Looking for somewhere to stay, eat, drink or shop? www.findsomewhere.co.uk 1 Guide to Rural Scotland ARGYLLSHIRE A historic building B museum and heritage C historic site D scenic attraction E flora and fauna F stories and anecdotes G famous people H art and craft I entertainment and sport J walks Looking for somewhere to stay, eat, drink or shop? www.findsomewhere.co.uk 2 LOCATOR MAP Towns and Guide to Rural Scotland Ballachulish Villages Portnacroish Lochaline Ardanaiseig Garden pg 31 Bridge of Ardchattan pg 28 Craignure Benderloch Orchy Ardentinny pg 9 Lochdon Arduaine pg 31 Oban Tyndrum Stronmilchan Croggan Arrochar pg 22 l ARGYLLSHIRE Dalmally Auchindrain pg 23 Lochbuie Kilninver Kilchrenan Barcaldine pg 28 Cladich Benmore pg 8 Ardlui Kilmelford Bute pg 4 Arduaine Inveraray Cairndow Cairndow pg 20 ARGYLL Campbeltown pg 10 AND BUTE Arrochar Strachur Carradale pg 12 Ardfern Furnace Kilmartin Tarbet Connel Bridge pg 27 Crinan Crarae pg 23 Garelochhead Luss Dalavich pg 31 Ardlussa Lochgilphead Tayvallich Ardentinny Shandon Druimneil House Achnamara Helensburgh Garden pg 29 Dunadd pg 15 Kilfinan Ellary Achahoish Dunoon Du Dunoon pg 6 Kilmory Tighnabruaich Dunstaffnage pg 27 Rhubodach Kilmacolm Glenbarr pg 12 Tarbert Innellan Portavadie Rothesay Inveraray pg 18 Kilberry Kennacraig RENFREWSH Kilberry pg 18 Ascog Largs Skipness Kilmarie pg 18 Kilchattan Millport Kilmartin pg 16 Tarbert Crossaig Fairlie Lochranza Kilmelford pg 31 West Kilbride Kilmichael Glassary pg 16 Ardminish Tayinloan Kilwinning Pirnmill Corrie Kilmory pg 18 Muasdale Imachar Ardrossan Kilmun pg 7 Kinlochlaich Gardens pg 28 Glenbarr Dippen Brodick Irvine Sadell Loch Awe pg 29 Troon Bellochantuy Blackwaterfoot Lochgilphead pg 14 Oban pg 23 Ugadale Sliddery Whiting Prestwick Bay Saddell pg 11 KilkenzieCampbeltown Lagg Ayr Southend pg 11 Fisherton Kildalloig Culroy Strachur pg 20 Tarbert pg 12 Macharioc Maybole Taynuilt pg 29 Southend Turnberry Kirkoswald Toward pg 9 A historic building B museum and heritage C historic site D scenic attraction E flora and fauna F stories and anecdotes G famous people H art and craft I entertainment and sport J walks Looking for somewhere to stay, eat, drink or shop? www.findsomewhere.co.uk 3 Argyll Guide to Rural Scotland Argyll (sometimes also called Argyllshire) is months), and driving is a pleasure. The climate one of the most diverse and beautiful counties is mild, thanks to the Gulf Stream, and the in Scotland. It sits on the country’s western place has many fine gardens to explore, such seaboard, where long sea lochs penetrate deep as Ardkinglas, Crarae and Arduaine, some with into the interior and mountains tumble down palm trees and other species you would not towards fertile glens. expect to thrive so far north. ARGYLLSHIRE The name Argyll comes from the Gaelic Man has lived in Argyll for centuries. Earraghaidheal, meaning the coastline of the Around Kilmartin there are cairns and Gaels. It can truly claim to be the cradle of standing stones built long before the ancient Scotland, for this was at one time the kingdom Egyptians built the pyramids. A museum in of Dalriada, founded by the Scotti who the village of Kilmartin itself records the originally came from Ireland in the 6th history of the area, and explains the many century. Here, at the fortress of Dunadd, they cairns, standing stones, stone circles, graves established their capital. From Dunadd, in and henges that abound in the area. AD843 Kenneth MacAlpin, King of Dalriada, The Argyll coastline is rugged and rocky, set off towards Scone in Perthshire (taking the though there are some marvellous, glistening Stone of Destiny with him) to claim the beaches, which are invariably empty. And, while throne of the Picts through his mother’s the landscapes are rugged and romantic, there family, thus uniting the two great northern are also lush meadows and farmlands where kingdoms and creating an embryonic Scotland, heavily-horned Highland cattle can be seen. at that time called Alba. In the The island of Bute, in the Firth of Clyde, 11th century, the Lothians (centred on also forms part of Argyll. Along with Arran Edinburgh) and Strathclyde (centred on and the Cumbraes, it used to form the county Dumbarton) were absorbed, and Scotland as of Bute, but local government reorganisation we largely know it today was formed. in the 170s meant its demise as an The other great Dalriadan centre was at administrative unit, sharing out its islands what is now Dunstaffnage, north of Oban. between Argyll and Ayrshire. The site is nowadays occupied by That great peninsula known as the Mull of Dunstaffnage Castle, one of the most Kintyre, which hangs down into the Atlantic spectacular fortifications on Scotland’s western like an arm, is also in Argyll. This is a remote seaboard. And the 12th-century Castle Sween, part of Scotland. It forms part of the on the shores of Loch Sween, is reckoned to mainland yet is as isolated as any island. be the oldest surviving stone built castle on Though Glasgow is only 60 miles from the Scottish mainland. Campbeltown as the crow flies, it takes the Though it has attractive towns, such as average driver three or four hours over Oban, Lochgilphead, Inveraray and twisting, loch-girt roads to reach it. This is the Campbeltown, Argyll is sparsely populated. area made famous by Sir Paul McCartney’s There are few clogged highways (though song Mull of Kintyre, where he sings of mists Oban can get very busy in the summer rolling in from the sea. A historic building B museum and heritage C historic site D scenic attraction E flora and fauna F stories and anecdotes G famous people H art and craft I entertainment and sport J walks Looking for somewhere to stay, eat, drink or shop? www.findsomewhere.co.uk 4 Bute Firth of Clyde, and at one time attracted Guide to Rural Scotland thousands of Glasgow tourists during the E Ardencraig Gardens D Canada Hill Glasgow Fair, which is always the last two A Rothesay Castle B Bute Museum weeks in July. Fine Victorian mansions line the front, built to take Glasgow merchants who A Church of St Mary C Dunagoil Vitrified Fort would descend on the town, along with family B H Isle of Bute Discovery Centre Victorian Toilets and servants. There were also more modest J West Island Way A St Blane’s Chapel B&Bs and guest houses that took in the A St Ninian’s Chapel A St Macaille’s Chapel working classes for what was their one and only ARGYLLSHIRE A Mount Stuart House holiday of the year. It eventually earned the nickname of Scotland’s Madeira, not just E Ascog Hall Fernery & Garden because it was on an island, but because palm The island of Bute is the second largest of the trees flourish here due to the influence of the islands in the Firth of Clyde, and used to be Gulf Stream. part of the small county of the same name, The gentleness of the climate can best be which also took in Arran and the Cumbraes. It appreciated at Ardencraig Gardens in is about 15 miles long by five miles wide, and Ardencraig Lane, which were bought by though it now comes under Argyll, the Rothesay Town Council in 1970. They formed Highland Boundary Fault passes right through part of the original gardens designed by Percy the island’s capital, Rothesay, and the 175-acre Cane for the owners of Ardencraig House. Loch Fad in the heart of the island. This Every summer it shimmers with colour, and is means that the larger northern part is in the a popular spot with holidaymakers. Another Highlands while the smaller southern part is in popular spot is Canada Hill, to the south of the Lowlands. The scenery reflects this, with the town, where there are spectacular views of the north being rugged, while the south is the Firth of Clyde. From here, people used to pastoral, with many small farms and watch ships sailing down the Clyde taking settlements. Scottish emigrants to a new life in North There are two ferries connecting Bute to the America, hence its name. On the sea front is a mainland. The main one is from Wemyss Bay memorial to people who left Rothesay but in Renfrewshire to Rothesay, while another, never returned - the six hundred Bute smaller one, runs between Ardentraive on the bowmen who fought alongside William Cowal Peninsula and Rhubodach on the north Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298. east tip of the island. The latter crossing takes Rothesay Castle (Historic Scotland) is one only about five minutes, with the distance of the oldest in Scotland. It is a royal castle with being just a third of a mile. At one time cattle, an unusual circular curtain wall and a water- instead of being transported between Bute filled moat, and was probably built in the 13th and the mainland, were made to swim the century by Walter, third steward of the royal crossing. household. Not long after, the Vikings besieged The main town Rothesay, is an ancient royal it. King Haakon of Norway took it in 1263, but burgh that was given its charter in 1401. It is was later defeated at the Battle of Largs. The one of the most famous holiday resorts on the Treaty of Perth, signed in 1266, gave Scotland A historic building B museum and heritage C historic site D scenic attraction E flora and fauna F stories and anecdotes G famous people H art and craft I entertainment and sport J walks Looking for somewhere to stay, eat, drink or shop? www.findsomewhere.co.uk 5 the Inner Hebrides and the island of Bute, and the southern outskirts of the town, is next to Guide to Rural Scotland it became a favourite residence of the first the present High Kirk built in 1796.