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Things to do: To help you make the most of your holiday, in each cottage, Isabella has compiled a comprehensive list of things to see and do in the surrounding area. Below are some ideas:
Clothing: To help maximise the enjoyment your farm holiday and opportunities to explore Argyll in any weather you may wish to bring waterproof walking boots and outdoor clothing.
Walking and Bird watching
Blarghour is a hill farm of 2,000 acres on which unrestricted walking and ornithology may be enjoyed.
· An old road runs across the lower stretches of farmland passing old ruined settlements abandoned late 19th century.
· Wet days can be rewarded with a walk to either 90feet (27m) Blarghour Falls on Alt Blarghour or scenic Alt Beochlich falls, the two rivers that mark the boundaries of Blarghour on the loch side.
· Two other pleasant walks to take from the farm are to Ernie’s View Point from which the wonderful vista of Loch Awe can be admired in both directions, and the circular forest road route on which you can walk up a nearby forest track and return via Blarghour’s low hill.
· There are also numerous forest walks around the loch which offer similar opportunities on forest tracks – the walk to Avich Falls being particularly rewarding.
· For the more energetic, the surrounding area provides opportunities for climbing and hill walking with Ben Cruachan, Ben Lui and other Munros nearby.
There are many opportunities for horse riding in Argyll. Dalchenna Farm, near Inveraray, offer lessons, routes through forest or glen and by the sea as well as the opportunity to swim with horses. There are also riding stables at Ardfern.
· Within easy reach during a days motoring are Glencoe and Fort William with spectacularly awesome mountain scenery, Loch Lomond, Loch Tay, The Trossachs, Dunoon and Loch Eck with famous Benmore Gardens, Lochgilphead, Crinan, Easdale, Gigha, Islay and Arran, and Oban (gateway to the Isles) with ferries to Mull, Iona and Staffa.
· Locally, one may visit Inveraray Castle, seat of the Dukes of Argyll and experience a tour of the town's 18th century jail. Cruachan Hydro Electric Power Station, where visitors are driven into the heart of the “hollow” mountain, also deserves a visit.
· Oban and Campbeltown both have distilleries that are open to visitors.
· For children, there are many lovely safe beaches. Oban Seal & Marine Centre with seal pup nursery and outdoor pools where seals frolic and feed is very popular. Oban Rare Breeds Park is set in 30 acres criss-crossed by paths.
· Trout and Pike fishing on Loch Awe, Scotland’s longest loch, is available by permit which may be obtained at the farm. Boat hire (and canoe hire) can be arranged locally for fishing, exploring Loch Awe’s ruined castles and enchanting islands or for picnics on secluded beaches.
· It is possible to cruise Loch Awe on a steamboat and to cruise up Loch Etive to the foot of Glencoe.
· Gemini Cruises at Crinan offer a variety of boat trips for sea fishing, watching wildlife (seals, and seabird colonies) and visiting the famous Corrievreckan whirlpool. Seafari adventures, based on Easdale Island offers three exciting trips on powerful rigid inflatable boats to the Corrievreckan, Holly Isle (beehive cells from early Christian times) and Slate island.
There are a variety of challenging golf courses in this area: at Dalmally – flat, challenging and scenic (9 holes), Inveraray (9 holes), Taynuilt (9 holes), Lochgilphead (9 holes) and Oban – hilly (18 holes). All welcome visitors.
Those interested in industrial archaeology will wish to visit the Bonawe Iron Works at Taynuilt which used charcoal produced from the oakwoods around Loch Awe. Wander round Auchindrain Highland Township, an open-air museum of farming life, to see how crofting families lived in the past. Explore 5,000 years of history at Kilmartin House Museum and Kilmartin Valley where many prehistoric sites, standing stones and cairns lie within 6 miles of Kilmartin village.
The months of May and June are recommended for visitors to enjoy the many beautiful gardens of Argyll which are open to the public, notably Crarae, Arduaine and Benmore which are a riot of subtle colour from the Rhododendrons and Azaleas which flourish there.
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