Argyll Coastal Trail

Tour Summary

• Arrive in Glasgow -

  We provide a sightseeing guide to Glasgow’s main attractions and recommended restaurants. The guide also includes directions for a short drive west from Glasgow to Loch Lomond, so you can choose between staying in the vibrant city, or in a scenic rural location in the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.

  Stopover in Glasgow / Loch Lomond Area

• Glasgow to Loch Fyne -

  Start your road trip into the Highlands by travelling west from Glasgow to the shores of Loch Lomond. You don’t have far to drive today so you could schedule in a cruise on Loch Lomond, before heading to an excellent smokehouse where you can dine in the restaurant, or buy some Scottish delicacies for a loch side picnic.
   
  There is a wide variety of attractions around Loch Fyne so you can occupy your day with a tour of Inveraray castle, the Duke of Argyll’s ornate home, then head into Inveraray where the actors at the Jail Museum will take pleasure in showing you just what it was like to be locked up in an 18th century prison.
   
  If you want to stretch your legs, you can follow our suggestion for a short, but energetic climb to a magnificent viewpoint with commanding views over Inveraray and Loch Fyne.
   
  Continuing the very scenic coastal drive along Loch Fyne, you have options to visit a botanic garden with magnificent displays in early summer, an abandoned village where the homes have been carefully preserved, and some castle ruins with interesting histories. You can then end the day in the active fishing village of Tarbert where you might see a fresh catch being landed.
   
  Driving Distance: ~ 60  Miles to Inveraray / ~98 miles to Tarbert
   
  Stopover in Loch Fyne Area (Inveraray / Tarbert)

• Loch Fyne to Oban -

  For today's drive to Oban, we provide you with 2 route options;

  The Direct Route can get you to Oban with only an hour of driving, but there are places along the way that you may wish to explore such as the haunting ruins of Kilchurn Castle by the shores of Loch Awe, or St Conan's kirk with its fairy tale Gothic architecture.

  Driving Distance ~38 miles

  The Longer Route takes you on a road trip that we rate as one of the best scenic drives in Scotland. Along the way you can explore the mysterious standing stones and burial cairns of Kilmartin Glen. We also recommend that you detour from the main road to discover the excellent seafood restaurant at the Crinan Hotel. You could also include a visit to the easily accessed Isle of Seil with its charming villages of whitewashed cottages.

  Driving Distance ~62 miles

  The day ends in the lively town of Oban where we give you recommendations to a great choice of seafood restaurants. You can enjoy dinner whilst watching the coming and going of the ferry boats in the harbour.

  Stopover in Oban area

• Oban Day Trips -

  Oban is a great touring base and the guide provides you with a choice of day trips for exploring the wider area.

  • Jacobite Steam Train – With an early start, you can drive from Oban to Fort William in time to catch the morning steam train service to Mallaig. A must for “Harry Potter” fans, but a popular attraction so you need to book early (April – October).
  • Day Trip To Mull, Iona & Staffa – You can either take a day off driving and join an organised boat / coach trip to Iona & Staffa, OR you can follow our directions for exploring the island by car. If taking the car across, we recommend that you consider staying on Mull for 2 or more nights.
  • Explore Sunart, Moidart and Glenfinnan – This is a longer day trip that guides you into a beautiful wilderness that most tourists miss. You initially drive north to take the short ferry crossing at the Corran Narrows on Loch Linnhe. After disembarking from the ferry, you start on a drive that explores Sunart, a peaceful region of unspoilt landscapes where native woodlands survive and provide habitats for all sorts of wildlife. This land is rich with the history of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion and Glenfinnan can be one of your photo stops.
  • Lorn Islands – Within a short distance of Oban you can visit a choice of small islands with unique characters. Our itinerary gives you details of each island’s highlights and the best ways that you can explore them.  

  Stopover in Oban area

• Oban to Glasgow -

  For the final leg of this road trip we recommend a drive through Glen Coe with its dramatic scenery and tragic history of the massacre of the MacDonalds. After Glen Coe, you cross the wild and timeless expanse of Rannoch Moor on your way back to Loch Lomond. For the last leg of this self drive tour, we supply a choice of routes so you can either travel the length of Loch Lomond or take a longer drive that passes through the heart of the Trossachs via Loch Katrine and Aberfoyle. If you go via Loch Katrine, you might wish to schedule in enough time for the short hike up Ben A'an for a magnificent viewpoint and a great memory of Scotland.

  Driving Distance ~118 miles

  Stopover in Glasgow or Loch Lomond Area.