with el- House brings a touch of class to Rothe- derly holidaymakers and convalescents tak- say’s guesthouse scene, with quality fab- ing advantage of the town’s famously mild rics and furnishings and an eye for design climate. that makes it feel a bit like a boutique ho- The fashion for foreign holidays that took tel without the expensive price tag. Other off in the 1970s saw Rothesay’s fortunes de- features include sea views, a central loca- cline, and by the late 1990s it had become tion and a ground-fl oor room kitted out for dilapidated and despondent. But in the last wheelchair users. few years a nostalgia-fuelled resurgence of Glendale Guest House B&B ££ interest in Rothesay’s holiday heyday has ( %01700-502329; www.glendale-guest-house. seen many of its Victorian buildings re- com; 20 Battery Pl; s/d/f from £35/60/90; pW) stored, the ferry terminal and harbour re- Look out for the ornate, fl ower-bedecked built and marinas constructed at Rothesay facade on this beautiful Victorian villa, and . There’s a new feeling complete with pinnacled turret. All those of optimism in the air. windows mean superb sea views from the 1 Sights front-facing bedrooms, the elegant, 1st-fl oor Victorian Toilets HISTORIC BUILDING lounge and the breakfast room, where you’ll (Rothesay Pier; adult/child 20p/free) There fi nd homemade smoked haddock fi shcakes aren’t too many places where a public toi- on the menu as well as the traditional fry-up. let would count as a tourist attraction, but Moorings B&B ££ Rothesay’s Victorian toilets, dating from ( %01700-502277; www.themoorings-bute.co.uk; 1899, are a monument to lavatorial luxury − 7 Mountstuart Rd; s/d from £37/55; p) Another a disinfectant-scented temple of green mar- delightful Victorian lodge with good sea ble, glistening white enamel, glass-sided views, the family-friendly Moorings has an cisterns and gleaming copper pipes. The at- outdoor play area for kids and a high chair tendant will escort ladies into the hallowed in the breakfast room. Vegetarian break- confi nes of the gents for a look around fasts are not a problem. when the facilities are unoccupied. Roseland Caravan Park CAMPSITE ££ John Patrick Crichton-Stuart (1847−1900) – ( %01700-504529; www.roselandcaravanpark one of the greatest architecture patrons of 269 .co.uk; Roslin Rd, Canada Hill; tent site & 2 people his day, and the builder of Cardiff Castle and £8) The island’s only offi cial campsite is a Castell Coch in Wales – commissioned Sir steep climb up the winding Serpentine Rd Robert Rowand Anderson to create a new from the ferry terminal. There’s a small one. The result – Mount Stuart – became but pleasant grassy area for tents amid the the fi nest neo-Gothic palace in Scotland,

static caravans. and the fi rst to have electric lighting, central SOUTHERN ARGYLL HIGHLANDSSOUTH & ISLANDS heating and a heated swimming pool. 5 Eating The heart of the house is the stunning Waterfront Bistro BISTRO ££ Marble Hall, a three-storey extravaganza (www.thewaterfrontbistro.co.uk; 16 East Princes of Italian marble that soars 25m to a dark- St; mains £8-16; hdinner Thu-Mon) Cheerful blue vault spangled with constellations of and informal, the wood-panelled Water- golden stars. Twelve stained-glass windows front has a bistro menu that ranges from represent the seasons and the signs of the ACTIVITIES haddock and chips to venison in red-wine zodiac, with crystal stars casting rainbow- sauce to grilled langoustines with gar- hued highlights across the marble when the lic butter. Bottled real ale from the Arran sun is shining. Brewery complements the wine list. The design and decoration refl ect the Brechin’s Brasserie BRASSERIE ££ third Marquess’ fascination with astrology, (01700-502922; 2 Bridgend St; mains £9-16; mythology and religion, a theme carried hlunch Tue-Sat, dinner Fri & Sat) A friendly over into the grand Marble Staircase be- neighbourhood brasserie owned by jazz fan yond (where wall panels depict the six days Tim (check out the sheet music and posters of the Creation), and the lavishly decorated ACTIVITIESISLE OF BUTE on the wall), Brechin’s serves unpretentious Horoscope Bedroom. Here the central but delicious dishes such as homemade la- ceiling panel records the positions of the sagne, local lamb chops with redcurrant stars and planets at the time of the Mar- and red-wine sauce, and grilled salmon quess’ birth on 12 September 1847. with savoury herb butter. Yet another highlight is the Marble Chapel, built entirely out of dazzling white Pier at Craigmore BISTRO ££ Carrara marble. It has a dome lit to spec- h (Mount Stuart Rd; mains £7-13; lunch daily, din- tacular eff ect by a ring of ruby-red stained- Housed in the former waiting room ner Sat) glass windows – at noon on midsummer’s of a Victorian pier on the eastern edge of day a shaft of blood-red sunlight shines di- town, the Craigmore is a neat little bistro rectly onto the altar. It was here that Stella with fantastic views. The lunch menu of- McCartney – daughter of ex-Beatle Sir Paul, fers sandwiches, salads, homemade burgers and friend of the present Marquess, former and quiche, while Saturday dinner is more racing driver Johnny Dumfries – was mar- sophisticated with seafood, steak and roast ried in 2003. lamb. No credit cards. Mount Stuart is 5 miles south of Rothe- Musicker CAFE £ say. Bus 90 runs from the bus stop outside (11 High St; mains £3-5; hbreakfast & lunch) This the ferry terminal at Rothesay to Mount cool little cafe, tricked out in pale minty Stuart (15 minutes, hourly May to Septem- green, serves the best coff ee on the island, ber). You can buy a special Mount Stuart alongside a range of sandwiches with day-trip ticket (adult/child £16/8) that in- imaginative fi llings (haggis and cranberry, cludes return ferry and bus travel from We- anyone?). It also sells music CDs (folk, world myss Bay ferry terminal to Mount Stuart, as and country) and sports an old-fashioned well as admission. jukebox. REST OF THE ISLAND AROUND ROTHESAY In the southern part of the island you’ll Mount Stuart HISTORIC BUILDING fi nd the haunting 12th-century ruin of St (www.mountstuart.com; adult/child £8/4; h11am- Blane’s Chapel, set in a beautiful wooded 5pm May-Sep) The Stuart Earls of Bute are grove, and a sandy beach at . direct descendants of , and There are more good beaches on the west have lived on the island for 700 years. When coast. Scalpsie Bay is a 400m walk across a large part of the family seat was destroyed a fi eld from the parking area, and has a by fi re in 1877, the third , fantastic outlook to the peaks of Arran. You BUS (www.westcoastmo 270 THE MAIDS OF BUTE tors.co.uk) buses run four or fi ve times a week from Rothesay to Tighnabruaich and Dunoon via One of the best walks on Bute is from the ferry at . On Monday and Thurs- the ferry pier at to the day a bus goes from Rothesay to (via northern tip of the island (1.5 miles), the Rhubodach–Colintraive ferry), where there’s where you can watch yachts negoti- a ferry to Tarbert in Kintyre (passenger/car ate the rocky narrows at the Burnt £3.60/16.25, 25 minutes, hourly). SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS Islands. Just around the point are the Maids of Bute, two rocks painted to look like old women. The story goes Inveraray that the distinctively shaped (but then POP 700 unpainted) rocks were fi rst noticed You can spot Inveraray long before you by the skipper of a pleasure steamer get here – its neat, whitewashed buildings in the early 20th century, who always stand out from a distance on the shores of pointed them out to the passengers Loch Fyne. It’s a planned town, built by the on his boat. Frustrated that the tour- in Georgian style when he ists could never see the resemblance, revamped his nearby castle in the 18th cen- he sent a deckhand ashore with a tury. The tourist office (%0845 225 5121; couple of tins of paint to give them Front St; h9am-6pm Jul & Aug, 10am-5pm Mon- some clothes and recognisable faces. Sat Apr-Jun, Sep & Oct, 10am-3pm Mon-Sat Nov- No one is quite sure who now main- Mar; i) is on the seafront. tains the maids, but every time the Sights SOUTH ARGYLL paint begins to peel, it’s not long be- 1 fore a fresh coat brightens them up. CASTLE (www.inveraray-castle.com; adult/child £9/6.10; h10am-5.45pm Apr-Oct) Inveraray Castle has been the seat of the Dukes of Argyll – chiefs can often spot seals basking at low off of – since the 15th century. Ardscalpsie Point, to the west. The 18th-century building, with its fairytale is bigger, easier to reach, turrets and fake battlements, houses an im- and has a tearoom (not the most attractive pressive armoury hall, its walls patterned building on the island), but it’s not as pretty with a collection of more than 1000 pole as Scalpsie. arms, dirks, muskets and axes. There are lots of easy walks on Bute, The castle is 500m north of town, entered including the , a way- from the A819 Dalmally road. marked, 30-mile walking route from Kil- chattan Bay to Port Bannatyne; map and Inveraray Jail MUSEUM details are available from the Isle of Bute (www.inverarayjail.co.uk; Church Sq; adult/child Discovery Centre (p 268). £8.25/5.50; h9.30am-6pm Apr-Oct, 10am-5pm Cycling on Bute is excellent – the roads Nov-Mar) Inveraray Jail is an award-winning, are well surfaced and fairly quiet. You can interactive tourist attraction where you can hire a bike from the Bike Shed (www.the sit in on a trial, try out a cell, and discover bikeshed.org.uk; 23-25 East Princes St, Rothesay) the harsh torture meted out to unfortunate for £10/15 per half-/full day. prisoners. The attention to detail – includ- Trekking Centre (www.kingarth ing a life-sized model of an inmate squatting trekkingcentre.co.uk; Kilchattan Bay) off ers pad- on a 19th-century toilet – more than makes dock rides for kids (£5; minimum age eight up for the sometimes tedious commentary. years), riding lessons (£20 per hour), and Inveraray Maritime Museum MUSEUM pony treks (£35 for two hours). (www.inveraraypier.com; The Pier; adult/child 8 Getting There & Away £5/2.50; h10am-4pm) The Arctic Penguin, BOAT CalMac (www.calmac.co.uk) ferries travel a three-masted schooner built in 1911 and between and Rothesay (passenger/ one of the world’s last surviving iron sailing car £4.25/16.85, 35 minutes, hourly). Another ships, is permanently moored in Inveraray CalMac ferry crosses the short stretch of water harbour and houses the Inveraray Mari- between Rhubodach in the north of the island time Museum. It has interesting photos and and Colintraive (passenger/car £1.35/8.50, fi ve models of the old Clyde steamers and puff - minutes, every 15 to 20 minutes) in Cowal. ers, and a display about Para Handy, the fi c- tional sea captain created by local novelist and Campbeltown (£11, 2½ hours); the others Neil (and celebrated in two success- continue to Oban (£9, 1¼ hours). 271 ful TV series in the 1960s and 1990s). Kids will love exploring below the decks – there’s a special play area in the bowels of the ship. Completed in 1801, the picturesque Crinan 4 Sleeping & Eating Canal runs for 9 miles from Ardrishaig to oGeorge Hotel HOTEL ££ Crinan allowing seagoing vessels – mostly SOUTHERN ARGYLL HIGHLANDSSOUTH & ISLANDS ( %01499-302111; www.thegeorgehotel. yachts, these days – to take a short cut from co.uk; Main St E; s/d from £35/70; p) The the Firth of Clyde and Loch Fyne to the George Hotel boasts a magnifi cent choice west coast of Scotland, avoiding the long of opulent rooms, complete with four- and sometimes dangerous passage around poster beds, period furniture, Victorian the . You can easily walk or roll-top baths and private Jacuzzis (supe- cycle the full length of the canal towpath rior rooms cost £130 to £165 per double). in an afternoon. & EATING SLEEPING The cosy wood-panelled bar, with its rough The canal basin at Crinan is the focus for stone walls, fl agstone fl oor and fi res, is the annual Crinan Classic Boat Festival a delightful place for a bar meal (mains £7 (www.crinanclassic.com), held over the fi rst to £10, open for lunch and dinner). weekend in July, when traditional wooden Claonairigh House B&B ££ yachts, motor boats and dinghies gather for ( %01499-302160; www.claonairighhouse.co.uk; a few days of racing, drinking and music. Bridge of Douglas; s/d from £45/90; piW) The basin is overlooked by the Crinan % This grand 18th-century house, built for Hotel ( 01546-830261; www.crinanhotel.com; & EATING SLEEPING CRINAN CANAL the Duke of Argyll in 1745, is set in three Crinan; s/d from £145/260 incl dinner; p), which hectares of grounds on the bank of a river boasts one of the west coast’s most spec- (salmon-fi shing available). There are three tacular sunset views and one of Scotland’s homely en suite rooms, one with a four- top seafood restaurants. You’re paying for poster bed, and a resident menagerie of that view, and for the olde-worlde atmo- dogs, ducks, chickens and goats. It’s 4 miles sphere – don’t expect fi ve-star luxury. You south of town on the A83. can also eat in the hotel’s Crinan Bar (mains £9-12; hlunch & dinner) – the menu includes Inveraray Youth Hostel HOSTEL £ excellent local mussels with lemon, thyme (SYHA; %01499-302454; www.syha.org.uk; Dal- and garlic. mally Rd; dm £16; hApr-Oct; i) To get to this The coffee shop (h10am-5:30pm) on the hostel, housed in a comfortable, modern western side of the canal basin at Crinan bungalow, go through the arched entrance has great home-baked cakes and scones. on the seafront – it’s set back on the left of If you want to walk along the canal and the road about 100m further on. take the bus back, bus 425 from Lochgilp- Loch Fyne Oyster Bar RESTAURANT ££ head to Tayvallich stops at Cairnbaan, Bel- S(www.lochfyne.com; Clachan, Cairndow; lanoch and Crinan Cottages (20 minutes, mains £10-22; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner) Six three or four daily Monday to Saturday). miles northeast of Inveraray in Cairndow, this rustic-themed restaurant serves ex- cellent seafood, though the service can Kilmartin Glen be a bit hit-and-miss. It’s housed in a con- In the 6th century, Irish settlers arrived in verted byre, and the menu includes locally this part of Argyll and founded the king- farmed oysters, mussels and salmon. The dom of Dalriada, which eventually united neighbouring shop sells packaged seafood with the in 843 to create the fi rst Scot- and other deli goods to take away, as well tish kingdom. Their capital was the hill as bottled beer from the nearby Fyne Ales fort of Dunadd, on the plain to the south of microbrewery. Kilmartin Glen. This magical glen is the focus of one of 8 Getting There & Away the biggest of prehistoric Scottish Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) buses sites in Scotland. Burial , standing run from Glasgow to Inveraray (£10, 1¾ hours, stones, stone circles, hill forts and cup-and- six daily Monday to Saturday, two Sunday). ring-marked rocks litter the countryside. Three of these buses continue to Lochgilphead Within a 6-mile radius of Kilmartin village been where the Stone of Destiny (p51 ) was 272 RETURN OF THE BEAVER originally located. The faint rock carvings of a wild boar and two footprints with an Beavers have been extinct in Britain inscription may have been used in since the 16th century. But in 2009 some kind of inauguration ceremony. The they returned to Scotland, when a prominent little hill rises straight out of the population of Norwegian beavers was boggy plain of the Moine Mhor Nature Re- released into the hill lochs of

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS serve. A slippery path leads to the summit in Argyllshire. In 2010 the beavers where you can gaze out on much the same had their fi rst off spring. The fi ve-year view that the kings of Dalriada enjoyed Scottish Beaver Trial (www.scot 1300 years ago. tishbeavers.org.uk) hopes to reveal whether the animals have a positive Sleeping & Eating eff ect on habitat and biodiversity. If 4 Burndale B&B B&B ££ so, they could be introduced to other ( %01546-510235; www.burndale.net; s/d from parts of the country. £35/54; pW) Set in a lovely Victorian Meanwhile, you can try and get a manse (minister’s house), this homely and glimpse of them on the Beaver De- hospitable B&B is just a short walk north tective Trail. It starts from the Loch from the Kilmartin House Museum. Expect Coille-Bharr forestry car park on the a warm welcome and Loch Fyne kippers for B8025 road to Tayvallich, about 1.5 breakfast. Credit cards not accepted. miles south of the Crinan Canal. Kilmartin Hotel INN ££

SOUTH ARGYLL ( %01546-510250; www.kilmartin-hotel.com; s/d there are 25 sites with standing stones and £40/65; p) Though the rooms here are a over 100 rock carvings. bit on the small side, this attractively old- fashioned hotel is full of atmosphere. 1 Sights There’s a restaurant here too, and a whisky Your fi rst stop should be Kilmartin House bar with real ale on tap where you can enjoy Museum (www.kilmartin.org; Kilmartin; adult/ live folk music at weekends. child £5/2; h10am-5.30pm Mar-Oct, 11am-4pm Glebe Café CAFE £ Nov-23 Dec), in Kilmartin village, a fasci- o (Kilmartin House Museum; mains £5- nating interpretive centre that provides 8; hbreakfast & lunch, dinner Thu-Sat Jun-Aug) a context for the ancient monuments you The cafe in the Kilmartin House Museum can go on to explore, alongside displays of has a lovely conservatory with a view across artefacts recovered from various sites. The fi elds to a prehistoric cairn. Dishes include project was partly funded by midges – the homemade Cullen Skink, a Celtic cheese curator exposed his body in Temple Wood platter and hummus with sweet-and-sour on a warm summer’s evening and was beetroot relish. The drinks menu ranges sponsored per midge bite! from espresso to elderfl ower wine by way of The oldest monuments at Kilmartin date Fraoch heather-scented ale. from 5000 years ago and comprise a linear cemetery of burial cairns that runs south Getting There & Away from Kilmartin village for 1.5 miles. There 8 are also ritual monuments (two stone cir- Bus 423 between Oban and Ardrishaig (four daily Monday to Friday, two on Saturday) stops cles) at , three-quarters of a Temple Wood at Kilmartin (£4.50, one hour 20 minutes). mile southwest of Kilmartin. The museum You can walk or cycle along the Crinan Canal bookshop sells maps and guides. from Ardrishaig, then turn north at Bellanoch Kilmartin Churchyard contains some on the minor B8025 road to reach Kilmartin (12 10th-century Celtic crosses and lots of me- miles one way). dieval grave slabs with carved effi gies of knights. Some researchers have surmised that these were the tombs of Knights Tem- Kintyre plar who fl ed persecution in France in the 14th century. The Kintyre peninsula – 40 miles long and 8 miles wide – is almost an island, with only The hill fort of Dunadd , 3.5 miles south of Kilmartin village, was the seat of power a narrow isthmus at Tarbert connecting it of the fi rst kings of Dalriada, and may have to the wooded hills of Knapdale. During the Norse occupation of the Western Isles, 4 Sleeping & Eating the Scottish king decreed that the There are plenty of B&Bs and hotels here, 273 could claim as their own any island they but be sure to book ahead during festivals could circumnavigate in a longship. So in and major events. 1098 the wily stood at Springside B&B B&B ££ the helm while his men dragged their boat ( %01880-820413; www.scotland-info.co.uk/ across this neck of land, thus validating his springside; Pier Rd; s/d £35/60; p) You can sit claim to Kintyre. SOUTHERN ARGYLL HIGHLANDSSOUTH & ISLANDS out the front of this attractive fi sherman’s TARBERT cottage, which overlooks the entrance to POP 1500 the harbour, and watch the yachts and The attractive fi shing village and yachting fi shing boats come and go. There are four centre of Tarbert is the gateway to Kintyre, comfy rooms, three with en suite, and the and well worth a stopover for lunch or house is just fi ve minutes’ walk from the dinner. There’s a tourist office (%01880- village centre in one direction, and a short SLEEPING & EATING SLEEPING 820429; Harbour St; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat Apr- stroll from the Portavadie ferry in the other. Oct) here. oCorner House Bistro SEAFOOD £££ 1 Sights & Activities ( %01880-820263; Harbour St; mains The picturesque harbour is overlooked by £14-26; hlunch & dinner) It’s worth making the crumbling, ivy-covered ruins of Tar- the trip to Tarbert just to eat at this relaxed bert Castle, built by Robert the Bruce in and romantic restaurant, with its log fi res, the 14th century. You can hike up to it via a candlelight and award-winning French chef who knows exactly what to do with

signposted footpath beside the Loch Fyne & EATING SLEEPING KINTYRE Gallery (www.lochfynegallery.com; Harbour St; top-quality local seafood. The entrance is h10am-5pm), which showcases the work of on the side street around the corner from local artists. the Corner House pub – look for the green Tarbert is the starting point for the 103- awning. Best to book a table. mile Kintyre Way (www.kintyreway.com), a 8 Getting There & Away walking route that runs the length of the BOAT CalMac (www.calmac.co.uk) operates peninsula to Southend at the southern tip. a car ferry from Tarbert to Portavadie on the The fi rst section, from Tarbert to Skip- Cowal peninsula (passenger/car £3.60/16.25, ness (9 miles), makes a pleasant day-hike, 25 minutes, hourly). climbing through forestry plantations to a Ferries to the islands of Islay and Colonsay high moorland plateau where you can soak depart from Kennacraig ferry terminal on West up superb views to the . Loch Tarbert, 5 miles southwest of Tarbert. Highland Horse Riding (www.highlandhorse BUS Tarbert is served by fi ve Scottish Citylink riding.com; An Tairbeart; per person per hr (www.citylink.co.uk) coaches a day between Camp- £25-30; hApr-Oct), on the western edge beltown and Glasgow (Glasgow to Tarbert £14, of the village, off ers sightseeing and wildlife- 3¼ hours; Tarbert to Campbeltown £7, 1¼ hours). spotting pony treks into the hills of Knapdale. SKIPNESS POP 100 z Festivals & Events The tiny village of Skipness is on the east Scottish Series Yacht Races SAILING coast of Kintyre, about 13 miles south of (www.scottishseries.com) Held over five days Tarbert, in a pleasant and quiet setting around the last weekend in May. The with great views of Arran. There’s a post of- harbour is crammed with hundreds of fi ce and general store in the village. visiting yachts. Beyond the village rise the substantial remains of 13th-century Skipness Castle Tarbert Seafood Festival FOOD & DRINK (admission free; h24hr), a former posses- First weekend in (www.seafood-festival.co.uk) sion of the Lords of the Isles. It’s a strik- July; food stalls, cooking demonstrations, ing building, composed of dark-green local music, family entertainment. stone trimmed with contrasting red-brown Tarbert Music Festival MUSIC from Arran. The tower house (www.tarbertmusicfestival.com) On the third was added in the 16th century and was oc- weekend in September: live folk, blues, cupied until the 19th century. From the top beer, jazz, rock, ceilidhs (evening of tradi- you can see the roofl ess, 13th-century St tional Scottish entertainment), more beer… ’s Chapel down by the shore. The kirkyard contains some excellent carved You can rent bikes from Post Offi ce 274 grave slabs. House for £12 per day. Skipness Seafood Cabin (sandwiches £3, mains £5-9; h11am-6pm Sun-Fri late May-Sep), CAMPBELTOWN in the grounds of nearby Skipness House, POP 6000 serves tea, coff ee and home baking, as well Campbeltown, with its ranks of gloomy, as local fi sh and shellfi sh dishes. In fi ne grey council houses, feels a bit like an Ayrshire mining town that’s been placed

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS weather you can scoff the house special – crab sandwiches – at outdoor picnic tables incongruously on the shores of a beautiful with grand views of Arran. Argyllshire harbour. It was once a thriving Local bus 448 runs between Tarbert and fi shing port and whisky-making centre, but Skipness (35 minutes, two daily Monday to industrial decline and the closure of the for- Saturday). mer air- base at nearby At Claonaig, 2 miles southwest of Skip- saw Campbeltown’s fortunes decline. ness, there’s a daily car ferry to Lochran- The town feels a very long way from za on the Isle of Arran (passenger/car anywhere else, a feeling intensifi ed by the £5.20/23, 30 minutes, seven to nine daily). continuing failure to reopen the ferry link from Campbeltown to Ballycastle in North- ISLE OF GIGHA ern (every year the message from POP 120 the government is, ‘Something will be done Gigha (ghee-ah; www.gigha.org.uk) is a low- next year’). But renewal is in the air – the lying island, 6 miles long by about a mile spruced-up seafront, with its fl ower beds, wide, that’s famous for its sandy beaches smart Victorian buildings and restored art-

SOUTH ARGYLL and mild climate – subtropical plants thrive deco cinema, lends the town a distinctly in the island’s Achamore Gardens (www. optimistic air. gigha.org.uk/gardens; Achamore House; admis- The tourist office (%01586-552056; the sion free, donation requested; h9am-dusk). Pier, Campbelltown; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat) is Locally made Gigha cheese is sold in beside the harbour. many parts of Argyll – there are several varieties produced on the island, including 1 Sights & Activities pasteurised goat’s-milk cheese and oak- There were once no fewer than 32 distill- smoked cheddar. eries in the Campbeltown area, but most The island’s limited accommodation in- closed down in the 1920s. Today Spring-

cludes Post Office House (%01583-505251; bank Distillery (www.springbankwhisky.com; h www.gighastores.co.uk; d £45; p), a Victorian tours £4; by arrangement 10am & 2pm Mon-Fri, house at the top of the hill above the ferry 2pm only Oct-Apr) is one of only three that slip with two self-catering cottages (it hous- now operate in town. It is also one of the es the island post offi ce and shop as well). very few distilleries in Scotland that distils, matures and bottles all its whisky on the There’s also the Gigha Hotel (%01583- 505254; www.gigha.org.uk/accom; r per person one site. £50), 100m south of the post offi ce, which One of the most unusual sights in Argyll serves up bar meals, or if you’re feeling is in a cave on the southern side of the is- peckish, four-course dinners. You can also land of Davaar, at the mouth of Campbel- town Loch. On the wall of the cave is an eat at the Boat House Café Bar (%01583- 505123; www.boathouse-bar.com; mains £7-12; eerie painting of the Crucifi xion by local artist Archibald MacKinnon, dating from hlunch & dinner) near the ferry slip. There’s a range of self-catering cottages 1887. You can walk to the island at low tide available as well (see www.gigha.org.uk for across a shingle bar called the Dhorlinn (al- details). Camping is allowed on a grassy low at least 1½ hours for the round trip), area beside the Boat House near the ferry but make sure you’re not caught by a rising slip – there’s no charge but space is limited, tide – check tide times with the tourist so call the Boat House in advance to check offi ce before you set off . availability. Mull of Kintyre Seatours (%0870 720 CalMac (www.calmac.co.uk) runs a ferry 0609; www.mull-of-kintyre.co.uk) operates two- from in Kintyre to Gigha (pas- hour, high-speed boat trips (adult/child senger/car return £6.20/22.80, 20 minutes, from £30/20) out of Campbeltown harbour hourly Monday to Saturday, six on Sunday). to look for wildlife: seals, porpoises, minke Bicycles travel free. whales, golden eagles and peregrine falcons live in the turbulent tidal waters and on the of white-fronted and barnacle geese. As spectacular sea cliff s of the Mull of Kintyre. well as the whisky and wildfowl, there are 275 Book in advance by phone or at the tourist miles of sandy beaches, pleasant walking offi ce. trails, and good food and drink. The Mull of Kintyre Music Festival There’s a campsite and bunkhouse at (www.mokfest.com), held in Campbeltown , near , and a campsite and in late August, is a popular event featuring youth hostel in Port Charlotte. If you want

traditional Scottish and Irish music. to camp elsewhere, ask permission fi rst. SOUTHERN ARGYLL HIGHLANDSSOUTH & ISLANDS Camping is prohibited on the and 8 Getting There & Away Dunlossit estates on the eastern side of AIR /FlyBe (www.loganair.co.uk) oper- Islay. ates two fl ights daily, Monday to Friday, from Glasgow to Campbeltown (£50, 35 minutes). T Tours BOAT From April to September, Kintyre Islay Birding BIRDWATCHING Express (%01294-270160; www.kintyre-

(www.islaybirding.co.uk) Birdwatching tours & EATING SLEEPING express.com) operates a small, high-speed by bicycle (£30/60 per half-/full day). passenger ferry from To Campbeltown There are also 2½-hour wildlife walks (£50 one way, 1¼ hours, once daily Wednesday, (£30 per person) and family bushcraft Friday and Sunday). Tickets must be booked in courses (two adults plus children £60 advance. per half-day) teaching outdoor-survival BUS Scottish Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) skills. buses run from Campbeltown to Glasgow (£17, four hours, three daily) via Tarbert, Inveraray, Islay Sea Safaris CUSTOM TOURS Arrochar and Loch Lomond. It also runs to Oban (www.islayseasafari.co.uk) Can arrange SLEEPING & EATING SLEEPING ISLE OF ISLAY (£15, four hours, three daily), changing buses at customised tours (£25 to £30 per person Inveraray. per hour) by sea from Port Ellen to visit some (or all) of Islay and Jura’s distilleries MULL OF KINTYRE in a single day. Also available are bird- A narrow winding road, about 18 miles watching trips, coastal explorations, and long, leads south from Campbeltown to trips to Jura’s remote west coast and the the Mull of Kintyre, passing some good Corryvreckan Whirlpool. sandy beaches near Southend. The name of this remote headland was immortalised Islay Stalking WILDLIFE WATCHING in Paul McCartney’s famous song – the for- (www.thegearach.co.uk) Here’s your chance mer Beatle owns a farmhouse in the area. to stalk deer and other wildlife in the A marks the spot closest to company of a gamekeeper, and shoot , the coastline of which, them not with a gun but with a camera. only 12 miles away, is visible across the Two-hour morning and evening photo- North Channel. graphic tours are £20/10 per adult/child. z Festivals & Events Isle of Islay Fèis Ìle SCOTTISH CULTURE (Islay Festival; www.theislayfestival.co.uk) A POP 3400 week-long celebration of traditional Scot- The most southerly island of the Inner Heb- tish music and whisky at the end of May. rides, Islay (eye-lah) is best known for its Events include ceilidhs, pipe-band perfor- single-malt whiskies, which have a distinc- mances, distillery tours, barbecues and tive smoky fl avour. There are eight working whisky tastings. distilleries here, all of which welcome visi- tors and off er guided tours. Islay Jazz Festival MUSIC Islay’s whisky industry contributes ap- (www.islayjazzfestival.co.uk) This three- proximately £100 million a year to the gov- day festival takes place over the second ernment in excise duty and value-added tax weekend in September. A varied line-up (VAT); that’s about £30,000 for every man, of international talent plays at various woman and child on the island. Little won- venues across the island. der that the islanders complain about the lack of government investment in the area. 8 Information With a list of over 250 recorded bird spe- Islay Service Point (Jamieson St, ; cies, Islay also attracts birdwatchers. It’s an h9am-12.30pm & 1.30-5pm Mon-Fri; i) Free internet access. important wintering ground for thousands Islay, Jura & Colonsay e# 020km 276 012miles Corryvreckan # Kiloran Whirlpool Balnahard #\ Bay Bay Kilmartin Sea of the #\ Kiloran Beinn /·A816 #\ Kilchattan #\ Bhreac Crinan #\ (467m) #\ Bellanoch Isle of Scalasaig R Colonsay Lochgilphead #\ Ardlussa #\

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS #\ Oronsay Isle of #\ Tay va l l i c h Jura A846 Loch Loch /· #\ Inverneill ATLANTIC Tarbert Sween Loch OCEAN #\ Beinn an Oir Lagg #\ Fyne (784m) Achahoish R Corra Bheinn /·A83 Bunnahabhainn RR (569m) #\ R Loch Beinn Shiantaidh Caolisport Caol Ila #\ Beinn (755m) Sanaigmore #\ Ta r b e r t #\ #\‚a'Chaolais #\ Finlaggen #ä #\ (734m)#\ Loch Loch Port #\ Kilberry Gorm Askaig #\ #\ Loch Kennacraig #\ Bridgend Sound of West Loch #\ Indaal Sound Tarbert Whitehouse Bruichladdich #\ #\ Islay Bowmore of Jura #\ Port #\ Claonaig #\ Isle of #\ Skipness Charlotte /·A846 Islay #\ Ardtalla Clachan #\ Laggan Ardmore Gigha #\ Bay # Kintyre Port Islands #\ Lochranza Kintra #\ #\ Ellen #\ Ardberg #\ #\ #\ Tay i n l o a n Kilbrannan SOUTH ARGYLL Laphroaig Sound Sound Isle of of Gigha Arran

Islay tourist office ( %0870-720 0617; The summer the ferry continues from to Square, Bowmore; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, & Colonsay (£4.85/24.70, 1¼ hours). 2-5pm Sun Apr-Aug, shorter hr Sep-Mar) Getting Around MacTaggart Community CyberCafé (www. 8 BICYCLE You can hire bikes from Bowmore islaycybercafe.co.uk; 30 Mansfield Pl, Port Post Office (per day £10), and from the house Ellen; h9am-10pm Mon & Wed-Sat, to 5pm Tue opposite the Port Charlotte Hotel. & Sun; iW) Internet access. BUS A bus service links Ardbeg, Port Ellen, MacTaggart Leisure Centre (School St, Bow- Bowmore, Port Charlotte, Portnahaven and more; hnoon-9pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am-5.30pm Port Askaig (limited service on Sunday). Pick Sat & Sun) Coin-operated laundrette. up a copy of the Islay & Jura Public Transport 8 Getting There & Away Guide from the tourist office. There are two ferry terminals on the island, both CAR D & N MacKenzie (%01496-302300; served by ferries from Kennacraig in West Loch Port Ellen; from £30 a day) Hire cars. Tarbert – Port Askaig on the east coast, and TAXI Bowmore (%01496-810449); Port Ellen Port Ellen in the south. lies midway (%01496-302155). between Port Ellen and Bowmore. AIR Loganair/FlyBe (www.loganair.co.uk) fl ies PORT ELLEN & AROUND from Glasgow to Islay (£70 one way, 45 minutes, Port Ellen is the main point of entry for two or three fl ights daily Monday to Friday, one Islay. It has a Co-op Food minimarket or two Saturday and Sunday). (h8am-8pm Mon-Sat, noon-7.30pm Sun), a pub (%0845 805 7465; and a bank (closed most afternoons and www.hebrideanair.co.uk) operates fl ights (£65 Wednesdays). There’s an ATM in the Spar one way, twice daily Tuesday and Thursday) shop around the corner from the bank. from Connel Airfi eld (near Oban) to Colonsay While there’s nothing to see in the town (30 minutes) and Islay (40 minutes). itself, the coast stretching northeast from BOAT CalMac (www.calmac.co.uk) runs ferries Port Ellen is one of the loveliest parts of the from Kennacraig in West Loch Tarbert to Port island. Ellen (passenger/car £9.20/49, 2¼ hours, one There are three whisky distilleries in to three daily) and Port Askaig (£9.20/49, two close succession (check websites for tour hours, one to three daily). On Wednesday only in times): ery, this well-run cafe serves hearty home- (www.laphroaig.com; tours £3; h9.30am- made soups such as sweet-potato and chilli; 277 5.30pm Mon-Fri, also 10am-4pm Sat & Sun tasty light meals (try a panini sandwich Mar-Dec) with haggis and apple chutney, or a plat- ter of smoked Islay beef, venison and pas- (www.discovering-distilleries.com; tours £6; trami); and a range of home-baked desserts h9am-5pm Mon-Fri Apr-Oct, to 12.30pm Nov-Mar, including traditional clootie dumpling (a plus 9am-5pm Sat & 12.30-4pm Sun Jul & Aug) rich steamed pudding fi lled with currants SOUTHERN ARGYLL HIGHLANDSSOUTH & ISLANDS and raisins) with ice cream. (www.ardbeg.com; tours £5; h10am-5pm Jun- BOWMORE Aug, 10am-4pm Mon-Fri Sep-May). The attractive Georgian village of Bow- more was built in 1768 to replace the village A pleasant bike ride leads past the distill- of Kilarrow, which just had to go – it was

eries to the atmospheric, age-haunted Kil- spoiling the view from the laird’s house. & EATING SLEEPING dalton Chapel, 8 miles northeast of Port Its centrepiece is the distinctive Round Ellen. In the kirkyard is the exceptional Church at the top of Main St, built in cir- late-8th-century , the only cular form to ensure that the devil had no remaining Celtic high cross in Scotland corners to hide in. (most surviving high crosses are in Ire- (www.bowmore. land). There are carvings of biblical scenes co.uk; School St; tours adult/child £4/2; h9am- on one side and animals on the other. 5pm Mon-Fri & 9am-noon Sat, also 9am-5pm Sat There are also several extraordinary grave Easter−mid-Sep & noon-4pm Sun Jul−mid-Sep) slabs around the chapel, some carved with is the only distillery on the island that still & EATING SLEEPING ISLE OF ISLAY swords and Celtic interlace patterns. malts its own barley. The tour (check website The kelp-fringed (small rocky for times), which begins with an overblown islands or reefs) of the Ardmore Islands, 10-minute marketing video, is redeemed by a off the southeastern corner of Islay near look at (and taste of) the germinating grain Kildalton, are a wildlife haven and home to laid out in golden billows on the fl oor of the the second-largest colony of common seals malting shed, and a free dram at the end. in Europe. For details of wildlife cruises see Islay House Square, a collection of craft the Tours section (p285 ). shops and studios 3 miles northeast of Bow- more at Bridgend, is home to Islay Ales 4 Sleeping & Eating (www.islayales.com; Bridgend; h10.30am-5pm Kintra Farm CAMPSITE, B&B ££ Mon-Sat, plus noon-4pm Sun Jun-Aug), a micro- o % ( 01496-302051; www.kintrafarm.co.uk; brewery that produces a range of real ales, Kintra; tent sites £4-10, plus per person £3, r per all bottled by hand. After a complementary h At the southern person £30-38; Apr-Sep) tour of the premises, you can taste the ales end of Laggan Bay, 3.5 miles northwest of for free, and buy a bottle or two to drink Port Ellen, Kintra off ers three bedrooms outdoors or back home (the brewery doesn’t in a homely farmhouse B&B. There’s also a have a bar licence). Our favourite is Saligo basic but beautiful campsite on buttercup- Ale, a refreshing, summery pale ale. sprinkled turf amid the dunes, with a sun- set view across the beach. 4 Sleeping & Eating Harbour Inn RESTAURANT WITH ROOMS £££ Oystercatcher B&B B&B ££ ( %01496-810330; www.harbour-inn.com; The ( %01496-300409; www.islay-bedandbreakfast. iW The plush com; 63 Frederick Cres, Port Ellen; r per person Square; s/d from £95/130; ) seven-room Harbour Inn, smartly deco- £32; iW) If you like your breakfasts fi shy, then this welcoming waterfront house is rated with a nautical theme, is the poshest the place for you – there’s smoked haddock, place in town. The restaurant (mains £16 smoked salmon and kippers on the menu, to £24, open for lunch and dinner) has har- as well as the usual stuff . Bedrooms are bour views and serves fresh local oysters, small but comfortable and nicely decorated. lobster and scallops, Islay lamb and Jura venison. Old Kiln Café CAFE £ Lambeth House B&B ££ o(Ardbeg; mains £4-10; hbreakfast & lunch % daily Jun-Aug, Mon-Fri only Sep-May) Housed in ( 01496-810597; lambethguesthouse@tiscali. the former malting kiln at Ardbeg Distill- co.uk; Jamieson St; s/d £60/90; ic) A short stroll from the harbour, the Lambeth is a dividually decorated bedrooms with sea 278 simple, good-value guesthouse with comfy views, and a candlelit restaurant (mains en suite bedrooms. Breakfasts are excellent, £15 to £22, open for dinner) serving local and it also off ers a two-course evening meal seafood (seared scallops with braised leeks for £12. and truffl e cream sauce), Islay beef, venison and duck. The bar (bar meals £7 to £10, Lochside Hotel HOTEL ££ open for lunch and dinner) is well stocked ( %01496; 810244; www.lochsidehotel.co.uk;

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS with Islay malts and real ales, and has a 19 Shore St; r per person from £50; W) The 10 nook at the back with a view over the loch en suite bedrooms at the Lochside are towards the . kitted-out with chunky pine furniture, in- cluding one room adapted for wheelchair Debbie’s Minimarket CAFE £ users. The conservatory dining room pro- (Bruichladdich; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat) The vides sweeping views over , plus village shop and post offi ce at Bruichlad- the bar boasts a range of more than 250 dich doubles as a deli that stocks good wine single-malts, including many rare bottlings. and posh picnic grub, and also serves the best coff ee on Islay – sit at one of the out- P O R T C H A R L O T T E door tables and enjoy an espresso with a Eleven miles from Bowmore, on the oppo- sea view. site shore of Loch Indaal, is the attractive Croft Kitchen CAFE ££ village of Port Charlotte. It has a general (Port Charlotte; mains lunch £4-7, dinner £11-15; h store ( 9am-12.30pm & 1.30-5.30pm Mon-Sat, hlunch & dinner) This laid-back little bistro 11.30am-1.30pm Sun) and post offi ce. serves as a cafe during the day and trans-

SOUTH ARGYLL Islay’s long history is lovingly recorded forms into a restaurant serving quality in the Museum of Islay Life (www.islaymuse meals in the evening. um.org; adult/child £3/1; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun Easter-Oct), housed in the former Port Mor Campsite CAMPSITE £ Free Church. Prize exhibits include an illicit (%01496-850441; www.islandofislay.co.uk; Port still, 19th-century crofters’ furniture, and a Charlotte; tent sites per person £8; iW) The set of leather boots once worn by the horse sports field to the south of the village that pulled the lawnmower at Islay House doubles as a campsite – there are toilets, (so it wouldn’t leave hoof prints on the showers, laundry and a children’s play lawn!). There are also touch-screen comput- area in the main building. Open all year. ers displaying archive photos of Islay in the Islay Youth Hostel HOSTEL £ 19th and early 20th centuries. (SYHA; www.syha.org.uk; %01496-850385; The Islay Natural History tourist office Port Charlotte; dm £15; hApr-Oct; iW) This (www.islaynaturalhistory.org; adult/child £3/1.50; modern and comfortable hostel is housed h10am-4pm Mon-Fri Apr-Oct, also Sat Jun-Aug), in a former distillery building with views next to the youth hostel, has displays ex- over the loch. plaining the island’s natural history, with advice on where to see wildlife and lots of PORTNAHAVEN interesting hands-on exhibits for kids. Six miles southwest of Port Charlotte the The (%01496- road ends at Portnahaven , another pretty 850190; www.bruichladdich.com; tours £5; h9am- village that was purpose-built as a fi shing 5pm Mon-Fri & 10am-4pm Sat), at the north- harbour in the 19th century. A mile north ern edge of the village, reopened in 2001 of the village is the pretty little shell-sand with all its original Victorian equipment beach of Currie Sands, with a lovely view restored to working condition. Indepen- of Orsay island. dently owned and independently minded, The next inlet to the north of the beach is Bruichladdich (brook-lah-day) produces an occupied by the world’s fi rst commercially intriguing range of distinctive, very peaty viable, wave-powered electricity generating whiskies. Call ahead to book a tour. station, built on cliff s that are open to the Atlantic . The 500kW plant – known 4 Sleeping & Eating as the Limpet (Land-installed, marine- Port Charlotte Hotel HOTEL £££ powered ) – provides ( %01496-850360; www.portcharlottehotel.co. enough electricity to power 200 island uk; Port Charlotte; s/d £95/160; pWc) This homes. lovely old Victorian hotel has stylish, in- & AROUND PORT ASKAIG & AROUND Seven miles north of Port Charlotte is Loch Port Askaig is little more than a hotel, a 279 Gruinart Nature Reserve, where you can shop (with ATM), a petrol pump and a fer- hear corncrakes in summer and see huge ry pier, set in a picturesque nook halfway fl ocks of migrating ducks, geese and wad- along the , the strait that sep- ers in spring and autumn; there’s a hide arates the islands of Islay and Jura. with wheelchair access. The nearby RSPB There are two distilleries within easy

tourist office (admission free; h10am-5pm reach: (www.discovering SOUTHERN ARGYLL HIGHLANDSSOUTH & ISLANDS Apr-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Mar) off ers two- to three- -distilleries.com; tours £6; h9.15am-5pm Mon-Fri hour guided walks around the reserve (£3 & 1.30-4.30pm Sat Apr-Oct, shorter hr in winter), per person, 10am Thursday April to Octo- pronounced ‘cull ee-lah’, a mile to the north, ber). and Distillery (www.bunnaha (www.kilchomandis bhain.com; tours £5; h9am-4.30pm Mon-Fri tillery.com; Rockfi eld Farm, Kilchoman; tours £4; Mar-Oct, by appointment Nov-Feb), pronounced

h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, plus Sat Apr-Oct), 5 miles ‘boo-na-hah-ven’, 3 miles north of Port & EATING SLEEPING southwest of Loch Gruinart, is Islay’s new- Askaig. Both enjoy wonderful locations est, going into production in 2005. The dis- with great views across to Jura. tillery grows its own barley on Islay, and The rooms at the Port Askaig Hotel the tourist offi ce explores the history of (%01496-840245; www.portaskaig.co.uk; s/d farmhouse distilling on the island. Its fi rst from £40/90; p), beside the ferry pier, single-malt was released in 2010, and was seem pleasantly stuck in the 1970s, but so popular it sold out within days. the staff are warm and friendly, the break- The café (mains £5-10; hlunch Mon-Fri Mar- fast is good and there’s a great view of the Oct, plus Sat Apr-Sep, plus Sun Jul & Aug) at Kil- Paps of Jura from the residents lounge. & EATING SLEEPING ISLE OF JURA choman Distillery rustles up an excellent The beer garden is a popular spot to sit lunch – crusty brown rolls fi lled with hot- and watch the comings and goings at the smoked salmon and dill mayo, and of quay. rich, smoky Cullen skink. FINLAGGAN Isle of Jura Lush meadows swathed in buttercups and POP 170 daisies slope down to reed-fringed Loch Jura lies off the coast of Argyll − long, dark Finlaggan, the medieval capital of the and low like a vast Viking longship, its bil- Lords of the Isles. This bucolic setting, 3 lowing sail the distinctive triple peaks of miles southwest of Port Askaig, was once the Paps of Jura. A magnifi cently wild and the most important settlement in the Heb- lonely island, it’s the perfect place to get rides, the central seat of power of the Lords away from it all – as George Orwell did in of the Isles from the 12th to the 16th centu- 1948. Orwell wrote his masterpiece 1984 ries. From the little island at the northern while living at the remote farmhouse of end of the loch the descendants of Barnhill in the north of the island, describ- administered their island territories and ing it in a letter as ‘a very un-get-at-able entertained visiting chieftains in their place’. great hall. Little remains now except the Jura takes its name from the Old Norse tumbled ruins of houses and a chapel, but dyr-a (deer island) – an apt appellation, as the setting is beautiful and the history fas- the island supports a population of around cinating. A wooden walkway leads over the 6000 red deer, outnumbering their human reeds and water lilies to the island, where cohabitants by about 35 to one. information boards describe the remains. The community-run Jura Service Point Finlaggan tourist office (www.fi nlaggan. (Craighouse; h10am-1pm Mon-Fri; i), 400m com; adult/child £3/1; h10.30am-4.30pm Mon- north of the Jura Hotel, provides tour- Sat & 1.30-4.30pm Sun Apr-Sep), in a nearby ist information and free internet access. cottage (plus modern extension), explains Jura Stores (www.jurastores.co.uk; Craig- the site’s history and archaeology. The is- house; h9am-1pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm land itself is open at all times. & 2-4.30pm Sat) is the island’s only shop. Buses from Port Askaig stop at the road’s There’s no bank or ATM, but you can get end, from where it’s a 15-minute walk to the cash on a debit card at the Jura Hotel. loch. 280 THE SCOTTISH MAELSTROM

It may look innocuous on the map, but the Gulf of Corryvreckan – the 1km-wide channel between the northern end of Jura and the island of – is home to one of the three most notorious tidal whirlpools in the world (the others are the Maelstrom in ’s Lofoten Islands, and the Old Sow in Canada’s New Brunswick). The tide doesn’t just rise and fall twice a day, it fl ows – dragged around the earth SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS by the gravitational attraction of the moon. On the west coast of Scotland, the rising tide – known as the fl ood tide – fl ows northwards. As the fl ood moves up the , to the east of the island, it is forced into a narrowing bottleneck jammed with islands and builds up to a greater height than the open sea to the west of Jura. As a result, millions of gallons of sea water pour westwards through the Gulf of Corryvreck- an at speeds of up to 8 knots – an average sailing yacht is going fast at 6 knots. The Corryvreckan Whirlpool forms where this mass of moving water hits an underwater pinnacle, which rises from the 200m-deep sea bed to within just 28m of the surface, and swirls over and around it. The turbulent waters create a magnifi cent spectacle, with white-capped breakers, standing waves, bulging boils and overfalls, and countless miniature maelstroms whirling around the main vortex. Corryvreckan is at its most violent when a fl ooding spring tide, fl owing west through the gulf, meets a westerly gale blowing in from the Atlantic. In these condi- tions, standing waves up to 5m high can form and dangerously rough seas extend more than 3 miles west of Corryvreckan, a phenomenon known as the Great Race.

SOUTH ARGYLL You can see the whirlpool by making the long hike to the northern end of Jura (check tide times at Jura Hotel, and look under Activities, below, for walk details), or by taking a boat trip from Easdale (p 289 ). For more information, see www.whirlpool-scotland.co.uk.

1 Sights 2 Activities Apart from the superb wilderness walking There are few proper footpaths on Jura, but and wildlife-watching, there’s not a whole any off -the-beaten-path exploration will in- lot to do on the island except for visit- volve rough-going through giant bracken, ing the Isle of (www.isleof knee-deep bogs and thigh-high tussocks. jura.com; admission free; hby appointment Most of the island is occupied by deer-stalk- Mon-Fri) or wandering around the beautiful ing estates, and access to the hills may be walled gardens of Jura House (www.jurahouse restricted during the stalking season (July andgardens.co.uk; adult/child £2.50/free; to February); the Jura Hotel can provide de- h9am-5pm) at the southern end of the tails of areas to be avoided. island. There’s a lovely walk from the The only real trail is Evans’ Walk, a gardens down to a tiny white-sand stalkers’ path that leads for 6 miles from beach where, if you’re lucky, you might the main road through a pass in the hills spot an otter. In summer a tea tent to a hunting lodge above the remote sandy (h11am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sun Jun-Aug) beach at Glenbatrick Bay. The path leaves sells hot drinks, home baking, crafts and the road 4 miles north of Craighouse (just plants. under a mile north of the bridge over the There’s also the Feolin Study Cen- River Corran). The fi rst 0.75 mile is hard- tre (www.theisleofjura.co.uk; admission free; going along an interwoven braid of faint, h9am-5pm), just south of the ferry slip at squelchy trails through lumpy bog; aim at Feolin, which has a small exhibition on Ju- or just left of the cairn on the near horizon. ra’s history and provides information on The path fi rms up and is easier to follow af- all aspects of the island’s history, culture ter you cross a stream. On the descent on and wildlife. the far side of the pass, look out for wild or- There are regular ceilidhs held through- chids and sundew, and keep an eye out for out the year where visitors are made very adders basking in the sun. Allow six hours welcome; check the notice board outside for the 12-mile round trip. Jura Stores for announcements. Another good walk is to a viewpoint for the Corryvreckan Whirlpool (see boxed text, p 280), the great between house about 4 miles north of Craighouse, the northern end of Jura and the island of this place off ers B&B in two cosy, IKEA- 281 Scarba. From the northern end of the public furnished bedrooms and a lovely guest road at Lealt you hike along a 4WD track lounge with a patio overlooking the sea. past Barnhill to Kinuachdrachd Farm (6 Evening meals can be provided, and there’s miles). About 30m before the farm build- also a self-catering two-bedroom chalet ings a footpath forks left (there’s an incon- (from £200 a week).

spicuous wooden signpost low down) and SOUTHERN ARGYLL HIGHLANDSSOUTH & ISLANDS Jura Hotel HOTEL, PUB ££ climbs up the hillside before traversing ( %01496-820243; www.jurahotel.co.uk; Craig- rough and boggy ground to a point 50m house; s/d from £50/84; p) The 18-room Jura above the northern tip of the island. A rocky is the most comfortable place to stay on the slab makes a natural grandstand for view- island; ask for a room at the front with a ing the turbulent waters of the Gulf of Cor- view of the bay. The hotel also serves decent ryvreckan; if you have timed it right (check bar meals (£7 to £12, open for lunch and tide times at the Jura Hotel), you will see & EATING SLEEPING dinner) and the bar itself is a very sociable the whirlpool as a writhing mass of white place to spend the evening. Food is served water diagonally to your left and over by from noon to 2pm and 6.30pm to 9pm. the Scarba shore. Allow fi ve to six hours for the round trip (16 miles) from the road end. Antlers BISTRO ££ Climbing the Paps of Jura is a truly S( %01496-820123; www.theantlers.co.uk; tough hill-walk over ankle-breaking scree Craighouse; mains £5-9, 2-/3-course dinner that requires good fi tness and navigation- £25/29; h10.30am-4.30pm daily, 6.30-9.30pm al skills (you’ll need eight hours for the 11 Tue-Sun; W) This brand-new bistro makes long, hard and weary miles). A good place the most of locally sourced produce, off er- & EATING SLEEPING ISLE OF JURA to start is by the bridge over the River Cor- ing soup, sandwiches and burgers during ran, 3 miles north of Craighouse. The fi rst the day, and an unexpectedly classy menu peak you reach is Beinn a’Chaolais (734m), at dinner time, with dishes such as grilled the second is Beinn an Oir (784m) and the goats cheese on black pudding with onion third is Beinn Shiantaidh (755m). Most marmalade, glazed loin of pork with a ci- people also climb Corra Bheinn (569m), der reduction, and Cajun-style pan-fried before joining Evans’ Walk to return to the venison. road. If you succeed in bagging all four, you can refl ect on the fact that the record 8 Getting There & Away for the annual Paps of Jura race is just A car ferry shuttles between Port Askaig on three hours! Islay and Feolin on Jura (passenger/car/bicycle There are easier short walks (one or £1.25/7.60/free, fi ve minutes, hourly Monday to two hours) east along the coast from Jura Saturday, every two hours Sunday). There is no House, and north along a 4WD track from direct car-ferry connection to the mainland. Feolin. Jura – A Guide for Walkers by Gor- From April to September Jura Passenger don Wright (£2) is available from the tour- Ferry (%07768-450000; www.jurapassenger ist offi ce in Bowmore, Islay (p276 ). ferry.com) runs from Tayvallich on the mainland to Craighouse on Jura (£17.50, one hour, one or 4 Sleeping & Eating two daily except Wednesday). Booking Places to stay on the island are very limited, recommended. so book ahead – don’t rely on just turning up and hoping to fi nd a bed. Most of Jura’s 8 Getting Around accommodation is in self-catering cottages BICYCLE You can hire bikes from Jura Bike that are let by the week (see www.juradevel Hire (%07092-180747; www.jurabikehire.com; opment.co.uk). Bramble Cottage, Keils; per day £12.50) a mile You can camp for free in the fi eld below northeast of Craighouse. the Jura Hotel (ask at the bar fi rst, and pop BUS The island’s only bus service runs between a donation in the bottle); there are toilets the ferry slip at Feolin and Craighouse (20 and hot showers (£1 coin) in the block be- minutes), timed to coincide with ferry arrivals hind the hotel. and departures. One or two of the runs continue north as far as Inverlussa. Sealladh Na Mara B&B ££ TAXI Mike Richardson (%07899-912116) oper- ( %01496-820349; www.isleofjura.net; Knock- ates a Landrover taxi service from the road’s rome; per person from £25) A modern croft end at Lealt to Kinuachdrachd Farm for those wanting to shorten the hike to the Corryvreckan side of low tide, and it’s a 45-minute walk 282 Whirlpool (minimum £20 per two people, plus £5 from the road-end on Colonsay to the prio- per extra person). ry. There are tide tables posted at the ferry terminal in Scalasaig. The Woodland Garden (Colonsay House, Isle of Colonsay Kiloran; admission free; hgarden dawn-dusk, POP 100 cafe breakfast & lunch Wed & Fri Easter-Sep) at

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS Legend has it that when St set out Colonsay House, 1.5 miles north of Scala- from Ireland in 563, his fi rst landfall was saig, is tucked in an unexpected fold of the Colonsay. But on climbing a hill he found he landscape and is famous for its outstand- could still see the distant coast of his home- ing collection of hybrid rhododendrons land, and pushed on further north to found and unusual trees. The formal walled his monastery in Iona, leaving behind only garden around the mansion has a terrace his name (Colonsay means ‘Columba’s Isle’). cafe. Colonsay is a connoisseur’s island, a There are good sandy beaches at several little jewel-box of varied delights, none points around the coast, but Kiloran Bay in exceptional but each exquisite – an ancient the northwest, a scimitar-shaped strand of priory, a woodland garden, a golden beach – dark golden sand, is outstanding. If there set amid a Highland landscape in minia- are too many people here for you, walk the ture: rugged, rocky hills, cliff s and sandy 3 miles north to beautiful Balnahard Bay, strands, machair and birch woods, even a accessible only on foot or by boat. trout loch. Here, hill walkers bag McPhies – Back at Scalasaig, the Colonsay Brewery defi ned as ‘eminences in excess of 300ft’ (www.colonsaybrewery.co.uk; hshop 10.30am- SOUTH ARGYLL (90m) – instead of (see boxed text, 1pm & 2.30-5.30pm Wed, 4-7pm Fri & Sun, 10am- p30 ). There are 22 in all; the supercompeti- 1pm Sat) off ers you the chance to have a look tive will bag them all in one day. at how it produces its hand-crafted ales – The ferry pier is at Scalasaig , the main the Colonsay IPA is a grand pint. village, where you’ll fi nd a general store Kevin & Christa Byrne (%01951-200320; (h9am-1pm & 2-5.30pm Mon & Wed-Fri, 9am-1pm [email protected]) off er customised Tue & Sat), post offi ce, public telephone and guided tours on foot (£25 per hour per tour free internet access at the Service Point for up to eight people), or by minibus (£50 (h9.30am-12.30pm Mon-Fri;). There isn’t a per hour per tour for up to eight people). tourist offi ce, bank or ATM on the island. There’s also a regular ‘Hidden Colonsay’ General information is available at the walking tour (adult/child £10/5) every Sat- CalMac waiting room beside the ferry pier, urday in summer; booking essential. and at www.colonsay.org.uk. The tiny Colonsay Bookshop (%200232; 4 Sleeping & Eating Port Mor; h2-5pm Mon, Tue & Thu-Sat, 12.30-5pm Short-stay accommodation on Colonsay is Wed) at Kilchattan, on the west side of the limited and should be booked before com- island, has an excellent range of books on ing to the island. Wild camping is allowed, Hebridean history and culture. as long as you abide by the provisions of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (www.out 1 Sights & Activities dooraccess-scotland.com). See www.colonsay. If the are right, don’t miss the chance org.uk for self-catering accommodation to walk across the half-mile of cockleshell- options. strewn sand that links Colonsay to the smaller island of Oronsay. Here you can Colonsay Hotel HOTEL ££ ( %01951-200316; www.colonsay explore the 14th-century ruins of Oronsay o estate.co.uk; Scalasaig; r £100-145; pW) Priory , one of the best-preserved medieval Completely refurbished in 2007, this won- priories in Scotland. There are two beauti- derfully laid-back hotel is set in an atmos- ful late-15th- century stone crosses in the pheric old inn dating from 1750, a short kirkyard, but the highlight is the collection walk uphill from the ferry pier. The bar is of superb 15th- and 16th-century carved a convivial melting pot of locals, guests, grave slabs in the Prior’s House; look for the hikers, cyclists and visiting yachties, and ugly little devil trapped beneath the sword- the stylish (mains £11 to £18, tip of the knight on the right-hand side of restaurant open for lunch and dinner) off ers down-to- the two horizontal slabs. The island is ac- earth cooking using local produce as much cessible on foot for about 1½ hours either as possible, from Colonsay oysters and lob- OBAN & MULL sters to herbs and salad leaves from Colon- 283 say House gardens.

Backpackers Lodge HOSTEL £ Oban ( %01951-200312; www.colonsayestate.co.uk; POP 8120 Kiloran; dm £14-16, tw £36) Set in a former Oban is a peaceful waterfront town on gamekeeper’s house near Colonsay House, a delightful bay, with sweeping views to this lodge is about a 30-minute walk from Kerrera and Mull. OK, that fi rst bit about SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSOBAN & ISLANDS & MULL the ferry terminal (you can arrange to be peaceful is true only in winter; in summer picked up at the pier). Advance bookings the town centre is a heaving mass of hu- are essential. You can hire bikes here for manity, its streets jammed with traffi c and £7 per day, and you can even use the tennis crowded with holidaymakers, day-trippers court at Colonsay House. and travellers headed for the islands. But

the setting is still lovely. SIGHTS Island Lodges SELF-CATERING ££ There’s not a huge amount to see in the % ( 01343-890752; www.colonsayislandlodges. town itself, but it’s an appealingly busy co.uk; Scalasaig; chalets 2-night stay £150-250; place with some excellent restaurants and W These comfortable and modern self-ca- ) lively pubs, and it’s the main gateway to the tering holiday chalets, sleeping from two to islands of Mull, Iona, Colonsay, , Coll fi ve people, are just a 10-minute walk from and Tiree. the ferry pier at Scalasaig. You can check last-minute availability on the website. 1 Sights

Pantry CAFE £ McCaig’s Tower HISTORIC BUILDING SIGHTS OBAN (Scalasaig; hbreakfast & lunch Mon-Sat, din- (admission free; h24hr) Crowning the hill ner Mon-Fri plus Sun Apr-Sep) This tearoom, above the town centre is the Victorian folly close to the ferry pier, serves up light meals, known as McCaig’s Tower. Its construc- snacks and ice creams. It also opens from tion was commissioned in 1890 by local October to March on the days that the ferry worthy John Stuart McCaig, an art critic, calls. philosophical essayist and banker, with the philanthropic intention of providing work 8 Getting There & Around for unemployed stonemasons. To reach it AIR Hebridean Air Services (%0845 805 on foot, make the steep climb up Jacob’s 7465; www.hebrideanair.co.uk) operates fl ights Ladder (a fl ight of stairs) from Argyll St from Connel Airfi eld (near Oban) to Colonsay and then follow the signs. The views over and Islay (£65 one way, twice daily Tuesday and the bay are worth the eff ort. Thursday). Oban Distillery DISTILLERY BOAT From April to October, CalMac (www. (www.discovering-distilleries.com; Staff ord St; tour calmac.co.uk) operates a car ferry from Oban £7; h9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat Easter-Oct, plus noon- to Colonsay (passenger/car £13/65, 2¼ hours, one daily except Saturday). From November to 5pm Sun Jul-Sep, closed Sat & Sun Nov-Dec & March the ferry runs on Monday, Wednesday and Feb-Easter, closed Jan) This distillery has been Friday only. producing Oban single-malt whisky since From April to October, on Wednesday only, the 1794. There are guided tours available (last ferry from Kennacraig on the Kintyre peninsula tour begins one hour before closing time), to Islay’s Port Askaig continues to Colonsay. but even without a tour, it’s still worth a A day-trip from Kennacraig or Port Askaig to look at the small exhibition in the foyer. Colonsay allows you six hours on the island; the War & Peace Museum MUSEUM day return fare from Port Askaig to Colonsay per F passenger/car is £8.35/44. (www.obanmuseum.org.uk; Corran Espla- nade; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat & 10am-4pm Sun May- BUS A 90-minute minibus tour (%01951- Sep, 10am-4pm daily Mar, Apr, Oct & Nov) Military 200320; per person £10; h11.30am Tue) of the island departs from the Colonsay Hotel; book- buff s will enjoy the little War & Peace Mu- ings essential. On Wednesdays, the minibus seum, which chronicles Oban’s role in WWII service is aimed at day-trippers, and makes two as a base for Catalina seaplanes and as a circuits of the island – you can be dropped off / marshalling area for Atlantic convoys. picked-up at any point (per person £7.50). See RUINS www.colonsay.org.uk/walks.html for details. F( h24hr) A pleasant 1-mile stroll north along the coast road beyond Corran Oban e# 0200m 284 00.1miles

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Camping Park (2mi) (37mi) ‚ A B C D

Esplanade leads to Dunollie Castle, built Pulpit Hill VIEWPOINT by the MacDougalls of Lorn in the 13th An excellent viewpoint to the south of century and unsuccessfully besieged for a Oban Bay; the footpath to the summit year during the 1715 Jacobite rebellion. It’s starts to the right of Maridon House B&B always open but very much a ruin. on Dunuaran Rd. Oban hour Try-a-Dive package (£87) for complete beginners. 285 æ Top Sights Various operators off er boat trips to spot McCaig's Tower...... D3 seals and other marine wildlife, departing Oban Distillery...... C3 from the North Pier slipway (adult/child War & Peace Museum ...... C3 £8/5.50); ask for details at the tourist offi ce.

Activities, Courses & Tours T Tours SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSOBAN & ISLANDS & MULL 1 Bowman's Tours...... C3 From April to October, Bowman’s Tours 2 Bowman's Tours...... C4 (%01631-563221/566809; www.bowmanstours 3 Evo Bikes...... C6 .co.uk; 3 Staff ord St & 1 Queens Park Pl) off ers a Three Isles day-trip (adult/child £49/24.50, ÿ Sleeping 10 hours, daily) from Oban that visits Mull, 4 Heatherfield House ...... C2 Iona and Staff a. Note that the crossing to 5 Jeremy Inglis Hostel...... C5 ACTIVITIES Staff a is weather dependent. 6 Oban Backpackers Lodge...... C2 Bowman’s also runs a wildlife tour 7 Old Manse Guest House ...... C1 (adult/child £49/24.50) departing from 8 Roseneath Guest House ...... C2 Oban at 9.50am Sunday to Friday from May 9 Sand Villa Guest House...... C1 to July, and returning to Oban at 8pm. The ú Eating trip takes in a ferry crossing to Craignure 10 Cuan Mor...... C4 on Mull, travel by coach to Fionnphort, and 11 Ee'usk ...... B4 a cruise around Staff a and the Treshnish 12 Julie's Tearoom ...... C3 Isles, plus two hours ashore on Lunga to ACTIVITIESOBAN 13 Kitchen Garden...... C4 visit a puffi n colony. 14 Shellfish Bar...... B5 15 Tesco ...... C6 z Festivals & Events 16 Waterfront Restaurant...... B5 West Highland Yachting Week SAILING (www.whyw.co.uk) At the end of July/begin- û Drinking ning of August, Oban becomes the focus 17 Aulay's Bar ...... C5 of one of Scotland’s biggest yachting 18 Lorne Bar...... C5 events. Hundreds of yachts cram into the 19 Oban Chocolate Company...... B2 harbour and the town’s bars are jammed with thirsty sailors.

Argyllshire Gathering HIGHLAND GAMES BEACH Ganavan Sands (www.obangames.com; adult/child £8/4) Sandy, bucket-and-spade beach; 2.5 miles Held over two days in late August, this north of town along Corran Esplanade. is one of the most important events on the Scottish highland-games calendar 2 Activities and includes a prestigious pipe-band A tourist-offi ce leafl et lists local bike rides, competition. The main games are held which include a 7-mile Gallanach circular at Mossfield Park on the eastern edge tour, a 16-mile route to the Isle of Seil and of town. routes to Connel, Glenlonan and Kilmore. You can hire mountain bikes from Evo 4 Sleeping Bikes (www.evobikes.co.uk; 29 Lochside St; Despite having lots of B&B accommoda- h9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat), opposite Tesco su- tion, Oban’s beds can still fi ll up quickly in permarket, from £15 to £30 per day. July and August so try to book ahead. If you Based at North Connel, sea-kayaking can’t fi nd a bed in Oban, consider staying at coach Rowland Woollven (%01631-710417; Connel, 4 miles to the north. www.rwoollven.co.uk) off ers instruction for beginners and guided tours (£100 for a full Barriemore Hotel B&B ££ day for one person, £60 per person for two ( %01631-566356; www.barriemore-hotel.co.uk; or three people) for more experienced pad- Corran Esplanade; s/d from £65/92; p) The dlers in the waters around Oban. Barriemore enjoys a grand location, over- If you fancy exploring the underwater looking the entrance to Oban Bay. There world, Puffin Adventures (%01631-566088; are 13 spacious rooms here (ask for one www.puffi n.org.uk; Port Gallanach) off ers a 1½- with a sea view), plus a guest lounge with magazines and newspapers, and plump miles south of Oban (bus twice a day). The 286 Loch Fyne kippers on the breakfast menu. quoted rate includes up to two people and a car; extra people are £2 each. A one-person Heatherfield House B&B ££ tent with no car is £8. No prebooking − it’s ( %01631-562681; www.heatherfi eldhouse.co.uk; fi rst-come, fi rst-served. Albert Rd; s/d from £35/70; piW) The wel- coming Heatherfi eld House occupies a Oban Youth Hostel & Lodge HOSTEL £ converted 1870s rectory set in extensive (SYHA; %01631-562025; www.syha.org.uk; SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS grounds and has six spacious rooms. If Corran Esplanade; dm £17, r per person £17-20; possible, ask for room 1, complete with fi re- piW) Oban’s SYHA hostel is set in a place, sofa and a view over the garden to grand Victorian villa on the Esplanade, 0.75 the harbour. miles north of the train station. The metal bunks are a bit creaky, but there are good Kilchrenan House B&B ££ showers and the lounge has great views ( %01631-562663; www.kilchrenanhouse.co.uk; across Oban Bay. The neighbouring lodge Corran Esplanade; s/d £50/90; p) You’ll get has three- and four-bedded rooms with a warm welcome at the Kilchrenan, an el- en suite bathrooms. egant Victorian villa built for a textile mag- nate in 1883. Most of the rooms have views Jeremy Inglis Hostel HOSTEL £ across Oban Bay, but rooms 5 and 9 are the ( %01631-565065; 21 Airds Cres; dm/s £15/22; best: room 5 has a huge freestanding bath W) This bargain place is more of an ec- tub, perfect for soaking weary bones. centric B&B than a hostel – most ‘dorms’ have only two or three beds, and are Old Manse Guest House B&B ££ decorated with original artwork, books,

OBAN & MULL ( %01631-564886; www.obanguesthouse.co.uk; fl owers and cuddly toys. The kitchen is a Dalriach Rd; s/d from £62/74; pWc) Set on little cramped, but the owner is friendly a hillside above the town, the Old Manse and knowledgeable (and makes delicious commands great views over to Kerrera and homemade jam). The price includes a con- Mull. The sunny, brightly decorated bed- tinental breakfast. rooms have some nice touches (a couple of wine glasses and a corkscrew), and kids are Sand Villa Guest House B&B ££ made welcome with Balamory books, toys (%01631-562803; www.holidayoban.co.uk; and DVDs. Breadalbane St; r per person £28-33; pW) Ground floor room with wheelchair ac- Manor House HOTEL £££ cess. No credit cards. ( %01631-562087; www.manorhouseoban.com; Roseneath Guest House B&B ££ Gallanach Rd; r £154-199; p) Built in 1780 for the Duke of Argyll as part of his Oban (%01631-562929; www.roseneathoban.com; p Peaceful estates, the Manor House is now one of Dalriach Rd; s/d from £40/60; ) location with sea views. Oban’s fi nest hotels. It has small but el- egant rooms in Georgian style, a posh bar Kathmore Guest House B&B ££ frequented by local and visiting yachties, (%01631-562104; www.kathmore.co.uk; and a fi ne restaurant serving Scottish and Soroba Rd; s £45-65, d £55-75; p) Good French cuisine. Children under 12 are not value, homely and welcoming. welcome. Eating Oban Backpackers Lodge HOSTEL £ 5 Waterfront Restaurant ( %01631-562107; www.obanbackpackers.com; o SEAFOOD ££ Breadalbane St; dm £12.50-13.50; iW) This ( %01631-563110; www.waterfrontoban.co.uk; is a friendly place with a good vibe and a Waterfront Centre, Railway Pier; mains £10-18; large and attractive communal lounge with hlunch & dinner) Housed on the top fl oor of lots of sofas and armchairs. Breakfast is in- a converted seamen’s mission, the Water- cluded in the price, there’s free tea and cof- front’s stylish, unfussy decor – dusky pink fee, a laundry service (£2.50) and powerful and carmine with pine tables and local art showers. on the walls – does little to distract from Oban Caravan & Camping Park CAMPSITE £ the superb seafood freshly landed at the (www.obancaravanpark.com; Gallanachmore quay just a few metres away. The menu Farm; tent & campervan sites £17; hApr-Oct) ranges from crispy-battered haddock and This spacious campsite has a superb loca- chips to pan-fried scallops with lime, chilli tion overlooking the Sound of Kerrera, 2.5 and coriander pickle. There’s an early eve- ning menu (5.30pm to 6.45pm) off ering two delicious picnic food. Also has a great courses for £11.50, or soup followed by fi sh little cafe above the shop – good cof- 287 and chips for £9.75. Best to book for dinner. fee, scones, cakes, homemade soups and sandwiches. Shellfish Bar SEAFOOD £ o(Railway Pier; mains £2-7; hbreakfast & Julie’s Tearooms CAFE £ lunch) If you want to savour superb Scot- (37 Stafford St; mains £4-10; hbreakfast & tish seafood without the expense of an up- lunch Tue-Sat) Tea and scones, delicious market restaurant, head for Oban’s famous Luca’s ice-cream and homemade soup SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSOBAN & ISLANDS & MULL seafood stall – it’s the green shack on the with crusty bread. quayside near the ferry terminal. Here you Tesco SUPERMARKET can buy fresh and cooked seafood to take (Lochside St; h8am-10pm Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm away – excellent prawn sandwiches (£2.75), Sun) Self-caterers and campers can stock dressed crab (£4.75), and fresh oysters for up here. only 65p each. DRINKING

Seafood Temple SEAFOOD £££ 6 Drinking S( %01631-566000; Gallanach Rd; mains £15- Oban Chocolate Company CAFE 25; hdinner Thu-Sun) Locally sourced seafood (www.obanchocolate.co.uk; 34 Corran Esplanade; is the god that’s worshipped at this tiny h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 12.30-4pm Sun Easter- temple – a former park pavilion with glori- Sep, shorter hr in winter, closed Jan) This shop ous views over the bay. Owned by a former that specialises in hand-crafted chocolates fi sherman who smokes his own salmon, (you can watch them being made) also has a what must be Oban’s smallest restaurant cafe serving excellent coff ee and hot choco- serves up whole lobster cooked to order, late (try the chilli chocolate for a kick in the DRINKINGOBAN scallops in garlic butter, plump langous- tastebuds), with big leather sofas in a win- tines, and the ‘platter magnifi que’ (£60 for dow with a view of the bay. two persons), which off ers a taste of every- Lorne Bar PUB thing. Booking essential. (www.thelornebar.co.uk; Stevenson St; W) A tra- Cuan Mor BISTRO ££ ditional pub with a lovely old island bar, the (www.cuanmor.co.uk; 60 George St; mains £8- Lorne serves Deuchars IPA and local Oban 16; hlunch & dinner) This always-busy bar Brewery real ales, as well as above-average and bistro sports a no-nonsense menu of pub grub. Food is served from noon to old favourites – from haddock and chips 9pm, and there’s a trad music session every to sausage and mash with onion gravy – Wednesday from 10pm. spiced with a few more-sophisticated Aulay’s Bar PUB dishes such as scallops with black pud- (8 Airds Cres) An authentic Scottish pub, Au- ding, and a decent range of vegetarian lay’s is cosy and low-ceilinged, its walls cov- dishes. And the sticky toff ee pudding is ered with old photographs of Oban ferries not to be missed! and other ships. It pulls in a mixed crowd Ee’usk SEAFOOD ££ of locals and visitors with its warm atmo- ( %01631-565666; www.eeusk.com; North Pier; sphere and wide range of malt whiskies. mains £12-20; hlunch & dinner) Bright and modern Ee’usk (it’s how you pronounce 8 Information iasg, the Gaelic word for fi sh) occupies Fancy That (112 George St; h10am-5pm; i) Oban’s prime location on the North Pier. Internet access. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow diners on Lorn & Islands District General Hospital two levels to enjoy views over the harbour (%01631-567500; Glengallan Rd) Southern end to Kerrera and Mull, whilst sampling a sea- of town. food menu ranging from fragrant Thai fi sh Main post office (Lochside St; h8am-6pm cakes to langoustines with chilli and gin- Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm Sun) Inside Tesco super- ger. A little pricey, perhaps, but both food market. and location are fi rst class. Tourist office (%01631-563122; www.oban. Kitchen Garden CAFE £ org.uk; Argyll Sq; h9am-7pm daily Jul & Aug, (www.kitchengardenoban.co.uk; 14 George St; 9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun May, i mains £3-8; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 10.30am- Jun & Sep, 9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat Oct-Apr; ) Internet access available. 5pm Sun, 6-9pm Thu-Sat) Deli packed with Getting There & Away three hours), which follows tracks or paths 288 8 The bus, train and ferry terminals are all grouped (use map 49) and off ers conveniently together next to the harbour on the the chance to spot wildlife such as Soay southern edge of the bay. sheep, wild goats, otters, golden eagles, BOAT CalMac (www.calmac.co.uk) ferries link peregrine falcons, seals and porpoises. At Oban with the islands of Kerrera, Mull, Coll, Lower Gylen, at the southern end of the is- Tiree, Lismore, Colonsay, Barra and Lochbois- land, there’s a ruined castle.

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS dale. See the relevant island entries for details Kerrera Bunkhouse (%01631-570223; of ferry services. Information and reservations www.kerrerabunkhouse.co.uk; Lower Gylen; dm for all CalMac ferry services are available at the £14) is a charming seven-bed bothy (hut or ferry terminal on Oban’s West Pier. Ferries to mountain shelter) in a converted 18th-cen- the Isle of Kerrera depart from a separate jetty, tury stable near Gylen Castle, a 2-mile walk about 2 miles southwest of Oban town centre. south from the ferry (keep left at the fork BUS Scottish Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) just past the telephone box). Booking ahead buses run to Oban from Glasgow (£17, three is recommended. You can get snacks and hours, four daily) via Inveraray; and from Perth light meals at the neighbouring Tea Gar- (£12, three hours, twice daily Friday to Monday) den (%01631-570223; hlunch Wed-Sun Apr- via Tyndrum and Killin. Oct), which also has B&B (£20 per person). West Coast Motors (www.westcoastmotors. There’s a daily passenger ferry (www. co.uk) bus 423 runs from Oban to Lochgilphead (£5, 1¾ hours, four daily Monday to Friday, two kerrera-ferry.co.uk) to Kerrera from Gallan- on Saturday) via Kilmartin. Bus 918 goes to Fort ach, about 2 miles southwest of Oban town William via Appin and (£9, 1½ hours, centre, along Gallanach Rd (adult/child three daily Monday to Saturday). return £5/2.50, bicycle free, 10 minutes). OBAN & MULL TRAIN Oban is at the terminus of a scenic route From Easter to October it runs half-hourly that branches off the at Cri- from 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 6pm anlarich. There are up to three trains daily from daily, plus 8.45am Monday to Saturday. Glasgow to Oban (£19, three hours). From November to Easter there are fi ve or The train isn’t much use for travelling north six crossings a day. from Oban − to reach Fort William requires a detour via Crianlarich (3¾ hours). Take the bus ISLE OF SEIL instead. POP 500 The small island of Seil, 10 miles southwest 8 Getting Around of Oban, is best known for its connection to the mainland – the so-called Bridge over BUS The main bus stop is outside the train sta- the Atlantic, designed by Thomas Telford tion. West Coast Motors (www.westcoastmo tors.co.uk) bus 417 runs from here to Ganavan and opened in 1793. The graceful bridge has Sands via Oban Youth Hostel (fi ve minutes, two a single stone arch and spans the narrowest per hour Monday to Saturday). Bus 431 connects part of the tidal Clachan Sound. the train station with the Kerrera ferry and Oban On the west coast of the island is the Caravan & Camping Park (15 minutes, two or pretty conservation village of Ellanbeich, three daily Monday to Saturday from late May to with its whitewashed cottages. It was built September). to house workers at the local slate quar- CAR Hazelbank Motors (%01631-566476; ries, but the industry collapsed in 1881 www.obancarhire.co.uk; Lynn Rd; h8.30am- when the sea broke into the main quarry 5.30pm Mon-Sat) hires out small cars per day/ pit – the fl ooded pit can still be seen. The week from £40/225 including VAT, insurance Scottish Heritage Trust and CDW (Collision Damage Waiver). (www.slateislands.org.uk; Ellanbeich; admission TAXI There’s a taxi rank outside the train free; h10.30am-1pm & 2-5pm Apr-Oct) displays station. Otherwise, call Oban Taxis (%01631- fascinating old photographs illustrating 564666). life in the village in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Coach tours fl ock to the Highland Arts Around Oban Studio (www.highlandarts.co.uk; Ellanbeich; I S L E O F K E R R E R A admission free; h9am-7pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct- POP 40 Mar), a crafts and gift shop and a shrine to Some of the best walking in the area is on the eccentric output of the late ‘poet, artist Kerrera, which faces Oban across the bay. and composer’ C John Taylor. Please, try to There’s a 6-mile circuit of the island (allow keep a straight face. Just off shore from Ellanbeich is the sometimes impossible to fi nd a spare bed small island of Easdale, which has more old on the island. 289 slate-workers’ cottages and the interesting Despite the number of visitors who fl ock Easdale Island Folk Museum (www.easdale to the island, it seems to be large enough museum.org; Easdale; adult/child £2.25/50p; to absorb them all; many stick to the well- h11am-4.30pm Apr-Oct, to 5pm Jul & Aug). The worn routes from Craignure to Iona or To- museum has displays about the slate indus- bermory, returning to Oban in the evening.

try and life on the islands in the 18th and Besides, there are plenty of hidden corners SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSOBAN & ISLANDS & MULL 19th centuries. Climb to the top of the is- where you can get away from the crowds. land (a 38m peak!) for a great view of the The waters to the west of Mull provide surrounding area. some of the best whale-spotting opportu- Anyone who fancies their hand at ducks nities in Scotland, with several operators and drakes should try to attend the World off ering whale-watching cruises (see the Stone-Skimming Championships (www. boxed texts, p295 and p294 ). DRINKING stoneskimming.com), held each year in Eas- About two-thirds of Mull’s population dale on the last Sunday in September. lives in and around Tobermory, the island’s capital, in the north. Craignure, at the Boat Trips southeastern corner, has the main ferry From April to October Sea.fari Adventures terminal and is where most people arrive. (%01852-300003; www.seafari.co.uk; Easdale Fionnphort is at the far-western end of the Harbour) runs a series of exciting boat trips long peninsula, and is where in high-speed rigid infl atable boats (RIBs) the ferry to Iona departs. to the Corryvreckan Whirlpool (adult/child

£35/27; call for the dates of ‘Whirlpool Spe- T Tours DRINKINGISLE OF MULL cials’, when the tide is at its strongest), and See Bowman’s Tours, p290 for details of the remote Garvellach Islands (£44/34). day-trips from Oban to Mull, Staff a and There are also three-hour whale-watching Iona by ferry and bus. trips (£44/34), mostly in July and August, Gordon Grant Marine BOAT TOURS cruises to Iona and Staff a (£70/55), and a (%01681-700388; www.staffatours.com) Runs weekly day-trip to Colonsay (£44/34). boat trips from Fionnphort to Sea Life Adventures (%01631-571010; (adult/child £25/10, 2½ hours, daily April www.sealife-adventures.co.uk; Clachan Seil) of- to October), and to Staffa and the Tresh- fers similar trips, but is based on the east- nish Isles (£45/20, five hours, Sunday to ern side of the island and has a bigger, more Friday May to July). comfortable boat. Mull Magic WALKING TOURS 8 Getting There & Around (%01688-301213; www.mullmagic.com) Offers West Coast Motors (www.westcoastmotors. guided wildlife walking tours in the Mull co.uk) bus 418 runs four times a day, except countryside (£35 to £45 per person in- Sunday, from Oban to Ellanbeich (45 minutes) cluding packed lunch), as well as custom- and on to North Cuan (one hour) for the ferry ised tours and four-day walking holidays. to Luing. Argyll & Bute Council (%01631-562125) z Festivals & Events operates the daily passenger-only ferry service Mishnish Music Festival MUSIC from Ellanbeich to Easdale island (£1.55 return, (www.mishnish.co.uk) Last weekend of April; bicycles free, fi ve minutes, every 30 minutes). three days of foot-stomping traditional Scottish and Irish folk music at Tober- mory’s favourite pub.

Isle of Mull Mendelssohn on Mull MUSIC POP 2600 (www.mullfest.org.uk) A week-long festival of From the rugged ridges of Ben More and classical music in early July. the black crags of Burg to the blind- ing white sand, rose-pink and em- Mull Highland Games HIGHLAND GAMES erald waters that fringe the Ross, Mull can (www.mishnish.co.uk) Third Thursday in lay claim to some of the fi nest and most July; piping, highland dancing etc. varied scenery in the . Add Mull & Iona Food Festival FOOD & DRINK in two impressive castles, a narrow-gauge (www.mict.co.uk) Five days of food- and railway, the sacred island of Iona and easy drink-tastings in early September, with access from Oban and you can see why it’s chef demonstrations, farm tours, produce Mull, Coll & Tiree e# 020km 290 012miles

Ardnamurchan #\ Achosnich #\ Sea of the Point #\ Salen Hebrides Sorisdale #\ #\ Hogh Bay Coll Loch Glengorm Oronsay Sunart #\ Arinagour #V Totamore #\ Castle

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS Totronald RSPB Reserve #æ Tobermory #\ #\ Bonnavoulin #\ #V 0¸A884 Crossapol Breachachadh #\ Castle #\ Loch Tiree #\ Caolas 0¸B8073 Frisa Gott Sound of ro Mull #\ Sandaig #\ Bay Loch Ballygown A s #\ #\ #\ Salen #\ Tuath #\ #\ Lunga Gruline #\ Crossapoll #\ #\ Gometra Loch Killiechronan Craignure Hynish #\ Ferry na Keal #V 0¸B8035 Staffa Little #V Colonsay R Mull #\ Ben More 0¸A849 Duart Balmeanach Castle (966m) Ben Buie #\ R #\ (717m) Iona Burg Loch Scridain #\ Lochbuie ATLANTIC #\ Loch Baile Mor #\ Ross of Mull OCEAN #\ Buie Fionnphort #\ Carsaig Firth of #\ #æ Lorn OBAN & MULL Luing

markets, restaurant visits and a host of 8 Getting There & Away other events. There are frequent CalMac (www.calmac.co.uk) Tour of Mull Rally CAR RALLY car ferries from Oban to Craignure (passenger/ (www.2300club.org) Part of the Scottish car £4.65/41.50, 40 minutes, every two hours). Rally Championship, with around 150 There’s another car-ferry link from Lochaline to Fishnish, on the east coast of Mull (£2.80/12.55, cars involved. Public roads are closed for 15 minutes, at least hourly). parts of the early-October weekend. A third CalMac car ferry links Tobermory 8 Information to Kilchoan on the peninsula (£4.45/23, 35 minutes, seven daily Monday to MEDICAL Dunaros Hospital (%01680-300392; Saturday). From June to August there are also Salen) Has a minor injuries unit; the near- fi ve sailings on Sunday. est casualty department is in Oban. 8 Getting Around MONEY Bank (Main St, Tobermory; BICYCLE You can hire bikes for around £10 to h The island’s only 9.15am-4.45pm Mon-Fri) £15 per day from the following places. bank and 24-hour ATM. You can get cash using a debit card from the post offices Brown’s Hardware Shop (%01688-302020; www.brownstobermory.co.uk; Main St, Tober- in Salen and Craignure, or get cash back mory) with a purchase from Co-op food stores. On Yer Bike (%01680-300501; Inverinate, POST Post office (Main St, Tobermory; h9am- Salen) Easter to October only. Also has an 1pm & 2-5.30pm Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri, 9am-1pm outlet by the ferry terminal at Craignure. Wed & Sat) There are also post-office coun- BUS Public transport on Mull is fairly limited. ters in Salen, Craignure and Fionnphort. B o w m a n ’ s T o u r s (%01680-812313; www.bow TOURIST INFORMATION Craignure tourist manstours.co.uk) is the main operator, connect- ing the ferry ports and the island’s main villages. office (%01680-812377; Craignure; h8.30am- Bus 495 goes from Craignure to Tobermory (£7 5pm Mon-Sat, 10.30am-5pm Sun) return, one hour, six daily Monday to Friday, four Tobermory tourist office (%01688-302182; The or fi ve Saturday and Sunday), and bus 496 links Pier, Tobermory; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat & 10am- Craignure to Fionnphort (£11 return, 1¼ hours, 5pm Sun Jul & Aug, 9am-5pm Mon-Sat & 11am- three or four daily Monday to Saturday, one 5pm Sun May & Jun, shorter hrs rest of year) Sunday). Bus 494 goes from Tobermory to Der- vaig and Calgary (three daily Monday to Friday, (%01680-812440; www.dee-emm.co.uk; s/d from two on Saturday). £50/60; p), a half-mile south of Craignure 291 CAR Almost all of Mull’s road network consists on the road towards Fionnphort. of single-track roads. There are petrol stations at Craignure, Fionnphort, Salen and Tobermory. TOBERMORY POP 750 TAXI Mull Taxi (%07760 426351; www.mull Tobermory, the island’s main town, is a taxi.co.uk) is based in Tobermory, and has a picturesque little fi shing port and yacht-

vehicle that is wheelchair accessible. SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSOBAN & ISLANDS & MULL ing centre with brightly painted houses CRAIGNURE & AROUND arranged around a sheltered harbour, with There’s not much to see at Craignure other a grid-patterned ‘upper town’. The vil- than the ferry terminal and the hotel, so lage was the setting for the children’s TV turn left, walk 200m and hop onto the Mull program Balamory, and while the series Railway (www.mullrail.co.uk; Old Pier Station; stopped fi lming in 2005 regular repeats adult/child return £5/3.50; hApr-Oct), a minia- mean that the town still swarms in sum- DRINKING ture steam train that will take you 1.5 miles mer with toddlers towing parents around south to Torosay Castle. looking for their favourite TV characters Torosay Castle & Gardens (www.torosay. (frazzled parents can get a Balamory book- com; adult/child £7/4; hhouse 10.30am-5pm let from the tourist offi ces in Oban and Apr-Oct, gardens 9am-sunset year-round) is a Tobermory). rambling Victorian mansion in the Scottish Sights & Activities Baronial style, stuff ed with antique furni- 1 Places to go on a rainy day include Mull ture, family portraits and hunting trophies. Museum (www.mullmuseum.org.uk; Main St; You’re left to wander at will: a sign advises, DRINKINGISLE OF MULL admission by donation; h10am-4pm Mon-Fri Eas- ‘Take your time but not our spoons.’ ter-Oct), which records the history of the is- Two miles beyond Torosay is Duart land. There are also interesting exhibits on Castle (www.duartcastle.com; adult/child crofting, and on the Tobermory Galleon, £5.30/2.65; h10.30am-5.30pm daily May–mid- a ship from the Spanish Armada that sank Oct, 11am-4pm Sun-Thu Apr), a formidable in Tobermory Bay in 1588 and has been the fortress dominating the . object of treasure seekers ever since. The seat of the , this is one There’s also An Tobar Arts Centre (www. of the oldest inhabited castles in Scot- antobar.co.uk; Argyll Tce; admission free; h10am- land – the central keep was built in 1360. 5pm Mon-Sat May-Sep, plus 1-4pm Sun Jul & Aug, It was bought and restored in 1911 by Sir 10am-4pm Tue-Sat Oct-Apr), an art gallery and Fitzroy Maclean and has damp dungeons, exhibition space with a good vegetarian- vast halls and bathrooms equipped with friendly cafe; and the tiny Tobermory ancient fi ttings. A bus to the castle meets Distillery (www.tobermorymalt.com; tour £3; the 9.50am, 11.55am and 2pm ferries from h10am-5pm Mon-Fri Easter-Oct), established Oban to Craignure. in 1798. 4 Sleeping The Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust’s To camp within walking distance of the Marine Discovery Centre (www.whaledolph ferry, turn left and walk south for fi ve intrust.co.uk; 28 Main St; admission free; h10am- minutes to Holidays (%01680- 5pm Mon-Fri, 11am-4pm Sun Apr-Oct, 11am-5pm 812496; www.shielingholidays.co.uk; tent & 2 Mon-Fri Nov-Mar) has displays, videos and people £14, with car £16.50, dm £12.50; hlate interactive exhibits on whale and dolphin Mar-Oct), a well-equipped campsite with biology and ecology, and is a great place great views. Most of the permanent ac- for kids to learn about sea mammals. It commodation, including the hostel dorms also provides information about volunteer- and toilet block (dribbly showers), consists ing and reporting sightings of whales and of ‘cottage tents’ made from heavy-duty dolphins. tarpaulin, which gives the place a bit of a Sea Life Surveys (%01688-302916; www. PVC-fetish feel. sealifesurveys.com), based in the new har- Recommended B&Bs within 10 minutes’ bour building beside the main car park, walk of the ferry include Pennygate Lodge runs whale-watching boat trips out of To- (%01680-812333; www.pennygatelodge.com; bermory harbour; for more information see s/d from £50/70; pW), next to the Shieling the boxed text, p295 . Holidays entrance, and Dee-Emm B&B 292 WALKING ON MULL

More information on the following walks can be obtained from the tourist offi ces in Oban, Craignure and Tobermory. Ben More The highest peak on the island, Ben More (966m) off ers spectacular views of the sur-

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS rounding islands when the weather is clear. A trail leads up the mountain from , by the bridge on the B8035 over the Abhainn na h-Uamha (the river is 8 miles southwest of Salen − see Ordnance Survey (OS) 1:50,000 map sheet 49, grid refer- ence 507368). Return the same way or continue down the narrow ridge to the eastern top, A’Chioch, then descend to the road via Gleann na Beinn Fhada. The glen can be rather wet and there’s not much of a path. The round trip is 6.5 miles; allow fi ve to six hours. Carsaig Arches One of the most adventurous walks on Mull is along the coast west of to the Carsaig Arches at Malcolm’s Point. There’s a good path below the cliff s most of the way from Carsaig, but it becomes a bit rough and exposed near the arches – the route climbs and then traverses a very steep slope above a vertical drop into the sea (not for the unfi t or faint-hearted). You’ll see spectacular rock formations on the way, culmi- nating in the arches themselves. One, nicknamed the ‘keyhole’, is a freestanding rock stack; the other, the ‘tunnel’, is a huge natural arch. The western entrance is hung with OBAN & MULL curtains of columnar basalt – an impressive place. The round trip is 8 miles – allow three to four hours’ walking time from Carsaig plus at least an hour at the arches. Burg At the tip of the remote Ardmeanach peninsula there is a remarkable 50-million- year-old fossil tree preserved in the basalt lava fl ows of the cliff s. A 4WD track leads from the car park at Tiroran to a house at Burg; the last 2.5 miles to the tree is on a very rough coastal path. About 500m before the tree, a metal ladder allows you to climb down to the foreshore, which is only accessible at low tide – check tide times at Tobermory tourist offi ce before setting off . Allow six to seven hours for the strenuous 14-mile round trip.

4 Sleeping house that off ers luxury B&B in a beautiful Tobermory has dozens of B&Bs, but the setting with superb views over Tobermory place can still be booked solid in July and Bay; ask for the ‘Blue Poppy’ bedroom, August, especially at weekends. which has its own balcony. oHighland Cottage Hotel Cuidhe Leathain B&B ££ BOUTIQUE HOTEL £££ ( %01688-302504; www.cuidhe-leathain.co.uk; ( %01688-302030; www.highlandcottage.co.uk; Salen Rd; r per person £35; W) A handsome Breadalbane St; d £155-190; hmid-Mar−Oct; 19th-century house in the upper town, pW) Antique furniture, four-poster beds, Cuidhe Leathain (coo-lane), which means embroidered bedspreads and fresh fl owers Maclean’s Corner, exudes a cosily cluttered and candlelight lend this small hotel (only Victorian atmosphere. The breakfasts will six rooms) an appealingly old-fashioned set you up for the rest of the day, and the cottage atmosphere, but with all mod cons owners are a fount of knowledge about Mull including cable TV, full-size baths and and its wildlife. room service. There’s also an excellent fi ne- 2 Victoria St B&B £ dining restaurant here. (%01688-302263; 2 Victoria St; s/d £25/40; hEaster-Oct) Traditional, old-school B&B Sonas House B&B ££ with simple, homely bedrooms (with ( %01688-302304; www.sonashouse.co.uk; The shared bathroom) and a friendly and Fairways, Erray Rd; s/d £80/125; pWs) Here’s a fi rst – a B&B with a heated, indoor 10m hospitable landlady. swimming pool! Sonas is a large, modern Tobermory Campsite CAMPSITE £ place for a bar meal, or dinner at the more S(%01688-302624; www.tobermorycamp formal restaurant upstairs. Wood-panelled 293 site.co.uk; Newdale, Dervaig Rd; tent sites per and fl ag-draped, this is a good old tradi- adult/child £6/3; hMar-Oct; c) A quiet, tional pub where you can listen to live folk family-friendly campsite a mile west of music, toast your toes by the open fi re, or town on the road to Dervaig. challenge the locals to a game of pool.

Tobermory Youth Hostel HOSTEL £ Tobermory Chocolate Factory CAFE £ (SYHA; %01688-302481; www.syha.org.uk; Main (www.tobermorychocolate.co.uk; Main St; hbreak- SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSOBAN & ISLANDS & MULL St; dm £15; hMar-Oct; i) Great location in fast & lunch) This tempting little shop not a Victorian house right on the waterfront. only sells exquisite handmade chocolates, Bookings recommended. but also has a cafe that serves excellent espresso, cappuccino and hot chocolate. 5 Eating & Drinking Entertainment Campers can stock up on provisions at the 3 DRINKING Co-op supermarket (Main St; h8am-8pm Mull Theatre THEATRE Mon-Sat, 12.30-7pm Sun), and the Tobermory ( %01688-302828; www.mulltheatre.com; Salen Bakery (Main St; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat), which Rd, Druimfi n) One of Scotland’s best-known sells delicious, locally baked wholegrain touring companies, putting on shows all bread, cakes, biscuits and pastries, as well over Scotland. It is based at Druimfi n, as having a great deli counter. about a mile south of Tobermory, which is the venue for most of its Mull-based perfor- Café Fish SEAFOOD ££ mances; check the website for details of the o( %01688-301253; www.thecafefi sh.com; latest shows. The Pier; mains £10-16; hlunch & dinner) Sea- DRINKINGISLE OF MULL food doesn’t come much fresher than the NORTH MULL stuff served at this warm and welcoming The road from Tobermory west to Calgary little restaurant overlooking Tobermory cuts inland, leaving most of the north coast harbour – as their motto says, ‘The only of Mull wild and inaccessible. Just outside thing frozen here is the fi sherman’! Lan- Tobermory a long, single-track road leads goustines and squat lobsters go straight north for 4 miles to majestic Glengorm from boat to kitchen to join rich shellfi sh Castle (www.glengorm.com; Glengorm; admis- bisque, fat scallops, seafood pie and catch- sion free; h10am-5pm Easter–mid-Oct) with of-the-day on the daily-changing menu. views across the sea to Ardnamurchan, Also has freshly baked bread, homemade Rum and the . The castle desserts and a range of Scottish cheeses on outbuildings house an art gallery featuring off er. the work of local artists, a farm shop sell- Fish & Chip Van SEAFOOD £ ing local produce, and an excellent coff ee (Main St; mains £4-7; h12.30-9pm Mon-Sat Apr- shop (see p 294 ). The castle itself is not open Dec) If it’s a takeaway you’re after, you can to the public, but you’re free to explore the tuck into some of Scotland’s best gourmet beautiful castle grounds. fi sh and chips down on the waterfront. And The Old Byre Heritage Centre (www.old where else will you fi nd a chip van selling -byre.co.uk; Dervaig; adult/child £4/2; freshly cooked prawns and scallops? h10.30am-6.30pm Wed-Sun Easter-Oct) brings Mull’s heritage and natural history to life MacGochan’s PUB ££ through a series of tableaux and half-hour (Ledaig; mains £9-15; hlunch & dinner) A lively fi lm shows. The prize for most bizarre ex- pub beside the car park at the southern end hibit goes to the 40cm-long model of a of the waterfront, MacGochan’s does good midge. The centre’s tearoom serves good, bar meals (haddock and chips, steak pie, inexpensive snacks, including homemade vegetable lasagne), and often has outdoor soup and clootie dumpling, and there’s a barbecues on summer evenings. There’s a kids’ outdoor play area. more formal restaurant upstairs, and live Mull’s best (and busiest) silver-sand music in the bar on weekends. beach , fl anked by cliff s and with views Mishnish Hotel PUB ££ out to Coll and Tiree, is at Calgary , about (www.mishnish.co.uk; Main St; mains £11-20; 12 miles west of Tobermory. And yes – this hlunch & dinner; W) ‘The Mish’ is a favourite is the place from which the more famous hang-out for visiting yachties and a good Calgary in Alberta, Canada, takes its name. 294 THAR SHE BLOWS!

The North Atlantic Drift – a swirling tendril of the – carries warm water into the cold, nutrient-rich seas off the Scottish coast, resulting in huge blooms of plankton. Small fi sh feed on the plankton, and bigger fi sh feed on the smaller fi sh... This huge seafood smorgasbord attracts large numbers of marine mammals, from harbour porpoises and dolphins to minke whales and even – though sightings are rare – SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS humpback and sperm whales. In contrast to and Norway, Scotland has cashed in on the abundance of minke whales off its coast by embracing whale-watching rather than whaling. There are now dozens of operators around the coast off ering whale-watching boat trips last- ing from a couple of hours to all day; some have whale-sighting success rates of 95% in summer. While seals, porpoises and dolphins can be seen year-round, minke whales are mi- gratory. The best time to see them is from June to August, with August being the peak month for sightings. The website of the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust (www. whaledolphintrust.co.uk) has lots of information on the you are likely to see, and how to identify them. A booklet titled Is It a Whale? is available from tourist offi ces and bookshops, and provides tips on identifying the various species of marine mammal that you’re likely to see. OBAN & MULL 4 Sleeping & Eating bedrooms. The bar is a focus for local social Achnadrish House B&B ££ life and serves excellent meals (mains £9 to o( %01688-400388; www.achnadrish.co. £15, plus kids’ menu) based on fresh local uk; Dervaig Rd; d from £85; piW) There aren’t produce: pork from a local Dervaig farm, too many B&Bs where pad Thai noodles lamb from Ulva, mutton from Iona, mussels appear on the breakfast menu, but Achnad- from Inverlussa and Mull-landed seafood. rish is one. The dish is a legacy of the own- Glengorm Coffee Shop CAFE £ er’s extensive Asian travels, as are many of S(www.glengorm.com; ; the decorative touches in this wonderfully mains £5-8; hlunch) Set in a cottage court- welcoming guest house. A three-course din- yard in the grounds of Glengorm Castle, ner (£30 per person) based on fresh local this cafe serves superb lunches (noon- produce is also available, as is a dram of 4.30pm) – the menu changes daily, but in- Tobermory single-malt (complementary) cludes sandwiches and salads (much of the beside the open fi replace while Mike tells salad veg is grown on the Glengorm estate), you all about the local wildlife (and his soups and specials such as curry-fl avoured three friendly Labradors). salmon fi shcakes with mint and cucumber Calgary Farmhouse SELF-CATERING ££ salad. S( %01688-400256; www.calgary.co.uk; Calgary Farmhouse Tearoom CAFE £ Calgary; 2-person apt per 2 nights from £120; (www.calgary.co.uk; Calgary; mains £5-8; hlunch; pW) This farmhouse complex off ers eight pW) Just a few minutes’ walk from the fantastic self-catering properties (sleep- sandy beach at Calgary Bay, this tearoom ing from two to eight people), beautifully serves soups, sandwiches, coff ee and cake designed and fi tted out with timber furni- using fresh local produce as much as pos- ture and wood-burning stoves. The Hayloft sible. There’s also an art gallery and craft (sleeps eight, £850 a week high season) shop here. Open till 5.30pm in July and includes a spectacular lounge/dining room August. with curved oak frames and locally pro- duced art work. Dervaig Hall Bunkhouse HOSTEL £ (%01688-400491; www.dervaigbunkroomsmull. Bellachroy HOTEL, PUB ££ co.uk; Dervaig; dm/q £14/50; p) Basic but ( %01688-400314; www.bellachroyhotel.co.uk; very comfortable bunkhouse accommoda- Dervaig; s/d from £65/90; pWc) The Bel- tion in Dervaig’s village hall, with self- lachroy is an atmospheric 17th-century catering kitchen and sitting room. droving inn with six plain but comfortable Calgary Bay CAMPSITE £ site a 10-minute walk from the Fishnish– You can camp for free at the southern end Lochaline ferry, on the main road be- 295 of the beach at Calgary Bay – keep to the tween Craignure and Tobermory (booking area south of the stream. There are no fa- advised). cilities other than the public toilets across There’s a very basic campsite (per person the road; water comes from the stream. £3) at Killiechronan, half a mile north of Gruline (toilets and water are a fi ve-minute

CENTRAL MULL walk away), and plenty of wild camping on SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSOBAN & ISLANDS & MULL The central part of the island, between the the south shore of Loch na Keal below Ben Craignure–Fionnphort road and the nar- More. row isthmus between Salen and Gruline, contains the island’s highest peak, Ben SOUTH MULL More (966m) and some of its wildest scen- The road from Craignure to Fionnphort ery (see the boxed text, p292 ). climbs through some wild and desolate DRINKING The narrow B8035 road along the south- scenery before reaching the southwestern ern shore of Loch na Keal squeezes past part of the island, which consists of a long some impressive cliff s before cutting south peninsula called the Ross of Mull. The Ross towards Loch Scridain. About a mile along has a spectacular south coast lined with the shore from Balmeanach, where the road black basalt cliff s that give way further climbs away from the coast, is Mackin- west to white-sand beaches and pink gran- non’s Cave, a deep and spooky fi ssure in ite crags. The cliff s are highest at Malcolm’s the basalt cliff s that was once used as a ref- Point, near the superb Carsaig Arches (see uge by Celtic monks. A big, fl at rock inside, the boxed text, p295 ). known as Fingal’s Table, may have been The little village of Bunessan has a ho- DRINKINGISLE OF MULL their altar. tel, tearoom, pub and some shops, and is Balmeanach Park Caravan & Camp- home to the Ross of Mull Historical Cen- ing Site (%01680-300342; per 2 people, tent tre (www.romhc.org.uk; admission £2; h10am- & car £15; hMar-Oct) is a peaceful camp- 4pm Mon-Fri Apr-Oct), a cottage museum that

WATCHING WILDLIFE ON MULL

Mull’s varied landscapes and habitats, from high mountains and wild moorland to wave-lashed sea cliff s, sandy beaches and -fringed skerries, off er the chance to spot some of Scotland’s rarest and most dramatic wildlife, including eagles, otters, dolphins and whales. Mull Wildlife Expeditions (%01688-500121; www.torrbuan.com; ) off ers full-day Land Rover tours of the island with the chance of spotting red deer, golden eagles, peregrine falcons, white-tailed sea eagles, hen harriers, otters and perhaps dolphins and porpoises. The cost (adult/child £43/40) includes pick-up from your ac- commodation or from any of the ferry terminals, a picnic lunch and use of binoculars. The timing of this tour makes it possible as a day-trip from Oban, with pick-up and drop-off at the Craignure ferry. Sea Life Surveys (%01688-302916; www.sealifesurveys.com) runs whale-watching trips from Tobermory harbour to the waters north and west of Mull. An all-day whale- watch (£60 per person) gives up to seven hours at sea (not recommended for kids under 14), and has a 95% success rate for sightings. The four-hour family whale-watch is geared more towards children (£39/35 per adult/child). Turus Mara (%0800 085 8786; www.turusmara.com) runs boat trips from Ulva Ferry in central Mull to Staff a and the (adult/child £50/25, 6½ hours), with an hour ashore on Staff a and two hours on Lunga, where you can see seals, puffi ns, kittiwakes, razorbills and many other species of seabird. Loch Frisa Sea Eagle Hide (%01680-812556; www.forestry.gov.uk/mullseaeagles) runs escorted trips to a viewing hide on Loch Frisa where you can watch white-tailed sea eagles. Tours (£5/2 per adult/child) leave twice a day, Monday to Friday, from the Aros end of the Loch Frisa access trail (book in advance at the Craignure tourist offi ce, p290 ). houses displays on local history, geology, 296 Isle of Iona archaeology, genealogy and wildlife. POP 130 A minor road leads south from here to There are few more uplifting sights on Scot- the beautiful white-sand bay of Uisken, land’s west coast than the view of Iona from with views of the Paps of Jura. You can Mull on a sunny day – an emerald island set camp beside the beach here (£1 per person; in a sparkling turquoise sea. From the mo- ask for permission at Uisken Croft), but ment you step off the ferry you begin to ap-

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS there are no facilities. preciate the hushed, spiritual atmosphere At the western end of the Ross, 38 miles that pervades this sacred island. Not surpris- from Craignure, is Fionnphort ( finn-a-fort) ingly, Iona attracts a lot of day-trippers, so and the ferry to Iona. The coast here is a if you want to experience the island’s peace beautiful blend of pink granite rocks, white and quiet, the is to spend a night sandy beaches and vivid turquoise sea. here. Once the crowds have gone for the day, 4 Sleeping & Eating you can wander in peace around the ancient graveyard where the early kings of Scotland Seaview B&B ££ are buried, attend an evening service at the o( %01681-700235; www.iona-bed-br eakfast-mull.com; Fionnphort; s/d £55/75; abbey, or walk to the top of Dun I and gaze south towards Ireland, as St Columba must pW) Barely a minute’s walk from the Iona ferry, the Seaview has fi ve beautifully have done so many centuries ago. decorated bedrooms and a breakfast con- History servatory with grand views across to Iona. St Columba sailed from Ireland and landed The owner – a semiretired fi sherman and on Iona in 563 before setting out to spread OBAN & MULL his wife – off ers tasty three-course din- Christianity throughout Scotland. He es- ners (£22 per person, September to April tablished a monastery on the island and it only), often based around local seafood. was here that the Book of Kells – the prize Bike hire available for guests only. attraction of Dublin’s Trinity College – is Staffa House B&B ££ believed to have been transcribed. It was S( %01681-700677; www.staff ahouse.co.uk; taken to Kells in Ireland when Viking raids Fionnphort; s/d from £48/66; p) This charm- drove the monks from Iona. ing and hospitable B&B is packed with The monks returned and the monastery antiques and period features, and like the prospered until its destruction during the Seaview off ers breakfast in a conserva- Reformation. The ruins were given to the tory with a view of Iona. Solar panels top in 1899, and by 1910 a up the hot-water supply, and the hearty group of enthusiasts called the Iona Com- breakfasts, packed lunches (£5.50 to £7) munity (www.iona.org.uk) had reconstructed and evening meals (£25 per person) make the abbey. It’s still a fl ourishing spiritual use of local and organic produce where community that holds regular courses and possible. retreats. SNinth Wave SEAFOOD ££ 1 Sights & Activities ( %01681-700757; www.ninthwaverestaurant Head uphill from the ferry pier and turn .co.uk; Bruach Mhor; 4-course dinner £42; hdin- right through the grounds of a ruined ner) A new venture based in a former croft 13th-century nunnery with fi ne cloistered a mile east of Fionnphort, this restaurant gardens, and exit at the far end. Across the is owned and operated by a lobster fi sh- road is the Iona Heritage Centre (adult/ erman and his Canadian wife. The daily child £2/free; h10.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri Apr- menu makes use of locally landed shellfi sh Oct), which covers the history of Iona, croft- and crustaceans, and vegetables and salad ing and ; the centre’s coff ee grown in the croft garden, served in a styl- shop serves delicious home baking. ishly converted bothy. Advance booking Turn right here and continue along the essential. road to Reilig Oran, an ancient cemetery Fidden Farm CAMPSITE £ that holds the graves of 48 of Scotland’s (%01681-700427; Fidden; tent sites per adult/ early kings, including Macbeth, and a child £6/3; hApr-Sep) A basic but beautifully tiny Romanesque chapel. Beyond rises the situated campsite, with views over pink spiritual heart of the island – granite reefs to Iona and . It’s 1.25 (HS; www.iona.org.uk; adult/child £4.70/2.80; miles south of Fionnphort. h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep, to 4.30pm Oct-Mar). The spectacular nave, dominated by Ro- Iona Hostel HOSTEL £ manesque and early Gothic vaults and col- o( %01681-700781; www.ionahostel.co.uk; 297 umns, contains the elaborate, white marble Lagandorain; dm £18.50; hcheck-in 4-7pm) This tombs of the 8th duke of Argyll and his wife. hostel is set in an attractive, modern tim- A door on the left leads to the beautiful ber building on a working croft, with stun- Gothic cloister, where medieval grave slabs ning views out to Staff a and the Treshnish sit alongside modern religious sculptures. A Isles. Rooms are clean and functional, and

replica of the intricately carved St John’s the well-equipped lounge/kitchen area has SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSOBAN & ISLANDS & MULL Cross stands just outside the abbey – an open fi re. It’s at the northern end of the the massive 8th-century original is in the island – to get here, continue along the Infirmary Museum (around the far side road past the abbey for 1.5 miles (a 20- to of the abbey) along with many other fi ne 30-minute walk). examples of early Christian and medieval Tigh na Tobrach B&B ££ carved stones.

(%01861-700700; www.bandb-iona.co.uk; Baile & EATING SLEEPING Continue past the abbey and look for a Mor; per person £28; p) Comfortable B&B footpath on the left signposted Dun I (dun- in modern house, with one family and ee). An easy walk of about 15 to 20 minutes one twin room. A short distance south of leads to the highest point on Iona, with fan- the ferry. tastic views in all directions. Cnocoran Campsite CAMPSITE £ Boat Trips (%01681-700112; [email protected]; Cnocoran; tent sites per person £5) Basic Alternative Boat Hire BOAT TOURS campsite about a mile west of the ferry. (%01681-700537; www.boattripsiona.com) Offers cruises in a traditional wooden Open year-round. & EATING SLEEPING ISLE OF COLL sailing boat for fishing, birdwatching, pic- nicking, or just drifting along admiring 8 Information the scenery. One-/three-hour trips cost POST There’s a tiny post office on the £9.50/18.50 per adult (child £5/8.50). right as you head uphill from the ferry. MV Iolaire BOAT TOURS SHOPS Spar (h9am-5.15pm Mon-Sat, noon- (%01681-700358; www.staffatrips.co.uk) 4pm Sun) Grocery store above the ferry slip. Three-hour boat trips to Staffa (£25/10), Finlay Ross Ltd (h9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat, departing Iona pier at 9.45am and 11.30am-4pm Sun) To the left of the ferry 1.45pm, and from Fionnphort at 10am slip; sells gifts, books and maps, hires out and 2pm, with one hour ashore on Staffa. bikes and provides a laundry service. MV Volante BOAT TOURS TOURIST INFORMATION (%01681-700362; www.volanteiona.com) Four- Council (www.isle-of-iona.com) There’s a no- hour sea-angling trips (£35 per person tice board at the top of the ferry slip that including tackle and bait), as well as lists island accommodation and services. 1½-hour round-the-island wildlife cruises (adult/child £15/8) and 3½-hour whale- watching trips (£35 per person). 8 Getting There & Away The passenger ferry from Fionnphort to Iona 4 Sleeping & Eating (£4.30 return, fi ve minutes, hourly) runs daily. There are also various day-trips available from Argyll Hotel HOTEL ££ Oban to Iona (see p 290 ). o( %01681-700334; www.argyllhotel iona.co.uk; Baile Mor; s/d from £61/97; hMar- Oct) The terrace of cottages above the ferry slip houses this cute little hotel – it has 16 Isle of Coll snug rooms (a sea view costs rather a bit POP 100 more – £131 for a double) and a country- Rugged and low-lying, Coll is Tiree’s less fertile and less populous neighbour. The house restaurant (mains £8-15, hlunch & dinner) with wooden fi replace and antique northern part of the island is a mix of bare tables and chairs. The kitchen is supplied rock, bog and lochans (small lochs), while by a huge organic garden around the back, the south is swathed in golden shell-sand and the menu includes Cullen skink, home- beaches and machair dunes up to 30m high. grown salads, and venison-and-rabbit The island’s main attraction is the peace hotpot. and quiet – empty beaches, bird-haunted 298 ISLE OF STAFFA

Felix Mendelssohn, who visited the uninhabited island of Staff a in 1829, was inspired to compose his Hebrides Overture after hearing waves echoing in the impressive and cathedral-like Fingal’s Cave. The cave walls and surrounding cliff s are composed of vertical, hexagonal basalt columns that look like pillars (Staff a is Norse for ‘Pillar Is- SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS land’). You can land on the island and walk into the cave via a causeway. Nearby Boat Cave can be seen from the causeway, but you can’t reach it on foot. Staff a also has a sizable puffi n colony, north of the landing place. Northwest of Staff a lies a chain of uninhabited islands called the Treshnish Isles. The two main islands are the curiously shaped Dutchman’s Cap and Lunga. You can land on Lunga, walk to the top of the hill and visit the shag, puffi n and guillemot colo- nies on the west coast at Harp Rock. Unless you have your own boat, the only way to reach Staff a and the Treshnish Isles is on an organised boat trip – see p 297 , and the boxed text, p295 , for details.

coastlines, and long walks along the shore. Island Café CAFE £ The biggest and most beautiful sandy (Arinagour; mains £5-8; hlunch Fri-Tue) This beaches are at Crossapol in the south, and cheerful little cafe serves hearty, home- Hogh Bay and Cliad on the west coast. made meals such as sausage and mash with

OBAN & MULL In summer you may be lucky enough to onion gravy, haddock and chips, and vege- hear the ‘krek-krek-krek’ of the corncrake at tarian cottage pie, accompanied by organic the RSPB Nature Reserve at Totronald in beer, wine and cider. Open till 7.30pm on the southwest of the island; there’s a tour- Fridays and Saturdays. ist office (admission free; h24hr) here. From Garden House Camping & Totronald a sandy 4WD track runs north Caravan Site CAMPSITE £ past the dunes backing Hogh Bay to the ( %01879-230374; Uig; per person £2, tent site road at Totamore, allowing walkers and cy- £3-4; hMay-Sep) Basic campsite with toilets clists to make a circuit back to Arinagour and cold water only, 4.5 miles southwest of rather than returning the way they came. Arinagour. Dogs are not allowed. There are two ruined castles about 6 miles southwest of Arinagour, both known Information as Breachachadh Castle, built by the Ma- 8 cleans in medieval times. Arinagour, a half-mile from the ferry pier, is the only village on Coll, and is home to the Island 4 Sleeping & Eating Stores (h10am-5.30pm Mon & Fri, 10am-1pm Most accommodation on Coll is self-cater- Tue & Thu, 9am-5.30pm Wed, 9.30am-5pm Sat) grocery shop, a post offi ce (with ATM), some ing, but a few places off er B&B, including craft shops and a petrol pump. There is no reli- Taigh-na-Mara (%01879-230354; www.taigh able mobile-phone signal on the island; there are namara.info; r per person £30-35) in Arinagour. payphones at the pier and in the hotel. For more You can camp for free on the hill above the information see www.visitcoll.co.uk. Coll Hotel (no facilities); ask at the hotel fi rst. 8 Getting There & Around Coll Hotel HOTEL ££ AIR Hebridean Air Services (%0845 805 ( %01879-230334; www.collhotel.com; Arinagour; 7465; www.hebrideanair.co.uk) operates s/d £55/100; p) The island’s only hotel is fl ights from Connel Airfi eld (near Oban) to an atmospheric old place. It has quirkily Coll (£65 one way, twice daily Monday and shaped rooms with white-painted, wood- Wednesday). panelled walls, many of which have lovely BIKE Mountain bikes can be hired from the post views over the manicured hotel gardens offi ce in Arinagour for £10 per day. and the harbour. The hotel also has a really BOAT A CalMac (www.calmac.co.uk) car ferry runs from Oban to Coll (passenger/car good restaurant (mains £9-18, hlunch & din- £16.70/85.50 return, 2¾ hours, one daily) ner) serving dishes ranging from crab chow- and continues to Tiree (one hour), except on der to lamb chops with herb-and-Parmesan Wednesday and Friday when the boat calls at crust. Tiree fi rst. The one-way fare from Coll to Tiree is pies the signal tower above the harbour, £2.60/12.75 per passenger/car. which was once used to communicate by 299 On Thursdays only, you can take a ferry from semaphore with the lighthouse site. Coll and Tiree to Barra in the Outer Hebrides For the best view on the island, walk up (£7.10/35.25 one way, four hours). nearby Ben Hynish (141m), which is capped by a conspicuous radar station known lo- cally as the Golf Ball.

Isle of Tiree SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSOBAN & ISLANDS & MULL POP 765 2 Activities Low-lying Tiree (tye-ree; from the Gaelic Reliable wind and big waves have made Tir- tiriodh, meaning ‘land of corn’) is a fer- ee one of Scotland’s top windsurfi ng venues. tile sward of lush, green machair liberally The annual Tiree Wave Classic (www.tiree sprinkled with yellow buttercups, much of waveclassic.com) competition is held here in it so fl at that, from a distance, the houses October. SIGHTS seem to rise out of the sea. It’s one of the Wild Diamond Watersports (%01879- sunniest places in Scotland, but also one 220399; www.wilddiamond.co.uk), based at of the windiest – cyclists soon fi nd that al- Loch Bhasapoll in the northwest of the though it’s fl at, heading west usually feels island, runs courses in windsurfi ng, kite- like going uphill. One major benefi t – the surfi ng, sand-yachting and stand-up pad- constant breeze keeps away the midges. dleboarding, and rents out equipment. Six The surf-lashed coastline here is scal- hours’ equipment hire costs from £50, and loped with broad, sweeping beaches of a beginners course (six hours over two days) white sand, hugely popular with windsurf- costs £100 including gear. Sand-yachting on ers and kite-surfers. Most visitors, however, Gott Bay beach at low tide is £25 per hour. SIGHTS ISLE OF TIREE come for the birdwatching, beachcombing and lonely coastal walks. 4 Sleeping & Eating Scarinish Hotel HOTEL ££ 1 Sights ( %01879-220308; www.tireescarinishhotel.com; In the 19th century Tiree had a population Scarinish; s/d £50/80; p) There’s hospitality of 4500, but poverty and overcrowding – on tap at the Scarinish, with enthusiastic plus food shortages following the potato owners who go out of their way to make you famine of 1846 – led the landowner, the feel welcome. The refurbished rooms are Duke of Argyll, to introduce a policy of as- crisp and clean, and the restaurant (mains sisted emigration. Between 1841 and 1881, £8-18, hlunch & dinner) and traditional lean- more than 3600 people left the island, to bar have a cosy atmosphere. many of them emigrating to Canada, the Ceabhar B&B ££ USA, Australia and New Zealand. ( %01879-220684; www.ceabhar.com; Sandaig; An Iodhlann (www.aniodhlann.org.uk; r per person from £35; pW) This snug little Scarinish; admission free; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri; cottage B&B has a fantastic location at the W is a historical and genealogical library ) western end of the island, looking out over and archive, where many of the estimated the Atlantic towards the sunset. The owners 38,000 descendants of Tiree emigrants are outdoor enthusiasts and can advise on come to trace their ancestry. The centre kite-surfi ng, power-kiting and . stages a summer exhibition (adult/child £3/ There’s also a restaurant (mains £8-14, hdi- free; h11am-5pm Tue-Fri Jul-Sep) on island life nner Wed-Sat) in a sunny conservatory with and history. sea views. At Sandaig, in the far west of the island, is the Island Life Museum (admission free; Kirkapol B&B ££ h2-4pm Mon-Fri Easter-Sep), a row of quaint ( %01879-220729; www.kirkapoltiree.co.uk; Gott thatched cottages each restored as a 19th- Bay; s/d £35/66; p) Set in a converted 19th- century crofter’s home. century church overlooking the island’s The picturesque harbour and hamlet biggest beach, the Kirkapol has six homely of Hynish, near the southern tip of the is- rooms and a big lounge with a leather sofa. land, was built in the 19th century to house It’s 2 miles north of the ferry terminal. workers and supplies for the construction Millhouse Hostel HOSTEL £ of the Skerryvore Lighthouse, which stands (%01879-220435; www.tireemillhouse.co.uk; 10 miles off shore. Skerryvore Lighthouse Cornaigmore; dm/tw £15/35) Housed in a Museum (admission free; h9am-5pm) occu- converted barn next to an old water mill, this small but comfortable hostel is 5 Dougalls in battle in 1309. In the pass, by the 300 miles west from the ferry pier. A85, you can visit Cruachan Balinoe Croft Campsite CAMPSITE £ (www.visitcruachan.co.uk; Lochawe village; adult/ (%01879-220399; www.wilddiamond.co.uk; child £6/2.50; h9.30am-4.45pm Easter-Oct, tours Balinoe; tent sites per person £12; W) A shel- every 30min). Electric buses take you more tered site with full facilities in the south- than half a mile inside , al- west of the island, near Balemartine, with lowing you to see the pump-storage hydro-

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS great views of Mull. electric scheme which occupies a vast cavern hollowed out of the mountain. Also at the northern end of are Information 8 the scenic ruins of (admis- There’s a bank (without ATM), post offi ce and Co- sion free; h9am-5pm Apr-Sep), built in 1440, op supermarket (h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm which enjoys one of Scotland’s fi nest set- Sat, noon-6pm Sun) in Scarinish, the main village, tings; you can climb to the top of the four- a half-mile south of the ferry pier. You can get cash back with debit-card purchases at the Co-op. storey castle tower. It’s a half-mile walk from the A85 road, just east of the bridge Tourist information and internet access are available at the Rural Centre (%01879-220677; over the River Orchy. Crossapol; h11am-4pm Mon-Sat), and An Iodh- Scottish Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) buses lann (see p 299 ), but there is no accommodation from Glasgow to Oban go via Dalmally, Lo- booking service. For more information see www. chawe village and Cruachan power station. isleoftiree.com. Trains from Glasgow to Oban stop at Dalmal- ly and Lochawe village. See p288 for details. 8 Getting There & Around NORTH ARGYLL AIR Loganair/FlyBe (www.loganair.co.uk) fl ies from Glasgow to Tiree once daily (£56, 50 min- Connel & Taynuilt utes) from Monday to Saturday. Hemmed in by dramatic mountain scenery, Hebridean Air Services (%0845 805 7465; Loch Etive stretches for 17 miles from Con- www.hebrideanair.co.uk) operates fl ights from nel to Kinlochetive (accessible by road from Connel Airfi eld (near Oban) to Tiree via Coll (one Glencoe). At Connel Bridge, 5 miles north way from Oban/Coll £65/25, twice daily Monday of Oban, the loch is joined to the sea by a and Wednesday). narrow channel partly blocked by an un- BIKE You can rent bicycles from Millhouse Hostel derwater rock ledge. When the tide fl ows in (p 299 ) and from McLennan Motors (%01879- 220555; Scarinish); the latter can also rent you and out – as it does twice a day – millions of a car. tons of water pour through this bottleneck, creating spectacular white-water rapids BOAT Ferry connections and fares are the same as for Coll (see Getting There & Around, p 298 ). known as the Falls of Lora. You can park Except on Wednesday and Friday the ferry goes near the north end of the bridge and walk to Coll fi rst; journey time from Oban to Tiree is back into the middle to have a look. then four hours. (HS; www.historic TAXI John Kennedy (%01879-220419). -scotland.gov.uk; Dunstaff nage; adult/child £3.70/2.20; h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep, to 4.30pm Oct, closed Thu & Fri Nov-Mar), 2 miles NORTH ARGYLL west of Connel, looks like a schoolkid’s drawing of what a castle should look like – square and massive, with towers at the cor- Loch Awe ners, and perched on top of a rocky outcrop. It was built around 1260 and was captured Loch Awe is one of Scotland’s most beauti- by Robert the Bruce during the Wars of ful lochs, with rolling forested hills around Independence in 1309. The haunted ruins its southern end and spectacular moun- of the nearby 13th-century chapel contain tains in the north. It lies between Oban and lots of Campbell tombs decorated with Inveraray and is the longest loch in Scot- skull-and-crossbone carvings. land – about 24 miles long – but is less than One of the region’s most unusual histori- a mile wide for most of its length. See www. cal sights is Bonawe Iron Furnace (HS; www. loch-awe.com for more information. historic-scotland.gov.uk; adult/child £4.20/2.50; At its northern end, Loch Awe escapes to the sea through the narrow Pass of Brand- er, where Robert the Bruce defeated the Mac- (Continued on page 309) (Continued from page 300) A fascinating self-guided tour leads you around the various parts of the site. 309 h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep), near Taynuilt. Dat- From the jetty opposite the entrance ing from 1753, it was built by an iron-smelt- to Bonawe, Loch Etive Cruises (%07721- ing company from the English Lake District 732703, 01866-822430) runs boat trips to because of the abundance of birchwood in the head of Loch Etive and back between the area. The wood was made into charcoal, one and three times daily (except Saturday)

which was needed for smelting the iron – to from March to November. There are two- SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSNORTH & ARGYLL ISLANDS produce Bonawe’s annual output of 700 tons hour cruises (adult/child £10/8, departing of pig iron took 10,000 acres of woodland. 10am and noon) and three-hour cruises

WHALE-WATCHING WISDOM: RUSSELL LEAPER SLEEPING & EATING SLEEPING Russell Leaper works for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), conducting scientifi c research to try and help reduce threats to whales around the world. He lives in , near Fort William. How does Scotland’s west coast compare in the league of world whale-watching spots? Rather like the weather, whale-watching in Scotland is less predictable than elsewhere. There is a good chance of seeing minke whales and harbour porpoises. Bottlenose and common dolphins are also seen regularly, and there is a small chance of seeing several other species of whales and dolphins. Basking sharks are also often SLEEPING & EATING SLEEPING & TAYNUILT CONNEL seen on whale-watching trips. The whale-watching season tends to run from April to September because of the weather (they’re easier to spot in calm conditions) but the whales may be around longer than this. What was your most memorable whale sighting in Scottish waters? In 20 years of studying whales around the world, it’s Scotland that has given me some of my most memorable encounters. On a small sailing boat on a glassy calm day in the Sound of , myself and a group of children watched for nearly an hour as a minke whale played with the boat like a dolphin. The huge body with a small, curious eye would pass back and forth underneath us before surfacing to breathe out with a rasping blow that smelt of rotten vegetables. A special experience shared with my own children, but also with two girls from Belarus. Visiting Scotland for a month to escape a home still suff ering from the eff ects of Chernobyl, they had never seen the sea before, let alone made eye contact with a whale. Are whale and dolphin numbers in Scottish waters rising, falling, staying the same? We only have rather approximate estimates of numbers for a few species and almost no information on trends. The numbers of animals close to the coast varies from year to year but we don’t really know how this relates to overall numbers. Unfor- tunately, Norway still kills several hundred minke whales a year from the same popula- tion that is watched around Scotland. Does the whale-watching industry in Scotland have any negative impact on ce- tacean populations? There’s certainly a risk that whale-watching can disturb whales but we don’t have any evidence that this is a problem on the west coast of Scotland. The quantity of boat traffi c, including whale-watching, is much lower than many other areas. How can visitors ensure that their whale-watching activity has minimal impact? Scottish Natural Heritage has developed the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code (www.marinecode.org). These are simple, common-sense measures to minimise disturbance. Feedback from customers is probably the most eff ective way of ensuring that operators stick to the code. You can contribute to minimising impact by knowing the code and telling the boat operator if they are not respecting it. Are there any organisations that people can get involved with on a voluntary basis? IFAW is one of a number of groups campaigning on behalf of whales and dol- phins at an international level. Locally, the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust based in Tobermory (see p 291) runs programs with volunteers and also collates sightings. (£15/12, departing 2pm). You may spot ea- Lios Mor means ‘Great Garden’) – all lush 310 gles, otters, seals and deer, and at the head grassland sprinkled with wildfl owers, with of the loch you can see the famous Etive grey blades of limestone breaking through slabs – dotted with rock climbers in dry the soil. And that’s the secret – limestone is weather. Bookings essential. rare in the Highlands, but it weathers to a Buses between Oban and Fort William very fertile soil. or Glasgow, and trains between Oban and St ’s Centre (www.celm.org.uk;

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS Glasgow, all stop in Connel and Taynuilt. adult/child £3.50/free; h11am-4pm May-Sep, See p288 for details. noon-3pm Apr, Oct & Nov) houses a fascinat- ing exhibition on Lismore’s history and culture; alongside stands a reconstruc- Appin & Around tion of a crofter’s cottage. The Lismore The Appin region, once ruled over by the Café (%01631-760020; mains £3-6; hlunch Stewarts of Appin from their stronghold at daily, dinner Fri & Sat Apr-Oct) here has an , stretches north from the rocky outdoor deck with a stunning view of the shores of to the hills of Glencoe. mainland mountains (booking necessary The Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary (www. for dinner). The centre is in the middle sealsanctuary.co.uk; Barcaldine; adult/child of the island – if you’re walking, you can take a short cut by starting along the £12.50/10; h10am-5pm Mar-Oct), 8 miles north of Oban on the shores of Loch Creran, coastal path north of the pier at Achnac- provides a haven for orphaned seal pups. As roish (2 miles by road, just over 1 mile by well as the seal pools there are tanks with the path). The romantic ruins of 13th-century Castle

NORTH ARGYLL herrings, rays and fl atfi sh, touch pools for children, an otter sanctuary and displays Coeffin have a lovely setting on the west on Scotland’s marine environment. coast, a mile from Clachan (follow the North of Loch Creran, at Portnacroish, waymarked path). Tirefour , a defen- there’s a wonderful view of Castle Stalker sive tower with double walls reaching 4m perched on a tiny off shore island – Monty in height, is directly opposite on the east Python buff s will recognise it as the castle coast. that appears in the fi nal scenes of the fi lm There is very little short-stay accom- Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Port Ap- modation on Lismore. However, there are pin, a couple of miles off the main road, is a several self-catering options advertised on pleasant spot with a passenger ferry to the www.isleofl ismore.com. island of Lismore. Lismore is long and narrow – 10 miles The delightfully quaint Pierhouse Hotel long and just over a mile wide – with a road running almost its full length. Clachan, (%01631-730302; www.pierhousehotel.co.uk; a scattering of houses midway between Port Appin; s £70-120, d £120-175; pW) sits on the waterfront above the ferry pier for and Point, is the nearest the Lismore, and has stylish modern rooms, a island has to a village. Lismore Stores sauna and an excellent restaurant (mains (h9am-5.30pm Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri, to 1pm Wed & Sat; i), between Achnacroish and Clachan, £15-25, hlunch & dinner) that enjoys a view across the water to Lismore, and specialises is a grocery store and post offi ce, and has in local seafood and game. internet access. You can hire bikes from Port Appin Bike (%01631-730391), at the entrance to the vil- 8 Getting There & Around lage, for £8/12 per half-/full day. BIKE Lismore Bike Hire (%01631-760213) Scottish Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) bus- will deliver your bike to the ferry slip; hire costs es between Oban and Fort William stop at £6/10 per half-/full day. the Sea Life Sanctuary and Appin village. BOAT A CalMac (www.calmac.co.uk) car ferry See p288 for details. runs from Oban to Achnacroish, with two to fi ve sailings Monday to Saturday (passenger/car £5.55/45.90 return, 50 minutes). L i s m o r e Argyll & Bute Council (www.argyll-bute.gov. uk) operates the passenger ferry from Port Ap- POP 170 pin to Point (£1.35, 10 minutes, hourly). Bicycles The fi rst thing you notice about the island of are carried for free. Lismore is how green it is (the Gaelic name TAXI Phone %01631-760220. © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’