I’m thinking of going to a small self catering place on the banks of the Clyde near Dunoon in December to “get away from it all”. Some of the stuff I’ve seen suggests it’s quiet with a lot of stunning scenery. Will probably take the bikes for me and the missus.

The only problem is that whilst the tourist info says all the right things knowhere.com paints it as a godawful place full of junkies and scum. Anyone been? Any recommendations on outdoor activities/walks/rides nearby? Ta

Dunno about Junkies and Scum but it would be pretty much near the bottom of my get away from it all list.

knowhere is talking pish dude…. glasgow is full of crackfiends admittedly… get up a bit further to lochgilphead. They have firetower trails which aren’t great but still good fun. Up a little further and you’re in Oban where Ben Lora has some awesome routes on it. check ‘proving grounds’ video on youtube car park is in benderloch.

Argyll and bute is a fantastic part of the world… also Glen coe is 40 minutes away from oban and Fort Bill about th same.

Not an expert but here’s my penny’s worth
It’s a pretty little place. like most pretty litle places, it grew up when people holidayed at home, but now they heqad off for 2 weeks all inclusive in benidorm, so it’s all faded a bit. In summer (when i’ve been there) it’s very nice, but i suspect it’ll be closing up now and will be a bit different. It is a spectacular area, there will be biking aplenty, I can recommend the Waverley (google paddle steamer waverley) if it’s still on. For me, if I was going “away from it all” I think i’d be hading a bit further away from civilisation, like Arisaig or out onto the islands, but I gues that depends on how far you’re travelling to get there.

^^^ yeah, oban’ish, not much further, but much further “away from it all”. + Fort Bill – trails did ye say?

Its been a few years since i’ve been in Dunoon. I remember loads of closed up shop units and a depressing feel to the place.

Argyle and Bute is nice, just not Dunoon!

I’ve stopped by Lock Eck just up the road, nice spot, not all that far to Oban, Inverrary etc

Go a little further north, will be worth it.

Thanks for the replies. I guess we’re just after a week in a cheap SC place in nice surroundings with access to the outdoors. We’ll be travelling up from the midlands so another couple of hours in the car won’t hurt.

If anyone has any recommendations of other places in the west of Scotland then fire away.

>glasgow is full of crackfiends admittedly<

LOL 3 posts in and someones managed to tick the no mean city box.

Dunoon, Rothesay, Oban – they all have that best days behind them slightly depressing feel. Oban at least has got got a buzz about it and is within spitting distance of some fantastic places. Not in December though…

I know folks who like Dunoon, but we’ve been to Lochgoilhead quite a few times. Argyll Holidays has self catering at several locations including Dunoon and Lochgoilhead. For Lochgoilhead there’s the option of staying on Drimsynie Estate or in an apartment in the village itself. Not too expensive, and it’s a stunning place and we’ve always found it nice and relaxing. Plenty walking and biking options. Website usually has good special offer deals going too.

>If anyone has any recommendations of other places in the west of Scotland then fire away.<

Per the man above – Arisaig.

>If anyone has any recommendations of other places in the west of Scotland then fire away.<

If you want “away from it all”, then you might want to go somewhere where the pub car park is 17 miles away from the actual pub and no roads connect to the main road network so the only way in and out is boat (or 17 mile hike). That would be Knoydart
the pub’s web site has s/c accomodation links, and the Knoydart Ferries site also has some photos.

Also FWIW, one of the travel options from Glasgow to mallaig is the Hogwart’s Express. If not, the road is excellent with breathtaking views, including the Glenfinnan viduct

Doesn’t sound like anyone else tried very hard! Dunoon and the cowal peninsula is the ideal base for access to

Pucks glen
The arboretum
Ardentinny
Tignabruiach
Isle of Bute, Mount Stuart, Rothesay Castle.
Forest roads
Hillwalking/biking on the Cowal way or the Three lochs way or in the wild.
Tarbert and Mull of Kintyre and Arran.
There is plenty of good food places and pubs.
Dunoon is currently having a wee makeover and I actually found it Tidier and better looked after than Helensburgh.

The Waverley retreats down south in winter.

But if you insist on somewhere else…
self catering

We stayed in Plockton (gf loves it), small village on protected coast,I think it’s pretty good, local facilities but an easy stroll from end 2 end, , Skye etc nearby, Torridon etc not too far.

Nearer is Dumfries/Galloway area with Galloway forest, night skies,quiet beach etc. I find it an awesome place. (*Garlieston was very mellow, http://www.whithorn.info/community/garlieston.htm, a pub that you just walking into and became part of, fire on, crinklies chatting, food …..) and the rest of the area is pretty much by passed as everybody goes N rather than W on the A74

If you want a tiny village (1 shop, pub, cafe) have a look at Dunure.
http://www.maybole.org/community/dunure/dunure.htm but Ayr etc near.

Have a look at the Garvault Hotel for Wilderness (but a lot North). Or http://www.ruareidh.co.uk/ for off the wall

In the 90s we hired a baronial mansion in Dunoon under the pretence of being 5 couples. We were in fact 10 males who spent the weekend ingesting narcotics, playing billiards and running round the estate howling at the moon. Top weekend.

Please, please, not Dunoon! As others have said, but it has also gone downhill, not just with people’s holiday choices changing, but the US navy pulled out, they used to have a large Nuclear Submarine base there.

Different choices…..

Portpatrick – always seems to have good weather. Several decent pubs with award winning food. Close enough for Kirroughtree and Dumfries 7 Stanes. Not as far to get to either.

Tobermory/Mull – OK, a bit further and harder to get to, but IMHO the best Island around. Stunning scenery, superb wildlife and can have a brilliant remote feeling while having a village close (or can be in middle of nowhere) If you have a week, do this, you will not regret. Some orff road available, but not tons.

Glencoe – Stunning scenery in the best Glen in Scotland. Brilliant biking about, and could be skiing too. Low level and high level walking is some of the best in Britain. Couple of excellent pubs with music, fires etc. (look out for Jimmy Saville too)

Other choices – As said Arisaig is beautiful, consider Arran, Pitlochry, Ullapool, Applecross.

http://www.obanbedandbreakfast.org/

this is not my parents BnB most definitley not spam. 😉