Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
west of Connel, looks like a schoolkid's drawing of what a castle should be - square and
massive, with towers at the corners, perched on top of a rocky outcrop. It was built around
1260 and was captured by Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Independence in 1309.
The haunted ruins of the nearby 13th-century chapel contain lots of Campbell tombs dec-
orated with skull-and-crossbone carvings.
One of the region's most unusual historical sights is Bonawe Iron Furnace (HS;
01866-822432; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk ; adult/child £4.50/2.70; 9.30am-5.30pm
Apr-Sep) , near Taynuilt. Dating from 1753, it was built by an iron-smelting company from
the English Lake District because of the abundance of birchwood in the area. The wood
was made into charcoal, which was needed for smelting the iron - to produce Bonawe's
annual output of 700 tons of pig iron took 10,000 acres of woodland. A fascinating self-
guided tour leads you around the various parts of the site.
From the jetty opposite the entrance to Bonawe, Loch Etive Cruises (
01866-822430, 07721-732703; Mar-Nov) runs boat trips to the head of Loch Etive and
back two or three times daily (except Saturday) from Easter to Christmas. There are two-
hour cruises (adult/child £10/8, departing 10am and noon) and three-hour cruises (£15/12,
departing 2pm). You may spot eagles, otters, seals and deer, and at the head of the loch
you can see the famous Etive slabs - dotted with rock climbers in dry weather. Bookings
essential.
Buses between Oban and Fort William or Glasgow, and trains between Oban and Glas-
gow, all stop in Connel and Taynuilt.
WHALE-WATCHING WISDOM: RUSSELL LEAPER
Russell Leaper works for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), conducting scientific research to try
and help reduce threats to whales around the world. He lives in Banavie, near Fort William.
How does Scotland's west coast compare in the league of world whale-watching spots? Rather like the
weather, whale-watching in Scotland is less predictable than elsewhere. There is a good chance of seeing minke
whales and harbour porpoises. Bottlenose and common dolphins are also seen regularly, and there is a small chance
of seeing several other species of whales and dolphins. Basking sharks are also often seen on whale-watching trips.
The whale-watching season tends to run from April to September because of the weather (they're easier to spot in
calm conditions) but the whales may be around longer than this.
Are whale and dolphin numbers in Scottish waters rising, falling, or staying the same? We only have rather
approximate estimates of numbers for a few species and almost no information on trends. The numbers of animals
close to the coast varies from year to year but we don't really know how this relates to overall numbers. Unfortu-
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search