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The Kyles of Bute from high above in warm evening light, the channel running past wooded islands, Colintraive and its ferry slip on the left, the green fields of Bute on the right and the hills far off under the clouds.
Argyll and Bute

Kyles of Bute Viewpoint

A roadside layby above Caladh Harbour on the A8003, looking out over the Kyles of Bute.

Welcome

The road between Colintraive and Tighnabruaich gives the finest views of the Kyles of Bute, and this spot high above Caladh Harbour is the place to pull in and take them in.

You look down on the slim arms of sea that part the Isle of Bute from the Cowal shore. Pick a clear day, stop for a few minutes with the view, then carry on round the coast to Tighnabruaich, about three miles south. The road is fast and winding, so it's easiest to stop when you're heading west, on the side nearest the water. If there's no room, you'll find a second viewpoint at Bealach a' Chaisteil, about a mile further on.

A little further outOld Castle LachlanThe ivy-hung ruin of the Maclachlans' 15th-century castle on Loch Fyne, bombarded by a government warship in 1746.29 min by roadSee itOld Castle Lachlan
Before you go

Free, and open at any time.

Where
On the A8003, about three miles north of Tighnabruaich, above Caladh Harbour.
Parking
A layby beside the road.

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Where it is

On the A8003, about three miles north of Tighnabruaich, above Caladh Harbour.

Close bythe Kyles of Bute and Argyll's Secret Coast.
  1. The OystercatcherThe OystercatcherA bar and seafood restaurant on the shore of Loch Fyne at Otter Ferry, with a beach and moorings below.4 miles 6 min by road
  2. A cottage by the shore of the Kyles of Bute.Kames villageA quiet shore village by the Kyles of Bute, south of Tighnabruaich, once home to a gunpowder trade.5 miles 10 min by road
  3. Picnic tables outside the Argyll Coffee Roasters window at the Hayshed.The Coffee Bar at Hayshed GalleryArgyll Coffee Roasters' own coffee bar at the Hayshed Gallery near Tighnabruaich, open at weekends.8 miles 15 min by road
  4. The ferry crossing Loch Fyne between Portavadie and Tarbert.Portavadie Ferry to TarbertThe short CalMac crossing of Loch Fyne between Cowal and Kintyre, turn up and go, about 25 minutes.9 miles 16 min by road
  5. Kilbride Bay BeachKilbride Bay BeachA crescent of sand on Argyll's Secret Coast, reached through the dunes, with Arran filling the view.9 miles 20 min by road
  6. The lane through Kilfinan past the whitewashed hotel, a mossy stone wall alongside.Kilfinan Church and StonesA Cowal village by Loch Fyne whose 17th-century church keeps a vault of carved stones, from early Christian slabs to medieval grave slabs.12 miles 20 min by road
Directions
The Hollies, Argyll and ButeTighnabruaichThe HolliesSleeps 18 · 4.1 miles
The view from the Ardyne hillside over young birch and spruce to the Firth of Clyde, the Isle of Bute across the water and the peaks of Arran on the skyline under a big sky of white cloud.WalksArdyne Trail8.7 miles
Ruined castle tower above a grassy slope grazed by black sheep, loch beyondAttractionsTarbert Castle12 miles

Recommend to a friend

The Daily for 22 October, from Scotland with love. An aerial view of the Kylesku Bridge curving across a sea loch at sunset, Sutherland

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Stay nearby

Places to stay near the viewpoint, and when each is next free.

The Hollies, Argyll and ButeThe Hollies
  • Sleeps 18
  • In Tighnabruaich
  • 4 miles from the viewpoint
Check datesGlenstriven House, a white Victorian house with grey stone corners, at the top of a gravel drive between lawns, with a wooded hill behind.Glenstriven House
  • Sleeps 15
  • In Argyll and Bute
  • 5 miles from the viewpoint
Free 25–27 OctA stone cottage with a slated roof sits nestled among dense woodland, two paddleboards resting on the lawn in front.Red Squirrel Cottage
  • Sleeps 6
  • In Lochgoilhead
  • 18 miles from the viewpoint
Check datesSeal Cabin, Argyll and ButeSeal Cabin
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Lochgoilhead
  • 18 miles from the viewpoint
Check datesPlaces to stayEvery stay in Argyll and ButeAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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