Out & About

Things to do in the area...

Shopping
Ardfern, just 2 minutes drive down the road, has a well stocked general store. Lochgilphead, 16 miles to the south is a friendly town with a good selection of shops including a Co-op supermarket. Oban 23 miles to the north has an even wider range of shops plus the largest Tesco in the West Highlands.

Eating Out
There are plenty of good places to eat. Just down the road in Ardfern is the Galley of Lorne. Over the hill at Craobh Haven is the Lord of the Isles, while just up the road next to Arduaine Garden is the Loch Melfort Hotel with its restaurant and bistro/café bar and a superb view west towards Jura.

The Shower of Herring Restaurant at Melfort village has an excellent reputation. To the south the Cairnbaan Hotel on the Crinan Canal is well known while Crinan Hotel has one of the best seafood restaurants in Scotland.

Boat Trips & Cruises
There is no shortage of choice. Craignish Cruises based in Ardfern offers several options as does Farsain Cruises sailing from Craobh Haven. Easdale a few miles further north is the Argyll base of Sea.Fari, with high speed RIB trips, and Sealife Adventures. The latter offer whale watching and wildlife trips on board Porpoise II, Britain’s most powerful wildlife charter boat. For detailed information on all the other boat trip and cruise options see Cruises in Argyll & Bute.

Island Hopping
You can easily spend a whole day on both Mull and Iona, or Islay. The Mull ferry sails from Oban, the Islay ferry departs from Kennacraig, south of Tarbert. See Caledonian Macbayne for timetables.

Family Fun
The beach in front of the house is very safe and has lots to offer. The river nearby has one or two deeper pools which are fun to swim in. For more formal swimming, try the large pool with flumes, in Oban or the smaller pool in Lochgilphead. Near Oban the Rare Breeds Farm Park and Scottish Sealife Sanctuary are both well worth a visit.

Superb Gardens
Argyll has some of the best gardens in Britain. Only three miles north of Craigdhu is the delightful National Trust for Scotland Garden of Arduaine. For details of the many other gardens and plant nurseries see Gardens & Nurseries in Argyll & Bute.

Ancient Argyll

No where else on mainland Scotland has such a concentration of superb prehistoric sites as the area around Kilmartin, just to the south of Barbreck. There are chambered cairns, stone circles, standing stones, and great slabs of rock carved with fascinating abstract designs. For an interactive map with information on all the key sites see Kilmartin Valley.

Great Golf
Visitors are welcome at all local courses. The Glencruitten Golf Club at Oban has an excellent James Braid designed course. To the south the links of Machrihanish are world famous as is the Machrie on Islay, though you’ll have to start early to catch the ferry. Lochgilphead has a friendly 9-hole golf course. For more information on the many other local courses see Golf Courses in Argyll & Bute.

Fishing & Sea Angling
Trout fishing is available on the lochs on the Craignish Peninsula. For a permit and maps contact Lunga House Tel: 01852 500237. Just over the hill to the south is Loch Awe famous for its monster brown trout. Boats can be hired from Dalavich Marina Tel: 01866 844209 and Loch Awe Boats. Nearby there are many other good trout lochs on Ederline Estate and around Oban and Lochgilphead. For an introduction to fishing in Argyll with full details of lochs, rivers, and sea angling charter boats see Fishing in Argyll & Bute.

Walking
There are plenty of options. From Craigdhu you can take the Glen Walk on up the hill and to the top of Tom Soilleir. Craignish Peninsula has several walks detailed in an excellent local guide book. The Knapdale Forest to the west of Crinan have a network of trails as does the oakwood at Dalavich on the northside of Loch Awe. An attractive low level option is the walk along the Crinan Canal from Ardrishaig to Crinan Basin. Further west  to the south of Tayvallich is the Taynish National Nature Reserve. Here at the edge of Loch Sween there is a choice of way-marked trails through one of the largest ancient oakwoods in Britain.

Horse Riding
The Ardfern Riding Centre has long been well known for its Appaloosas. A few miles to the north the Melfort Riding Centre provides tuition and trekking for all standards and ages. For information on the many other local riding centres. See Horse Riding in Argyll & Bute.

Kayaking & Surfing
Loch Craignish and the inshore waters north to Oban offer some of the best sea kayaking in Scotland. To the south the great beach at Machrihanish is a mecca for surfers.

Historic Town
Inveraray is an attractive historic town less than an hour away. With its castle, the home of the Duke of Argyll, a maritime museum and the restored 19th century Inveraray Jail,  the town is well worth a visit.