Campbeltown & Kintyre

Scotland's Adventure Coast & Home to the Scenic Kintyre 66 Route

Kintyre is a beautiful peninsula packed with great things to see and do, from whisky distilleries to world-class golf courses and from endless sights of natural beauty to unique places to stay. This is the perfect destination for those who love a coastal setting, rich in character and history, whilst staying far away from the crowds.

Follow the exciting Kintyre 66 (K66) route, which takes you to all six regions of this beautiful west coast peninsula, including historic Campbeltown and the iconic Mull of Kintyre.

Kintyre is also a great base from which to enjoy walking, such as the long-distance Kintyre Way, visit ruined castles, catch some waves on Westport beach and feast on seafood.

It is also possible to explore some of Argyll’s islands. Why not take a trip to Gigha. Sitting three miles west of Kintyre, Gigha is an enchanting small island. It’s the most southerly of the Hebridean islands, famed for its white sandy bays, and it also offers great walking and cycling spots.

Gaelic in Scotland

The indigenous language of Argyll contains a great richness of expression. Here we have shared a phrase from local Gaelic poetry about Kintyre.

Collected in Southend by Nils M. Holmer

Ó gu bheil mi trom fo smalain (Oh heavy is the grief that lies upon me)

’S trom mo cheum an déidh na fearainn (Heavy is my step after (leaving) the land)

Gaelic with thanks to CHARTS

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Top reasons to visit

The Kintyre 66 & Kintyre Way

9 medieval castles

4 distilleries

4 fishing harbours

6 golf courses

Surfing and watersports

Explore Kintyre

An Undiscovered Gem

Unhurried, unspoiled and unforgettable. The Kintyre peninsula is studded with small villages, wild beaches, prehistoric and Celtic archaeology, and abundant wildlife – yet, it remains remarkably undiscovered.

Drive along the Kintyre 66, a 66-mile loop around the peninsula, and explore wild beaches, vibrant fishing villages and the world-famous Mull of Kintyre. Catch some waves at Westport Beach or feast on seafood at Sknippness Castle. Alternatively, leave your car behind and walk the Kintyre Way or cycle the Kintyre 66 route, allowing you to uncover this beautiful peninsula at a slower pace.

Whatever your type of adventure, make sure to stop in Campbeltown, the main town on the peninsula and once proclaimed the whisky capital of the world. There are now three distilleries for the whisky enthusiast to savour, a museum, heritage centre, swimming pool and cinema, so there’s something for all the family.

Kintyre is also a great base from which to explore one of Argyll's most captivating islands: the Isle of Gigha. You can also catch the Kintyre Express to Islay and Northern Ireland!

Download the Kintyre 66 Brochure

Plan your adventure to Kintyre with out detailed Kintyre 66 brochure, including places to stop, recommendations and distances.

Download Brochure

Explore Campbeltown & Kintyre

Discover places to stay, eat & drink and things to do in and around Kintyre.

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Kintyre's Six Main Regions

What to expect from Kintyre?

Discover what makes each of Kintyre's regions unique, helping you plan your trip to Kintyre.

East Kintyre & Campbeltown

Tarbert & Skipness

Tarbert, the gateway to Kintyre, is a beautiful harbour village with a rich history of Scottish Kings and Vikings. To the south is the picturesque village of Skipness and the nearby ferry to Arran. These two settlements offer a wealth of history, culture and, of course, seafood!

Campbeltown

Towards the southern end of Kintyre and overlooking the famous Campbeltown Loch, The Wee Toon offers a myriad of activities, including famous 10k races, live music and festivals, world-famous  malt whiskies, an island that you can walk to, and Scotland’s oldest purpose-built cinema!

The Mull of Kintyre

Machrihanish & Southend

From Saint Columba’s footstep and clan massacres in the south to a Championship golf course and surfer’s paradise in the west, this area includes the two small villages of Southend and Machrihanish.

Mull of Kintyre

At the extreme southwestern tip of the Kintyre peninsula sits the Mull of Kintyre. It’s a wild and remote place, made famous by the 1970s Paul McCartney and Wings’ hit. If you want to understand why McCartney was so inspired by the place, then you need to follow the long and winding road that takes you there. It’s slow going but the journey is worth it for the views alone - even if the mist isn’t rolling in!

West Coast & Gigha

West Kintyre

Enjoy the Atlantic coast of Kintyre, with thundering waves and unmissable sunsets over the islands of Gigha, Cara, Jura and Islay, not to mention glimpses of Ireland to the south. Historic sites, beautiful beaches and places to eat, take your time and enjoy!

Isle of Gigha

The community-owned island of Gigha is just a 20-minute ferry trip off the west coast of Kintyre. A truly breathtaking island with silver beaches and beautiful  bays, crystal clear seas, stunning views, amazing sunsets, lochs and gently sloping hillsides, as well as a huge variety of wildlife.

Download the Kintyre 66 Brochure

Plan your adventure to Kintyre with out detailed Kintyre 66 brochure, including places to stop, recommendations and distances.

Download Brochure

Background image - K66 Lighthouse Copy (1)

Things to See & Do in Kintyre

Explore Campbeltown and Kintyre's Places of Interest

Discover some special places of interest while staying in Campbeltown and Kintyre. Click on our map icons to discover where to see on your travels. If you see multiple icons clustered in one area, simply zoom in on the map to decluster the icons.

How to get to Kintyre

Planning Your Visit

By Car

The main way to travel to and from Kintyre by car is via the A82 and then the A83. Be mindful of single-track roads once in Kintyre.

By Public Bus

Citylink and West Coast Motors operate daily coach services to Kintyre, running between Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Inveraray, Lochgilphead, Tarbert, and as far as Campbeltown itself. Passengers can expect the journey from Glasgow to Campbeltown to take 4.5 hours.

By Ferry

You can also travel to Kintyre via ferry from Portavadie on the Cowal & Dunoon peninsula, allowing you to explore much more of the west coast. You also catch a ferry to Gigha from Tayinloan on the Kintyre peninsula.

We recommend booking your CalMac ferry ticket in advance.

You Never Tire of Kintyre!

Discover more information about places to visit in Kintyre

TARBERT

The fishing heritage is of utmost importance to the personality and character of the village

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ISLE OF GIGHA

Small in size with sandy beaches and clear turquoise seas and many archaeological and historic sites to be discovered.

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THE KINTYRE 66

Discover more information about this off-the-beaten-path road trip along Kintyre's wild coastline.

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Head to our Blog for More Inspiration

Plan Your Trip to Kintyre

Surf’s up! Why Kintyre is top for watersports

Kintyre offers some of Scotland’s best watersports activities. Discover awesome surfing, incredible kayaking, paddle boarding and more in stunning surroundings.

Six Kintyre castles and abbeys you can’t miss!

Travel through epic landscapes as you follow this Kintyre's castle trail, from Tarbert Castle in the north to Dunaverty Castle is in the south of Kintyre.