Write Up Kintyre and Argyll 2023 road trip

[Kate and rod]

Yes we are off to Scotland again, different roads this time. Day 1 York to Lowick Northumberland via the Tyne tunnel

squeezed into the last parking space in Almouth, just

taking in the tricky Beadnell box for the AA box challenge

and coastal road past Bamburgh castle which was being attacked by a massive bird !

,, Next it's east to west off to Seamill in Argyll, midge kit at the ready!

 

[Stevo7682]

Nice pictures guys.
Dont forget your umbrella i was out in the sunshine fixing the hose to wash the cars 2 minutes later pouring down for 10 minutes now sun trying to return.
Nice spot on the AA box need to get that thread updated

Stephen.

 

[AntStark]

Signing in for updates and pictures... both areas I know well but not been back to for a few years

 

[Kate and rod]

Day 1 was 180 top down all the way, day 2 150, mostly top down some of the way, a few impressive showers.! Day 2 we did Lowick , stayed here very nice

to Seamill near Adrossan and with a lovely view of Arran and Kintyre

Got another AA box at Capercleuch.

This was not called a pass but it flipping was, single track road with some very slim bridges from St Mary's loch then down past this lovely reservoir

road running alongside .

view from our room at Seamill

 

[t-tony]

What are hotel prices like please?

Tony.

 

[Kate and rod]

Day 3. Lovely walk on the beach and some of the Ayrshire coastal path

staying at the waterside at Seamill right on the beach . It's where the Scottish football team trained before the 1978 world cup and Celtic trained there too!

on the bus to Adrossan, marina and ferry port

view of Arran from the far end of the harbour wall

ferry on its way to Arran

then back to sit in the pub garden n the sun and a bit more beach. Found these cairns

could not resist this cake!

 

[Kate and rod]

Day 4. 170 mile's to Kintyre, gorgeous roads. Waterside in Seamill, quite a way to Campbell town!

Port of Glasgow

Erskine bridge, through the birthplace of Logie Baird, then up the coast road with GareLoch on our left home of the Faslane submarines

over the pass at Rest and be Thankful and to Inverrary

lovely lochside roads most of the way, town below is Tarbet

on Kintyre, Skipness castle and Arran fom the other side, seafood platter from the seafood shack , the 2 bowls of mussels came a moment later and we dived in

 

[AntStark]

No pic of Inveraray castle ? Harbour at Tarbert is looking splendid .. very picturesque. The west coast road from Tarbert to Campbeltown is a great drive.

 

[Kate and rod]

Wasn't quick enough with camera! Did see it though, tricky to get a Go d pic when you're always on the move!

 

[Kate and rod]

What are hotel prices like please?

Tony.

£158 a night b & b at Seamill, we went thru booking.com but it's better value booking direct. £115 at Argyll hotel Bellochantuy Kintyre, second one absolute bargain wine good value an gorgeous seaview beer garden with access to the beach

 

[Kate and rod]

Day 5 bus to Campbellltown. Timetable at bus stop said the 10.20 only went on Tuesdays in November and December, it wasn't true tho. Cute beach huts next to the pub we're staying at in Bellochantuy, Storm putting his feet up

Campbelltown is on Campbelltown Loch

fantastic reflections

a fair bit of logging goes on, we saw a few lorries unloading on the dock

Paul and Linda McCartney owned a farm on Kintyre for many years, we visited the memorial garden where her ashes were scattered (next post)

 

[Kate and rod]

Linda McCartney memorial garden

walked round to get a pic of Island Davaar which features in the Wings album that had the song Mull of Kintyre on it, must be a better looker than the actual Mull!

tasty hotdog lunch

no time for a distillery tour though Campbelltown still has 3, years ago it had 30! Then back on the bus for a walk on the beach

back to the pub for a drink in the garden

impressive weather coming over from the far west of Northern Ireland

finished off with a 14 year old whiskey from Tobermory wow never knew whiskey could taste so good ....

 

[AntStark]

Views are amazing You can walk out to Davaar when the tide is out.. there is huge cave on the far side with a picture of Christ in it

 

[Kate and rod]

Views are amazing You can walk out to Davaar when the tide is out.. there is huge cave on the far side with a picture of Christ in it
View attachment 267909View attachment 267911

That's amazing, we didn't get the right tides for that sadly , thanks for sharing

 

[AntStark]

No, thank you for sharing your trip

 

[Stevo7682]

Some great pictures there guys looks like you've had a great trip so far.

 

[Kate and rod]

Day 6 time to start the trip home . Kintyre is beautiful

 

[Kate and rod]

Day 6 time to head off . Pics of the Argyll hotel where we stayed, really recommend.

view from the pub garden of Islay.

Jura on left and Gigha on the right.

what a location! K66 tartan run up the b road on the right this time

 

[Kate and rod]

Day 6 200 miles Bellochantuy on Kintyre to Woodland bay just below Girvan on the coast overlooking Ailsa Craig. We researched the state of the B842 and read about residents putting up signs to warn about the pot holes, worried a bit, then did it anyway, road was mostly newly resurfaced and a lovely drive. Single track from Carradale but plenty of passing places.

did not get a pic of Anthony Gormleys statue called Grip at Saddell since not visible from the car and we were on a mission., Borrowed this one.

Phone at the ready for Inveraray and the castle this time

farming oysters? on Loch Fyne

. Then away from the fantastic A83 after Rest and be Thankful

and the A82 down the side of Loch Lomand ( to many trees and rainy so no pics) where Rod had tatties, neeps, haggis and whisky sauce

then over Erskine bridge, A737, A78 A77. Misty view of Ailsa Craig so thought I'd wait to take a pic the next day. Found out the Olympic curling stones are made of the granite from that Island.

 

[Kate and rod]

Last day Girvan to home. A quick dash of 240 miles after visit to the Electric Brae

Rod took the handbrake off and we did indeed roll uphill backwards! Quick meet up with Stevo too!

All in all 840 miles, would fully recommend the A83 and the Kintyre 66!