Saddell – Carved Knights, a Castle and a Figure on the Rocks
About 1.5 miles on foot.
Saddell, on the quiet east coast of Kintyre, keeps the ruins of a 12th-century Cistercian abbey and a fine set of carved medieval grave slabs.
From there a tree-lined track runs down to Saddell Bay and its tower house, Saddell Castle, looking over Kilbrannan Sound to the mountains of Arran. On the rocks below the castle stands one of Antony Gormley's life-size figures, gazing out to sea.
- Time
- About half an hour.
- The path
- Grass among the gravestones.
- Where to start
- The car park for Saddell Abbey, by the B842.
- Set off
- Any time in daylight.
- When to go
- Open ground at all times: go in daylight. The castle is a holiday let and cannot be visited inside.
The walk
Park in the car park for Saddell Abbey, by the B842 in the hamlet of Saddell. The abbey was founded in the 12th century on land given by Somerled, the great lord of the west, and little of the church is left: a few walls of the choir and north transept stand among the gravestones.
What draws people are the carved stones. In a shelter at the entrance stand twelve of them from the 1300s and 1400s, effigies of West Highland lords in armour and grave slabs carved with galleys and great swords.
It's free and open at any time, and dogs are welcome. Allow half an hour.
If it rains
The carved stones stand in a shelter, but the rest is out of doors; the track is under trees most of the way down, so a shower does little harm.
Afterwards
16 min on foot
Saddell Bay and Castle
An attraction
Cross the road and follow the tree-lined track down to the sea, about 16 minutes' walk, to Saddell Castle above the beach. The tower house was built with stone taken from the abbey and is now let as a holiday home, so admire it from outside. A river runs into the bay beside it, and the pebbly shore looks over Kilbrannan Sound to Arran. On the rocks below the castle stands GRIP, a cast-iron figure by Antony Gormley, made for the Landmark Trust's fiftieth anniversary and kept here for good. The pipe band in the film for Wings' Mull of Kintyre marched along this shore. Dogs are welcome; there are no facilities, so bring a picnic. Walk back up the same track to the car.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
None of ours is close by: the nearest is The Hollies, 28 miles away. Sleeps 18.
Make it a weekend
More days out near Campbeltown.
Photograph by Ewa Scott via Google