Cowal and Bute C


owal is a resounding fi rst choice for visitors who want to taste the highlights of the West Highlands on a tight schedule – it’s only a short drive from Glasgow, or an


even shorter boat trip across the Firth of Clyde from Gourock, near Greenock. Though the the peninsula feels a long way from the city, it pro- vides the opportunity to fi ll your lungs with fresh salty air, experi- ence lochs, glens and mountains, and still be back in town in time for tea. Accessibility helped Cowal to become a popular steamer trip destination in the early 1900s, and Dunoon, its main town, grew to its current size largely as a result. The town’s seaside promenade lends itself to a stroll, and if you’re a lover of the work of Robert Burns, you’ll be glad to see that the statue of his sweetheart Highland Mary (on the hill overlooking the pier) is gazing south in the direction of her lover’s Ayrshire home. Set in lush mountainside outside Dunoon, Benmore Botanic Gar- dens boasts 120 acres of exotic and colourful plantations, with titles like Tasmanian Ridge and Bhutanese Glade hinting at their international origins. Key features include a restored Victorian Fernery and the imposing avenue of Giant Redwoods that will have visitors craning their necks as they enter the grounds. Argyll Forest Park was established in 1935 as the fi rst Forest Park for public use in Britain, and encompasses much of Cow- al, from rugged woodland to lochs and glens, including Ardgar- ten, Loch Goil, and the narrow ribbon of Loch Eck. For memorable hill-walking in and around the park, head to the north tip of Cowal and Glen Croe, home to the Rest and be Thankful (so named because of the inscription ‘Rest and be Thankful’ carved a stone by soldiers who built the old military road at the site in the 18th century) or visit the village of Ar- rochar and nearby ‘Arrochar Alps’ which include The Cobbler, one of Scotland’s most popular mountains. The Cowal coastline is shaped by a collection of scenic sea lochs, including Loch Goil and Loch Riddon, and dotted with pretty villages such as Sandbank, Colintraive, Tighnabruich. To fi nd out more, see our feature on Argyll’s Secret Coast. Lying south of Dunoon in the Firth of Clyde, Bute was anoth- er popular destination with Victorian Glaswegians heading ‘Doon the Watter’ for a convenient summer break. In the south, the splendid Mount Stuart, still home to the Stuarts of Bute, is a must-see. Built by the architect Sir Robert Rowan Anderson at the instruction of the 3rd Mar- quis of Bute, this imaginative sandstone palace fuses the extravagant interests of its creators, from history to astrol- ogy, through its stained glass windows, marble arches and zodiac themed ceiling decorations. Three hundred acres of gardens showcase the family pas- sions still further, though they are not the only beautiful gar- dens on Bute - nearby Ascog Hall is known for its Victorian Fernery and Ardencraig Gardens for its bedding displays. Bute’s geography is split by the Highland Boundary fault at Loch Fad, with the rugged, hillier part of the island to the north, and the south west known for sandy beaches. Walkers looking to experience both can attempt the ‘West Island Way’ – a 25- mile route covering the island’s length. Rothesay is Bute’s only town, with shops, bars and cafes along its palm-tree strewn Victorian promenade. The ruins of the moated Rothesay Castle in the town centre are a re- minder that local history goes back further than the steam- ships. You can fi nd more about the island’s past as a Viking base and home to Stuart kings at the museum on Stuart Street and the Discovery Centre in the glass-domed Winter Garden on the esplanade.


Getting there: Cowal: By road from Glasgow take the A82 towards Ar- rochar, then the A83 south towards Dunoon. Ferries run between Gourock, and Dunoon. Bute: There are regular ferries to Bute from Colintraive to Rhubodach and from Wemyss Bay to Rothesay. There is a direct train from Glasgow to Wemyss Bay.


Links: www.visitbute.com www.visitcowal.co.uk 47


Cowal


and Bute


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