Carnasserie Castle

If you love delving into the past, there are plenty of fascinating castles and historic sites in the area you can explore, from Kilchurn Castle perched on Loch Awe to Ardchattan Priory on the edge of Loch Etive.

I recently wrote a post on visiting Kilmartin Glen and the prehistoric landscape of Mid Argyll is a must if you're interested in finding out more about Scotland's past.  As well as visiting Kilmartin House Museum, you can discover the many standing stones, cairns and monuments scattered around the landscape.

Another historic point of interest in this area is Carnasserie Castle,  a 16th century tower house located on a hill overlooking Kilmartin Glen.  There is parking at the bottom of the hill and it's a short, quite steep, walk up to the ruins, which are free to explore.

The castle was once home to the first Protestant Bishop of the Isles, John Carswell who translated 'Book of our Common Order' by John Knox into Gaelic (the first book to be printed in Gaelic).

Built in the 1560s it is a good example of Renaissance architecture having only ever been altered slightly in the 17th century.  I liked how decorative even the gun and pistol holes were in the outer wall.

The atmospheric ruins give you a good idea of what the castle would have been like in the past.  The five storey tower house was combined with a three storey hall house: on the lower levels you can explore the remains of a kitchen and cellars, with a large fireplace; the large hall is above, connected to a drawing room in the tower house; and there are stairs that wind up to upper levels where the bedrooms would have been located.  

As well as exploring the castle interior, one of the highlights of a visit to Carnasserie Castle is the view from the top of the ruins (there are narrow stairs on either side of the castle), where you can take in the sweeping views of the surrounding countryside.  

With its idyllic setting and interesting history, a visit to Carnasserie Castle is a must if you're in the area.

An Autumn Drive to Mid Argyll

I recently took advantage of some glorious autumn sunshine to show some visitors the beauty of the surrounding area.  We followed the B845 through Kilchrenan, along the edge of Loch Awe and down to Kilmartin for lunch.  After a walk to stretch our legs, we returned to Taynuilt via the A816 to Oban and the A85, in a loop that takes just over two hours to drive.

It was the perfect day to soak up the spectacular Oban and mid-Argyll scenery, with a landscape cloaked in blue skies and radiating the last of autumn's fiery shades.

We left the chalet park basking under the blue skies and frost carpeting the ground.  From Taynuilt we took a right onto the B845 (signposted Kilchrenan), which takes you past the Glen Nant Nature Reserve.  The landscape then opened up, with sweeping views across a rugged landscape, wisps of cloud entangled in the hills. 

Shortly after driving through picturesque Kilchrenan we had our first view looking back towards Loch Awe, backed by mountains.  It was a truly breathtaking sight.

The road continues alongside the loch, with lovely scenery of both the loch and the autumnal forests as you wind south.

When we reached the A816 we headed to Kilmartin.  The Kilmartin House Museum and Cafe is a wonderful place for lunch if you're in the area.  There is seating downstairs that looks out onto the surrounding fields and the Glebe Cairn, and cosy seating upstairs where you can access Wi-Fi.  There is even a yurt near the entrance of the cafe with outside seating, decorated with bunting.  We enjoyed the soup and delicious foccacia sandwiches - but I wish I'd left room for some of their home-baking!

Kilmartin Glen is dotted with ancient monuments and is a fascinating place to explore.  You can pick up a map detailing the historic sites from the shop at the cafe (where you also pay if you want to visit the Kilmartin Museum).  We drank in the afternoon sun whilst looking at the Nether Largie Standing Stones and Temple Wood stones.

We left the atmospheric landscape behind and drove north towards Oban, admiring the views of Loch Melfort, shining like a piece of glass.   Just past the dam at Kilmelford the trees reflected in the still water in a splash of brilliant yellow.

Although now coming to the end of autumn's beautiful displays, the palette of Argyll is still captivating: rusty browns, the last glow of yellow, the silver of bare trees streaking the green.

Before long we were in Oban, its bay sparkling in the last of the day's light.  On the last stretch between Connel and Taynuilt the sight of a full moon reflecting in Loch Etive was the perfect way to end the day.