Things To Do Argyll

Things to do in Argyll

Take a cruise on Loch Etive, inaccessible except by boat, and one of Scotland's great hidden treasures.

Explore the archaeological treasures of Kilmartin Glen.

Drive down to Tighnabruaich in Southwest Cowal and enjoy the wonderful views across the Kyles of Bute.

Take a look round the magnificent Gothic fantasy of Mount Stuart.

Isle of Bute Kilchattan Bay to Glencallum Bay walk

The route is waymarked, but if you want to take a map, it's OS Landranger sheet 63

A longer walk is the circular route from Kilchattan Bay south to Glencallum Bay and back, via St Blane's Chapel. The walk is five miles in total. Allow about three hours.

Follow the signpost for 'Kelspoke Path' beside Kiln Villas and take the track which climbs steadily before turning sharply back on itself. Go through a gate and shortly before the next gate turn right. Follow the rough track, which swings right, then left over open ground to the ruins of Kelspoke Castle.

Continue along the grassy path, past a reservoir on your right, then cross the stile and go down and across a small burn. Turn left and follow the burn, before heading right to join the shore path and follow this past the lighthouse on your left and around the headland to Glencallum Bay. Continue round the shoreline and at the far end of the bay follow the waymarks as the path climbs to cross the headland. The path then levels out and from here there are great views across to the mountains of Arran. The path then reaches the col above Loch na Leighe. Drop down to the loch and follow the waymarks south over open ground. Before reaching a farm called 'The Plan', go right over two footbridges, then left below a low ridge. Keep to the right of the buildings, following the waymarks across open ground to the stile that crosses to the ruins of St Blane's Chapel. Leave the chapel by the gap in the boundary wall and go through a gate, turning left on a clear track which climbs steadily to a stile. Cross the stile and turn right, following the edge of the field down to a gate. Walk uphill on the left side of the field to Suidhe Hill. At the top of the field, cross the fence and keep going, turning right at the corner of the fence. Go through a gate at the next corner and look for a waymark about 100 m downhill. Follow the path steeply downhill, passing through a kissing gate and staying close to the wall. You then reach a drying green at the foot of the hill; turn left and follow a path around the buildings and back on to the road at Kilchattan.

Inverawe Piscine cuisine - smoked fish

The whole philosophy of smoking fish varies from one producer to another. At Inverawe Fisheries and Smokery they buy smaller farmed salmon because they believe the lower fat content makes them tastier than larger ones. Traditional methods prevail here. The fish are dry salted, washed, smoked over oak logs for anything from 16 to 24 hours, depending on conditions, and then hand-sliced. The result is a rich and freshly oaky taste in a huge range of formats from a 112 g sliced pack (£5.95) to a whole side (£20.65), as well as gravadlax, smoked trout, eel and halibut, plus a whole range of pre-packed hampers. Knipoch Smokehouse, in South Lorn near Oban (Tel. 01852-316251, www.knipochsmokehouse.co.uk), on the other hand, believes that large salmon, weighing 6-7 kg, produce the best quality. Its approach involves a dry salt cure strengthened with sugar, whisky, juniper and rowan berries, plus a lengthy 2-3 day smoke. The fish comes out so black it has to be washed and trimmed to look presentable, and the taste is a rather unusual one: strong, sweet, sharp and almondy. A whole side costs £45, but it can be cut to any size: sliced at £17.60 per 500 grams, unsliced at £15.95.

Isle of Arran Walk to Glenashdale Falls and Giants' Graves

This is one of the most popular walks on the island. It's a steady, easy climb through woodland with the considerable incentive of a beautiful waterfall at the end of it. Both walks can be done together and should take around two to three hours in total, though you should allow some time to enjoy the falls. If you want to take a picnic, pop into the Village Shop which has a wide range of deli-type foods and local cheeses.

The trail starts by the bridge over Glenashdale Burn, next to the Youth Hostel. There's a map board here showing the route. Walk up the track alongside the burn till you see the sign for the path leading to the left up to the Giants' Graves. It's about 40-45 minutes up to the graves and back to this point, but it's a stiff climb up a steep staircase of 265 steps. At the top continue left along a path through the trees, which then curves right till you reach a clearing and the graves, which are chambered tombs, believed to be around 5,000 years old. Depending on the light, this can be a very eerie, but almost magical place.

Return back down the steps, and head left along the main path as it climbs steadily above the burn, past smaller falls, till you reach the main falls. The setting is stunning and the falls are spectacular as they plummet 140 ft into the pools below. You can rest and have a picnic at the top of the falls, or follow the paths down to the pools below which you can swim.

The path back down to Whiting Bay passes the scant remains of an Iron-Age fort, then turns back uphill to reach a broad track. Turn right, cross a small burn by stepping stones, then follow the track downhill all the way to the main road, a short way along from the car park.

Things To Do Argyll

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