Kintyre

Kintyre shown within Argyll

Kintyre is a peninsula in western Scotland in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The region stretches approximately 30 miles (48 km) from the Mull of Kintyre (immortalised in the song of the same name by Paul McCartney) in the south to East Loch Tarbert in the north. The region immediately north of the peninsula is known as Knapdale.

Geographically, the Kintyre peninsula is long and narrow, at no point more than 11 miles (18 km) from west coast to east coast. The central spine of the peninsula is mostly hilly moorland. The coastal areas and hinterland, however, are rich and fertile. As such, Kintyre has long been a prized area for settlers, from the early Scots who migrated from Ulster to western Scotland and the Vikings or Norsemen who conquered and settled the area just before the start of the second millennium.

The principal town of the area is Campbeltown (about 32 km by road from the Mull), which has been a royal burgh since the mid-18th century.

The area's economy has long relied on fishing and farming, although Campbeltown has a reputation as a producer of some of the world's finest single malt whisky including the multi award winning "Springbank".

Kintyre Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary, one of the officers of arms at the Court of the Lord Lyon is named after this peninsula, as well.

Towns and villages in Kintyre

Bellochantuy, Campbeltown, Carradale, Clachan, Claonaig, Drumlemble, Glenbarr, Grogport, Kilchenzie, Machrihanish, Muasdale, Peninver, Saddell, Skipness, Southend, Stewarton, Tayinloan, Tarbert, and Whitehouse.

Transport

Information on all forms of public transport is available from Traveline Scotland

Bus & coach services
*Long distance coach services to and from Glasgow are operated by Scottish Citylink
*Bus services throughout the Kintyre peninsula are operated by West Coast Motors

Flights
*Available between Glasgow International Airport and Campbeltown Airport

Ferry services
*Operated by Caledonian MacBrayne on the following routes:
**Campbeltown - Ballycastle (currently suspended)
**Claonaig - Lochranza (in Summer)
**Kennacraig - Islay
**Tarbert - Lochranza (in Winter)
**Tarbert - Portavadie
**Tayinloan - Gigha
*Other operators
**Campbeltown - Troon (starting May 2006)

Places of historic interest

*Clachan Church - carved medieval grave slabs
*Kilchousland Chapel, near Peninver
*Kilcomkill, Southend - St Columba's Chapel, carved grave slabs, "St. Columba's footprints" nearby
*Killean - St. John's Church - "most important medieval parish church in Kintyre"Newton, Kintyre - carved grave slabs
*Saddell Abbey
*Saddell Castle
*Skipness Castle
*Tarbert Castle

Prehistoric sites

*Ballochroy standing stones
*Beachairr standing stone, near Killean
*Corriechrevie cairn - intact
*Dun Skeig - Iron Age forts near Clachan
*Kildonan galleried dun

Associated Peerage Titles

*Duke of Kintyre (extinct)
*Marquess of Kintyre and Lorne (subsidiary title of the Duke of Argyll)

References

Norman S. Newton, Kintyre (1999)

External links

* An Author of Kintyre, Kintyre's Literary Associations
* History and Archaeology in Kintyre