Welcome to HOLIDAY West Highland - Discover the West Highlands

Cowal - quiet location with lochs, glens and stunning scenery

Author Holiday West Highland

THE Cowal Peninsula is another West Highlands area of great charm, a marvellous unspoiled stretch of land starting in the north at Cairndow on Loch Fyne. In the south, three fat Þ ngers of land are separated by Lochs Riddon and Striven, the Kyles of Bute and the Firth of Clyde.

Some tourists drive through Cowal just to reach Colintraive and the ferry to Bute, but not to stop is to miss an awful lot. In fact, Cowal makes an ideal touring base as it’s a quiet location with lochs and glens, high mountains, ancient castles and stunning inland scenery. Here too is Argyll Forest Park which offers high mountains for experienced walkers and climbers as well as gentle forest trails – ideal for a day’s rambling and for spotting bird and wildlife. From the north you can enter Cowal on the B828 at the quaintly named Rest And Be Thankful on the busy A83 or via Cairndow on the A815 along the shores of stunning Loch Fyne which offers great views of Inverarary and Furnace and down the loch.

A stop at Ardkinglas Woodland Garden at Cairndow is an ideal way to start your visit. In the gardens are some of the tallest conifers in the British Isles and a fine collection of rhododendrons.

Cairndown itself has a fascinating and unique octagonal church and is set amid glorious woodland scenery. As with everywhere else in the West Highlands Cowal is rich in history and it is also a naturalist’s paradise. From the Rest and Be Thankful you’’ll pass through Hell’s Glen with its steep slopes, an ideal place to see a red deer or bird of prey. Beyond the sinisterly named glen is the charming village of St Catherine ’s and beyond that Strachur, both on Loch Fyne.

At Strachur the home of famous soldier Sir Fitzroy MacLean dominates the village. Many believe Ian Fleming ’s James Bond – was based on Sir Fitzroy. Also here is a fully restored 18th century blacksmith’s where demonstrations sometimes take place. Hugging the shoreline is Old Castle Lachlan, a 15th century castle with a turbulent clan history which was destroyed aft er the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. The famous Creggans Inn, on the shores of Loch Fyne has stunning views which complement their award-winning cuisine in the Fine Dining Restaurant and the Bar restaurant. The MacLellan family have just take over the 14 bedroom hotel and ensure a genuine and warm welcome to all.

The hotel has an exciting legacy being owned formerly by Sir Fitzroy MacLean on who James Bond was based. Continue along the meandering B8000 and you come to Otter Ferry –aptly named for if you wait long enough you’ll probably see an ott er. There’s some good walking to be had round here with views to Jura and Islay. At Kilfinan at the most southerly top of the peninsula you’’ll discover more walks through leafy woodlands as well as plenty of shoreline picnic spots. There are plenty of golf courses in Cowal, particularly in and around its main town, Dunoon, and you’’ll love to be able to tee off at the scenic nine-hole course with its views to Arran. This is outdoor activity country with walking and climbing, wildlife-spotting and excellent areas for mountainbiking. The largest community on the peninsula is the town of Dunoon on the shores of the Firth of Clyde and at the entrance to Holy Loch.

Dunoon is a popular holiday destination also on the edge of Argyll Forest Park. Its promenades are lovely for a seafront stroll. There are plenty of hotels and boarding houses in Dunoon as well as golf courses in the area and a leisure centre. Cowal is easy to reach from Glasgow in around 1 hour and 15 minutes by the Rest And Be Thankful or just a little bit longer by ferry to Dunoon from Gourock.

As far back as is known, there was a ford across the River Eck, which a boatman ferried travellers at high tide. The Cot Inn gets its name Coitte (pronounced cot) - the Gaelic word for small boat. The hotel was the house where the ferryman lived. It is now a busy Inn serving meals all year round. On Cowal its quiet country inns are relaxed and friendly as are its hotels and guesthouses scatt ered throughout the peninsula. Every property is inspected and graded for quality assurance.