Introducing Scotland's 'Secret Coast' that you've probably never heard of
It lies only a couple of hours from Glasgow, but it is a land apart. A land of haunting beauty that canny Scots have kept pretty much to themselves as an adventure playground.
They call it “Argyll’s Secret Coast”, a peninsula of lonely hills, sea lochs and crags where golden eagles fly – far from traditional heather and whisky trails to the highlands. Most tourists have never heard of it.
Its proper name is Cowal, ancient seat of rival clans and hunting ground of Scottish kings, now a great escape for walkers, cyclists, sailors, fishermen, and a menagerie of wildlife. As well as visitors just happy to cruise around enjoying the scenery, great seafood and lively arts and music scene.
Strictly speaking, the peninsula is bounded by Loch Fyne and the Kyles of Bute, a scenic stretch of water separating Cowal from the island of Bute. A popular way of exploring it is on the ‘five ferries’ route that, unsurprisingly, includes five short ferry crossings from the mainland at Ardrossan to the Isle of Arran and on to Cowal via Kintyre.
Keen cyclists whizz around the shortest circuit in a day, but it’s best to meander at a leisurely pace and take the time to explore picturesque villages, wander the hills and deep forests, and stand and stare at the extravagant beauty of nature. Even grumpy Jeremy Clarkson rates the Cowal coastline as one of his favourite drives.
There is a chance of seeing Scotland’s ‘big five’ – golden eagles, red deer, seals, otters and red squirrels – and with luck the occasional basking shark cruising offshore.
A good way of getting close to marine life is aboard ex-naval commander Donald Clark’s refurbished fishing boat Morag which sails from the pier at Tighnabruaich through the Kyles of Bute. On trips of over an hour, guests can try their hand at fishing and hook a mackerel pollock or cod (argyllsecretcoast.co.uk; ￡15 per hour adults, children ￡10).
Another is on Argyll Cruising’s Splendour, a luxuriously converted wooden trawler equipped with kayaks that local skipper Iain Duncan sails among islands and sea lochs to explore secluded beaches, castles and whisky distilleries. Based in the Holy Loch, it has cruises from three to 13 nights for a maximum of eight guests (argyllcruising.com; three-night cruise from ￡835pp).
Tighnabruaich also has a sailing school where children and adults can learn dinghy skills from Royal Yachting Association instructors, and there are few lovelier places for fledgling sailors to take to sheltered waters (tssargyll.co.uk; two-day adult course from ￡175).
Walkers and cyclists are spoilt for choice with quiet country roads and forest tracks meandering over the peninsula – never far from a sea loch. Kilfinnan community forest has a range of easy walks on woodland trails (kilfinancommunityforest.co.uk). There are guided walks around Tighnabruaich and to Caladh Castle (welcometoscotland.com), and for long distance hikers, the 57-mile Cowal Way to Loch Lomond starts at Portavadie.
For cyclists, a 10-mile trail from Kames around Ardlamont Point is one all the family can tackle easily, and a popular circular route is from Tighnabruaich through Kilfinan and Otter Ferry to Lachlan Castle, returning via Glendaruel. The Forestry Commission website (forestry.gov.uk) is a good resource for dozens of mountain biking trails in coastal forests.
Fishing tends to be a low-key affair from rocks and piers, but there are three lochs well stocked with trout, and the River Ruel is a packed with salmon and sea trout making it great for fly fishing.
Spring and summer is the best time to discover Ostel Bay, also known as Kilbride Bay, a glorious crescent shaped sweep of sand reached by a 15-minute walk through machair ablaze with wildflowers. The chances are you’ll have the place pretty much to yourself.
In September artists, sculptors, craftspeople, photographers and furniture makers drawn to Argyll open their studios and workshops for four days on an art trail through some of the loveliest and most secluded parts of Argyll.
Being surrounded by sea lochs, fresh seafood is always on local menus with langoustines, scallops, mussels, oysters, lobster, crab and fish prepared straight from boats and creels. The Oystercatcher and the Colintraive Hotel know how to make the best of them.
The Fyne Fest, from May 31 to June 3 in 2019 (fynefest.com), is a three-day celebration of beer, food and music in Cairndow at the Fyne Ales brewery estate, while at the end of August the town of Dunoon swarms with pipe bands, highland dancers and caber-tossing musclemen for the legendary three-day Cowal Highland Gathering (cowalgathering.com).
Friday night is gig night at the Gathering with four hours of traditional music, but the spine-tingling finale is the Salute to the Chieftan in the stadium when the massed pipes and drums play Highland Laddie in unison. It is a crescendo of fierce Scots pride that stirs the blood.
I now owe an apology to my fellow Scots. The secret of the Argyll Coast is out.
How to do it
Where to stay: The Portavadie Resort is a marina with quality apartments and cottages, fine dining, and a superb spa on the shores of Loch Fyne (read the review).
Ferries: calmac.co.uk
Further info: argyllsecretcoast.co.uk