Our pick of the best hidden gems to visit in Argyll and Bute

Any trip to the Island of Islay should include a visit to Ardnahoe Distillery, Islay’s newest whisky distillery. Ardnahoe is a wholly family-owned business; a rarity in today’s Scotch whisky industry. The Laing family has been involved in the whisky business since the 1940s, with a background in blending and bottling, but always with a passion to one day create their own single malt. That moment arrived in 2018 when the Laings filled the first cask at the Ardnahoe Distillery, the stunning distillery that the family designed and built from scratch on the famous whisky-producing island of Islay.

Visitors can take tours of the distillery and enjoy the purpose-built visitor centre and restaurant. Built with the visitor in mind, it is fully accessible for all. The visitor centre also includes a restaurant - The Illicit Still, where customers can enjoy locally sourced produce, a fully stocked whisky bar or some homemade baking. The menu encompasses a range of tastes and showcases Islay’s outstanding gastronomic fayre.

The Illicit Still has also been carefully designed to make the most of the surrounding countryside and stunning views, with a glass fronted bar and adjoining balcony where you can enjoy an unrivalled view whilst sipping on the dram of your choice. 

Take your pick from Ardnahoe’s wide range of whisky experiences – there’s one for every taste! You can take a tour of the Ardnahoe production facilities with an experienced guide or enjoy one of Ardnahoe’s much loved Whisky & Food pairings –where you can explore flavour combinations by pairing food or cheese with the range of whiskies on offer.

If you’d like to learn more about whisky then a tutored tasting might be for you? You’ll embark on a journey through Scotland’s whisky regions during a 45 minute tasting with one of the experienced team, who will guide you through the Hunter Laing Journey Series as well as learning about the history and character of Scotland’s whisky.

You can learn about the important effect wood has on whisky and taste the difference for yourself during a 45 minute tutored tasting on the art of cask maturation using a selection of fine whiskies from the warehouses of Hunter Laing.

If it’s your first time visiting Islay then why not learn about Islay’s culture and history as you try some of the finest Islay Malts. From Hunter Laing’s premium Old and Rare Range and The Kinship collections, these are rare, single cask bottlings as unique and unmissable as the island itself.

For more information, and to book please visit https://ardnahoedistillery.com/

Tel: 01496 840777

Instagram: @ardnahoedistillery

Boat Trips Helensburgh

Located in Rhu Marina, just 2 miles north of Helensburgh, and now in its second year of operation, these boat trips are proving extremely popular amongst locals and visitors alike, with many returning for a repeat trip. A range of different destinations is on offer, with the one hour trip along the Helensburgh shoreline and out to the iconic sugar boat wreck being the most common. Last year’s prices of £18 per adult and £9 for children have been retained, making this hidden gem amazingly good value for money.

Included in the price of all trips is tea/coffee and local Helensburgh tablet, as well as warm indoor seating with great views for all, should the weather be inclement. The wide aft deck is partially covered and has deep sides, making it particularly ideal for young children. Dogs are also welcomed. There is outdoor seating here, and plenty space for customers to move around the boat to appreciate the wonderful 360ᵒ views in this most scenic of areas.

There are other longer trips on offer. You can book a 3 hour trip to the Holy Loch with time ashore for coffee or a stroll, or this year’s new 2 hour Clyde Estuary trip. What you might see or do on this trip changes with every journey - it might be a close-up visit to one of the large cruise liners berthed in Greenock, or you could be very lucky and spot some of our local wildlife, such as seals, porpoises, or even the dolphins that have now started appearing regularly in the area. Submarines are also a regular sight.

Our website has information about all the trips: times, destinations, and duration. Bookings can be made online up to 5 minutes before departure. The boat and skipper can also be booked for private trips, and all the details and prices for this can be found online. There is a video on the website showing the boat in close-up detail.

www.BoatTripsHB.com

Islay Woollen Mill

Producing exquisite woven fabrics, Islay Woollen Mill uses traditional techniques to create their luxury products which have even been used in Hollywood films. Owned and run by Gordon and Sheila Covell, the family-run business is the island’s only mill, using two looms dating from Victorian times. A team of seven, which includes their son Marcus, currently help to produce the rugs, scarves, caps, tweed jackets, handbags, throws, baby blankets, kilts and raw fabrics.

The Mill uses unique and historical machinery and creates the designs before weaving them onto its own looms. The designs have even been featured in blockbusters including Braveheart, Forrest Gump, Rob Royand Far and Away.

Whether customers are looking for a beautiful Scottish gift or something for themselves, the products have wide appeal. Located near the main Port Askaig at Bridgend, visitors can pop into the shop to browse the range of products, feel the quality and see how the luxury tartan items are produced. Many of the items can be made to measure.

The Mill shop is open from Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm and 10am-4pm on Saturday. They are located at Bridgend, Isle of Islay, PA44 7PG and can be reached on 01496 810563.

To find out more and visit the online shop, head to www.islaywoollenmill.co.uk

Loch Melfort Hotel

As the nights get longer and brighter in the West Highlands of Scotland, the magical landscapes of Argyll come alive with vibrant colours, lush greenery and an abundance of busy wildlife. Travels to this idyllic coast offer a unique blend of rugged natural beauty, distinctive history and culture, and famous local cuisine. Family-owned, dog-friendly, Loch Melfort Hotel is a peaceful base from which to explore this diverse area, resting privately amongst 17 acres of gardens and Scottish shorelines.

One of the highlights of this unique hotel is undoubtedly the alfresco dining experience on their newly upgraded decking, complimented by picture-perfect Highland views across the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Whether it’s a quick pit stop for coffee and cake, or a more indulgent evening meal, visitors can enjoy delicious local food while taking in uninterrupted views of the Scottish Isles. The fresh sea air and serene surroundings add to the charm of the experience, and you might just be lucky enough to catch one of their celebrated fiery pink and orange sunsets! 

Loch Melfort Hotel’s commitment to sustainability is evident in their use of fresh produce from their own garden, which is incorporated into the menu alongside other local providers. The hotel's Chefs take great pride in delivering delicious dishes that showcase the natural flavours of the region and work hard to ensure that all dietary needs are met with care and creativity – they provide special individual menus for vegetarians, vegans, dairy-free, and gluten-free guests. They offer a tempting kid’s menu, full of colourful options to ensure that even the pickiest eaters will head home satisfied.

The shores of Loch Melfort are a captivating destination for families, thanks to its extensive range of activities suitable for all ages. The hotel playpark is an exciting spot for kids to run around and burn off that endless energy, while a walk through the colourful Arduaine Gardens provides a scenic (and educational) route for the whole family to enjoy. Hotel residents can also enjoy free private access to the gardens after 4pm. Additionally, animal lovers will delight in running into one of the four-legged hotel team members; be on the lookout for the naughty goats, high-energy hotel dogs, and the iconic Highland cows.

Overnight getaways to this little slice of Scotland take your Highland experience to a new level, with the hotel’s Sea-View Lodge rooms providing the opportunity to wake up to the sound of the waves lapping at the shore. Fling open the doors and step out onto your own private deck with a steaming cup of coffee in hand and enjoy panoramic views across the west coast waters. And for an extra-special occasion, visitors can upgrade to one of the recently refurbished house rooms, complete with spacious private balconies looking out across the islands.

Lucy's Cafe

Lucy’s café is located on the Craignish peninsula (roughly a two and a half hour drive from Glasgow). Nestled in the centre of the beautiful village of Ardfern, Lucy’s offers a mix of seasonal and contemporary fayre, with a delicious menu of homemade food and baked goods including cakes and sourdoughs.

Lucy Gladstone, the proprietor of Lucy’s café, grew up in Argyll and travelled extensively in her 20s developing her cheffing skills and passion for food.  Moving back to Ardfern in 2018, her aim was to create an eatery that provided locally sourced, fresh food that can whet anyone’s appetite, her overriding philosophy being that there needs to be a bit of something for everyone. Lucy’s opened in February 2020, and only two weeks later a nationwide lockdown was implemented. However, out of a crisis came opportunity as Lucy used this time to focus on her baking and perfected her sourdough bread technique, whilst also providing tasty takeaways to locals and visitors to the area.

There are extensive vegan and vegetarian options on offer at Lucy’s, some of the current offerings include salt and pepper tempura cauliflower and a vegan platter that is made up of a homemade vegan sausage roll, sun dried tomatoes, lentil pate, chutney, celeriac remoulade served with bread and butter. If you aren’t feeling that adventurous there are several sandwich options as well as a vegan soup of the day available. Other staples often found on Lucy’s menu are fish taco’s with chipotle mayo, crab and avocado sandwich, mull cheddar mac and cheese and mussels with white wine.

Lucy gets her fish from Murrays Fish based in Lochgilphead, her meat from Ramsays of Carluke, Jacksons Butchers, local farm Balliemore on Kerrera and Great Glen Charcuterie for delicious venison salamis. Lucy’s café serves local, seasonal modern British cuisine, they are always open all year round with a range of homemade sweet and savoury snacks available and a range of drinks which include her own blend of locally roasted coffee blended by the fantastic Eve at Argyll coffee roasters.

Open all year round and serving local, seasonal modern British Cuisine Lucy’s has something for everyone. The café has diversified in other ways too, running popular seasonal supper clubs celebrating seasonal and foraged produce and Lucy’s Friday night takeaway which includes pizza nights, local seafood, classic fish and chips and tacos. Takeaways are usually extremely busy so make sure you get there early!

The cafe hosts a small shop selling books, local art, coffee, chocolate and many other goodies. Lucy’s is dog friendly and has a large outdoor seating area with a bike rack to accommodate those that have come from the hills, the sea and the road.

Lucy’s café is located a stones throw from Loch Craignish and a short(ish) journey to Craignish Point where you can look out to the Corryvreckan between the islands of Jura and Scarba.

Rosneath Castle Park

Rosneath Castle Park sits proudly on the banks of stunning Gare Loch. You don’t have to just imagine breath-taking views, peace, and tranquillity as that’s exactly what you get when holidaying here.

The park offers holidays rentals, caravan ownership, and new for 2023 fully serviced touring pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes.

Rated five-star by the Scottish Tourist Board, the park is an ideal base for discovering Loch Lomond and, the cooper-coloured hills of Argyll and the Scottish Highlands. A holiday at Rosneath Castle Park can be as relaxing or adventurous as you wish with walking trails and cycling routes on the doorstep. You are spoilt for choice with the abundance of attractions in the area from boat tours on the famous Loch Lomond, enjoying a tipple or two in one of the many whiskey distilleries, to immersing  yourself in history at an ancient castle.

If you want a day off from sightseeing, the park has plenty to do on-site to keep you entertained. The water sports centre offers a range of activities with fully qualified instructors from kayaking, paddleboarding to sailing. The Funzone is a firm favourite with the kids, there is a packed schedule of fun, supervised activities which include arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor games, beach walks, rock pooling, and kids’ bingo to name but a few. There is also a large, enclosed play area where the little ones can run off some steam while the adults sit back and admire the views of the loch before them.

If you are looking for great value food and drink you won’t need to travel far as the park is also home to the popular Castle Isle Bar & Restaurant which serves up an array of tasty dishes such as scampi, pies, curries, pizzas as well as some traditional Scottish specials. The bar also features occasional live entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.

Should you need to stock up on some daily essentials, the park shop is packed with just about everything you could need. Rosneath also boasts a coin-operated laundrette, so running out of clean clothes will never be an issue.

The park has a range of holiday accommodation available. You can choose from the Gareloch, Lomond and Loch View holiday homes for your stay. All carry the VisitScotland Thistle Award, so you can be guaranteed a high standard of accommodation which come fully equipped with everything you need for the perfect getaway. There is also accessible and dog friendly caravans available, too!

With hundreds of miles of shoreline and rolling hills just waiting to be explored, Rosneath Castle Park is the perfect destination for dog friendly caravan holidays in Scotland. After all, pets need a holiday too! All the dog friendly caravans are finished to the same high standard as the rest of the accommodations.

For an unforgettable holiday in a gorgeous location, it has got to be Rosneath Castle Park. Book your Scottish Loch caravan break at www.rosneathcastle.co.uk

The George Hotel

A family run hotel since 1860, generation seven of the Clark family now resides in The George. The George Hotel has 18 bedrooms and have all been sensitively restyled in keeping with the building, its history and its architecture, making each one completely unique. Features include roll top and Whirpool baths, monsoon showers and open fires in some. The hotel has always had an enviable reputation for ambient atmosphere, great service, fantastic cuisine and good value.

The emphasis on the menu is using the very best of local quality, well hung West Highland beef and lamb. Seafood and fish bought from the local fishing port of Tarbert and the famous Loch Fyne salmon. And they also have Ceol na Mara, their own langoustine fishing boat on Loch Fyne.

The Cocktail Bar has a unique atmosphere. A traditional old world feel with original flagstone floor, settles, original 1770’s stone walls and four roaring peat and log fires.  The George is a lively haunt for both local characters and visitors alike with a mighty gantry featuring 400 malt whiskies, 100 gins, local ales, cocktails and wine. 

The Public Bar and Whisky Snug is a destination for limited and special edition whiskies from Argyll added to with convivial conversation.  The Garden Bar serves up affordable street food and free live music every Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday lunchtimes. 

Boutique Hotel of the Year 2022 Finalist

Whisky Bar of the Year 2022

Best Outdoor Space of the Year 2021

The George Hotel, Main St East, Inveraray, Argyll, PA32 8TT
01499 302098
www.thegeorgehotel.co.uk

The Oban Beer Seller

Tucked away in one of Oban’s oldest streets, opposite the Oban Distillery built in the 1700’s, is a real hidden gem.  The Oban Beer Seller opened its doors in March 2020, not with the fanfare originally planned, as it was the Friday before the first lockdown, but with passion, hope, a leap of faith, a “rabbit in the headlights stare” and blind panic as Covid was certainly not on the list of what could possibly go wrong!

Fast forward three years and today you enter an Aladdin’s Cave filled from floor to ceiling with beer. You know you’ve found the right place by the magic beer tree outside the door. The bright yellow interior is warm, vibrant, cheery and welcoming.  As the home of liquid sunshine it seems only fitting that the shop reflects this.  A sign on the wall suggests you “grab a box and fill it up” and a pile of empty beer boxes are stacked at the door for that purpose.  New beer arrives every week and the focus is on independent Scottish breweries and there are many. 

An absolute passion is finding new breweries and getting their beers to Oban.  The most recent new arrivals are from the Isle of Eigg, Scotland’s first cooperative brewery.  The current stock list is always available through social media and new arrivals are also posted as they drop.  The range is spectacular for beer lovers and/or the curious who would not normally have the opportunity to sample such a diverse range of styles and flavours.  There is a genuine desire to make sure there is something for everyone including a range of gluten free and low/no alcohol beers. 

From beers steeped in tradition to modern cutting edge craft, they have it all.  New this summer is a shelf that acknowledges the growth in Scottish cider production with home grown ciders from Perthshire, Fife, Aberdeenshire and Highlands.

“The Love of Beer” is The Oban Beer Seller’s chance to celebrate and has become a not to be missed annual event gaining fans from near and far, bringing some of the country’s best small breweries and their beers to a boutique festival marking the shop’s birthday and an opportunity to share a fantastic afternoon of beer delights.  Keep your eye on the socials for updates on next year’s 4th birthday party, 23 March 2024.

This shop has become an integral part of Oban’s independent retail network making a visit to the town an adventure with some inspiring stops along the way.  Definitely not one to miss.  Check FB and Instagram for more information and take a look at google for some of lovely comments left by happy shoppers. 

Check this youtube video to find out more:

29 Stafford Street,Oban

07796 418973

www.facebook.com/obanbeerseller

Luss Activity Hub

Shore cottage sits on the bonnie banks in the picturesque village of Luss Loch Lomond and is home to the Luss Activity Hub. The shop provides a central hub for boat tickets, outdoor activities including bike and E-bike hire, Pedal boats, kayak/canoe/paddleboard hire as well as guided tours.

The shop also stocks a wide range of water sports kit for sale including Stand Up Paddleboards, Waterskis and Wakeboards- along with accessories including wetsuits and buoyancy aids as well as walking guides, drinks and snacks for customers.

You can experience Loch Lomond from the comfort of their tour boats. The 45 min tour will leave from Luss pier and cruise around the local islands on the West shore of Loch Lomond stopping at points of interest along the way. You may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the wallabies on Inchconnachan Island or the Highland Cows on Inchtavannach Island.

The 45 minute tours departs from Luss Pier daily.

Alternatively, you might fancy a tour on their e-bikes, which make light work of any cycle path with 5 levels of pedal assist to help you on your way.

Stop at one of the many hidden beaches for a picnic or to simply take in the views. All age groups can enjoy a peaceful cycle through Loch Lomond with various different paths to choose from.

Click here to see the departure times and book your tour. There is also a range of adults and kids sizes of mountain bikes for hire, which are all well maintained in the bike workshop at the Luss Activity Hub. With easy access to the dedicated cycle path which hugs the west shore of Loch Lomond it’s a great way to explore the area at your own pace.

And if you fancy somehting a bit more adventurous, tours are offered on a variety of different equipment such as kayaks, canoes, or stand-up paddleboards. 

Their expert and knowledgeable guides are all BCU qualified Paddle-sports leaders and have many years of experience delivering fun and informative tours of the loch. Your guide has excellent local knowledge and will stop at points of interest during the tour to regale some of the Lochs myths, legends and historical facts.

Along with the stunning scenery, there is lots of wildlife and historical ruins to discover on Loch Lomond and its many islands. Some of the islands house castle ruins, there is a private island with a colony of wallabies, most islands have deer running wild and you could even spot the Ospreys out feeding on the loch. Click here to find out more.

Whether you’re interested in water sports, camping, swimming, hiking, paddle sports or mountain biking, the Luss activity hub will have something for you. There’s even a section for your pets so they can come along with you. They also sell coffee and snacks for our customers.

LUSS ACTIVITY HUB, Shore Cottage, Church Road, Luss

https://instagram.com/lussactivityhub?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=