As my wife and I sat down to ideate travel plans for this fall (dovetailing a commitment in London this October), a few alternatives surfaced. We last visited Scotland in May 2023 (NC500, Orkney, Outer Hebrides) and this remains amongst our greatest trips ever – I had posted an extensive TR here 2023 : A Highland Odyssey . From prior experience, September in Scotland is also special, with enchanting autumn colours, sufficiently long daylight hours and generally conducive weather. The decison was easy : Scotland it is !

We pieced together a holiday itinerary clustered around the West, by including
-a few places we haven’t been at all (Argyll and Bute mostly), and
-a few that deserved more time than our prior trips allowed (notably Glencoe and Ardnamurchan)


The location pins represent our bases in Scotland. The numbers convey the sequence in which we travelled.

Over 2.5 weeks, we rented a car from Glasgow, hopping several islands (Bute, Arran, Islay, Jura) and peninsulas (Cowal, Kintyre) in West Scotland. We then ended with Glencoe and Ardnamurchan before returning our car in Glasgow and heading to London for a few days. This may seem a relatively slower pace than our other travels, because Scotland needs the time to soak it all in, after the initial shock and awe. That, and we’re getting older!

I will try and post this report in instalments over the next fortnight or so, and hope you will enjoy some of these relatively undervisited destinations as much as we did.

Looking forward to your report! We love Scotland! We were there in June 2023 for 2.5 weeks. Glencoe was one of our favorite destinations!

ANUJ, eagerly waiting for your detailed TR. We haven’t been to the UK since Covid and our next trip is long overdue. We’ve been to Edinburgh, Glasgow and the surrounding areas a couple of times, Glencoe included. But never to the Highlands, so I am along for the ride with you…

On board our Glasgow-bound flight at London Heathrow, I was reminiscing about our previous Scotland holidays, until a pilot announcement abruptly interrupted us. Our pushback to the runway was delayed due to an airport transport vehicle blocking us. Twenty minutes later, he said the rogue vehicle had actually bumped into the aircraft’s tail and the engineers' assessment of flight safety would take some time. Eventually, we had to deplane while BA arranged an alternate aircraft. Just the start we needed for a much-awaited holiday!

Anyway, we finally landed into Glasgow three hours later than scheduled. After retrieving our luggage, we were picked up by Arnold Clark and taken to their Paisley depot, to collect our rental car. Arnold Clark has become our #1 choice for rentals in Scotland, given their competitiveness and exceptional service. We received an Opel Corsa, in near-mint condition with < 2000 miles on the odometer.

We drove to Wemyss Bay to catch our ferry to our first destination of our holiday – Rothesay on the Isle of Bute.


Queuing up for the ferry


Appreciating the Victorian-inspired Wemyss Bay train station, as we waited to board


Departing Wemyss Bay


View of Toward Point lighthouse in the distance


Another ferry crosses us in the Firth of Clyde


The Isle of Bute has historically been a weekend destination from Glasgow, given the easy reach. While it has seen better days, the island is undergoing a slow revival of tourists seeking the Victorian elegance of Rothesay and the island scenery.

We reached our Rothesay apartment and were welcomed by our friendly host, who had herself battled much of the morning resolving a wifi network issue! We laughed at our mutual problems and decided to spend that afternoon strolling about Rothesay.


Along the Rothesay promenade


Restaurants and bars lining the main street, some creatively named


The serpenetine road to Canada Hill offering views over the town


View of Bute museum peeking between the trees


Cicrling the moat of the Rothesay Castle


View of the castle, from the cannon


Rothesay pier


Traditional street sign, near the pier


The famous Victorian toilets of Rothesay !


View of Rothesay from the pier


Signage at the esplanade

Today we decided to explore the south of the island following this loop.




Our first stop was Ascog - with two points of interest - a small beach and the gardens of Ascog House.


Leaving Rothesay, passing Craigmore


Ascog Bay


Ascog House


Rhododendrons in bloom, at the Ascog Gardens


Our next stop was Mount Stuart. This is a fantasy mansion nestled in a vast estate overlooking the Firth of Clyde. It is the ancestral home of the seventh marquess of Bute - Johnny Bute. The mansion was created (or re-created) by the eccentric third marquess of Bute after a fire destroyed their home in 1877 (he also transformed the Cardiff Castle, another of their ancestral properties). We enjoyed strolling around the vast grounds and lush woodland gardens.


At Mount Stuart, view of the house


Rock Garden


Walking the grounds ...


... to the Wee Garden


Sundial at Wee Garden


Along the "champion tree" trail


One of the champion trees, these are examples of their species because of size, age or rarity, marked with a blue plaque


The Column


The kitchen garden


The Pinetum


After a brief stop at Kilchattan Bay, we headed to St Blane's Chapel, dating back to 500AD. Its a relatively steep climb from the parking.


At Kilchattan Bay


Houses at Kilchattan Bay


View from parking near St Blane's, the sheep always find the most scenic grazing spots!


Climb to the chapel


View as we approached


Inside


Outside


Our next stop was the gorgeous Scalpsie Bay Beach. We also ventured out to the Seal Viewpoint nearby. There are reportedly 200 seals in this area, but we didn't spot any (usually bask on the rocks when tide is low and sun is out).


Scalpsie Beach


Scalpsie Beach


Scalpsie Beach


Descending to the seal viewpoint


We passed through St Ninans Bay (Straad) and the Pencil Box (a unique book swapping initiative using an abandoned phonebooth as library), before our final stop Ettrick Bay.


St Ninans Bay (Straad)


Cows grazing near St Ninans Bay (Straad)


The "Pencil Box"


Ettrick Bay


Ettrick Bay


Back in Rothesay, we enjoyed walking down the promenade one last time.


Back at Rothesay, view of ferry docked at the terminal

Great photos -- looking forward to the rest of your report. You hit some glorious corners of Scotland.

(One teeny tiny thing -- "Rhododendrons in bloom" Nope. Those are Hydrangeas. Rhodys bloom much earlier in the year)

Wow!!! I never heard of Isle of Bute! Your photos are stunning! What a gorgeous place. You certainly have a knack for finding lesser- known places to visit. The cows, the sheep, the seascapes; everything is gorgeous. And I love the idea of re-purposing the phone booth! How clever!

amazing to think how northerly you were, the Gulf Stream is a real miracle

the multiple re-use of phone boxes is a whole "thing", in the UK

Thank you for all your comments.

karen - I do recall your trip (and report) - I think we were both in Scotland around the same time in 2023.

geetika - this itinerary is somewhat selective, and includes only Glencoe and Ardnamurchan in the Highlands. My earlier one 2023 : A Highland Odyssey is perhaps a more comprehensive account of the Highlands.

janis-thanks for that input, I stand corrected.

bilboburgler-true, and except one stormy day, we got really lucky with the weather overall.

After breakfast, we checked out of Rothesay and caught the short ferry from Rhubodach (at the northern tip of Bute) over to Colintrave.


Driving through Port Bannatyne en route to Rhubodach


Reflections in the water, at the Port Bannatyne marina


The short ferry crossing


We were heading to Tighnabruaich, a beautiful village tucked away on the southwest tip of the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll. Bordered by two beautiful stretches of water, the Kyles of Bute and Loch Fyne, the Cowal is beautiful with hills and glens, a rugged coastline with sandy beaches and oak forests.




We drove up the eastern shore of Loch Ruel, with some fine views along the way.


Loch Ruel


Interesting spot for a barbeque grill


We then looped back south via the very scenic A8003 (part of the Argyll's Secret Coast) enjoying several panoramic viewpoints en route.


Viewpoint en route to Tighnabruiach


Viewpoint en route to Tighnabruiach


We arrived in Tighnabruaich earlier than anticipated, and spent some time exploring the village before checking into our B&B. The village is pretty much a single street with some houses, shops and hotels/restaurants along either side. Two sports (visibly) dominate here : yachting (top rated sailing school and club) and shinty (a hockey-like game, the local team is supposedly one of the most illustrious in the history of this sport).


Walking along the shore at Tighnabruaich


Beautiful house (or maybe hotel ?)


A former church, now converted to a residence !


The "main street"


After check-in and some rest, we set out for Kilbride Bay (confusingly, the locals call it Ostel Bay). This is a remote crescent of sand (located around fifteen minutes by foot from the nearest parking, by the Kilbride farm/bothy) with hardly any visitors.


On the long walk to the beach ...


.. through the machair


Arrriving at the beach

A lesiurely stroll at the beach


And some people finally join us (with their little dog)

What’s a Scottish holiday without a Calmac (the west coast ferry operator) curveball? We had planned to make the short crossing from Portavadie (5 miles from Tighnabruaich) directly to Tarbert. However, Calmac decided to redeploy the car ferry elsewhere, to resolve another crisis on its network. That left us little choice but to drive ~100 miles up and down the shores of Loch Fyne to Tarbert. However, this coastal route is also part of Argyll's Secret Coast - off the beaten path and very scenic - so it ended up being a rewarding discovery.




We set off on the challenging but scenic single track B8000 road along the eastern shore.


The Oyster Catcher at Otter Ferry


The bay at Otter Ferry


Old Castle Lachlan (in ruins)


New Castle Lachlan (privately owned)


At Cairndow, we made a brief detour to visit the Rest and be Thankful viewpoint, as the road was open.


Rest and Be Thankful viewpoint


Loch Fyne Oyster Bar at Clachan, reportedly sells more oysters than anywhere else in Scotland


After looping around the head of Loch Fyne, we spent some time to revisit Inveraray, a town we had enjoyed many years ago. Inveraray is tiny, but very charming - with a castle, an old jailhouse (now museum) and some interesting whitewashed houses with black window and door casements.


Approaching Inveraray


Inveraray Castle, built in 1746, remains the home of the Duke of Argyll. Th Loire chateau-style remodeling is more recent


The Main Street


The Front Street (not very imaginative names!)


Inveraray Jail


Refelctions in Loch Fyne, view of sheltered bay


We made a minor detour up the Crinan canal - which provides a navigable route connecting the Firth of Clyde and Inner Hebrides. We saw the start point (Crinan) and end point (Ardrishaig) later, as we made our way to Tarbert.


Small marina en route to Crinan, with yachts


Lighthouse at Crinan


At the starting point of the Crinan Canal


A ship comes through one of the canal locks


Viewpoint at Bellanoch, along the canal


Swing bridges along the canal


We finally drove down the A83 hugging the western shore of Loch Fyne and reached Tarbert by afternoon. After settling into our apartment, we set out to explore the village, and visit the harbour and castle. Tarbert is a fishing port, quiet and peaceful all year round except in May, when it becomes the venue for major yachting races.


View of Tarbert


Along the Harbour Street


Colorful storefronts


Colorful storefronts


At the Tarbert Castle


Views over Loch Fyne from Castle


View of harbour from Castle


View of Tarbert from Castle


At Tarbert harbour

Love that part of the country! Great photos. Some people are surprised by all the beaches in western Scotland. Its probably been 17+ years since I've been to Tighnabruaich/Kames. Looks like there is a fair amount of new housing in the village. A long time Fodorite is from Tighnabruaich/Kames but I think he is no longer active on the forums having had some health issues.


Years ago my ex, our Scottie and Airedale and I stayed over Hogmanay at the hotel (only hotel at that time) in Tighnabruaich. That was an amazing experience, being the only tourists in town and being wined and dined and taught every Scottish country dance and even going First Footin' with everyone. The best, bar none, New Years I've ever celebrated. Got stuck in snow and high centered on the drive down from Ballochchandrain. Ron hiked over the hill to the nearest farmhouse while I waited in the Morgan with the dogs to eventually be pulled out by tractor.

Edit: Oh, I was posting at the same time you were putting up your next installment Now I have more to catch up with . . .

Thanks janis for sharing that - I'm glad this brings back fond memories.

Today, we planned to drive the Kintyre loop driving south along the B842 touristic route (along the east coast), and return via the main road A83 (along the west coast).



Our first stop was Skipness to visit the ruins of the castle and chapel.




Appproaching the castle


Peeking through doorways into the courtyard


Latrine Wall !!


Fireplace and main hall 1st floor


View from terrace, the chapel and Arran in the background


View of fortified walls from terrace




Inside


Outside


Views of Arran from outside the chapel


The eastern Kintyre coast is attractive, we made several stops along the way, including the tiny harbour at Carradale.


Along the east coast


Along the east coast


Carradale harbour


Carradale harbour


We finally reached the capital Campbeltown (with its Victorian architecture), which thrived during shipbuilding and fishing boom. In the 19th century, Campbeltown also had the greatest density of distilleries in Scotland (34 at its peak), now down to remaining three.


Public library and museum


The townhall


The main street


The main street


The courthouse


The former church, now heritage centre


Strolling around


Strolling around


Campbeltown cross


Wee Pictures, the art deco cinema hall


The harbour


We then headed towards Davaar Island, near Campbeltown. It is a tidal island, linked to the mainland at low tide by a natural causeway (called The Doirlinn). The crossing on foot can be made safely upto 3 hours on either side of the lowest tide time (1.15pm on this day, and we were in perfect time to do it). It takes about 45 minutes on foot from the nearest parking, across the causeway and to the lighthouse.


Walking to the Davaar island on the causeway


At the island, only goats and sheep to welcome us


A few stray pods


The lighthouse


View from lighthouse


And the long walk back to the mainland


We drove through the bulbous tip of the peninsula, around Southend. On a clear day, you can see the shores of Northern Ireland from here.


Dunaverty Bay, Southend


The west coast of Kintyre is more rugged and bleak, being fully exposed to the seas. We made brief stops near Machrihanish and Tayinloan (for views out to the Isle of Gigha), before returning to Tarbert.


Near Machrihanish


Near Tayinloan, the island in the distant background is Gigha

Lovely photos and bringing back memories of a lovely holiday on Loch Fyne.
Would love to get back to that area someday.

ANUJ, I love all of your photos from Day 3 through Day 5! Especially love the photo called "Reflections" with the boats. I think you lucked out with the CalMac cancellation Even though it was a long drive, the scenery is stunning and worth it. I especially love the ruins of Tarbert Castle. Castle ruins are so mysterious and evocative.

You have a good memory! We were in Scotland in May/June 2023.

hetismij2 and Karen, thank you for following along.

We took the first ferry out from Claonaig (near Tarbert) to Lochranza (the northern tip of Isle of Arran). It was a very turbulent crossing - and we were lucky to have got on, as Calmac suspended sailing until later that evening due to inclement weather.

Arran's landscape mirrors Scotland with mountainous terrain akin to the Highlands in the north, and gentler, bucolic Lowlands in the south separated by a faultline. The island also shares iconic Scottish features like peaks, valleys (glens), beaches, standing stones, castles, distilleries … earning Arran the moniker of “Scotland in miniature”.




We visited the ruins of Lochranza Castle overlooking the Bay, a short way from the ferry terminal.


The castle


Storage Room


Hall


Kitchen


The prison


Returning to the parking


We drove by the Lochranza Distillery.


The distillery


The visitor centre


Our first plan of action was to trek in Glen Sannox. The first trail was to the North Glen Sannox waterfalls.


At the start of the trail


Wildflower


Approaching the falls


Stepping stones


At the head of the falls


Our second trail was from the Sannox village car park along the burn. We walked over an hour deep into the glen, and turned back at the point called The Saddle, which continues as a demanding mountain circuit.


Near the start of the trail


.. and we're off


Across the footbridge


.. and towards the burn


Enjoying the the play of the clouds with the light


The play of clouds and light


Stepping stones,we criss-crossed several times


This is where turned back (at the Saddle), it continues as a mountain trail hereafter


Heading back, view of the Firth of Clyde in the far distance


View of the glen, in better light


Our final trek was Glen Rosa. We parked near the campsite and again walked about an hour into the glen, upto a point that has become famous on Instagram as the Blue Pool. The weather had turned around completely, and we even spotted two golden eagles soaring in the clear skies.


At the start of the trail


Deeper in the glen


Across the bridge


The first set of falls


The second set of falls


Approaching the blue pool


The blue pool


This is as far as we went into the glen, and then turned back


Heading back


We finally made our way to Brodick, and checked into our B&B. It had been a long and tiring day (over 18kms of walking!), so we just strolled for a bit along the promenade and called it an early night.

ANUJ, am loving your narrative and pictures. Bright blue skies are always welcome, but the play of mist and clouds adds something mysterious and magical.

My father had a couple of Arran knit sweaters, probably bought in London as he never went to Scotland, your TR brought back long forgotten memories!

I spent a spring in a caravan over looking Aran, the locals said, if you could not see it it was raining, if you could see it it was going to rain