Events & Festivals Dairy 2024
Dive into the heart of Kintyre with the incredible Events & Festivals Diary for 2024, a year-round celebration that guarantees endless excitement. Discover the unique charm of our region, where each event is an opportunity to create lasting memories in a community that welcomes all. You’ll never tire of the wonders Kintyre has in store.
Explore Campbeltown & Kintyre
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to places to eat. Apart from eating at “Carradales”, the immediate region’s seafood and game is appreciated by food lovers around the globe, and there’s some well kept secrets when it comes to serving up delicious locally sourced food.
A Taste of Scotland
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to places to eat. Apart from eating at “Carradales”, the immediate region’s seafood and game is appreciated by food lovers around the globe, and there’s some well kept secrets when it comes to serving up delicious locally sourced food. Whether it’s a simple bowl of fresh langoustines at a seafood shack or fine dining at a loch-side eatery, come to Carradale, the perfect base for an unforgettable culinary experience.
Explore The Local Area
Carradales is ideally located to explore this stunning part of the Kintyre Peninsula popular with walkers ( We are in The Kintyre Way), cyclists (Caledonia Way) nature lovers, golfers, game shooting, water sports enthusiasts and those looking to relax and enjoy the breath-taking and tranquil scenery.
Explore the Local Area
Carradales is ideally located to explore this stunning part of the Kintyre Peninsula popular with walkers, nature lovers, golfers, game shooting, water sports enthusiasts and those looking to relax and enjoy the breath-taking and tranquil scenery. The Caledonia Way, National Route 78 of the National Cycle Network, runs from Campbeltown to Inverness via Carradale, and follows Kintyre and the Great Glen, iconic features on any map of Scotland. It offers a variety of cycling, from challenging on-road hills to lengthy sections of traffic-free path through the spectacular scenery of the west coast of Scotland.
Carradale lies a little over half-way down the east coast of the Kintyre peninsula at a point where the Kilbrannan Sound is less than three miles wide. The village offers a gentle pace and a quiet charm that amply reflects that, one of a number of reasons why you shouldn’t overlook this less travelled east coast of the peninsula.
In the village of Carradale you will find a shop and post office, tea room, two hotels, hair salon - www.hairds.co.uk, a golf club, and the residential focus of the village. Continuing east brings you to a steep descent that emerges beside Carradale’s harbour. Piles of nets, floats, ropes, lobster pots and assorted baskets tumble along the quay side and fishing boats jostle for position on their moorings. This is very much a working harbour.
The village also boasts a 9-hole golf course with stunning panoramas across the Kilbrannan Sound to Arran, Ailsa Craig and on a good day to Ayrshire, our nine hole golf course has something for every ability – and presents enough of a challenge for even the most experienced players. 30 minutes away is the award winning Machrihanish Dunes Golf Resort. The 7,082 yard, 18-hole links course flows effortlessly to, from and along the sea and salmon and trout can be fished on the Carradale River during the summer months. North of Carradale this coast feels increasingly remote, save for the wonderfully named little village of Grogport and the slipway at Claonaig, linked by ferry to Lochranza on Arran.
Locations to visit
Isle of Gigha – take the ferry from Tayinloan
Isle of Arran – take the ferry from Skipness
Isle of Jura – take the ferry from Kennacraig
Isle of Islay – take the ferry from Kennacraig – Port Askaig
Ballycastle, Co Antrim – Ballycastle is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The town is located on the north-easternmost coastal tip of the island of Ireland at the northern mainland limit of the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Take the Kintyre Express from Campbeltown. So close! (Starts 30th March to 30th September)
The Kintyre 66 (K66)
The Kintyre 66 (K66) is an exciting new route that will help you discover one of Scotland’s most scenic regions, and what so inspired Sir Paul McCartney
The Kintyre 66 follows a 66 mile loop around Kintyre on the A83 and B842 public roads, with 6 spurs allowing you to venture even further. Take the Atlantic road south with stunning views to Islay and Jura, and then up the edge of the Kilbrannan Sound overlooking Arran, or why not travel in the other direction, taking time to enjoy all the area has to offer—the choice is yours!
The K66 helps to highlight 6 areas in Kintyre with information on Southend & Machrihanish, Campbeltown, East Kintyre, West Kintyre, Gigha and Tarbert.
Ballochroy Standing Stones, Carn Moor, By Tarbert, Kintyre, PA29 6XW
Ballochroy is considered the most spectacular set of megalithic monuments that cluster around south Argyll. It consists of three vertical stones, side by side, aligned with various land features. Alexander Thom, known for his work on Stonehenge, maintained that the great length between the stones and the features of distant landscape lent precision to pinpointing the midsummer and winter solstices for ancient observers. The flat face of the central stone indicates the mountain of Cora Bheinn, on the island of Jura, which is 19 miles away. The shortest stone also faces across the alignment, and points to Beinn a’ Chaolais, the southernmost of the three Paps of Jura.
GRIP – Antony Gormley Sculpture
GRIP is a sculpture created for Saddell Bay by artist Antony Gormley as part of the LAND installation to mark the Landmark Trust’s 50th anniversary. The abstract human form gazes out over the Kilbrannan Sound to Arran from the rocks below Saddell Castle.
Originally commissioned for just 12 months, the cast-iron sculpture will remain indefinitely thanks to an anonymous private donor.
Fancy A Tipple?
Once proclaimed ‘the whisky capital of the world’ with 34 distilleries, today only three active distilleries remain in the town: Glen Scotia, Glengyle and Springbank.
We are proud to be licensed to serve this renowned local whisky.
Fancy A Tipple?
Once proclaimed ‘the whisky capital of the world’ with 34 distilleries, today only three active distilleries remain in the town: Glen Scotia, Glengyle and Springbank. Visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the last one and find out the secrets of whisky making in Kintyre. Springbank Distillery was founded in 1828 by the Mitchell family – and still in their hands today. It retains the old distilling methods to make Longrow whisky, and welcomes visitors by prior arrangement.
Local Drinkeries
Ardshiel Hotel Whisky Bar – Offers the Whisky enthusiast over 700 malts to choose from, many of which are rare and exclusive.
Springbank Distillery – Family owned single malt whisky distillery in Campbeltown, the once proclaimed Whisky capital of the world founded in 1828. It is the only distillery in Scotland to carry out 100% of the production process on one site. Tours can also be booked.
Glen Scotia Distillery – Glen Scotia distillery or sometimes affectionately known as The Scotia or Old Scotia is a distillery that is a producer of single malt Scotch whisky. The distillery was founded in 1832 in Campbeltown.
Gintyre April 2021 – Gintyre will be celebration of Scottish gin held over three days in Campbeltown, Kintyre.
Get In Touch With Nature
Kintyre is a magnet for star gazers and is home to Argyll’s first official Dark Sky Discovery Site. Guests are free to enjoy the use of our magnificent telescope to gaze at the heavens from our stair landing platform.
Get In Touch With Nature
With miles of sandy beaches, and wildlife galore, Kintyre attracts nature lovers from far and wide. And it’s not just the day-time delights that draw them. Kintyre is a magnet for star gazers and is home to Argyll’s first official Dark Sky Discovery Site.
Discover the dunes of Westport. Stretching for over six miles to the golfing mecca of Machrihanish, Westport Beach is surely one of the finest beaches on the West Coast of Scotland. Often pounded by Atlantic breakers, it’s one of the best surfing areas in the country. Whether you want to play in the Atlantic waves, climb the dunes or simply walk along the miles of unbroken sand, Westport is sure to be a highlight of your visit to Kintyre.
Glorious Gigha. Sitting three miles west of Kintyre, community-owned Gigha is perfect for a day’s walking. Enjoy the peace, quiet and wildlife – and the many white sandy beaches that dot the coastline.
Bike Beinn Ghuilean. This beautiful wooded hill overlooking Campbeltown has some fantastic mountain bike trails and walks for all abilities. The views of Davaar Island are stunning and there are lots of opoportunities to spot wildlife.
Take a walk on the wild side at Largiebaan. This Scottish Wildlife Trust Reserve covers a four-mile strip on the southern tip of Kintyre. With bog and heath, as well as patches of acid grassland and native woodland, it’s a fabulous habitat for wildlife. Breeding seabirds perch precariously on the cliffs, arctic-alpines sprout through the scree and orchids and other wildflowers flourish on the slopes. Enjoy a spectacular panorama of the Atlantic and look out for Golden eagles and feral goats. Turn your eyes to the sky. Kintyre is famous for its star gazing. On a clear night, the canopy of stars will take your breath away. The Kintyre Way is a fabulous means to discover the area’s natural wonders. Stretching from Tarbert in the north to Machrihanish in the south, this 100-mile route takes you to hidden coves, deserted beaches, woods & forests, castles and fishing villages and an abundance of wildlife. From Kintyre, you’re well placed to explore other parts of Argyll, with ferry crossings to Cowal, Islay and Gigha. It’s an easy drive to the natural and historic wonders of KilmartiGlen.
A Slice Of Local History
Visit ruined castles in impossibly romantic locations, marvel at historic houses and gaze in wonder at Bronze Age standing stones. The landscape of Argyll and the Isles is dotted with signs of the past, including chambered cairns and cup-and-ring marked rocks. Grab a map and take your own journey into the history of this fascinating part of Scotland.
A Slice Of Local History
Visit ruined castles in impossibly romantic locations, marvel at historic houses and gaze in wonder at Bronze Age standing stones. The landscape of Argyll and the Isles is dotted with signs of the past, including chambered cairns and cup-and-ring marked rocks. Grab a map and take your own journey into the history of this fascinating part of Scotland.
Points of interest
Davaar Island Cave – Painting of The Crucifixion.
Saddell Castle – Historic 16th-century castle on the shore of the Kilbrannan Sound of significant importance. Owned by The Landmark Trust. Also appeared in Paul McCartney’s “Mull of Kintyre” music video.
Saddell Abbey – ruins of a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1160. There are fine examples of carved medieval grave slabs displayed under cover in the grounds.
Skipness Castle – Built in the early 13th century and stands near village of Skipness together with the nearby Kilbrannan Chapel. It is a scheduled ancient monument. The Green Lady of Skipness Castle is said to haunt the location.
Campbeltown Picture House – Campbeltown Picture House, designed by Albert V Gardner of Glasgow in 1913 in Glasgow School Art Nouveau style, is a Category A Listed building and one of the earliest surviving purpose-built cinemas in the UK. It is the only example in Scotland of the first wave of cinema building still in use as a cinema.
Campbeltown Heritage Centre – The Campbeltown Heritage Centre is a museum and heritage centre in Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland. The centre is the main repository for social history for the Kintyre Peninsula from around 1700 to the present day, and is run by the Kintyre Amenity Trust.
Tarbert Castle – Tarbert Castle is located on the southern shore of East Loch Tarbert, at Tarber at the north end of Kintyre. It was a strategic royal stronghold during the Middle Ages and one of three castles at Tarbert.
Glenbarr Abbey – Glenbarr Abbey, an 18th century residence, built by Col. Matthew Macalister, 1st Laird of Glenbarr. Today it serves as a visitor centre for the history of Clan MacAlister.
St Columba’s Footprints & Keil Caves – series of unusual visitor attractions closely grouped together. Near St Columba’s Chapel is a rocky outcrop on which you find St Columba’s Footprints, while nearby is St Columba’s Well. Two hundred yards to the west are the Keil Caves. Steeped in history!
The Antony Gormley Sculture – We are so lucky to have a unique and famous sculpture right on our doorstep. The abstract human form looks out over the Kilbrannan Sound to Arran from the rocks below Saddell Castle about 10 minutes away.
Inveraray Castle - is a country house near Inveraray in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland's longest sea loch. You can stop off here en route to Carradales, about 90 mins away and it is one of the earliest examples of Gothic Revival architecture.
It has been the seat of the Duke of Argyll, chiefs of Clan Campbell, since the 18th century.
The Duke of Argyll’s family seat is Inveraray Castle since the 18th century.
It has been the backdrop to some of the most brutal drama to come out of the 20th century. Based on a true story, the TV drama, “A Very British Scandal” is a story of mistrust and betrayal that follows the embittered 1963 divorce case between the Duke and Duchess of Argyll.
Go On An Adventure
Beautiful beaches, historic castles, seaside villages and majestic mountains make Kintyre the perfect place for all kinds of activities. In Argyll, Kintyre and the surrounding area there’s so much to enjoy: great food and drink, music, a rich and vibrant culture, ancient sporting traditions and fantastic wildlife.
Go On An Adventure
Beautiful beaches, historic castles, seaside villages and majestic mountains make Kintyre the perfect place for all kinds of activities. In Argyll, Kintyre and the surrounding area there’s so much to enjoy: great food and drink, music, a rich and vibrant culture, ancient sporting traditions and fantastic wildlife. There is something for everyone in one of the many events and festivals in this wonderful area.
Activities
Kintyre Way – Established in 2006 and runs for 161km along the length of the Kintyre Peninsula starting at the village of Tarbert and passes through a variety of landscapes, fishing villages, conifer forests, beaches and stretches of fine coastline and open hills and moors.
Bicycle Hire – From the nearby Network Centre. E-Bikes can be hired from Kintyre Recycling in Campbeltown by calling 07557344515. All e-bikes are available at £35 for 8 Hours or £20 for 4 hours.
Carradale Golf Course – A wee gem of a course offering amazing 360 degree views! Stunning views across the Kilbrannan Sound to Arran, Ailsa Craig and Ayrshire.
Machrihanish Dunes Golf Course – “The World’s Most Natural Course” 18-hole links course.
Caledonia Way – Route 78
The Caledonia Way runs from Campbeltown to Inverness, along 234 miles of spectacular scenery. You begin at Campbeltown, then follow the Kintyre Peninsula to Carradale and across the long and winding road to Tarbert. Along your way to Inverness you’ll see that Route 78 offers a variety of cycling, from challenging on-road hills to lengthy sections of traffic-free path through the magnificent terrain of the west coast of Scotland.
The route is heavily influenced by the iconic geography of Scotland – following both the Kintyre peninsula and the Great Glen for their full lengths. It provides views of famous castles and beautiful west coast islands.
Argyll 190 Motorcycle Route
The Argyll 190 is a hidden gem in that it has a bit of everything. This route will be attractive to those who want to go for a scenic ride and you won’t be disappointed. You will enjoy something different around every bend. Interesting corners, spectacular views, flowing bends and coastal scenery, Argyll 190 has it all. There are numerous places to stop, like the one from Carradale Harbour across to Arran.
The Kintyre 66 (K66) is an exciting new route that will help you discover one of Scotland’s most scenic regions, and what so inspired Sir Paul McCartney
The Kintyre 66 follows a 66 mile loop around Kintyre on the A83 and B842 public roads, with 6 spurs allowing you to venture even further. Take the Atlantic road south with stunning views to Islay and Jura, and then up the edge of the Kilbrannan Sound overlooking Arran, or why not travel in the other direction, taking time to enjoy all the area has to offer—the choice is yours!
The K66 helps to highlight 6 areas in Kintyre with information on Southend & Machrihanish, Campbeltown, East Kintyre, West Kintyre, Gigha and Tarbert.
Celebrate The Culture
One of the most important aspects of life in Kintyre is our supportive community. If it wasn’t for local fundraising, we wouldn’t have so many talented musicians, dancers, sports groups and artists.
