Food
Days Out
Beach
Bike & Hike
Sports
Nature
Gardens
Activities
Historical
Eating & Drinking
Dunvalanree in Carradale, a founding member of The Seafood Trail, specialises in local produce, seafood, lamb, beef, cheese, beer and even whisky, offering guests a relaxing meal in convivial surroundings that they will recall with a smile for years to come.
Fun Days Out
The Playbarn is located at Auchrannie Resort in Brodick, it offers a fun and safe environment for young children to play in. The indoor soft play area is set out over three levels, and there is also a teen zone, internet area, big screen TV, library and WI-FI as well as an outdoor play area and picnic area. The Trough serves a good selection of premium beverages and snacks that are reasonably priced, and offers a comfortable place to sit and observe the children playing. The Playbarn is clean and well maintained and the facilities are very good. The area is well supervised and the staff are friendly and helpful. The Playbarn offers lots to keep young visitors entertained in a clean and safe environment and the prices are very reasonable too.
Beach
No recommended Beach found within 30 miles of this property.
Biking & Hiking
Sign-posted off the main road from Tarbert to Campbeltown, the Centre offers a Museum, gift shops, teas and woodland and riverside walks.
Golf & Sports
A total of seven breathtaking golf courses reside on the gorgeous island of Arran. Visitors can take their pick as they test their skills with a challenging game in one of the most beautiful places in the world. There are numerous places to enjoy a bite to eat nearby so you can make it a full day of invigorating competition and relaxation.
Learn to fly on the beautiful Isle of Arran, 'Scotland in miniature'. Flying Fever Paragliding School has operated for over ten years, teaching on Arran during the summer months. There are 30 + flying sites taking all wind directions, and suitable for beginners and experts alike.
Nature Reserves
No recommended Nature Reserves found within 30 miles of this property.
Gardens & Woodlands
No recommended Gardens & Woodlands found within 30 miles of this property.
Local Attractions
Ardbeg Distillery is located on the small and distant island of Islay where the land provides the perfect conditions and ingredients required to produce a great single malt whisky. They have been distilling whisky since the 18th century here. A visit here is taking a step back in history as well as delving into the process of whisky making. They operate a number of different tours that range in length and detail, starting with a light introduction into the brewing process through to a detailed tour of the history of the brewery and an involvement in the actual making process. All tours will give you the opportunity to sample the wonder whisky produced here. The tour guides are lovely, friendly passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable and the tours are informative and interesting and pitched at just the right level. The Old Kiln Cafe is wonderful, warm and inviting, the lunches are superb and excellent value too and you can taste the whisky's at your table. Staff throughout are great and again helpful and friendly and able to offer advise. The brewery has an idyllic location and has fabulous views of the ocean. The visitor centre is open Monday to Friday throughout the year and tours are operated April to October, they are popular and numbers are kept small so it is best to book in advance. The gift shop has the full selection of their whisky's as well as related items and there are special distillery release bottles that are only available here. Ardbeg Distillery is a must visit if you are here on the island you get a real insight into the both the history of the island and the distillery process, it has a wonderful cafe and excellent customer service.
There are three main ingredients for making Laphroaig — Barley, Water, and Yeast — but the secret ingredient is the people who work to ensure that this defining whisky has always remained true to its origins. Tour the distillery and sample the world's favourite single malt. (Recommend ringing ahead to check availability of the tour)
Auchrannie Leisure Centre offers a great choice of leisure facilities within its comfortable and modern complex, it has a lovely welcoming reception area. The Spa Resort is modern and stylish and is open to both residents and non residents of the Auchrannie Resort. Full details of opening times and prices are available on their website. Within the resort there are many amenities including two indoor swimming pool, as well as steam rooms, a sanarium and saunas where you can unwind and relax as the heat works its magic. In addition there is a fully equipped fitness suite with state of the art equipment. Also available here in the sports hall are the options for tennis, badminton, table tennis, football, basketball and volley ball. If you are interested in fitness classes there is a large choice to choose from that cater to all ages and fitness levels. The staff throughout are brilliant really friendly and accommodating. Auchrannie Leisure Centre never feels too busy and is an excellent facility, full of modern amenities and with a good choice of restaurants to choose from.
Arran Adventure Company are located on the beautiful Isle of Arran in Brodick, amongst some of the most spectacular countryside and scenery. They offer a range of fun and exciting outdoor pursuits aimed at all ages and abilities. You can choose from abseiling, archery, mountain biking, climbing, gorge walking, sea kayaking and segway. There is an activity to suit everyone. They are open throughout the year for mountain bike hire but, all other activities are only available during the period from Easter to October. Arran Adventure Company are professional and all activities are well organised with safety paramount, all equipment is provided, it is well maintained and all top quality. The instructors are excellent, friendly, helpful and encouraging, they provide clear instructions on what to do and are always on hand if needed. If hiring bikes there are maps available and they will advise on the best route to suit your group. The scenery around is beautiful with lots of places to stop and enjoy, so take along a camera. If you are looking for something fun and exciting to do on the island look no further than Arran Adventure Company, they are fantastic, provide a great range of activities that are perfectly balanced with the right measure of safety and fun and the instructors are just brilliant, and is excellent value for money too, highly recommended.
Flying Fever Paragliding School are located on the Isle of Arran and have been in business here for more than twenty years. They offer courses in training for a solo paragliding flight or a tandem flight with an instructor. The island has more than thirty flying sites that incorporate all wind directions making it ideal for this activity. Paragliding is exhilarating with a large injection of adrenalin and gives the ultimate buzz. They are open daily depending on the weather March through to September. Instructors are all highly trained and qualified. Safety is paramount and all equipment is regularly tested and is well maintained. You commence training on a gentle slope and you gradually progress to higher ground as you gain confidence and competence. The instructors are lovely you will find them to be very friendly, through and really patient as well as encouraging and they will put you at ease if at all nervous. The feeling when you leave the ground and have the wind in your face as you glide over the glens and countryside is priceless, a truly exhilarating and memorable experience. Flying Fever Paragliding School are professional and well organised, they can arrange to pick you up and drop you off from where you are staying, you will feel very safe and comfortable in their capable hands, highly recommended.
It's been described as comprehensive, witty and visually arresting and you probably won't find a more interesting tour anywhere. Visit Bowmore Distillery and receive the warmest welcome on Islay. Take a tour, have a wee dram.
Mount Stuart is on the Isle of Bute and located about five miles from the town of Rothesay. The house dates to the nineteenth century and is a neo gothic mansion, and represents a real Victorian extravagance and is a definite display of the family's wealth at the time. It is a house that was ahead of its time and is referred to as a house of innovation. It was a technological advanced house being the first home in the world to have a heated indoor swimming pool. It was also the first house in Scotland to be purpose built with electric light, central heating, a telephone system and a Victorian passenger lift all still being in use today. This impressive and majestic home is an architectural delight with many wonderful features. It has a sumptuous, lavish and ornate decor with real attention to detail and is decorated with intricate wood carvings, antique furniture, fine paintings and woven carpets. Areas of interest in the house include the Marble Hall, Dining Room, Marble Staircase, Gallery, Lady Bute Room, Family Bedroom, Horoscope Room, Drawing Room, Purple Library and Marble Chapel. The gardens are equally intriguing and are divided into various sections including the Rock garden, Wee Garden, Kitchen Garden, Calvary Walk and Pinetums. The gardens are home to an array of native and exotic plants, flowers and trees and are beautifully planted. The woodlands and colourful landscapes compliment each other and it is a real sensual delight full of colour and fragrant aromas when in bloom. The house and gardens are open to visitors from the end of March through to early October daily, however guided tours are only available Monday, Tuesday and Thursday . You can choose to visit just the house or gardens or buy a combination ticket or even a season ticket, full details are on the website. The guides are excellenct, friendly and jovial and really knowledgeable, the tours are interesting and informative and given at just he right level to entertain everyone and interspersed with lots of stories too. Mount Stuart is one of the most extravagant, spectacular and historic houses around and has so much to see during a visit, a must when visiting the Isle of Bute or Glasgow.
Historical & Heritage Sites
Finlaggan was the home of the MacDonald chiefs for almost four hundred years, from the 12th to the 16th centuries. From Finlaggan, the Lords of the Isles ruled the Atlantic seaboard from Kintyre to Lewis, having wrested control from their Norse overlords.
The evocative ruins of a late 11th or 12th century castle with later additions, it is probably the oldest stone castle on the Scottish mainland.
Visit an ancient fort which signifies a clear example of Iron Age inhabitation. It has a dominant site on the island of Bute that is well worth a look.
Just off the north eastern cost of Ireland rests Rathlin Island. This beautiful region was once the heart of the ancient Dal Riada kingdom. Today the area offers gorgeous scenery, rich history and the perfect place to observe marine birds and local wildlife. If you are searching for peace, quiet and tranquillity then Rathlin should be first on your itinerary.
St Blane's Chapel dates back to the 12th century although the first Christian settlement is thought to date back to the 6th century. The chapel can be found around two miles from Kingarth and was constructed in a beautiful sheltered rocky dell close to the tip of a south facing slope and its elevated position affords lovely views out over the surrounding countryside, the Isle of Arran and the Holy Isle. The church was abandoned after the Reformation and feel into a state of disrepair and today it is just ruins that remain, although it is still pretty intact and you can see a number of the original architectural features. The romanesque arch between the nave and chancel is still intact. An enclosure wall encircles the monastic site of St. Blane's. Within the grounds of the churchyard are a number of weathered grave slabs one of which is a unique hogsback gravestone dating back to the time when Bute was a member of the Norse Empire. You will also see the remnants of a well and the foundations of a manse which was used up until 1587. Access is via a sign posted grassy track that leads from the car park to the site, there is a slight incline but the climb is relatively easy and not too far, it takes about ten minutes to get there. There is access to the site all year round and there are lots of information boards and plaques with the history of the chapel on them. St Blane's Chapel has a peaceful and serene ambience, take time to sit on one of the benches and enjoy the tranquillity and gorgeous views, well worth a visit.
A favourite residence of the Stuart Kings, this is a wonderful example of a 13th century circular castle — its curtain wall is unique in Scotland. In the 16th century forework containing the great hall was added. (Some wheelchair access)
Rothesay Victorian Toilets are located close to the gangway on Rothesay Pier on the Isle of Bute. They are probably the most splendid and fabulous example of late Victorian gents public convenience in Scotland and Britain. They are still open today to the public and cost 30p to visit or use. The facilities are spotless and excellently maintained and date back to 1899 when they were commissioned, at this time Rothesay was a bustling holiday resort. These unique conveniences are a testament to Victorian extravagance and were certainly built to impress. The interior is stunning, the walls are covered with decorative ceramic tiles, ornately patterned in rows. The floors are covered with ceramic mosaic and at the doorway have the crest of the Royal Borough of Rothesay. Three glass sided cisterns feed water to the urinals that passes through shining copper pipes. Most of the original fitments are still used and were supplied by Twyfords back in 1899 for the grand sum of £530. The toilets are run by volunteers who will gladly show any women around if they are empty and tell you the history of them. Rothesay Toilets are probably the most ornate and lavish public toilets you will ever see, a unique insight into a bygone era.