Tag: Lochgilphead

Round Britain: Lochgilphead to Machrihanish

On By Carol HenshawIn Beaches, ScotlandLeave a comment

En route to Lochgilphead where we were re-starting our tour of the British coast we passed Glasgow and stopped briefly so that I could take a photograph of the Clydeside Distillery which has been there since 1897.

I am compiling a photobook for James of the whisky distilleries in the British Isles. There were views over the Clyde on a very sunny morning

and street art on the nearby railway bridge.

Continuing, we stopped for lunch at the Rest and be Thankful. These words were inscribed on a stone by the workers who built the military road in the 1740s. There is a good view down the glen.

After settling into the campsite, it was time to walk to a local restaurant for a meal. There are views down Loch Gilp from the shore.

The following morning we set off down the west side of Loch Gilp. The road parallels the southern end of the Crinan Canal and passes through Ardrishaig. A little further on we took the B8204 which runs over a hill, past a small lochan and down to Loch Caolisport. There are several small villages along the road. At Achahoish was a firewood seller and at Ormisary there was a fish farm. There are views over to Jura and Islay. At Kilberry there are some engraved stones which may have come from a medieval church and burial ground nearby.

While a drain was being dug under a bowling green, human bones were found. The stones are dated between the 14th and 15th centuries. There is also the remains of a castle nearby but it is on private land with no access. At Tarbet we entered the Mull of Kintyre which I had not visited since childhood. In 1597 Kintyre had been marked out as a rebellious part of the Gaelic west which needed control. Ten years later Clan Donald lands were taken over by Archibald Campbell, Earl of Argyll. Hence the town he created became Campbeltown. The plantation by the lowland lairds happened in 1650, most came from Ayrshire and Renfrewshire and took place before the plantation of Ulster. We had a coffee in Tarbert and then walked up the hill from the harbour to the ruined castle.

There was a hill fort here which became a Royal Castle in 1292. It was extended by Robert the Bruce in 1325 and repaired further by James IV in 1494. IN 1705 it was tenanted by the Campbells but fell into disrepair by 1760 when most of the useful stones were used to build the harbour. There are views all around from the castle.

We then continued down the A83 along the side of West Loch Tarbert, passing Kennacraig where the ferry to Islay departs from and further on, the Arran Ferry port. Lunch was had in a small car park just south of Ronachan Bay. Apparently seals and otters can be seen here but none on my visit. There are views over to Gigha and Jura.

At Tayinloan a ferry runs to Gigha. After Campbeltown airport we drove through the town and then took the B road to Machrihanish. The town was formerly known as ‘The Pans’ up to the 18th century when salt was formed from the evaporation of seawater and it is still on this old milepost.

Kintyre’s only mine closed in 1967 and was nearby. Our campsite was next to the golf course but there were views over to the sea so in the evening I watched the sun go down.

The following morning was time for a beach walk. Machrihanish Bay is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and has the largest sand dune system in mainland Argyll.  It was very quiet that morning.

A lazy day followed before we got ready for the next leg in our journey.

Round Britain: Ardfern to Lochgilphead

On By Carol HenshawIn ScotlandLeave a comment

On a sunny start to our last day of this trip we drove back up to the head of Loch Craignish to rejoin the A816. It turned inland and through some forests before we reached Carnasserie Castle.

The castle is a ruined 16th century tower house which was the home of the first Protestant Bishop of the Isles, Master John Carswell. He translated John Knox’s ‘Book of Our Common Order’ into Gaelic. This was the first book to be printed in Gaelic.

The castle is now under the care of Historic Scotland. We climbed up the stairs to see the view up Kilmartin Glen.

The Kilmartin Burn runs parallel to the road.

We then continued through Kilmartin and shortly afterwards, turned onto the B8025. Kilmartin has many ancient cairns and cup-marked rocks which you can find on walks around the village. We stopped at five standing stones in one of the fields near the road.

Further on we passed the Móine Mhór Nature Reserve before reaching the swing bridge at the beginning of the Crinan Canal at Bellanoch. It is only 9 miles long and runs from Crinan to Ardrishaig on Loch Fyne. Crinan is a small village located in Knapdale, which is part of Argyll and Bute. Before the Crinan Canal was built (it finally opened in 1809 after the first surveying began in 1777) Crinan was named Port Righ which meant the king’s port. We drove down to the harbour

and then round to the other side where we found a café next to the basin and locks.  

Near Dunardy Locks we stopped for lunch. In addition to the locks was one ruined building. The information board said that it was Linnet Shed which had been the boathouse for a passenger boat called The Linnet which had been built in 1866. It left the shed in 1929 and was destroyed in a gale three years later.

Just past Cairnbaan we crossed a bridge and got back onto the A816. Soon after we were in Lochgilphead where we will spend our last night on this leg of our journey. It sits at the head of Loch Gilp which is an offshoot of Loch Fyne.

Lochgilphead was first laid out as a planned town in the late 18th century, soon after the completion of the road from Inveraray to Campbeltown. It’s importance grew after the Crinan Canal was completed. It is the administrative centre of Argyll and Bute. Our mileage total for this section was 310 miles bringing the total of Round Britain so far to 3,909.