Inveraray

Inveraray is in the Argyll and Bute region of Highland Scotland, on the north shore of Loch Fyne. It's dominated by its castle, built by the 3rd Duke of Argyll - but the 5th Duke went further and rebuilt the entire town 1772-1800. The result is a remarkable early "planned town", with unity of architectural style, and its parish church perched on a traffic island. In 2021 the population was 580.

Get in

 * "There's naething here but Highland pride, and Highland scab and hunger,
 * "If Providence has sent me here, 'Twas surely in his anger."
 * - Robert Burns scrawled his opinion of Inveraray on a pub window in 1787.

The town is on the busy A83, leading from Loch Lomond west to the Argyll peninsula. Citylink buses run six times a day from Glasgow Buchanan Station via Tarbet and Arrochar, taking 1 hr 45 min. Bus 926 continues southwest to Lochgilphead, Tarbert (Loch Fyne) for ferries to Islay, and Campbeltown; Bus 976 goes north to Taynuilt and Oban.

West Coast Motors Bus 428 runs twice on school days M-F from Lochgilphead to Inveraray via Crarae, Furnace and Auchindrain,

Get around
The town can easily be explored on foot, but a car or bike is essential for sightseeing further out.

See

 * The Bell Tower in town centre belongs to All Saints Church. It's open July to mid-September M-F.
 * is a folly of 1756, built simply to embellish the view from the castle. It's reached by a short trail up the hill.
 * on the loch shore four miles east of town is an L-plan redoubt built around 1500. It was re-vamped in 1911 into a private residence, no tours.
 * is a folly of 1756, built simply to embellish the view from the castle. It's reached by a short trail up the hill.
 * on the loch shore four miles east of town is an L-plan redoubt built around 1500. It was re-vamped in 1911 into a private residence, no tours.

Do

 * Golf: Inveraray GC has nine holes. It's on Upper Avenue, half a mile south of Loch Fyne Hotel.
 * Inveraray Highland Games are held at the castle in July, with the next on Tu 16 July 2024.
 * Shinty: Inveraray play in Mowi National Division, the second tier, with their home ground at the castle. The playing season is April-Oct.

Buy

 * Co-op Food is the convenience store, on The Avenue and open daily 7AM-10PM.

Eat

 * Ocho on Quay Close serves brunch Th-M 11AM-4PM.
 * Samphire at 6 Arkland is a good seafood restaurant, open Tu-Sa noon-2:30PM and 5-8:45PM.
 * Cottage Restaurant on Main St is open Th-Tu 11AM-4PM, 5:30-8:30PM.

Drink

 * George Hotel (see Sleep) has an atmospheric bar.

Connect


As of June 2023, Inveraray has 4G from EE and O2, and a basic mobile signal from Three and Vodafone; the signal is very patchy along the approach roads. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * The main road A83 continues southwest along the loch shore to Lochgilphead, Tarbert (Loch Fyne) (for ferries to Islay), and down the Argyll peninsula to the Mull of Kintyre.
 * A819 winds over the hills north to Loch Awe, to join the roads for Oban, Glencoe and Fort William. Near Taynuilt see Kilchurn Castle and the "hollow mountain" of Ben Cruachan.
 * Cowal: most visitors don't even know it's there. It's a peninsula reached by A815 which branches off A83 at the head of the loch, by Cairndow.
 * A83 east climbs over the hills to Arrochar and Tarbet on Loch Lomond.