Kilmartin Glen
One of Scotland's richest prehistoric landscapes, with more than 800 monuments within six miles of Kilmartin and a museum to explain them.
Kilmartin Glen is one of the richest prehistoric landscapes in Scotland: within six miles of the village of Kilmartin there are more than 800 monuments, and people have been leaving their mark here for some five thousand years.
A line of burial cairns runs down the floor of the glen, and there are standing stones, stone circles, rock carvings and cists, as well as the rock of Dunadd, where the early kings of Dál Riata were made.
The best place to begin is the Kilmartin Museum in the village, which reopened in 2023 after a £7.5 million redevelopment. Its galleries explain the monuments and show what has been found among them, from its nationally significant collection, and it will point you to the sites. From March to October it opens every day from 10am to 5pm, and in the winter months from Wednesday to Sunday. The glen lies eight miles north of Lochgilphead and thirty south of Oban.
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The museum opens daily 10am to 5pm from 1 March to 31 October, and Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 4pm in February and from November to 23 December; last entry an hour before closing.
The monuments in the glen can be visited at any time.
- Museum
- Mar to Oct daily 10:00 to 17:00; winter Wed to Sun 11:00 to 16:00.
- Monuments
- Any time.
- Where
- 8 miles north of Lochgilphead.
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Add your reviewKilmartin, north of Lochgilphead.
Kilmartin StonesMedieval West Highland grave slabs of warriors, swords and interlace in the churchyard at Kilmartin.Under a mile 1 min by road
Nether Largie Standing StonesFive tall stones in Kilmartin Glen raised some 3,200 years ago, thought to mark the rising and setting of the moon.1 mile 2 min by road
Dunadd FortThe rock of the Gaelic kings of Dál Riata in Kilmartin Glen, with footprints carved for the making of kings.4 miles 8 min by road
Duntrune CastleThought to be Scotland's oldest continuously occupied castle, on a rock above Loch Crinan, home of the Malcolms since 1792.5 miles 14 min by road
Achnabreck Rock ArtCup and ring marks carved into the rock some 5,000 years ago, among the finest prehistoric rock art in Scotland, in Kilmartin Glen.7 miles 10 min by road
Places to stay near the glen, and when each is next free.
The Hollies- Sleeps 18
- In Tighnabruaich
- 19 miles from Kilmartin Glen
Fern Cottage- Sleeps 4
- In Croggan
- 19 miles from Kilmartin Glen
Glencruitten House- To stay
- In Oban
- 19 miles from Kilmartin Glen
Uisge Bothy- Sleeps 2
- In Oban
- 19 miles from Kilmartin Glen
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What we have written about it and more in Argyll and Bute.
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