Argyll and the Isles: Places to Explore

The little peninsula of Appin, some 20-minutes' drive from Oban, is a charming, well-kept secret. Just 2 mi along a narrow road from the main Fort William route (A828), the bay opens to Lismore and the... Read more

A charming little village with the odd distinction of having the only 12-hole golf course in the world, Blackwaterfoot is dominated by the rather ugly Kinloch Hotel, which caters mainly to coach parties... Read more

Compact Bowmore, on Islay, is about the same size (population 1,000) as Port Ellen, but it works slightly better as a base for touring because it's central to Islay's main routes. Sharing its name with... Read more

Arran's largest village, Brodick, has a main street that is set back from the promenade and the lovely bay beyond. Other than its accommodation, there is little to keep the visitor here before exploring... Read more

Less bleak than Coll and Tiree, Colonsay is one of Scotland's quietest, mo st unspoiled, and least populated islands. It is partly wooded, with a fine quasi-tropical garden at Colonsay House and a great... Read more

Craignure, little more than a pier and some houses, is close to the Isle of Mull's two best-known castles, Torosay and Duart. Reservations for the year-round ferries that travel from Oban to Craignure... Read more

Crinan is synonymous with its canal, the reason for this tiny community's existence and its mainstay. The narrow road beside the Crinan Hotel bustles with yachting types waiting to pass through the locks... Read more

A pretty riverside village, Dervaig has a circular, pointed church tower that is reminiscent of the Irish-Celtic style of the 8th and 9th centuries. The Bellart is a good trout- and salmon-fishing river... Read more

The Slate Islands produced over 9 million slates in their 19th century heyday. Today the slate villages sit a little forlornly under their grey slate crags facing a sometimes wild sea. The islands of Seil... Read more

On the approaches to Inveraray, note the ornate 18th-century bridgework that carries the road along the loch side. This is your first sign that Inveraray is not just a jumble of houses; in fact, much of... Read more

The ruined abbey on Iona gives little hint that this was once one of the most important Christian religious centers in the land. The priceless Book of Keils (now in Dublin) was illustrated here, and it... Read more

The rugged, mountainous landscape of the island of Jura—home to only about 200 people—looms immediately east of Port Askaig, across the Sound of Islay. Jura has only one single-track road (the... Read more

Rivers and streams crisscross this long, narrow strip of green pasturelands and hills stretching south from Lochgilphead.... Read more

With views offshore to Holy Island, which is now a Buddhist retreat, Lamlash has a breezy seaside-holiday atmosphere. To reach the highest point accessible by car, go through the village and turn right... Read more

At more than 25 mi long, Loch Awe is Scotland's longest stretch of fresh water. Its northwest shore is quiet; forest walks crisscross the Inverliever Forest here. At the loch's northern end tiny islands... Read more

Lochgilphead, the largest town in this region, looks best when the tide is in, as Loch Gilp (really a bite out of Loch Fyne) reveals a muddy shoreline at low tide. With a series of well-kept, colorful... Read more

The road from Blackwaterfoot to Lochranza exposes another face of Arran: muddy, rocky beaches line one side, while the other has views of the sweeping slopes up to Goat Fell and Caisteal Abhail (2,735... Read more

The area surrounding Machrie, home to a popular beach, is littered with prehistoric sites: chambered cairns, hut circles, and standing stones dating from the Bronze Age.... Read more

It's almost impossible to avoid Oban when touring the west. Its waterfront has some character, but the town's main role is as a launch point for excursions into Argyll and for ferry trips to the islands... Read more

Serving as the ferry port for Jura and receiving ferries from Kennacraig, Port Askaig is a mere cluster of cottages. Uphill, just outside the village, a side road travels along the coast, giving impressive... Read more

A delightful conservation village at the head of Loch Indaal on Islay, Port Charlotte is home to the Museum of Islay Life, the lovely Natural History Trust, and safe, sandy beaches.... Read more

Islay's sturdy community of Port Ellen was founded in the 1820s, and much of its architecture dates from the following decades. It has a harbor (ferries stop here), a few shops, and a handful of inns... Read more

Founded as a fishing station, Tobermory is now a lively tourist center and a base for exploring Mull. The town is famous for its crescent of brightly painted houses around the harbor.... Read more