Cowal

This article is about the Scottish Region. For other uses, see Cowal (disambiguation).
Cowal shown within Argyll
Satellite photo of Cowal

Cowal (Scottish Gaelic: Còmhghall) is a peninsula in Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands.

Description

The northern part of Cowal is mostly the mountainous Argyll Forest Park managed by Forestry Commission Scotland.[1] Cowal is separated from the Kintyre[2] peninsula to the west by Loch Fyne, and from Inverclyde and North Ayrshire to the east by the Firth of Clyde. The sea lochs Loch Long and Loch Goil lie to the north-east, and the south of the peninsula is split into three forks by two further sea lochs, Loch Striven and to its west Loch Riddon. The Isle of Bute[3] lies to the south of Cowal, separated from the peninsula by the narrow Kyles of Bute[4] which connect the Firth of Clyde to Loch Riddon.

Much of Cowal [5] appears to have been once held by the Lamonts. By the thirteenth century, the Stewarts were the most dominant rulers of the region. Later, the Campbells came to be one of the most powerful families in Cowal.

Cowal's only Burgh is Dunoon in the south-east,[6] from which ferries sail to Gourock in Inverclyde. Other ferries run from Portavadie in the west to Tarbert in Kintyre, and from Colintraive in the south to Rhubodach on the Isle of Bute.

The Arrochar Alps[7] and Ardgoil peninsula in the north fringe the edges of the sea lochs whilst the Argyll Forest Park spreads out across the hillsides and mountain passes in the north part of Cowal, making this one of the remotest areas in the west of Scotland.

The towns and villages on the Cowal Peninsula are:

See also

References

  1. "Argyll Forest Park - Forestry Commission Scotland".
  2. [email protected], Undiscovered Scotland:. "Kintyre Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland".
  3. "Visit Bute".
  4. "Tighnabruaich, Kames, The Secret Coast, Kyles of Bute and Cowal Peninsula, Argyll, Scotland".
  5. "Home - visitcowal".
  6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
  7. "Arrochar » Hillwalking".
  8. "History - Scottish Castle Holidays, Castle Weddings, Scottish Castles, Castle Accommodation, Loch Fyne, Castle Holidays Argyll, Vacation, Argyll, Scotland - Castle Lachlan".
  9. "History of Kilfinan in Argyll and Bute - Map and description".
  10. "Portavadie Port Information - CalMac Ferries".
  11. www.samteq.co.uk, SAMTEQ,. "About us, Portavadie, Loch Fyne, Scotland".
  12. "Loch Tarsan from The Gazetteer for Scotland".

External links

Coordinates: 56°1′N 5°8′W / 56.017°N 5.133°W / 56.017; -5.133 Highlands and Islands of Scotland

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