Scotland: Argyll; Tighnabruaich, Kilmartin, Oban, Glen Coe and Loch Ness

This entry covers our ferry trip to Tighnabruaich and journey up the eastern shores to Loch Ness.

31.07.2014 - 05.08.2014

Kate’s Auntie and Uncle live in Tighnabruaich, a small village on the Isle of Bute, and we had organised to spend a night visiting them. To do so we decided to take the Argyll ferry from Gourock, west of Glasgow.

We were low on supplies so I did a bit of google-fu and found us a Tesco in Port Glasgow. Port Glasgow turned out to be far larger than we anticipated, and an enormous Tesco Extra waylayed us a wee while. For the folks back home, a Tesco Extra is like a massive supermarket with a huge Warehouse tacked on the side. I’ve been living out of a bag or van since January (7 months) and I wistfully look at homewares and electronics!

We also visited the wee Newark Castle, a swanky estate on the coast. I say visited, I mean used the bathroom of and didn’t visit, as one side was entirely covered in scaffolding and we were suffering a little ‘castle and estate fatigue’!

Newark Castle

For lunch we followed a sign to a viewpoint then made our way down to the ferry.

Following the ferry signs made me feel a bit uneasy – they were so poorly done. Upon arriving at the terminal we found out why - it was now only a foot passenger terminal. So the signs were very bad indeed, half still directing you there when they should have been directing vehicles much further along the coast! Classic idiot behaviour, that – having a staff-member inform dallying tourist traffic day-in/day-out to drive further around, as if we are idiots, instead of appending the sign to say ‘vehicle ferry straight ahead’. But never mind – the roll-on/roll-off ferry crossing took 20 minutes during which Kate knocked up some lunch and it was all rather novel.

On the Argyll Ferry

From Dunoon we took the B836 to Tighnabruaich. The dotted orange line on the map meant ‘other road, one lane with passing places’ – something which had me a little concerned! But across the water it was like another world – barely a soul on the road, and those on it so very accommodating. The winding lane was a lovely drive and we pootled along at our own snail’s pace rocking out to 80s rock and a bit’o’Madge.

Arriving on the outskirts of town we were shocked by a horrifying totem, a wooden carved devil on the side of the road warding travellers from venturing further. ‘Don’t mind the scarecrow’ we had been informed, so we ignored this Deliverance-esque idol and rumbled on in to town. As we ventured further more and more scarecrows appeared – though fortunately none so terrifying as the first. In fact most seemed to be having a good time in the sun, or nursing a hangover from their previous good evening. Thoroughly confused we arrived to Kate’s Auntie and Uncle’s lovely home where all was revealed. A scarecrow contest.

A William Wallace, Fisherman scarecrow. 

It was so nice to be in a home, even if overnight. We enjoyed a cup of tea in the sun, put our stuff in a bedroom (a real bedroom!) and then jumped in a car (a real car!) and were shown about the area. Hearing the stories of town from Kate’s lovely Aunt, a real local, was great – a lovely change of touring mode for us. So many more scarecrows and picturesque spots had us longing for a bit of relaxing holiday time, away from touring – away from it all.

Tighnabruaich

In the evening we were treated to a delicious meal (and dessert!) and I learnt a lot about Midges and a little about Whiskey.

Refreshed after a relaxed home-shower, real-bed sleep, we all walked the sprightly wee pup around the coast in the morning. Passing the home of otters, we came to the ruins of a Victorian estate which was requisitioned by the MoD during WW2 and effectively left to ruin under their care – then demolished in a weekend exercise. Interesting to see, and I wonder how many other magnificent estates have disappeared so completely over the years!

I’d never been so excited to vacuum as when allowed to borrow the hoover, and gave the van a real going over – its first vacuuming since March! It’s so much more satisfying to clean when things are really filthy.

After a delicious brunch together Kate and I were feeling so rejuvenated from our stay. So with a fond farewell we packed up (leaving all the tea towels behind) heading to Portavadie and another roll-on/roll-off ferry.

Dorothy on second ferry

Heading north from Tarbert we were headed to the Kilmartin area, a spot in the valley scattered with so many ancient cairns and standing stones. We popped in to Achnabreck where we saw stone circles etched into rocks – something which remains a mystery to this day.

Achnabreck 

Further north are the Nether Largie Cairns and the Templewood Stone Circles. The five standing stones of Nether Largie, arranged in an X configuration over 200 metres, gave us more questions than answers – but away from the tourist hordes (like around Stonehenge) it was nice to get up close and personal to the stones, see the cupped holes etched into the stones and just wonder.

Nether Largie standing stones

In the evening we parked in a Forestry Commission car park next to the Crinan Canal (thanks Forestry commission!) and I explored a wee waterfall walk.

The spot for the night, overlooking Cirnan Canal

In the morning we walked along the canal a bit, fascinated by the workings of the gates. There are fifteen gates in all, and we came across a Scottish lady winding away on one as her husband tied up their yacht. As the lock drained to equalise we got to chatting with her and she enlisted our assistance to open the gate. A walker on the opposite side saw us assisting and opened the other side for her – so it all had a nice ‘helping each other out’ feel to it. Sailing about the isles would be a hell of an adventure too, but I think I’m happy with my land-ship decision for the time being!

'Helping out' on gate 8.

The rains poured in the morning as we drove over to Dunadd Fort. Barely anything remains of this 600AD seat of Kings, but the ‘Kings Stone’ – a rock with a foot hole in it. Safe in the knowledge the king stone before us was a concrete replica from the 70s, we took a step in it.

Through one of the castle gates - not much left! Dunadd Fort.

Returning to the van, the rain put a bit of a dampener on the day and we just wanted to hang out. So driving on, we saw a nice nearly deserted carpark for Carnasserie Castle and plonked ourselves in there for a bit of a sit-about and some lunch. Curiosity eventually got the better of me and leaving Kate to dry out with her scrabble book in the van I ventured out to the castle. Not being on our tour map, nor in the Rough Guide, we assumed the castle would just be a nothing, but it was actually quite a grand medieval mansion of the Campbell family back in the 1600s before it was ransacked. Poking about the deserted ruins in such weather, climbing five floors to what would be great views up the ancient valley in better weather – all a bit of fun and more history to soak up.

Carnasserie Castle

It was late afternoon when we made it to Oban, the biggest town of note on the way to Fort William. A rainy Sunday during summer holidays, every man and his five children were trying to find ways to spend the day and, thanks to the ‘limit: 1.5 tonne vehicles’ car parks throughout, it took us forever to find somewhere to park.

Oban

We headed to the distillery for a Whiskey tour we were looking forward to, and found it booked out. So we went to the War and Peace museum, which was another haphazard, scattershot local museum though there were a few fascinating nuggets about WW2 actions. The local pub was a hideous dive and we weren’t that chuffed with Oban as we popped in to a Witherspoons (huge chain pub) for a pint and chips. To round out our visit to Oban we climbed mossy concrete stairs (reminding me of Nomandale) to McCaig’s Tower – a huge coliseum-like structure built by a Victorian art tycoon that dominates the skyline above Oban. Utterly bizarre and useless, but quite romantic.

McCaig's tower

Another peaceful Forestry Commission car park saw the evening out (can’t send enough love their way) and in the morning we headed on to Port Appin. A single-lane jobby, there was nowhere to park out at this cute wee fishing village (that is probably more B&B than fishing these days). The neighbouring waters were still and stunning with wee islands dotted throughout. Upon one perched Stalker Castle, quite picturesque!

Stalker Castle

We drove in to the Glen Coe valley and enjoyed the history and a wee bush walk. We had intended to drive further but during our lunch the rain came down in torrents, and it was such a lovely spot we decided to stay put for the evening. So we played some scrabble and watched three other motorhomes pootle in as the evening progressed, until it was looking like quite the caravan site by morning!

In Glen Coe for the evening

Doesn't it look like a cityscape?

Kiwi-as bro!

Bright and early we tore north through Fort William and up to Fort Augustus at the southern tip of Loch Ness. The driving to Loch Ness was wonderful, it was picture-postcard Scotland. Fort Augustus was hideous however, with droves of motorhome tourists(!) and coaches and all the rest. Horrid! All just to see a body of water with no monster in it. And that was why we were there too. We drove right on through and had lunch at a layby on the shore of Loch Ness, and that was that.

The shore of Loch Ness. The only monster to be found was in my pants.

Loch Ness done, we headed back south, passing by the Commando Memorial (poignant sans the coaches) and toward Blair Castle and that – because I pretty much have to go there.

Commando Memorial

At the moment we’re at a camp site for two nights, as Kate and I both have lots of things we need to get sorted out on the internet. The site promised the internet however it doesn’t work, and it is so rural there is no cell phone reception so it’s been a bit of a fail. One wonders why you pay £22 a night for this when a picnic area would actually be more useful! But having the digital limb cut off isn’t without its up sides – I’m finally up to date with the blog, and I’m getting some reading done. Holidaying like a normal person.