Leisure Activities
One of the benefits of being based in Argyll and Bute is the high quality of life enjoyed by residents. Whether you want the benefits of urban living ond proximity to Glasgow or the rural life and country pursuits, there is somewhere in Argyll for you.

Argyll offers the finest facilities in Europe for inshore sailing. Sailing in the Clyde estuary or around the Argyll coast and its islands is a magical experience, combining sometimes challenging conditions with spectacular scenery. Deep inlets and sheltered sea lochs give welcome respite from the open sea, but often yielding rewards for sailors by way of welcoming hotels and restaurants nestling in secluded locations, with menus offering delicious local produce.

Diving has long been a popular sport in the area and one for which Argyll has good support facilities. However, its not just the ancient ship wrecks that are the attraction. The clear, unpolluted waters around Argyll's coast allow divers to explore an underwater world where good visibility offers clear views of the weird and wonderful shaped seaweeds, unusual fish and colourful creatures of the deep.

Out at sea, basking sharks can be seen, together with over 20 species of whales and dolphins, representing nearly a third of the total number of these species known to man. Tour with a charter boat or just keep your eyes open on any ferry journey and you could be lucky enough to see a blue whale, a harbour porpoise, a minke whale or even dolphins.

If fishing is your passion, Argyll’s lochs, rivers and coastal waters offer superb sporting opportunities. Island and mainland locations attract anglers to the area to enjoy an exceptional variety of conditions.

For golfers Argyll is a secret paradise with courses such as Loch Lomond and Machrihanish known around the world. Indeed, the first hole at Macrihanish was voted the best in the world by a leading golf magazine. Many islands have a golf course - Islay, Tiree, Mull and Iona to name but a few - and there are several to choose from in mainland Argyll. With incredible views challenging you to keep your mind on the golf, be sure to leave plenty of time for your round.

Argyll's mild climate is a pleasure for gardeners, with more than twenty Glorious Gardens open to the public on a regular basis throughout the mainland and islands. Whether you prefer to look at the work of others or enjoy propagating your own plants, gardeners will find that Argyll's mild climate favours the spring flowering rhododendrons, as well as azaleas and camellias and a myriad of other equally colourful and unusual plants.

During winter and summer, the hills in and around Argyll are popular destinations for those keen on outdoor pursuits with some of the leading places in the country for walking and climbing right on the doorstep. Walkers and cyclists are well provided for with forest walks, as well as open tracks, sometimes ancient drove roads, through Argyll's rugged countryside. The lochs and rivers provide plentiful sport for canoeing, angling and other water based activity.

With less than four hours of darkness during the extended summer days, it is a perfect time to discover the wildlife of Argyll. The cultural heritage borne of a strong sense of place is linked with a diverse natural heritage. An inherent respect for our natural resources in this part of the world has helped to maintain a quality of environment in Argyll that is second to none.

Birds of prey such as hen harrier, shorteared owl, peregrine falcon, merlin, golden eagle are regularly sighted in the hills and glens of Argyll and Bute. Many of the islands play host to rare species such as geese, corncrakes or sea eagles.

Red squirrel still has a foothold in the area. Otters and seals, rarely seen in other locations, are typical inhabitants of Argyll's mainland and island shores. The species around us are like a barometer for the environment, and maintaining their diversity indicates that the environment is in good heart. In order to care for this fragile environment in today's world, Argyll and Bute Council, together with the government and other agencies, conservation organisations and individuals, have agreed to protect this biodiversity as part of a UK-wide action plan.

Leisure Facilities

Swimming pools at Dunoon, Helensburgh and Rothesay are operated by Argyll and Bute Council with others at Oban, Islay and Lochgilphead run by community businesses, often supported by the Council. All offer additional facilities such as sauna or gym. Oban’s Atlantis Leisure Centre and Dunoon’s Riverside Health and Swim facility have recently undergone redevelopment to improve the services on offer.

Film fanatics will find cinemas in Oban, Campbeltown, Rothesay and Dunoon and the Screen Machine, a mobile cinema, regularly visits some of the more remote communities. The Mull Little Theatre in the village of Dervaig has a programme of performances throughout the season, as do the Taynuilt based company, Ballet West. In addition, visiting companies bring opera, theatre, music of various types, ballet and other cultural art forms from time to time to various venues throughout Argyll and the islands.

Festivals and Events

Hundreds of major events and festivals take place throughout the year in Argyll and Bute so you can always be sure of something going on and perhaps get involved with the organisation yourself! Most are community led initiatives, supported by Argyll and Bute Council and other agencies such as Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling and Trossachs Tourist Board and Argyll and the Islands Enterprise. From local Gaelic Mods to towns hosting the national Mod celebration, drama festivals to music festivals, agricultural shows and horticultural competitions, golf tournaments and car rallies, hill races and sailing regattas, and an enormous range of special events taking place each year, Argyll and Bute has a fantastic cultural scene stretching from the smallest island communities to mainland villages and urban centres. A vibrant arts scene enhances community life by expressing the shared values of a community and, in addition, often contributes to the area's tourism industry.

Libraries and Museums

The library service is a vital resource meeting leisure, information, education and cultural needs of the people of Argyll and Bute. Thirteen libraries and five mobile libraries offer access to the service in all but the smallest islands.

Argyll is a treasure trove of places to see and things to do. Museums are key to developing and sustaining the cultural identity of the area. Through its Museum Service, the Council aims to preserve, develop and communicate the area's social and natural heritage, and this includes support for existing museums. At Kilmartin House Trust, for example, artists, craftsmen, musicians and scholars are brought together to create a museum and research facility dedicated to improving our understanding of Argyll's unique archaeological environment. There are many smaller museums in islands and villages throughout Argyll, such as the Bute Museum in Rothesay, the Hynish Museum on Tiree, Campbeltown Museum, the Lismore Museum and Auchindrain Highland Township giving some insight to the background of the lives of the people who lived here through the centuries.

Other Attractions

Castles throughout the mainland and the islands also chart the area's history, evidence of battles fought and families united or destroyed in the turmoil of the passing centuries. Other attractions reflect the various strands of our past.

Some of the more unusual attractions of the area include the Cruachan Hydro-Electric Power Station on Loch Awe, where visitors travel deep into the heart of the mountain, and the opportunity to get closer to our wildlife at the Oban Seal and Marine Centre, the Cowal Bird Garden at Dunoon, the Rare Breeds Farm Park near Oban, the Angora Rabbit Farm on Mull or on one of the wildlife safaris on offer.

Its natural resources, cultural heritage, well educated workforce and quality of lifestyle all combine to give Argyll and Bute a unique advantage.

Food, restaurants and eating out

Argyll is well endowed with high quality restaurants and hotels, many of them award winners of their type. Set against a backdrop of breathtaking scenery, eating out in Argyll is truly a world class experience. Locally caught seafood - oysters, crab, lobster and fish - fresh from the Atlantic Ocean, the delicate flavour of lamb raised on Argyll hillsides, succulent beef served with homegrown vegetables or perhaps venison accompanied by autumn berries. Whatever your choice, there is a wide range of cuisine available, with mouth-watering choices matched by creative flair and presentation. In the larger villages and towns, eating out can be quite a cosmopolitan experience with Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Italian and French dishes, to name but a few, on the menu.

Local Media

The vibrant culture of Argyll and Bute has given rise to a wide range of local papers and radio stations serving the area. Community radio stations include Argyll FM in Campbeltown and Oban FM. Regional papers based in Argyll and Bute include the Argyllshire Advertiser, Campbeltown Courier, Dunoon Observer & Argyllshire Standard, Helensburgh Advertiser and the Oban Times. Many islands have their own newspapers, for example The Buteman), the Ileach (Islay), An Tirisdeach (Tiree), Am Muileach (Mull) and Round and About (Mull).