west scotland holidays

a west scotland road trip

The journey to Ronachan House is without doubt one of the most beautiful drives you can enjoy through Scotland’s stunning west coast terrain. In fact the journey to Ronachan House becomes in itself a holiday through west Scotland as you take in the sights on your way.

It is easy to access the road to our beautiful bay by first travelling towards Glasgow city and then taking the A82 road through Dumbarton and up past scenic Loch Lomond where you can stop for sightseeing, food, golf, water sports or an overnight stay depending on your itinerary.

From Loch Lomond you drive over the beautiful and famous Rest and Be Thankful towards Loch Fyne and Inverary, another plentiful stop for you to take in some sights, shopping and food.

Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig are the next townships to stop at on your way and offer a choice of restaurants and local family run shops to peruse. And then onto the beautiful fishing village of Tarbert at the top of Loch Fyne where you can take in the marina and enjoy the local seafood catch of the day.

Ronachan House is 15 minutes south of Tarbert on the road to Campbeltown and Macrihanish, two more destinations worth taking in while on the Kintyre Peninsula.

a gateway to the scottish islands

Some of us may be guilty of picturing Greece, Croatia or the Caribbean when we think of island hopping holidays, but would it surprise you if I said that humble west Scotland has some of the most accessible and beautful island hopping holiday options and that Ronachan House is the best situated self catering holiday home around for you exploring the islands that west Scotland has on offer?

From the windows of Ronachan House you can look across the Sound of Jura, a narrow stretch of water between the mainland and the islands of Islay, Jura and Gigha. On the other side of the Kintyre Peninsula sits the isle of Arran, nestled between the peninsula and the bulk of the Scottish mainland where you will find Ardrossan, Ayr and Troon.

The islands of Jura and Islay are both accessible by ferry from the ferry port at Kennacraig which is only 10 minutes drive north of Ronachan House towards Tarbert. From Islay you can also travel on to the isle of Colonsay and then, if you so wish, to Oban back on the mainland. A real island hopping adventure that all begins at Ronachan House.

The ferry to Gigha is picked up at Tayinloan, 10 minutes drive south of Ronachan House. And the ferry to the Isle of Arran where there is often a concert, or festival or market or event on, is only 20 minutes drive from the opposite of the Kintyre peninsula.

A west Scotland holiday at Ronachan House is more than a holiday in Kintyre, it is a holiday taking in all that beautiful west Scotland has to offer, from beaches, island holidays, day trips and more.

a west scotland holiday on the kintyre peninsula

The Kintyre Peninsula is a narrow stretch of land that hangs off of the west coast of Scotland, starting at Tarbert fishing village on the A83 and going all the way to its southern most tip called The Mull of Kintyre. It roughly points towards Ireland and if you stand at the Mull of Kintyre on a beautiful clear day you will just see Ireland’s land mass peeking over the horizon around 12 miles off in the distance.

The Kintyre Peninsula is relatively unspoilt and untouched despite its native beauty because it is slightly off of the beaten track. Travellers often go as far round Loch Fyne as Lochgilphead and then take the more worn path up to Oban from there instead of curving back south on themselves and heading in the Kintyre direction. This however is one of the things that makes Ronachan House and its location so special. Untouched, unspoiled beaches, quiet and breathtaking golf courses, and of course the famous Kintyre Way if you want to don your walking boots and take in your surroundings more closely.

There are multiple towns and villages to visit during your stay at Ronachan House including the fishing village of Tarbert that you will drive through on route to the property. Further south you have the larger town of Campbeltown which was once known as the whiskey capital of Europe, and the views at Macrihanish Beach are simply unparalleled. Skipness Castle, Carradale, Tayinloan and the Mull of Kintyre are all destinations worth seeing while staying on the peninsula.

So make Ronachan House your west Scotland holiday base and marvel at the beauty on offer on the stunning Scottish west coast.

things to do on the kintyre peninsula

Ronachan House has all of the facilities and amenities you may want for a relaxing and cosy break away from real life. However if you are feeling more active and adventurous there are plenty of local activities and sightseeing for you to choose from and enjoy during your stay with us.

Quite obviously the sandy beach at Ronachan Bay affords you the opportunity to bring your toys and equipment for enjoying some paddle boarding, canoeing, sailing, kitesurfing and wild swimming. We have even had guests who paddle boarded all the way over to the Isle of Gigha from our sandy shores.

However, beyond Ronachan Estate there is plenty more on our doorstep to entertain you. With multiple local whisky and gin distilleries, including 3 in Campbeltown alone, there are plenty of tasting tours to partake in. In fact Springbank Distillery is the only Scottish distillery to perform every step in the whisky-making process. There are 4 local golf courses of various types, lengths and difficulties including Macrihanish’s spectacular 2.

The Kintyre Way is a local walking treasure. 100 miles of unspoilt beauty split into 7 distinct sections for you to walk as fast or slow, as much or as little as you desire. Part of the route crosses directly down the side of the Ronachan Estate gardens past the burn that flows on the property. Horseriding, boat trips, Skipness Castle, Tarbert Castle, the Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse, and multiple festivals and shows throughout the calendar year, Kintyre is full of places to explore and things to do.