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walking | running | cycling | swimming | gardens of Argyll| golf | riding | for kids
Warning - highly selective list. This is not exhaustive
Walking
25 Walks Arrochar, Cowal and Bute. Forbes,The Stationery Office, 1997.
Puck's Glen (car park at Rashfield on A815 at NS 146839) is a must; all the better after a shower of rain. A path, a gorge, waterfalls, waterspouts, ? watersprites. The perfect setting for some mercurial mischief. Here is a photo tour of the Puck's Glen Walk
More challenging hillwalking. Beinn Bheula, 779m NS155983 map is a Corbett between Loch Goil and Loch Eck. Start at Lettermay on Lochgoil. Can also be climbed from Invernoaden in Glen Branter at NS121979. Beinn Buidhe, Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime are Munros in the 'Arrochar Alps', along with the Cobbler (BenArthur). These are climbed from various points on the roadside of the A83. Ben Vane and Ben Vorlich, also 'Arrochar Alps', can be climbed from the A82 at Inveruglas. Preparation, good equipment, fitness and navigation skills required for all of these hills. Always leave details of your route, party and expected time-of-return with a contact.
About Argyll Walking Holidays, Clachan, Strachur. Includes guided walking for a day. Open April - October. Tel 01369 860274.
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Running /jogging
4 miles, flat, on road = A815 to Toward Quay and back to Egmont.
8 miles, flat on /off-road = A815 to Toward Quay, take track to Ardyne Point, following coast, (McAlpine site is 'private' but walkers are tolerated) past fish farm to Port Lamont, return by A815. Salmon at fish farm are fascinating.
Bit of a wimp? If there is a Southerly wind blowing - run North on A815 through Innellan with wind to your back, have someone pick you up by car [:>)
Iron man? - see the circular mountain bike route through Corlarach Forest below.
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Cycling
Gentle, flat(ish) and quiet on-road route is to take the A815 from Toward to its endpoint in Glen Striven. It's 4 miles from Toward to Port Lamont then a single track road that follows the shore of Loch Striven for a further 5 miles. Turn back to reverse the route when you have had enough.
Good forest track perfect for mountain bikes. This circular route enters Corlarach Forest at Innellan NS149705 map of access point, 1:50000 map of start of route and circles round to Achafour Farm at NS111703. About 11 miles round trip from Toward, includes aboutfive miles in forest. Has a long, white-knuckle descent on the gravel track at one point that will screech your brake blocks.
Mountain bike trails are maintained by Forest Enterprise in Glen Branter, signposted from Car Park at NS112978.
A beautiful and scenic flat track runs down the west side of Lock Eck for nine miles. A good family outing. Best as a 'two car' trip to avoid cycling back to Glen Branter on a busy and narrow road. Start at Forest Walk Car Park at NS112978, finishes at Benmore Home Farm, continue to Benmore Botanic Garden Car Park NS143855. Avoids the admission charge for Benmore Gardens if you have any strength left for a visit (oops, didn't say that!).
Mountain bike trails at Brenfield Activities, Ardrishaig, Tel 01546 603274.
Cycle Hire day or week from the Highland Store, Argyll St, Dunoon
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Swimming
Riverside Swim & Health Centre, Dunoon. 25m heated indoor pool, 100m water slide, warm baby pool, sauna and gym. Cafe open all day. Tel 01369 701170.
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Riding
Velvet Path Riding & Trekking Centre, Innellan. (5 min by car). Also serves as the local Riding for the Disabled Centre. 1/2 day rides along miles of forest tracks and beach rides for more experienced riders. Tel 01369 830580.
Argyll Trail Riding at Dalchenna Farm, Inverary and Brenfield Activities, Ardrishaig. Two riding centres run by one family with forest trails, beach gallops, also mountain bikes and clay pigeon shooting. tel 01499 302611 or 01546 603274
Corrow Trekking Centre, Lochgoilhead, Tel 01301 703247.
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Gardens of Argyll
Benmore Botanic Garden. 7 miles North of Dunoon. Giant redwoods along drive and a mountainside trail. 'At its best in May - June when rhododendrons and azaleas in bloom.' James Duncan Cafe recommended. Tel 01369 706261. More information...
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Golf
Cowal Golf Club, Dunoon. Tel 01369 705673. Innellan Golf Club also welcomes visitors.
Investigate the Golf Discount Pass Scheme from the Tourist Board office. Costs £5, gives discount of £1.50 -£5 per round. Valid for ten days and accepted at 34 courses in the area.
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Kids Only
caving, orienteering, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, biking and their high ropes course.
sightseeing | fishing | sailing | prehistory | ten things to do | wildlife | tennis |
Eating Out
Chatters Restaurant, John Street, Dunoon. Macallan Taste of Scotland Award winner a few years ago, French influenced Scottish cooking. Never fails to impress. Very helpful and down to earth.
Olympian Cafe Bar, above Queens Hall, Dunoon. (Only pizza oven in town.)
Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, Cairndow. Own smokehouse and food shop. Great food. Service can be iffy. Take a book to read.
Enmore Hotel, Marine Parade, Dunoon. AA Rosette.
Ardfillayne House, Dunoon. AA Rosette.
Baptist Church, Marine Parade, Dunoon. Adjacent to Tourist Office. Friendly, welcoming service, a great value snack bar in a central location.
Charles Black, Bakers, Argyll St, Dunoon. A good value tea room and baker's shop with friendly service.
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Wildlife
Roe deer, curlews, oystercatcher, herons on the lawn at Egmont, Eider duck and occasional shelduck on beach. Tawny owl and buzzard in field across the road, seals on the water. Midges in season.
topSightseeing
Excursions on last sea-going Paddle Steamer Waverley. Calls at Dunoon Pier. Tel 0141 243 2224.
Dunoon Ceramics, Hamilton Street, Dunoon. Factory shop at The Pot Shop in Argyll Street Dunoon and Factory viewing Mon - Fri. Tel 01369 705360.
Castle House Museum, Dunoon. 'Dunoon and Cowal Past and Present'. open Easter - October. Tel 01369 701422.
top Fishing
Dunoon and District Angling Club has freshwater fishing in a number of Lochs and Rivers locally. Information and permits available from Purdies of Argyll, 112 Argyll Street, Dunoon, PA23 7NE, Tel 01369 703232. More information...
top Tennis and Squash
Innellan Tennis Club and Dunoon Tennis Club welcome visitors. Squash courts, open to visitors, at Enmore Hotel, Marine Parade, Dunoon, tel 01369 702230.
top Sailing
Sailing Clubs at Holy Loch and Toward Sailing Club at Toward Harbour. There is a jetty and a slipway at Toward Harbour. There is also access to the shore at Cluniter, just north of Innellan. Light moorings at Innellan and in East Bay Dunoon for visiting yachts.
Tighnabruaich Sailing School has dinghy sailing and windsurfing tuition. RYA recognised. Weekly, weekend or daily courses. Tel 01700 811717.
Tide table for Greenock from the UK Hydrographic Office. Select the 'predict' button to view tide data for the next seven days.
top Prehistory in Cowal
Kilmartin House Centre for Archaeology and Landscape Interpretation, Kilmartin, Mid-Argyll. Open all year. Over 5,000 years of history are evident in the Kilmartin Glen, with at least 150 pre-historic sites within six miles of the Centre. Burial cairns, rock-carvings, standing stones and Dunadd, fortress of the earliest Scottish Kings. Great tea room and AV display. Tel 01546 510278.
Cowal. A Historical Guide by Elizabeth B. Rennie, Birlinn 1993 ISBN 1 874744 08 4 if you want some homework!
top Ten Things To Do Before You Go Home
no particular order
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Have a pub lunch or splash out on dinner at 'Chatters', John Street, Dunoon.
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Walk up Puck's Glen, Benmore after heavy rain.
- Charm the seals on the rocks by Toward Point with your singing at dusk. It works.
- Star gaze for the Milky Way on a clear night. No streetlighting so it's bibleblack. Star atlas in house library.
- Visit Mount Stuart House, Isle of Bute
- Visit Inverchaolain Church, Loch Striven, five miles beyond Toward on A815. Nestles just above the shore. Simple interior. Cemetery - graveyard of the Clan Lamont - has fascinating headstones. Pretty good sunsets on Summer evenings. (pronounced in-ver-who-lin).
- Play a game of croquet while at the cottage. Intro to the game here. Divorce lawyer here
- Buy your Christmas presents from the Pot Shop - Dunoon Pottery's factory shop.
- Try watercolour painting. Artist materials usually available to borrow at 'Egmont' or buy from 'Observer' Shop, Argyll St, Dunoon. You probably haven't tried since Junior School.
- Mount an expedition to Kilmartin Glen. Standing stones, chambered cairns, forts, Nature Reserve, Archaeology Museum and Restaurant. Stop off at Crinan Locks on the Crinan Canal on the way. Consider using the Portavadie - Tarbert ferry to reach the Kintyre Peninsula and remember to stop at the Kyles of Bute viewpoint 2.5 miles NE of Tighnabruaich on A8003. A busy day.
top Cinema
Dunoon's Studio Cinema has two screens. Tel 01369 704545 for programme details.
Video hire from 'Gibsons', Argyll Street, Dunoon. Last resort on a wet day.
top Shopping
'Bookpoint', Argyll St, Dunoon is a real, independent bookshop. Stock up for your holiday reading.
The 'Observer' shop, Argyll St., has crafts, artists materials, jigsaws, toys and may still have some Estes rocket kits.
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