Argyll is the birthplace of Scotland and the focal point of much of its colourful history. With a fragmented coastline and deep sea lochs lapping at the foot of mountains the county boasts a longer coastline than France!

The attractive town of Oban provides first class shopping facilities.

Present day rivalry is much more peaceful and enjoyable at the Cowal Highland Gathering, the pinnacle of the Scottish Highland Games calendar with the World Highland Dancing Championship, heavy events and more than 2,000 pipers marching in grand procession.

From Bute nestling at the southern tip of the Cowal peninsula across to the picturesque fishing village of Tarbert, up through the Crinan Canal with its delightful yacht anchorages at Crinan, Tayvallich and Ardfern, to the busy waterway of the Firth of Clyde at Dunoon, the area provides a fascinating picture of bustling trade and leisurely sailing.

Having a mild climate the area has a lush green landscape and many colourful and interesting gardens are open to the public, including the Younger Botanical Gardens just north of Dunoon. Visit Inveraray model village with its old jail and castle, home to the Dukes of Argyll, which is open to the public and drive along the picturesque shores of Loch Fyne to Lochgilphead, the geographical heart of Argyll.

Continue south to the unspoilt beauty of Knapdale, a gentle corner of the highlands, and Kintyre joined to the mainland only by a narrow isthmus and immortalised in song by Paul McCartney.

Other sporting opportunities across Argyll include hill walking, sailing and skiing at both Glencoe and Aonach Mhor. Read more at our new site cottages and castles