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Ardentinny to Carrick Castle


(Average user rating2 unrated 2/5)

About Ardentinny to Carrick Castle

The route to Carrick Castle from Ardentinny takes you along a forest road for approximately three miles - this includes one mile of ‘right of way’, and another mile of single-track road. Follow the waymarkers along the shores of Loch Long towards Knap, where you will find the remains of old buildings and dry stone walls, which are easily spotted from the roadside. Keep a look out for pine martens.

The road goes under electricity pylons carrying 132 thousand volts. Leave the forestry road at the large boulder/white posts. Join the track through the woods, descending to the shoreline at Tol Nam Muc - Bay of the Pig. Then on to Ardnahein Farm, along a single track road to Carrick Castle.

See also our pages on forests around Dunoon.

 

How to get there:

Ardentinny to Carrick Castle can be started from Ardentinny Car park in Ardentinny and Glenfinnart which is part of Argyll Forest Park. Dunoon is the nearest town or village.

There are two equally appealing approaches to Ardentinny.

Take the car ferry from Gourock to Dunoon, and follow the A815 then the A880.

Alternately, take the A82 from Glasgow along the western shore of Loch Lomond through Tarbet, entering the Park at Arrochar, follow the A815 at Cairndow, then take the A880 to Ardentinny.

OS Grid Reference: NS191886
For details of public transport visit http://www.travelinescotland.com

Wildlife

Mammals: We have information about Red squirrel and Red deer

Birds: We have information about Golden eagle

What's on in Argyll Forest Park

July

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Ardentinny

Ardentinny Car park Facilities.
ToiletsParkingEasy Access
Grade of trail:
Hill-walking boots or similarDemanding
Trail waymarking:
Length of trail:
4 3/4 miles
Approximate time of trail:
4 hrs (one way)
Open or closed:
open
Click here to find out what else you can do in this forest.

Contact:
Recreation Team
Cowal & Trossachs
01877 382383
e-mail: cowal&trossachs@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

User Comments

4 Stars 4 Stars

Recently have went along this route, and found no issues with waymarking, their was a new route opened on the 9th of May. Some of the forestry walks can be a little overgrown, afterall they have a lot of area and walks, and to keep all paths open as well as they do is absolutely amazing.

Grant, 18/Jul/2010

Sad that this walk highlighted by Argyll Tourist Board/Forestry Commision, does not live up to expectations! A new tourist season has now commenced. Does A.T.B./F.C. or whoever, or even any locals have plans to improve & waymark this route?

D H McC, 15/Mar/2010

The Ardentinny to Carrick path is part managed by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and part on private ground. The section on FCS ground (Ardentinny to Allt an Torra burn) is identified on the ground with black-banded way markers. The FCS section of the route is in good condition and should be simple to follow. The section on private ground was upgraded in January 2010 by the National Park and the Community Trust / Council so is now a high standard of route. This uses a new route and does not follow the historic and difficult coastal route. There may be a need to review the infomation provided at the Carrick end of the route.

Forestry Commission Response
1 Star 1 Star

Had to give up as route appeared unused, inaccessible and was poorly marked. Disappointed as have walked places in Spain etc, yet unable to do this one.

Visitor from Poole, 7/Mar/2010
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What's of interest

Ardentinny means the ‘headland of the fire’ - a possible reference to signal fires used to summon the ferry that ran from Coulport.

At the ‘Bay of the Pig’ (Tol Nam Muc) look out for gulls, cormorants, eider ducks and oystercatchers.