Isle of Bute - Kilchattan, St Blane's, Dunagoil Fort

The lighthouse on the east arm of Glencallum Bay is a modest structure on a small plateau of big rounded pebbles, often with a yacht anchored in the bay. Above the beach are the remains of an alehouse that served crews of craft harboured here (with supplies brought in by sea).

Progressing along a wild, remote shore with some easy scrambling, the route passes a series of sharp inlets to reach a ridge overlooking Loch na Leighe (The Pool of Healing), rimmed with bulrushes and yellow lilies. The loch is a haven for seabirds, teal, tufted ducks, sedge warblers, stonechats, whinchats, pipits, wheatears, kestrels, and buzzards.

Next is St Blane's Church in an enchanting setting backed by a rock escarpment. It features remains of a Celtic monastery founded in AD 570 and a 12th-century Norman church with a fine arch built among ruins sacked by Vikings in AD 790. Features include two burial grounds, a corn-drying kiln, a stone foot-washing basin, a well, and Saint Blane's traditional long tombstone.

Ahead lies Dunagoil Bay with its volcanic plug, vitrified fort, and cave — an Iron Age site occupied for 300 years. Further on, a hidden Celtic sun circle features three standing stones over 3,000 years old. The walk concludes back into Kilchattan via a pretty, muddy bridle path through birch and oak woods.

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.