Welcome toCowal & Dunoon
Bordered on three sides by sea lochs, with excellent hill walking, wildlife, and a sculpture park.
More about Cowal & Dunoon
Ideal for:
Nature & wildlife
History & heritage
Arrochar Alps and Benmore botanic gardens
From the spectacular treks through the Arrochar Alps to long walks in the hills around Loch Eck, the Cowal peninsula is excellent for walkers of all abilities. The ferry to Cowal from Rhubodach on Bute takes five minutes, and before you head off into the peninsula, stop off at the sculpture park at Caol Riadh in Colintraive. Head round to Ostel Bay for the best beach in the area, or make your way to Benmore Botanic Gardens for its collection of giant redwoods, rhododendrons, and other rare plant species. Don't miss the wildlife in Cowal: look out for red squirrels, red deer, otters, and the occasional bird of prey.
For more on Cowal visit the following sites, Visit Cowal and Explore Argyll .
How to get here
The ferry from Rhubodach in Bute to Cowal takes five minutes, arriving at Colintraive. No advance booking is necessary on this sailing. Simply turn up at the port of departure, buy a ticket, and go on the next available sailing.
Looking for the best form of travel to and from our ports? Traveline can help you find the way that best suits you for making your journey using the most up to date information from around the UK for all transport companies.
We have also listed some travel information below that you may find useful:
You can get the ferry to Bute from Wemyss Bay
Most routes to Wemyss Bay pass through, or past, Glasgow:
By train
Regular trains to Wemyss Bay leave from Glasgow Central Station, and take 52 minutes. Find more details at ScotRail
By bus
You can get to Wemyss Bay by bus from Glasgow, which takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, including a change at Greenock. Check Citylink for bus times.
By car
Wemyss Bay is 32 miles from Glasgow, and it takes about 50 minutes to get there.
Postcodes for sat nav
Wemyss Bay: PA18 6AR
Colintraive: PA22 3AP
You can get to Dunoon from Gourock with Argyll Ferries
The Argyll Ferries passenger only service runs between Gourock and Dunoon, with up to 60 sailings a day!
By train
Regular trains run between Glasgow Central Station and Gourock train station, which is conveniently situated beside the ferry terminal. You can buy a combined Rail and Sail ticket to make your journey even easier. Check the train times on Argyll Ferries Ltd website.
