Campbeltown and Kintyre

A lovely ride past Loch Lomond, through the hills, down to picturesque Inveraray, and on to the end of the Kintyre peninsula. The purpose--a family history pilgrimage. The landscape is high, stark and beautiful, with the sea visible everywhere and thousands of sheep dotting the landscape. I wondered why people would leave such a beautiful place, but if you're starving (thanks to poor agricultural practices and the Duke of Argyll), Canada looks good, despite the mosquitos, hot summers, and other negatives. We found the cemetery and the marker, the farm, and probably the church. The religious wars in Campbeltown were complicated, making it more difficult to be certain about the church. The Heritage Center was closed until later in the spring, as were some other attractions.

In addition to family roots, Campbeltown is home to the Springbank distillery, the only whisky manufacturer remaining out of 30 in operation in 1900. It is really good stuff, too--light but rich and smooth, with just a hint of peat and smoke.

We stayed in the Dellwood Hotel, a small two star that turned out to be on the border of the farm we sought. It came complete with a six toed cat, well-cooked plain meals (including the gargantuan Scottish breakfast--kippers available upon request) and a very comfortable(heated)room. Heat is good.