Argyll and Bute covers a large geographical area, stretching for over 100 miles from Appin in the north to Campbeltown in the south and more than 80 miles across from the island of Tiree in the west to Helensburgh in the east. It has six towns, 26 inhabited islands and over 3,000 miles of coastline - more than the entire coastline of France. Entry into Argyll from Glasgow is on the banks of Loch Lomond. Scotland's first national park is centred on Loch Lomond and takes in eastern parts of Argyll including a large part of the Cowal peninsula.
An alternative route into Argyll makes its way through the village of Cardross which dates back over 800 years. It has historic links with Robert the Bruce and houses a National Trust Garden at Geilston House, a 600 year old chapel at Kilmahew and the Ardmore nature reserve. The Historic Island of Bute. 15 miles long and five miles wide, its highest point is Windy Hill. The main town is Rothesay, home to wealthy Victorian industrialists last century, Visitor attractions on the island include Mount Stuart House and the West Island Way and golf courses, offering a wealth of activity to keep everyone entertained. The stretch of water known as the Kyles of Bute separate Bute from the adjacent Cowal peninsula. There are 26 inhabited islands that lie off the coast of Argyll.
Tiree about 12 miles long and 8 miles wide the principal settlement is Scarinish. Miles of unspoilt sandy beaches and long hours of daylight attract many visitors to Tiree in the summer months. Neighbouring Coll, 12 miles long and a little over 3 miles wide. The main settlement on Coll is Arinagour, close to the island's pier. The island features excellent beaches and lochs. Mull the most accessible of the islands. Tobermory, the main settlement and a conservation area, is well known for its brightly painted buildings along the waterside. Lismore is approximately 10 miles long and only 1½ miles wide. A fertile, low-lying island, nestling between Loch Linnhe and the Lynn of Lorn. 15 miles south of Oban is the Clachan Bridge, popularly known as 'The Bridge Over The Atlantic' which links the island of Seil to the mainland of Argyll. During the 18th and 19th century Seil and Easdale were at the centre of the Scottish slate industry. The car free island of Easdale, boasts an attractive museum. Colonsay, like most of the Argyll islands, is warmed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream resulting in favourable conditions for plants and animals alike. The island is one of just eight areas in Scotland designated under Iomairt aig an Oir (Initiative at the Edge) to promote an integrated approach to development. The adjacent island of Oronsay can be reached at low tide by walking across a tidal strand. Here there are the ruins of a priory the site of which is said to have been visited by Columba on his journey while exiled from his native Ireland. Both islands feature beautiful beaches.
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