The Best of Argyll	A selection of excellent walks across Argyll, based in Oban. This hiking holiday is designed to give a taste of the best walking on both mainland and island Argyll.

Introduction to your walking holiday in Argyll, Scotland

We start with a fairly easy walk on the Isle of Kerrera, set in the mouth of Oban Bay, acting as a natural breakwater for this important West coast harbour. Although it is close to the bustling tourist centre of Oban, with only 40 residents it is a world apart. Cars are banned on the Island except the inhabitants own vehicles. A historically and geologically interesting island, Kerrera gives a new and more fascinating view as we round each successive turn of the coast. A highlight is the sudden appearance of Gylen Castle.

 

 

We next turn to wild Glen Coe, where we will walk into the Coire Gabhail - also known as the ‘Lost Valley’ - concealed on a high meadow behind a massive rockfall. The MacDonalds used to hide stolen cattle in the times before the massacre of 1692. In addition to offering one of the most stunning views in Scotland,Glen Coe is also attributed to being one of the best-exposed examples of cauldron subsidence. Most of the major peaks within the glen consist of the lava flows and approximately 1200m of mostly volcanic sequences have been identified.

Later in the week we will walk on the island of Lismore, explore Loch Awe and an old drovers’ route through neighbouring hills and delve into Argyll’s earliest history in Kilmartin Glen, heartland of the first Gaelic-speaking Scots, with a unique concentration of prehistoric remains, such as cairns, a stone circle and rock carvings. There are several impressive medieval and later castles here, including Innis Chonnel and Carnasserie, and much else besides.

The week ends with a rough but spectacular walk around Jura’s wild north shore beside the swirling Corrievreckan. Red deer are guaranteed and we should keep an eye open for golden eagles, sea eagles, otters, porpoises and seals.

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Day-by-day Programme

The programme will be subject to variables such as weather and the abilities of the group and changes may also be made to take account of lambing, deer stalking, etc. Any such alterations will always take into account the need to maintain the overall character of the holiday.

 

1. Sunday: Island of Kerrera
2. Monday: Glen Coe
3. Tuesday: Kilmartin Glen
4. Wednesday: Isle of Lismore
5. Thursday: Loch Awe and String of Lorn
6. Friday: Isle of Jura

 

Sunday: Island of Kerrera
A circuit of the south end of the Island of Kerrera via dramatically-situated Gylen Castle. Scenically beautiful, with new views opening out as we follow successive turns of the coast clockwise from the ferry landing, there's a lot of historical and geological interest on this walk. The confined Sound of Kerrera gives way to more open views south towards the islands of Seil and Scarba, followed in turn by the sudden appearance of Gylen Castle, its prominent silhouette backed by the hills of Mull across the wide Firth of Lorn. Turning north gives yet more new views towards Lismore and the hills beyond lining the long, straight rift where Loch Linnhe leads towards the distant Great Glen.
8 miles/13km and 700ft/200m ascent

Monday: Glen Coe
Northwards to Glen Coe where a walk into the 'Lost Valley' takes us into the heart of this wild mountain land beyond Rannoch Moor. The Lost Valley - properly Coire Gabhail, or the corrie of booty - is a dramatic glaciated 'hanging valley' situated between two of Glen Coe's famous 'three sisters' ridges. Hidden from the world behind massive piles of tumbled rock that fell from the oversteepened mountainsides late in the ice age, it is reputed to have been the place where the Glen Coe MacDonalds hid their stolen cattle if the original owners came looking.
Min. 6 miles/9 km and 1100ft/350m ascent

Tuesday: Kilmartin Glen
Southwards to see the best of the prehistoric monuments around Kilmartin, in Mid-Argyll. We start the day with a visit to Kilmartin House Museum and some of the neolitic monuments in the Glen, including Dunadd, the hill fort capital of the first Gaelic-speaking Scots. Our walk will take us into the hills between Kilmartin Glen and the shore with excellent views towards the isles of Jura, Scarba, Mull and the little inhabited islands closer to the coast.
7 miles/11km and 1000ft/300m ascent

Wednesday: Isle of Lismore
We take the passenger ferry from Port Appin for a walk along the northwest coast of Lismore to Castle Coeffin. Lismore, Lois Mor in Gaelic, means Great Garden and that is just what it is. But don't think ithe walk will be all path and track, because our route takes us along a coast with cliffs and arches. We pass sheltered bays and blowy hilltops with marvellous views. The magnificent ruin of the 13th century Castle Coeffin will be the furthest point of our walk. From there we cross the island to the east shore for a visit to Tirefour Castle, a Pictish broch. It is believed to be constructed around BC 500. On a clear day there are great views from the broch to Bern Nevis, Ben Cruachan and the Paps of Jura in the south.
8 miles/13km and little ascent

Thursday: Loch Awe and String of Lorn
We will travel to Loch Awe to see the evocative ruins of Innis Chonnel castle on their remote wooded islet This is the heart of clan Campbells' ancestral homelands and, though probably originally a MacDougall stronghold, the home of their clan chiefs before they shifted to Inveraray.
Innis Chonnel is one of the earliest, yet most complete, of Scotland's medieval stone castles; its more-or-less-complete curtain walls date largely from the 13th century. Perhaps being on an island has helped preserve it from quarrying?
Our walk will follow the 'String of Lorn' through the surrounding little hills of the Lorn plateau to Loch Scammadale a few miles south-east of Oban. This wild and lonely route is one of the most ancient and historic hill tracks of Argyll. The path must surely have been used by pilgrims on their way to Iona, following exactly the route taken by the drovers and their cattle hundreds of years earlier. Beautiful waterfalls tumble beside the site of a long ago battle between Campbells and MacDougalls. A large cairn beside the track marks the spot where the Campbell chief, Cailein Mor, is said to have been killed.
8 miles/13km and 1000ft/300m ascent

Friday: Isle of Jura
By hired boat from Craobh Haven to the north end of Jura for a rough but spectacular walk around the wild Corrievreckan shore. Red deer are unmissable and we should keep an eye open for golden eagles, sea eagles, otters, porpoises and seals. If wind and tide are right then the overfalls in Corrievreckan make one of the most stirring sights of all the world's oceans, with one of the biggest of all standing waves. Do try not to fall in.
8 miles/13km and 1000ft/300m ascent.

Saturday: Oban - Glasgow
Journey back to Glasgow.

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The Best of Argyll walking holiday photos

Click on the picture to enlarge.

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Am I fit enough?

This walking holiday is designed for people who are fit and used to walking all day. We will walk up to 11 miles (17 km) per day with an average 1000ft/300m of ascent. On one day it might be as much as 3000ft/900m but there are also easier days. Our routes sometimes traverse pathless glens, climb mountains or thread remote passes and there may be some scrambling. On most days as much of our time is spent off path as on it. Scotland can be very wild and tough going: 10 miles here is often much harder than 10 miles elsewhere. All that said, we don’t want to break any speed records, especially not when going uphill and you’ll have all the rewards of walking in one of the most beautiful and fascinating parts of the Highlands and Islands.

We partnered with Fit for Trips to make sure that you will fully enjoy your hiking trip to Scotland and reduce the risk of injuries. They have developed fitness programmes specific to our walking tours and hiking holidays to help you to get in shape. Customers of About Argyll Walking Holidays will get 20% discount. Click here for details.

If you're still not sure whether or not you can cope after you've read this and the details of the week's programme, please get in touch to discuss it further.

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Accommodation

This is either in carefully selected Bed & Breakfast accommodation or Guest Houses. You can rely on the quality of the accommodation that we find for you - its comfort, its food and the professionalism and welcoming nature of those who run it. The B&Bs and guest houses we use are more personal and the quality of the accommodation is as good or even better than of hotels in the same category. Double and twin rooms will have an en suite or private bathroom.
If you have particular requirements or prefer to stay in a hotel, please let us know so that we can do our best to meet them.
Details of where you will be staying will be sent to you well in advance of your holiday.

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Clothing and Equipment

You will need to bring boots with a good tread that provide adequate ankle support, warm clothing, waterproofs (top and over-trousers) and a rucksack big enough for your spare clothes, a packed lunch and whatever else you normally like to have with you (binoculars, a camera, etc.).
Boots are especially important. They don't have to be particularly heavy, but wearing ultra lightweight ones may mean your feet get wet and trainers definitely aren't adequate nor, on some of the rougher and steeper going, however short it may be, are they safe. Trekking poles can be very useful, especially for anyone with knee problems.

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Dates and Prices for 2012

Description	8 days (Saturday to Saturday), accommodation in Oban in carefully selected B&B or guest house.
Walking	6-11 miles (10-18 km) daily, with a mix of rough going and path. Four days with longer walks and two gentler days.
Code	Date	Price	Remarks
BA1	19-26 May	£735.00	No single room supplement
BA2	11-18 August	£735.00	Single room: £70 extra
BA3	1-8 September
Groups of 4 or more can book other dates, please ask.

The price includes:

• The services of our well-qualified, well-informed and welcoming guide.
• Small group - usually between 4 and 8.
• An attractive, well-thought-out walking programme (6 walking days).
• Carefully-selected accommodation (sharing a double/twin room), breakfast and picnic lunches on walking days.
• Transport by minibus, ferries and boats, as needed, throughout your holiday and from / to Glasgow / Glasgow airport, at its beginning and end.
• Entrance fee to museums, if visited.
• Short evening get-togethers to set the scene for the next day's walking.
• 20% discount on Fit for Trips customised fitness programmes.

and most especially

• Personal care and attention in all that we do for you.

For general information and booking, please click here.

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