Campbeltown was originally known as Dalruadhain an early capital of the Dalriadan kingdom, then "Chille-Chiarain" - "Church/cell of Saint Kerran", it became a stronghold of the Macdonalds, Lords fo the Isles, who renamed it "Kinlochkerran" - the head of Kerran's loch, it was also referred to as Kinloch Kilkerran. After the Macdonalds fell out of favour, King James V granted the area to the Campbells of Argyll, and when they finally ousted the Macdonalds it became Campbell's Town after Archibald Campbell (Earl of Argyll) in 1667.
Undiscovered Scotland Wikipedia Come to Campbeltown
Gazetteer of Scotland 1882 Southend Community Website Other Undiscovered Scotland pages: Campbeltown Heritage Centre; St Columba's Footprints and Keil Caves; St Columba's Chapel; Southend; Springbank Distillery Dalintober - a web development business based in Campbeltown, many of the websites are related to Kintyre. A Light Railway carrying passengers between Campbeltown and Machrihanish - 5 miles back across the peninsula from Campbeltown - survived until 1934. Before Kinloch Park was drained it was the site into which many of the distilleries' waste products flowed 
Campbeltown at night
Campbeltown & WhiskyCampbeltown was once known as the Whisky Capital - for good reason, it had 34 distilleries within the town and was regarded as a whisky region in its own right. When the cheapest and easiest method of transport was by sea, Campbeltown was well placed - a relatively short voyage to the Clyde and Glasgow. Land access to Campbeltown is a different story, though there were other factors in Campbeltown's decline in whisky fortunes. US Prohibition didn't help, but Campbeltown's distilleries didn't help themselves either, and got the reputation for producing quantity rather than quality.
It now has just three distilleries - Springbank, Glengyle and Glen Scotia. There is also a whisky shop, Cadenheads on Longrow. Lost Distilleries of Campbeltown - this site is by Teimei Horiuchi, a Japanese photographer - the photos are better than his English (then again his English is a lot better than my Japanese), an interesting piece of Campbeltown's history. 
Impressive array of Cadenhead's Malts in their Bolgam Street shop - has now moved to Longrow.
The Lorne and Lowland Church tower featured in Kilkerran's logo
Entrance to one of Campbeltown's lost distilleries - Benmore
 Campbeltown's old Car Ferry Terminal 
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Campbeltown is the only real town in Kintyre - the rest of the Southern portion of the peninsula culminating in the Mull is sparsely populated, though there is a small village at Southend (10 miles from Campbeltown). Sanda Island off the southern tip is privately owned but until 2012 there was a seasonally open pub and hotel. The island can now be rented for £2000 a night! The site implies other packages are available.
Davaar is an island at the entrance to Campbeltown Loch - a tidal island, also privately owned, but open to the public to walk around the shoreline to its many caves including one with a famous picture of the crucifixion. Arriving & DepartingOpen Cycle Map Bing Map
Campbeltown is a very long way from anywhere - particularly by bike. Nearest train stations: Dalmally (DAL) (90 miles), Oban (OBN) (86), Ardrossan Harbour (ADS) (49 miles plus 2 ferries). Live Train Times: DAL OBN, ADS (The nearest station is actually Portrush in N Ireland a 90 minute ferry journey and 19 miles away). The Scottish Ferry Services: Ferries Plan (2013-2022) recommended an experimental Summer ferry service from Ardrossan to Campbeltown and this has now been in operation since 2013 see CalMac Summer timetable, with direct services from Ardrossan to Campbeltown on Thu/Fri/Sun and from Campbeltown to Ardrossan on Fri/Sun and via Brodick on Saturday. Campbeltown Airport is served by scheduled Flybe (0871 700 0535) flights from Glasgow Airport. SleepingThe Hall B&B High Street 07518 391958 01586 550264
Stayed here in 2009, just after it had opened as a B&B, and have returned in 2013 and 2014 - big rooms, good value, excellent breakfast, and space round the back to shelter the bike. WiFi. lorna.mcarthur@hotmail.com Westbank House Dell Street 01586 553660 My accommodation in 2003 - can't say I remember too much about it, but that's generally a good sign - if it had been somewhere to avoid I would remember! info@westbankhouse.com Ardshiel Hotel Kilkerran Street 01586 552133 @ Great food, great whisky - not stayed there, but f the whisky and food are anything to go by... Argyll Arms Hotel 60 Main Street 01586 553431 @ Argyll Arms Hotel Southend 01586 830622 (9 miles) Braefoot GH High Street 01586 553881 @ Craigard House Hotel Low Askomill 01586 554242 @ Crosshill B&B 6 Crosshill Avenue No longer does B&B Dellwood Hotel Dalaruan Street 01586 552465 @ Earadale B&B 26 Shore Street 01586 550292 @ Stayed here in 2013 - good value for money, friendly and helpful. They serve evening meals (£7.50 for two courses). Bike storage in secure back garden. Feorlin Guest House Longrow 01586 552464 Glenmhairi B&B Craiggowan Road No longer does B&B though still listed on Kintyre Accommodation site Oatfield House Southend Road 01586 551551 (3 miles) @ Ormsary Farm by Southend 01586 830665 (10 miles) Closed? Pennyland Farmhouse by Southend 01586 830391 (10 miles) closed? Redknowe GH Witchburn Road 01586 550374 Closed? Rosemount GH Low Askomill 01586 553552 @ Website inactive Royal Hotel Main Street 01586 810000 @ Seafield Hotel Kilkerran Street 01586 552133 @ Seaview GH Southend 01586 830106 (10 miles) The Old Rectory B&B Argyll Street 05186 552991 Closed? White Hart Hotel Castlehill 01586 552440 Closed? Campbeltown Backpackers Hostel Big Kiln St 01586 551188 @ See also Machrihanish (5 miles) For self-catering see: Scottish Accommodation Index, West Scotland, Argyll & the Isles Kintyre Accommodation/Visit Kintyre, Scottish Accommodation Guide Kintyre Way EatingArdshiel Hotel Kilkerran Street 01586 552133
Good food - better prices than the Harbour View, and did I mention the whisky? Oh right, not yet - see below. Argyll Arms Hotel 60 Main Street 01586 553431 Food OK, but nothing to write home aboutCraigard House Hotel Low Askomill 01586 554242 @ Great food and a great view. Harbour View Grille Royal Hotel, Main Street 01586 810000 Part of the 'Village at Machrihanish Dunes' - who own hotels and bars in both Machrihanish and Campbeltown. Muneroy Tearoom Southend 01586 830221 For other restaurants - see Come to Campbeltown DrinkingArdshiel Hotel Kilkerran Street 01586 552133
Their website mentions 200 malt whiskies. they clearly need to refurbish the website to go along with the refurbished bar which has over 400 malt whiskies on display. Flora who owns the hotel told me there were another 300 they've got behind the scenes! Argyll Arms Hotel 60 Main Street 01586 553431 Several bars, a few malt whiskies Argyll Arms Hotel Southend 01586 830622 (9 miles) Good range of whiskies Black Sheep Pub Royal Hotel, Main Street 01586 810000 Good range of malt whiskies. Part of the 'Village at Machrihanish Dunes' - who own hotels and bars in both Machrihanish and Campbeltown. (this is taken from their website, as I've not been in there as I couldn't drag myself away from the Ardshiel! For other pubs - see Beer in the Evening Please note that I do not have anything good or bad to say about any of these establishments CyclingCycle Shops:
The Cycle Shop in Longrow is now closed. ShoppingTesco Co-Op Post Offices: Campletown Rieclachan; Southend (limited hours, one of Scotland's smallest POs).
Check PO Branch finder (search for postcode PA28) for opening times. Banking Clydesdale 19 Longrow Bank of Scotland 9 Longrow South RBS 11 Castle Hill Raining??
Davaar Island
Glengyle still
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Photos on this page were taken by me. Click on photo to enlarge. Full size versions and my other pictures of Campbeltown are available on Flickr at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martynjenkins/sets/72157632893656922
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martynjenkins/sets/72157632893656922
