Craignure: Culture, Golf and Trails at Duart Castle

Craignure is the arrival point for the CalMac ferry from Oban and therefore a natural starting point for a trip combining culture, scenery and activities. When planning your holiday accommodation or holiday cottage, you can already consider which experiences should form the focus of your stay: historic buildings, a round of golf, a hike or a tour with wildlife watching.

Culture and history around Craignure

Craignure is home to Torosay and Kinlochspelve Church, a listed Category B building. The church was built in 1783. Its congregation welcomes everyone regardless of denomination. This makes it an interesting destination for travellers who would also like to discover the historical and religious side of the area during their stay.

Another striking feature is the Statue Walk at Torosay Castle. It consists of 19 statues in the style of the Italian sculptor Antonio Bonazza (1698–1765). Duart Castle is 3 miles from Craignure and overlooks Duart Bay. It was built in the Craignure area in the 14th century and is also the seat of Clan MacLean. Duart Point is located on the grounds, a headland that can be explored on foot.

Golf, trails and nature experiences

Craignure Golf Club offers a clear option for an active day on holiday. The 9-hole links course lies on the shore of Scallastle Bay, around one mile north of Craignure ferry terminal. Visitors are welcome, and no advance booking is required to play. On Sundays, the course may occasionally be closed for competitions. Anyone planning a round should take this information into account when organising their day.

Craignure also offers a particular focus for walkers. From Craignure, trails lead to Torosay Castle, where you can reach the starting point of the route to Dùn da Ghaoithe. This is the second-highest hill on Mull and the island’s only Corbett. Duart Point also offers a shorter landscape experience that can explicitly be explored on foot on the grounds of Duart Castle.

The tour Wildlife by land and sea returns via Craignure, where connections to ferries or buses can be made. This complements the historic destinations with a nature-focused perspective and helps you combine different types of day trips when planning your journey.

Choosing the right starting point for your trip

When looking for accommodation in Craignure, it is worth deciding on your main focus early on. Those interested in culture can include the church, the Statue Walk and the two castles in their plans. For more active days, the golf course and the trails to Dùn da Ghaoithe take centre stage. Anyone who prefers wildlife watching can consider the tour Wildlife by land and sea. The ferry arrival from Oban is just as useful for orientation as the connections available after the tour returns via Craignure.

Further destinations for planning your trip

If you would like to compare other destinations besides Craignure, here is a compact selection: Lerags, Dunoon, Tighnabruaich, Helensburgh, Arrochar, Bruichladdich, Saint Catherines and Bridge Of Orchy.

To the higher-level travel overview: Argyll And Bute.