Inveraray and West Argyll
North from the Holy Loch, beyond beautiful Loch Eck, you come
to the village of Strachur and the shore of Loch Fyne, that long
blade of the sea which carves into the Argyll mountains. Just around
the head of Loch Fyne lies the picturesque village of Inveraray. At
one end of its bay stands Inveraray
Castle, still the seat of the once powerful Dukes of Argyll.
At the other end stands the pier, home of the old cutter, Arctic
Penguin and the Maritime Heritage Museum, while, in the heart
of the village, the 19th Century Inveraray
Jail takes you back
to an earlier life behind bars!
Continuing south along the western shore of Loch Fyne, you pass
through the picturesque towns of Lochgilphead and Adrishaig, where
the 18th Century Crinan Canal still bustles with commercial and
leisure craft. Soon you arrive at Tarbert, with its beautiful natural
harbour, former home to the once famous Loch Fyne herring fleet
and now haven for a few fishing boats and a lively yachting marina,
overlooked by the 13th Century castle ruins.
North of Inveraray you can tour to Loch Awe, guarded by the impressive
Kilchurn Castle and the towering mass of Ben Cruachan. Below the
summit lies the cauldron-like reservoir which feeds the hydro-electric
power station housed within the massive cavern excavated one kilometre
inside the mountain. This spectacular engineering achievement is
well worth a visit. On through the steep-sided Pass of Brander
you descend to the village of Taynuilt, followed by the picturesque
shores of Loch Etive and the village of Connel with its dramatic
bridge over the tidal rapids of the Falls of Lora. Passing Dunstaffnage
Castle and marina, you arrive at Oban, the unofficial capital of
the West Highlands. The harbour bustles with fishing and pleasure
craft and the pier serves the main ferries to the Hebridean Islands.
Oban nestles in the stunning setting of a sheltered bay whose steep
hillsides are lined with narrow lanes and crowned by the Coliseum-shaped
McCaig's Tower, with its outstanding views across the bay to the
Isles of Kerrera, Mull and Lismore.
Activities
You can step back almost 2 centuries and discover the stories of the men, women and children who were tried and served their sentences in Inveraray Jail. Discover how wrongdoers were treated before the days of prisons in the "Torture, Death and Damnation Exhibition". Take your seat on the public benches in the original Courtroom, and witness re-enactments of old trials. Meet the warder, matron and prisoners and explore the cells in the old and new prisons.
Inveraray Castle was built for the 5th Duke of Argyll in 1789 from an initial drawing by Sir John Vanbrugh and developed by Roger Morris and William Adam. The colourful gardens, park and woodland, featuring spectacular rhododendrons, azaleas and conifers, offer a selection of walks with glimpses of local wildlife and beautiful scenic views. Fieldsports are also available and a gift shop and tearoom complete the Inveraray Castle experience.
A visit to Ardkinglas gives you the opportunity to visit the mansion house designed and built by Sir Robert Lorimer which remains largely unaltered from the Edwardian era. The woodland garden plays host to a number of champion trees. A woodland lochan, ancient mill, fabulous rhododendron collection and a thriving population of red squirrels add to the attractions here.
