the kintyre peninsula

whisky tasting on the kintyre peninsula

Campbeltown, the Kintyre Peninsula’s largest town, was once the centre of whisky manufacturing in the world being home to no less than 34 whisky distilleries! Now only 3 remain, however what they have lost in volume they make up for in distinction.

Springbank Distillery proudly manufactures 3 malts following 5 generations of one family managing this historical production. Springbank welcome visitors onto several tours and tastings giving guests the chance to explore the history and diversity of their range.

You can find out more here.

Glengyle Distillery is another whisky producer on the Kintyre Peninsula with the most colourful of histories. Following closures and passing hands over the years the distillery was only recently reopened by the great-great-nephew of its original founder. The name of the malt manufactred at Glengyle is actually Kilkerran, a name derived from the settlement that used to exist where Campbeltown now lies.

You can find out more about visiting Glengyle here.

Cadenhead’s is Scotland’s oldest independent bottler and bottles not just whiskey but also rum and gin too. They run exciting tasting events from their location in Campbeltown and you can book to visit, alongside the other Kintyre Peninsula distilleries here.

the kintyre way – a walking route on the peninsula

The Kintyre Peninsula feels a lot more like an island than the mainland of West Scotland and is host to all of the mysteries you may expect from a relatively unexplored land. The Kintyre Way connects them all and provides a scenic walking route which conveniently passes directly through the grounds of Ronachan House making Ronachan the ideal place to stay for exploring all the Kintyre Peninsula has to offer.

Launched in 2006 and extending from Tarbert at the peninsula’s north end to Southend in the south, the waymarked Kintyre Way crisscrosses the peninsula. Along 100 miles over 4–7 days, discover hidden coves, deserted beaches, forests, castles, fishing villages and an abundance of wildlife. The seven graded and waymarked sections offer various walking terrain, from serious hiking to gentle rambles.

You can read all about the seven sections of the Kintyre Way route and what to expect from each one in terms of terrain and difficulty at their comprehensive website here.

dark skies over the kintyre peninsula

The Kintyre Peninsula is a perfect place to take in the night skies of Scotland.

The west coast of this relatively untrodden area of west Scotland is shielded from the light pollution created in Glasgow and Ayrshire by the hills that run down the spine of the peninsula and further east by the isle of Arran.

Ronachan House sits directly on the west coast of the Kintyre Peninsula making it the ideal place for you to star gaze and hope to see the majesty of the starry skies on a clear night.

With its clear views over the Atlantic, the Kintyre Peninsula’s west coast has been designated a Milky Way area by the UK Dark Sky Discovery partnership. Milky Way class status means that the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye – something which is only possible in the darkness found in remote, rural areas such as Kintyre.

Autumn and winter are the so-called Aurora season when you may have the likeliest chance of seeing the northern lights on a clear night. The website Aurora Watch tracks the likeliehood of seeing the northern lights above Scotland so keep an eye on it if you’re visiting Ronachan House during the autumn winter months.