Attractions in Inveraray
Inveraray Castle
Inveraray Castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Clan Campbell and the iconic, a must-see visitor attraction on the West Coast of Scotland.
Find out more about the Castle and its history and take a trip around the beautiful grounds & gardens.
You'll also find out what's on at the Castle and in and around the stunning scenery of Argyll.
www.inveraray-castle.com
Inveraray Jail
Step through the doors of Inveraray Jail and step back in time to a 19th-century prison. Experience what life was like for the real men, women and children – some as young as seven – who were tried and locked up here. Explore the atmospheric historic buildings at your leisure and meet the costumed characters who animate the past in this unique living museum.
www.inverarayjail.co.uk
Inveraray Bell Tower;
In 1914 the 10th Duke of Argyll, Niall Diarmid Campbell, became the Honorary Colonel of The 8th Battalion of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. When the First World War ended he decided that there should be a fitting memorial to commemorate the Clan Campbell dead.
The construction of the 126 foot high tower was begun in 1921 and completed ten years later in 1931. The striking outline of All Saints Bell Tower can be seen for miles along Loch Fyne, dominating the town of Inveraray.
The peal of 10 bells was cast by John Taylor and Company in Loughborough in 1920. The heaviest bell, the Tenor, weighs 2112kg making Inveraray the second heaviest peal of 10 bells in the world (the heaviest being Wells Cathedral, England).
www.inveraraybelltower.co.uk
Auchindrain Highland Township
Step back in time and discover Scotland’s rural history at Auchindrain, the most complete and well-preserved example of a Scottish Highland farm township. Vividly imagine life in the old Highlands as you walk through the settlement and see how ordinary people lived and worked. Step into the restored longhouses, see the objects of everyday life and learn about the past inhabitants. Explore the byres, stables and fields to understand how groups of families worked the land in common. Uncover a fascinating, long-vanished Scottish way of life deep in the hills of Argyll.
www.auchindrain.org.uk
Mountain biking and walking;
There are lots of woodland tracks and forestry tracks in the area for levels of energy and capabilities.
Throughout Argyll Estates are some interesting buildings that have fallen into disrepair but had a purpose in the days gone by. The Old Sawmill, The Ice House, The Wishing Well, The Lime Works, The Water House.
Things to do in the Wider Area
Cruachan Power Station - The Hollow Mountain
Situated amongst some of Scotland's most beautiful scenery, lying deep within Ben Cruachan is one of the country's most amazing engineering achievements. Hidden deep within the mountain of Ben Cruachan on the shores of Loch awe is Cruachan Power Station.Here, a short distance from Oban, you can discover one of the hidden wonders of the Highlands. A power station buried one kilometre below the ground.
At its centre lies a massive cavern, high enough to house the Tower of London! Here enormous turbines convert the power of water into electricity, available to you in your home at the flick of a switch.
Kilmartin Glen
Kilmartin Glen is one of the world’s most significant archaeological landscapes. The Glen’s unique archaeological remains and rich natural heritage were the inspiration for the creation of Kilmartin Museum, which opened in 1997.
Sites include the largest collection of standing stones in Europe, stone circles and rock art dating back thousands of years.
www.kilmartin.org
Carnasserie Castle
Carnasserie Castle is a roofless ruin today, but it was once a fashionable residence incorporating many of the latest Renaissance influences. It was the home of the first Protestant Bishop of the Isles, Master John Carswell, and its design is befitting of a man of his stature.
The castle is an accomplished piece of architecture, laid out as a single building integrating both a five-storey tower house and a hall range. Its masonry matched the design, with finely-carved features throughout.
From the parapets there’s a magnificent view down to Kilmartin Glen, which is home to a range of marked rocks, cairns and standing stones, some of which are visible from the tower.
Dunadd Fort
Clamber to the top of a spectacular rocky outcrop fort that’s been occupied since the Iron Age.
Dunadd Fort rises proudly from Moine Mhor – the ‘great moss’ – an expanse of bog that carpets the southern end of Kilmartin Glen. It was home to a fort 2,000 years ago, and a royal power centre of Gaelic kings in the 500s to 800s AD.
Below the mighty fort site are some extraordinary features carved into the rock, including two human footprint shapes – similar to a pair found at Clickimin Broch.
Cruise Loch Lomond
Cruise Loch Lomond offers the opportunity to experience the serenity of the ‘bonnie banks’ from the comfort of one of seven vessels in the fleet. Whether entertaining clients or colleagues, considering having a wedding on Loch Lomond, or celebrating that special occasion with a private party in this unique venue.
www.cruiselochlomond.co.uk
Ocean Explorer Centre, Oban
A FREE indoor visitor attraction near Oban to explore the science behind our oceans.
Inverawe Smokery and Fisheries
Inverawe has something for everyone, be it fishing, finding out how salmon is smoked, exploring the many trails and tracks, feeding the fish, trying our new play area, browsing through the shop, or enjoying our delicious food in the Smokery Café.
www.inverawe-fisheries.co.uk
Crinan Canal
The canal, which opened in 1801, takes its name from the village of Crinan at its western end. Approximately nine miles (14 km) long, the canal connects the village of Ardrishaig on Loch Gilp with the Sound of Jura, providing a navigable route between the Clyde and the Inner Hebrides, without the need for a long diversion around the Kintyre peninsula, and in particular the exposed Mull of Kintyre.[1]
Isle of Seil
Seil (Scottish Gaelic: Saoil) is one of the Slate Islands, located on the east side of the Firth of Lorn, 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Oban, in Scotland.
Kintyre Peninsula
Kintyre is in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The peninsula stretches about 30 miles (48 km), from the Mull of Kintyre in the south to East Loch Tarbert in the north. The area immediately north of Kintyre is known as Knapdale.
Kintyre is long and narrow, at no point more than 11 miles (18 km) from west coast to east coast, and is less than two miles wide where it connects to Knapdale. The east side of the Kintyre Peninsula is bounded by Kilbrannan Sound, with a number of coastal peaks such as Torr Mor. The central spine of the peninsula is mostly hilly moorland. The coastal areas and hinterland, however, are rich and fertile. Kintyre has long been a prized area for settlers, including the early Scots who migrated from Ulster to western Scotland and the Vikings or Norsemen who conquered and settled the area just before the start of the second millennium.
The principal town of the area is Campbeltown (about 5.5 miles (9 km) by road from the Mull), which has been a royal burgh since the mid-18th century. The area's economy has long relied on fishing and farming, although Campbeltown has a reputation as a producer of some of the world's finest single malt whisky. Campbeltown Single Malts include the multi-award-winning Springbank and the rejuvenated Glen Scotia.
Walk on some of the most remote, stunning beaches at Westport.
And of course made renowned by Paul McCartney.
Gardens of Argyll
Inveraray Castle gardens
The garden covers sixteen acres, of which, around two acres are formal lawns and flowerbeds, the remainder being park and woodland. Extending to 180 hectares they form one of the most important designed landscapes in Scotland.
The climate in Argyll, with its yearly average rainfall of 230cms (90 inches), is ideally suited to Rhododendrons and Azaleas, which flower in the gardens from April until June. Conifers also grow well in the poor acidic soil of a high rainfall area, as can be seen by the fine specimens such as Cedrus Deodars, Sequoiadendron Wellingtonia, Cryptomeria Japonica and Taxus Baccata.
Ardkinglas Gardens
Situated on the shores of Loch Fyne in Argyll, against a spectacular background of mountain and forest, Ardkinglas Estate covers about 4800 hectares. Ardkinglas house is an architectural gem and provides a very special setting for weddings, family parties and other events. For holidaymakers there is a self catering apartment within the ground floor. The Woodland Garden is open all the year round with an outstanding collection of plants and trees, including the "Mightiest Conifer in Europe".
The lower Ardkinglas Woodland Garden, often referred to as The Pinetum, was initiated in around 1875 by the Callander family. This area now provides a home for a number of Champion Trees, the tallest or broadest of their species in Britain.
Ardkinglas' favourable growing conditions lead to the exceptional size and longevity exhibited by many of the coniferous species introduced to this area of the Garden via the 19th century plant-hunters. The Champion Trees at Ardkinglas also include 'the mightiest conifer in Europe' a remarkable European Silver Fir (Abies alba) with a girth of nearly ten metres. Other champions in Ardkinglas Woodland Garden are Patagonian Cypress (Fitzroya cupressoides), Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), Western Red Cedar (Thuya plicata) and the unusual Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana var. jeffreyi).
Benmore Gardens
Benmore with its magnificent mountainside setting is a joy to behold. Its 49 Hectares/120 acres boast a world-famous collection of flowering trees and shrubs including over 300 species of rhododendron and over one third of the world’s hardy conifer species plus fine collections from North and South America, the Orient and the Himalaya.
Visitors are welcomed by an impressive avenue of Giant Redwoods, arguably one of the finest entrances to any botanic garden in the world. Established in 1863, these majestic giants now stand over 50 metres high.
The Garden is glorious throughout the seasons, from the vibrant blooms of rhododendrons and azaleas in early spring, striking Eucryphias of late summer and breathtaking displays of rich autumn fruit and foliage.
Crarae Gardens
A spectacular 50-acre woodland garden in a dramatic setting. Crarae has a wonderful collection of woody plants centred on the Crarae Burn, which is spanned by several bridges and tumbles through a rocky gorge in a series of cascades. A wide variety of shrubs and trees chosen for spring flowering and autumn colour grow in the shelter of towering conifers, and the lush, naturalistic planting and rushing water gives the feel of a Himalayan valley.
Since acquiring the garden in 2001, the National Trust for Scotland has restored the infrastructure, replacing bridges, steps and paths, and new plantings include many recently collected, wild-origin Rhododendrons. The National Collection of Nothofagus is to be found at Crarae.
Arduaine Gardens
Arduaine is a twenty acre coastal garden situated on the southern slope of a promontory beside the Sound of Jura, twenty miles south of Oban and just off the A816.
The garden was begun on a bare promontory in 1898 by James Arthur Campbell and continued by two succeeding generations of his family. In 1965 Arduaine House was sold and became the Loch Melfort Motor Inn, later the Loch Melfort Hotel. The garden was sold in 1971 to Edmund and Harry Wright who in turn passed the garden on, as a gift, to the National Trust for Scotland in 1992.
Local Businesses
Here's a bit of information about some of the local businesses of Inveraray
Green Door
Life style Shop, Deli & Café. With unique Homeware, Ciabattas, Soup, Cakes, Freshly Ground Coffee, Specialty Teas
Home baking, fresh soup, ciabatta rolls, ground coffee, Arran dairy ice cream quality homewear and gifts all at the Green Door Café and Shop, Inveraray. Something for your family, for your home and for you.
Find us on Front St East, Inveraray, across the road from the pier.
Purdies
Purdie’s of Argyll is a family-run company that makes soaps, candles and skin care products on the west coast of Scotland.
All of our soaps and beauty products are handmade using certified organic base ingredients. Those ingredients are then blended with pure essential oils to produce a unique and ethical product that contains no nasties, is vegan friendly and has never been tested on animals.
Christmas shop Inveraray
Inveraray's only all year round Christmas shop was opened in 2010. Filled with lots of special memories for your Christmas tree. They stock scents, toys, cards and lots more. On the run up to Easter we also stock Easter tree decorations for those who can't resist. They are a small family run business.
McIntyres of Inveraray
Situated in the Royal Burgh of Inveraray stocking a range of high end countywear brands including Dubarry, Barbour, Schoffel, Fairfax & Favor, Anna Lascata, Hicks & Brown, Laksen, Joules, Seasalt and many more.
Chocolate Box of Inveraray
A traditional chocolate shop based in the Royal Burgh town of Inveraray, Argyll. Filled with all the chocolates you could ever want!
Hive Organic
Organic Lifestyle products
Dreamtime Studio
My dream come true, I filled a shop with all my favourite things, #crystals #ceramics #handmade #loved pieces. Throw in some reiki and good vibrations and you have dreamtime.
Sweet Memories
All types of sweeties.
Inveraray Woollen
You will find quality and value go hand-in-hand at Inveraray Woollen Mill. Behind the deceptively small facade you will find a pandora's box of Scottish gifts and souvenirs. Take a wander - The Inveraray Woollen Mill is in a beautiful building which was once home to the blacksmith and granary built by the 5th Duke of Argyll in 1772
Quadmania
www.quadmaniascotland.co.ukCraignish cruises
Loch Awe Boats
Row, Motor and Cabin Boats for hire every day for fishing and family expeditions on Scotland's longest fresh water loch set in magnificent West Highland scenery in the heart of wild Argyll, rich in history and wildlife with enchanting islands and ruined castles to explore.