The West Coast of Scotland is a region full of history and beautiful scenery> There are also good value hotels in West Scotland to stay when taking your holidays or short breaks.
The region is regarded as the traditional seat of the ancient Scottish kings and is an area of outstanding natural beauty ranging from the rugged Western Isles, the former county of Argyll, the Isles of Bute and Islay plus the breathtaking Mull of Kintyre.
The islands which include Mull, Iona, Islay and Jura, the last two famed for their whisky with their distinct smokey, peaty taste, are widely known. Less often spoken is the Mid Argyll area bordering on Loch Fyne and Loch Gilp yet this area is an undiscovered gem.
Places to visit in Mid Argyll
The Duke and Duchess of Argyll have their ancestral home in the area at Inverary Castle. It has been in the family, the Campbell Clan, for many centuries. For many people, the castle looks as typical a Scottish castle as you can get with its round towers and pointed roofs. It also has stunning gardens as well as well regarded collections of armoury, French tapestries plus Scottish and European furniture.
Not all castles are in such good condition and the Carnasserie Castle Ruin in Kilmartin just a few miles from the towns of Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig is a good example. Another is Tarbert Castle which is a former royal castle from 13th century but now there is only a tower remaining.
Ancient monumentsFor even more ancient history, Kilmartin Glen has over 350 examples of sites, some dating back over 5,000 years Sites include stone circles, cairns which are man-made piles or towers of rock, rock carvings and standing stones.
Argyll is where| the ancient Kingdom of Scotland was based when the Scots arrived in the century and evidence of their past can be seen throughout the area. Another ancient monument is the castle in Dunadd, which is among the oldest in the region.
It is also where Christianity began in the country and you can find early stone crosses around the village.
Wildlife
Wildlife is also found in the area. Here you can see birds of prey such as an eagle or an osprey, a wildcat or an antlered stag while at sea you might be lucky enough to spot whales and dolphins.
There are guided tours to help you or guidebooks for those who want to venture out on their own around western Scotland.
Towns in Mid Argyll
The administrative head and biggest town of the area is Lochgilphead. This lies on Loch Gilp which itself is off the much bigger Loch Fyne. Here there are good quality bed and breakfast places to stay.
Just south of here is the small port of Ardrishaig which is at the south-eastern end of the Crinan Canal . This was built in 1801 to remove the long journey around the Mull of Kintyre to the western coast of Scotland. Ardrishaig, a former fishing port, is now used mainly to ship timber from the Scottish forestry industry.
The canal bears an unfortunate history of cost over-runs, poor build quality leading to leaks before financial collapse. It was rescued and improvements made finished in late 20th century so that now it is described as the most beautiful shortcut in the world. Today is mainly used for recreational purposes.
West Coast hotels and accommodation
There is accommodation to suit most budgets and preferences from B and Bs in Lochgilphead, through self-catering units to good value hotels in Argyll found in towns like Ardrishaig. You will have no problem finding a place to stay that meets your needs whether a touring holiday or a short break.
Summary
From scenic sight-seeing tours, through historic castles to wildlife tours, there is a breadth of attractions and activities to suit most tastes for people who choose a break in the area plus a range of good value hotels in West Coast of Scotland for people to stay.
