Argyll and Bute

Yearning for a welcome change of holiday pace? Along with an eclectic array of unusual places to stay, Argyll & Bute is home to an intriguing combination of rural and urban spaces that mean you can do whatever you choose.

Comprising both a stretch of mainland Scotland and 23 inhabited islands, there are more than 3,000 miles of stirring Argyll & Bute coastline to explore (which is around the same as the whole of France, in fact.) On a clear day, you can see all the way across to Ireland from the Western Isles!

Regular ferries will ‘ferry’ you to and from these incredible islands, where you can ramble at your own leisure, or get stuck in to your choice of adventure. Ben Starav, at the head of Loch Etive, is the perfect setting for a scenic mountain hike, or take in Argyll’s ‘secret’ coast on the mesmerising Cowal Way trail. Watersports, of course, are plentiful.

You may have already guessed that whisky fans are in luck in this particular part of the world, too. Connoisseurs should opt for Islay, with its seven distilleries… that’s true dedication, especially since the island itself is only 25 miles in length!

There are seven National Nature Reserves on Argyll & Bute, meaning wildlife-spotting is a breeze. And though your surroundings may appear dreamily remote at first glance, there are plenty of lively music, food and drink festivals held throughout the year… meaning you simply won’t have the chance to get bored!