Couples Weekend Break in Kintyre & Gigha
Recommended by local IainTake yourself away to it all. Kintyre and Gigha offers just the right combination of rest and relaxation, with things to do and places to eat.
Choose how to spend your time together and make this your special place to retreat to.
Food & Drink
- Old Clubhouse Pub, Machrihanish
- Kintyre Smokehouse
- Kintyre Larder
- Glen Scotia Distillery
- Beinn an Tuirc Distillery
- Skipness Seafood Cabin
- Argyll Hotel at Bellochantuy
Walking Trails
- Kintyre Way
- Deer Hill, Carradale
- Tarbert Walks
- Campbeltown to Kilchousland Path
Evening Fun
- Live music and meals at the Old Clubhouse (the last Friday of every month)
- Music Festivals in Campbeltown, Gigha, Carradale and Tarbert
Isle of Gigha - Achamore Gardens
- Cycle round the Isle of Gigha
- Hire kayaks, paddle boards, wetsuits and snorkels; perfect for exploring the crystal-clear waters that surround the island
Wild & Wellness
- Torrisdale Wellness Retreats, Yoga Journeys and Woodland School
- Serenity Spa at Machrihanish Dunes
Wildlife
Local Shopping
- Fetcha Chocolates sample the chocolates from the Oscars Celebrity Packs
- Homemade Kintyre crafts and cards at Made in Kintyre
- Local cards and souvenirs at Coorie Doon
Events & Festivals
- 5 Music Festivals (Live at the Loch, Sound of Gigha,
Carradale, Kintyre Songwriters and Mull of Kintyre Music Festival - 3 Food & Drink (Campbeltown Malts Festival, Tarbert Seafood Festival and Clachan Smallholders Festival)
Day 1. Kintyre & Gigha
Arrive in Campbeltown on Friday and book into one
of following hotels or B&Bs for an evening meal of
local produce;
- Royal Hotel - Campbeltown
- Ugadale Hotel - Machrihanish
- Ardshiel Hotel - Campbeltown
- Craigard House Hotel - Campbeltown
- Gowanlea Heights (Kintyre’s only 4 start B&B) - Campbeltown (eat at one of the hotels or the Old Club House at Machrihanish)
If you want relaxed meal and try some of the local whisky’s eat in the Black Sheep Pub if you arrive on the last Friday of the month there’s always live traditional music in either the Black Sheep or The Old Clubhouse (free shuttle bus to take you there and back).
Day 2a. Gigha
- Start with an E Bike adventure on one of the Walking & Cycling Routes. Bikes can be hired from Gigha Boats and Activity Centre
- Have lunch and an ice cream at Wee Isle Cafe
- Have a relaxing afternoon at Achamore Gardens and climb up to the viewpoint and enjoy spectacular views of Islay and Jura on a clear day
- If beaches is your thing, why not visit the famous Eilean Garbh beaches (or the Twin Beaches as they’ve come to be known)
- Don’t forget to head back The Nook Takeaway before catching the ferry if you are on a day trip
- If you are staying at night there’s of accommodation options from camping at Gigha Campsite to luxury accommodation at Hideaway Holiday Lettings
- In the evening as dusk approaches, you can visit the Dark Skies Theatre in the North of the Island
Day 2b. East Kintyre
- Start the morning by visiting some historic sites as you head up the B842 road towards Carradale. Park in the nearby car park and visit Kildonan Dun before stopping at Saddell to park at the Gatehouse and walk down the lane to Saddell Castle. Saddell beach is famous as the location for Paul McCartney’s Mull of Kintyre video, take a photo in front of the cottage where Paul sat at the start of the video. Saddell is also the site of the only Anthoney Gormley sculpture in Scotland GRIP. If the tide is out, get a unique selfie in
fantastic backdrop. - Before leaving Saddell head up to the ruins of Saddell Abbey, formerly one of the most significant sites of early Christianity
- For lunch pop into Beinn an Tuirc Café and book into the Kintyre Gin School. Why not visit their visit the new bio dome or go on the Lairds Walk around the estate.
- Spend the afternoon in Carradale just 5 miles further up the road and visit the Heritage Centre or go for a walk along the glorious sands of Carradale Beach and paddle in Carradale Bay. At the end of the bay you can walk to Carradale Point and see the Vitrified Fort which was constructed more than 2000 years ago. If golf is your thing why not play a round at Carradale Golf Course one of the nicest and most scenic 9 house courses in Argyll.
- For a snack, ice cream or a coffee head to Blackbird Tearoom
- As evening approaches, you can dine at The Glen Bar and Restaurant
- On returning to Campbeltown, if you want a stop into a traditional Scottish bar, look no further than the Burnside Bar Lounge with it’s
relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Day 2c. Kintyre
- If you like walking, you are in for a treat as Kintyre has a great walking trail which starts at the top of the peninsula and stretches all the way to the south. The Kintyre Way is 100 miles long but it can be done in sections depending on how far you want to walk each day. You don’t have to worry about carrying your bags as Broonie Bags will do this for you.
- You can also book a guided tour with Heathery Heights, Heather offers bespoke guided walks and navigation courses throughout Kintyre as well as a selection of self-guided walks suited to a range of levels.
- After a long day walking treat yourself so a spa at Serenity Spa and a meal at The Kintyre Restaurant.
Day 3. West Kintyre & Skipness
- Why not start the day with a refreshing dig in the Atlantic at Westport Beach. If your feeling adventurous hire a board or book a lesson from Pete’s Surf School who operate out of Westport.
- For lunch if you want to eat by the seaside the Argyll Hotel at Bellochantuy or eat at the Glenbarr Stores Café just a mile further up the road.
- In the afternoon treat yourself by visiting Skipness and explore Skipness Castle & Chapel before stopping in at Skipness Seafood Cabin before heading home.
Explore Kintyre and Gigha
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Isle of Gigha Pontoons
The Isle of Gigha has been welcoming yachts for many years, both as a safe anchorage when sailing the West Coast, transiting the Mull of Kintyre, or cruising...
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Kintyre & Gigha in Pictures
VISIT KINTYRE & GIGHA
Discover the beautiful peninsula of Kintyre and turquoise waters of the small and stunning Isle of Gigha.
STAY HERE
Find your place to stay from luxury hotels for a relaxing retreat to holiday parks and self catering options for adventure seekers, and everything in-between.
