Out & About
Things to do in Cowal, Argyll
Cowal is the Lake District without the crowds. It has a National Park, freshwater lochs, mountains and sea lochs that bring the excitement of the sea to the heart of the mountains. This has created a unique playground for all to enjoy a fantastic range of outdoor activities. There are excellent golf courses, gorge walks, hill walks, rock climbs, canoeing, sailing, mountain bike riding, RIB rides and horse riding. Yet the museums, art galleries and shops of central Scotland are only a short ferry ride away.
Wildlife
Bird watchers will find an almost endless list of birds of prey hen harrier, goshawk, sparrowhawk, buzzard, kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon, rough legged buzzard and honey buzzard means there’s an excellent chance of witnessing some of these beautiful hunting birds in action. The Holy Loch is one of innumerable sea lochs forming part of the coast line that stretches for hundreds of miles with sea cliffs and sandy beaches and hidden bays. There are thousands of islands and islets on the West Coast of Scotland. They are home to puffins and vast numbers of seabirds many of which can be seen from the balcony at Fintry holiday chalet. All three members of the diver or loon family breed here showing their fabulous summer breeding plumage. It all makes this a perfect choice for a birdwatching holiday.
Spectacular sunsets and an ocean that seems to go on forever is home to seals, otters, basking sharks and numerous species of whales and dolphins. The area is just as interesting in the autumn and winter with mountain hares, ptarmigan and stoats in their beautiful white winter plumage. Golden eagles, sea eagles, and literally thousands of wild geese are resident during the winter months as are millions of smaller birds migrating to winter here from the harsher weather in the arctic, such as the snow bunting, waxwing, brambling, redwing and fieldfare. The estuaries and shorelines also attract huge numbers of waders and fowl wild. For more details about the natural environment visit the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park
Sports
The Holy Loch provides a superb environment for water sports. The Holy Loch Marina in Sandbank provides a base for marine leisure activities . In addition to the usual Marina facilities it supports companies operating RIB trips to watch the wild life in the more remote sea lochs and tuition in all types of boating with Pro adventure Scotland.
More traditional sports are available to visitors such as golf at the nine hole Strone and Blairmore golf course. In addition to challenging golf it offers spectacular views of the Firth of Clyde on almost all points of the compass with details of play on www.uk-golfguide.com/scotland/25188.html . Cowal is the major 18 hole course in the area behind Dunoon www.uk-golfguide.com/scotland/25438.html and a bit further afield is the nine hole course at Inellan. For other activities visit the Dunoon and Cowal website.
For the fisherman there is abundant sea angling or challenging trout and salmon fishing on the Massan and other rivers in season. Visit the Dunoon and District Angling Club website for details and costs on their website. Another popular sport is stalking for Roe and Red deer in the hills of Cowal where the forests have provided cover and protection to substantial herds of deer creating an annual stalking season that attracts many continental stalkers and hunters. For more details look at the following web sites, Argyll Estates and Hunting Tours.
It takes just a step out over the Fintry threshold to get away from it all. With an interesting gorge walk on the doorstep bring your wellies and waterproofs, or go on a leisurely stroll through Kilmun Arboretum. It has a collection of exotic trees from around the world. This connects to Pucks Glen, an interesting Victorian creation with an outstanding variety of mosses and ferns. Not to be missed is the Benmore Botanic Garden with its collection of rhodedendrons and the avenue of massive Redwoods. More information on walks can be obtained from their website and details of the Benmore Gardens from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh website.
Plan your holiday in Argyll
Visitscotland has an excellent tourist information office in Dunoon telephone +44( 0)8707 200 629 Fax: +44(0)1369 706085
Email: info@dunoon.visitscotland.com and their website, which provides a wealth of information about the Cowal peninsular in addition to the sites mentioned above.
