Argyll

-> Scotland -> Argyll

Cut off for centuries from the rest of Scotland by the mountains and sea lochs that characterize the region, Argyll remains remote, its scatter of offshore islands forming part of the Inner Hebridean archipelago. Geographically as well as culturally, this is a transitional area between Highland and Lowland, boasting a rich variety of scenery, from lush, subtropical gardens warmed by the Gulf Stream to flat and treeless islands on the edge of the Atlantic. It's in the folds and twists of the countryside, the interplay of land and water and the views out to the islands, that the strengths and beauties of mainland Argyll lie. The one area of man-made sights you shouldn't miss, however, is the cluster of Celtic and prehistoric sites near Kilmartin. Overall, the population is tiny; even Oban, Argyll's chief ferry port, has just seven thousand inhabitants, while the prettiest, Inveraray, boasts a mere four hundred.

The eastern duo of Bute and Arran are the most popular of Scotland's more southerly islands, the latter - now, strictly speaking, part of North Ayrshire - justifiably so, with spectacular scenery ranging from the granite peaks of the north to the Lowland pasture of the south. Of the Hebridean islands covered in this section, mountainous Mull is the most visited, though it is large enough to absorb the crowds, many of whom are only passing through en route to the tiny isle of Iona, a centre of Christian culture since the sixth century. Islay, best known for its distinctive malt whiskies, is fairly quiet even in the height of summer, as is neighbouring Jura, which offers excellent walking opportunities. And, for those seeking further solitude, there are the more remote islands of Tiree and Coll, which, although swept with fierce winds, boast more sunny days than anywhere else in Scotland.

The region's name derives from Aragaidheal, which translates as "Boundary of the Gaels", the Irish Celts who settled here in the fifth century AD, and whose kingdom of Dalriada embraced much of what is now Argyll. Known to the Romans as Scotti - hence "Scotland" - it was the Irish Celts who promoted Celtic Christianity, and whose Gaelic language eventually became the national tongue. In the twelfth century, the immensely powerful Somerled became King of the Hebrides and Lord of Argyll. His successors, the MacDonalds, established Islay as their headquarters in the 1200s, but were in turn dislodged by Robert the Bruce, whose allies, the Campbells, eventually gained control of the entire area as the dukes of Argyll; even today, they remain one of the largest landowners in the region.

In the aftermath of the Jacobite uprisings, Argyll, like the rest of the Highlands, was devastated by the Clearances, with thousands of crofters evicted to make room for profitable sheep farming - "the white plague" - and cattle-rearing. More recently forestry plantations have dramatically altered the landscape, while purpose-built marinas have sprouted all around the heavily indented coastline. Today the traditional industries of fishing and farming are in deep crisis, as is the modern industry of fish-farming, leaving the region ever more dependent on tourism, EU grants and a steady influx of new settlers to keep things going. Gaelic, once the language of the majority in Argyll, retains only a tenuous hold on the outlying islands of Islay, Coll and Tiree.

Public transport throughout Argyll is minimal, though buses do serve most major settlements, and the train line reaches all the way to Oban. In the remoter parts of the region and on the islands, you'll have to rely on a combination of walking, shared taxis and the postbus. If you're planning to take a car across to one of the islands, it's essential that you book both your outward and return journeys as early as possible, as the ferries get very booked up.