Exploring Kintyre – driving around the peninsula

When we left the Corrie Hotel on the Isle of Arran the sun was out and the day promised to be nice. The hotel looked totally different in the morning and was right next to the coast. Something I might have missed the night before when we arrived.

the Corrie Hotel in daylight @Isle of Arran

the view from the Corrie Hotel @Isle of Arran

We followed the road up north to the ferry, and left at 09:40 from Lochranza to Claonaig on the Kintyre peninsula. The crossing on the small vessel was uneventful and the process of lining up, boarding, and leaving worked like a charm.

boarding the ferry at Lochranza @Isle of Arran

Once on Kintyre we drove up north at first to see Skipness castle. The castle was neither open, nor deemed we worth it of getting soaked. By then rain had set in and I feared the worst for the day.

sunny with torrential rain @Claonaig

But not matter the weather, we stuck to our plan to drive down to Campbeltown and then up north again on the other side. In Scotland the saying ‘The Journey is the Destination’ is even more true than anywhere else. So far I haven’t looked my fill, there is always just another beautiful spot around the corner.

driving south @Claonaig

mixed weather @Kintyre peninsula

After a quick stop along the way for tea, the weather had improved and the Kintyre peninsula showed us its best side.

somewhere along the way @Kintyre peninsula

Torrisdale beach @Kintyre peninsula

The advantage of a bit of rain is a magnificent rainbow after, which makes you forget all about the inconveniences before.

on the way to Campbeltown @Kintyre peninsula

finally the sun is back @Kintyre peninsula

Campbell town itself was rather a disappointment. First of all it had started to rain again and there was not much to see. We left it in southern direction, looking for the Dunaverty rock. At this site was once a castle, which belonged to the Clan Donald. But I didn’t see anything that looked remotely like it could have been a castle. I only saw a large rock, which was definitely impressive.

Dunaverty Rock @Kintyre peninsula

We passed an eerie looking house in Southend, which looked straight out of a horror film. One wonders what this had been for and who had lived here.

eerie looking building @Southend

From there the plan was to drive to the Lighthouse ‘Mull of Kintyre’. If that sounds familiar, you are correct. There is a Wings song of that same name, and my friend sang it to me along the way. Can’t say that I had recognized it. The weather though was against us again. When we arrived at the parking for the lighthouse it looked eons and we both decided against another walk in pouring rain. So we took a picture from above and drove to Campbell town again.

all the way at the end is the lighthouse @Mull of Kinytre

From there the street turned into a two lane road and we made good progress to Tarbert. Yours, Pollybert

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