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Kintyre, Gigha & Isle of ArranExplore the diverse countryside, hills and coastline
KintyreKintyre - from the Gaelic 'ceann tire, 'land's end' - is steeped in ancient history as it is a fertile land, much fought over throughout the ages. There are plenty of abbeys, castles, standing stones, cave paintings and all manor of wildlife, sealife and plants to keep you amazed and amused.
The Kintyre Peninsula is often referred to as 'Scotland's only mainland island'. In the 11th century, when the Scottish king, Malcolm Canmore, allowed Magnus Barefoot, King of Norway, to lay claim on any island he could circumnavigate by boat, Magnus succeeded in dragging his longship across the Tarbert isthmus and added the peninsula to his Hebridean Kingdom until the ancient Celtic warleader Somerled sent the Vikings packing around 1156. The west coast of the Kintyre peninsula ranks among the most exposed stretches of coastline and has a mixture of rocky shoreline and deserted sandy beaches pounded by Atlantic breakers with the low-lying fertile Isle of Gigha just three miles off the west coast. The bulbous end of Kintyre features some of the most spectacular scenery on the peninsula and includes the famous Mull of Kintyre, the nearest Britain gets to Ireland, just 12 miles away. The east coast is gentler than the west, sheltered from Atlantic winds and in parts striking beautiful with stunning views accross to Arran.
Isle of GighaGigha - Norse: gja-ey 'cleft island' or 'God's island' or `good island' - is the most southerly of the Hebridean Islands. Seven miles long by a mile and a half wide, Gigha is situated three miles west of the Kintyre peninsula. The island is fertile, although the west coast is rough and rocky. Gigha has beautiful bays, lochs and gently sloping hillsides as well as a variety of wild and birdlife. The highest hill, Creag Bhan, rises to 330 feet, and there are splendid views to Kintyre, Islay, Jura, and even Ireland on a clear day. There are also fine sandy beaches at Druimyeon Bay and Ardminish Bay. The island is community-owned since 2002. Isle of ArranArran is often described as "Scotland in miniature" because it has mountains, beaches, cliffs, farmlands and thousands of acres of untamed forests, hills and waterfalls, all packaged together in an area approximately 20 miles long by 10 miles wide.
Arran lies on the Highland Boundary Fault what makes it geologically very interesting with both Highland and Lowland landscapes. The northern part of the island is very much mini-Highlands with spectacular granite peaks, corries and wooded glens. In contrast the south of the island has sweeping moorlands and wide sandy beaches. We will explore both during our hikes. There are traces of settlements on Arran as far back as 4,000 BC although it is thought there might have been inhabitants going back as far as 7,000 BC. It is protected on it's western coast by the Kilbrannan Sound and the Mull of Kintyre while the Firth of Clyde and the Ayrshire coast stretches south by it's eastern shores so it's fairly well protected all round. The Gulf Stream keeps the waters of Arran warmer than the norm and this is why there are many palm trees and other exotic plants dotted all round the island.
The programme day-by-dayA typical week, subject to variables like weather, abilities of the group and any changes to take account of lambing, deer stalking, etc., could be as follows:
Saturday: Glasgow - Tarbert
Sunday: Isle of Gigha Monday: Knapdale Tuesday: Journey to Arran and Cock of Arran After arriving on Arran, we will walk around the Cock of Arran. The initial part of the walk is a steady climb a col. From the top, we will have superb views across the sea, and also inland to Goat Fell. We continue along the path descending to the sea at Laggan to an abandoned mining village. We will follow the coastal path to the north, along cliffs with caves and beautifully sculptured sandstone. The path climbs again to join a track, and there are excellent views across to the Kintyre peninsula. Wednesday: Holy Island, Glenashdale Falls and Giants' Graves
After returning to Arran, we will walk to the Glenashdale Falls. A short and a long fall plungs gracefully into a deep, wooded gorge. From the falls we will get uphill and visit the Giants' Graves, the remains of two large cairns. They are believed to have been used for buriel of people of close kinship in Neolitic times. There are good views towards Holy Island from the graves. Thursday: King's Cave and Machrie Moor
Friday: Arran's Western Hills Saturday: Isle of Arran - Glasgow
Am I fit enough?Our walking / hiking holidays are designed for people who are fit and used to walking all day. We will walk up to 11 miles (17 km) per day with on average 1000ft/300m ascent. On one day the ascent might be up to 3000ft/900m. There are 1 or 2 easier days. Our routes sometimes traverse pathless glens, climb mountains or thread remote passes. On most days as much of our time is spent off path as on it. Scotland can be very wild and tough going: 10 miles here is often much harder than 10 miles elsewhere. All that said, we don’t want to break any speed records, especially not when going uphill and you’ll have all the rewards of walking in one of the most beautiful and fascinating parts of the Highlands and Islands. If you're still not sure whether or not you can cope after you've read this and the details of the week's programme, please get in touch to discuss it further.
AccommodationAs with all About Argyll's holidays, this is either in carefully selected B&B's / guest houses or in hotels, as you prefer. You can rely on the quality of the accommodation that we find for you - its comfort, its food and the welcoming nature of those who run it. If you have particular requirements, please let us know so that we can do our best to meet them. Clothing and equipmentYou will need to bring boots with a good tread that provide adequate ankle support, warm clothing, waterproofs (top and overtrousers) and a rucksack big enough for your spare clothes, a packed lunch and whatever else you normally like to have with you (binoculars, a camera, etc.). Boots are especially important. They don't have to be particularly heavy, but wearing ultra lightweight ones may mean your feet get wet and trainers definitely aren't adequate nor, on some of the rougher and steeper going, however short it may be, are they safe.
The price includes:
and most especially
For full details on booking and insurance, please click here.
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About Argyll Walking Holidays
Letters Lodge South, Strathlachlan, Argyll PA27 8BZ, Scotland (UK)
Tel: +44 (0)1369 860272 • Email:
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