Kintyre 66
Scotland's Adventure CoastThe Kintyre 66 (K66) is an exciting new route that will help you discover one of Scotland’s most scenic regions, and what so inspired Sir Paul McCartney all those years ago.
With its pristine natural setting, unique coastal character and rich history, you ‘ll never run out of things to do in Kintyre and Gigha.
- Dine on the freshest seafood and savour some of the world’s most famous Scotch whiskies.
- Be spellbound by the region’s magnificent wildlife.
- Sail into secluded anchorages and watch the night sky glitter.
- Kayak in turquoise waters and walk in the wilderness.
- Marvel at early standing stones and visit castles of the famous clans.
The Kintyre 66 follows a 66 mile loop around Kintyre on the A83 and B842 public roads, with 6 spurs allowing you to venture even further.
Take the Atlantic road south with stunning views to Islay and Jura, and then up the edge of the Kilbrannan Sound overlooking Arran, or why not travel in the other direction, taking time to enjoy all the area has to offer— the choice is yours!
You'll never tire of Kintyre
The Kintyre 66 helps highlight 6 main areas along the Kintyre pennisula.
Below we have information on Southend & Machrihanish, Campbeltown, East Kintyre, West Kintyre, Gigha and Tarbert.
FAQs
The Kintyre 66 can be accessed via road, air or the water, which is a pretty special way to arrive.
The main way to travel to and from Kintyre is by car or by bus via the A82 and then the A83 – with a short ferry trip to Gigha from Tayinloan on the Kintyre peninsula. From the north of Scotland, come via Oban on the A816 to pick up the A83.
Or if you are travelling from Southern Scotland, why not sail from Ayrshire to Campbeltown using the CalMac ferry link*? This connects with the Glasgow train service. Or cross by ferry via Arran or Cowal to Kintyre – allowing you to explore much more of the west coast. Don’t forget you can bring your bike on the ferry and you can link as part of the National Cycle Route 78.
Regular flights take off from Glasgow to Campbeltown with Loganair, throughout the year.
*Please check all ferry routes are running as they can change per season.
No, you do not need to do the route in one day, in fact we encourage you not to for the sake of your own enjoyment and experience. If done in one continuous loop, it’s only 66 miles, but the joy of Kintyre is that there’s many trails, coastlines, walks, places to visit and of course stay. You can take as much time as you like, to spend some memorable time here and explore all 6 regions of West Kintyre, Gigha, Machrihanish & Southend, Campbeltown, East Kintyre and Tarbert & Skipness.
Of course. Go in any direction you please and try at different times of the day. You’ll see spectacular sunrises from the east side of the peninsula, and mesmerising sunsets from the west side. There’s no one way system, but some of the route is a single-track road, so enjoy taking it easy and make use of the passing places by giving a wee wave to passing traffic.
The road is accessible by car for the whole loop, but it can equally be enjoyed as a cycle route and on e-bikes too. Cycling is the ideal way to stop off at any point and go explore the many side roads or go inland and join The Kintyre Way.
What will you not see! You’ll see friendly faces, picturesque landscapes, water pretty much everywhere no matter where you look, lots of wildlife on land and at sea, vast open skies day and night, places to eat, drink and shop, boats, natural heritage sites including Ballochroy Standing Stones, golf courses, beautiful harbours, inviting beaches, Keil Caves (yes, caves) and so much more!
Our detailed map which will be launched soon will include all the places you can refuel yourself, as well as your car, and of course charge your e-bikes if needed! There’re places for little people to pick up tasty treats and adults to top up their energy levels with hearty meals, including distilleries to help quench any thirsts.
Yes, there are.
Yes, we really do welcome hybrid and electric vehicles. We’ll pinpoint charging stations on our map.
Oh, we’d love you to stay over, for as long as you like actually. There’s a great choice of self-catering, hotels and B&Bs throughout the year and for all budgets. All will be detailed on our map launching soon.
Well that can range from -5˚to 30˚ on a record-breaking day! The climate changes throughout the year, but as Kintyre is on the Gulf Stream it enjoys a milder temperature than the highlands for example.
Whatever you feel comfortable in. Literally. Get your trainers and hiking boots on for some exploring, or barefoot and beachwear for water sports, or bring your glad rags for a great night out wining and dining. There are no rules but it’s always wise to have layers, waterproofs and sunscreen.
There are so many and different things will interest different people but here’s some of our favourites off the beaten track.
- Ballochroy Standing Stones
- Saddell Bay, Castle and Abbey
- Skipness Castle and Woodland Walks
- Southend Beach and Dunaverty Rock
- St Columba’s Footprints and Keil Caves
- Westport Beach, Machrihanish
Kintyre is never overly busy as it’s a hidden gem on the west coast with lots of unspoiled places to discover. There’s plenty of places, open spaces, coastlines and places of interest to spread out and maybe never see anyone else on some days. Tarbert and Campbeltown have more buzz as they are the main towns, with the busiest season being between April-October.
There is one main road (A83 on the west side and B842 on the east), but the Kintyre 66 is much more than that! With various spurs off the main road you can explore the south of the peninsula out to Machrihanish and down to Southend and up to the north to Skipness. There's plenty of smaller roads branching off in various directions, and of course, the route includes a ferry trip across the water to the beautifully small island of Gigha - which can be easily enjoyed on foot or by cycling.
Yes, you’ll enjoy views of the water from pretty much everywhere here. Perfect to watch and calm your mind, or get active with some watersports including surfing, wild swimming, kayaking, sailing and much more. Boat trips to the surrounding islands and the mainland run frequently too.
Yes, these are well signposted for all road users. Just a gentle reminder that ‘passing places’ are only for letting passing traffic by, not for parking. Please use dedicated parking places.
Yes, you can but towing is not well suited on single track roads. There are dedicated motorhome spaces at Muasdale and at West Loch Shores. We ask that you be respectful of other road users and the local communities when choosing places to stop or park - if in doubt, ask a local where is best to stopover.
There’s plenty and clearly signposted. If you decide to enjoy some al fresco dining on the beach or any other spot, we kindly remind you take away all your rubbish and put in a dedicated bin or recycling point. Our landscape and wildlife are precious so we encourage you to leave no traces behind.
We have a great mix of wildlife for you to spot in its natural habitat. From free roaming deer, otters, seals, birds, pheasants, sheep and so much more. Sometimes they can wander on to the roads so just always take your time to take care of them. And don’t forget to take care on farmland too where livestock are, including cows, sheep and horses.
Yes, our lovely peninsula is easy to navigate so feel free to turn off the Sat Nav if you please and just relax on your trip. You won’t see ‘Kintyre 66’ branded signs but you’ll easily spot all the places from our map by name and road name.
Tour the Kintyre 66 with Robin McKelvie | Argyll & the Isles
Head on an adventure down the Kintyre 66 with Robin McKelvie. If you’ve ever dreamt of driving America’s Route 66, who not head on a Scotland's road trip?
Why you should drive or cycle the Kintyre 66
From the beaches of the Atlantic west coast to the island of Gigha and the whisky heritage of Campbeltown, here's why you should drive or cycle the Kintyre 66.
