Kilcreggan is a village in Argyll and Bute, on the tip of the Rosneath peninsula. To the east of the peninsula is Gare Loch, west is Loch Long (both narrow but deep fjords), and south is the Firth of Clyde. So it's somewhat isolated by land, but grew up in the 19th century when Clyde steamers linked it to Glasgow, and city merchants began to establish their summer homes and residences here. In 2021 the population of the Rosneath peninsula was 1320.

Get in

Painted Rock

By road Kilcreggan is 16 miles from Helensburgh and 40 miles from Glasgow. From A82 take A814 through Helensburgh to Garelochhead then down the Rosneath peninsula.

Garelochhead Bus 316 runs M-Sa every two hours from Helensburgh via Rhu, Faslane, Garelochhead, Clynder, Rosneath, Kilcreggan (40 min) and Cove to Coulport navy base.

By boat is the quickest method by public transport. See Gourock for the foot-passenger ferry across the Clyde, which takes 15 min and sails M-Sa hourly 7AM-6PM. Gourock has trains every 15 minutes from Glasgow Central, taking 40-50 min.

1 Kilcreggan ferry pier is village centre. The ferry between Kilcreggan and Helensburgh was axed in 2012. The paddle steamer Waverley occasionally sails to Kilcreggan in summer.

The nearest railway station you can reach overland is Garelochhead, which only has 3-4 trains a day on the West Highland Line from Glasgow to Crianlarich, where they divide for Oban or Fort William. Helensburgh Central has trains from Glasgow Queen Street every 30 minutes.

Get around

You need your own wheels.

See

• Painted rocks: there's a tradition of painting the large glacial boulders along the beach, one example being "Tut-Tut" as it spoofed a pharaoh's head. This tradition is over a century old, as "Para Handy" in Neil Munro's tales of the Clyde Puffers once claimed to have painted several. These artworks come and go as wind and waves scour away the paint and other artists see opportunities. So just look out for examples.
• 1 Portkil Battery, reached from Kilcreggan on Fort Road, was an artillery position defending the sea approaches to Clydeside - given its construction 1900-04 it was the French they thought likeliest to attack. The remains are scrappy and are gradually being cleared away for housing.
• 2 Linn Botanic Gardens, Cove G84 0NR, ☏ +44 1436 84 2084. Closed. Somewhat overgrown garden in Cove on Loch Long, which remains closed. (updated Jul 2023)

Do

• Rosneath Peninsula Highland Gathering is held in mid-July, but the 2023 event was cancelled.
• Cove & Kilcreggan Book Festival is held in Cove Burgh Hall two miles west of Kilcreggan. The next is 25-26 Nov 2023.

Buy

• Costcutter convenience store is in Argyle Buildings facing the ferry pier. It's open M-Sa 7AM-6PM, Su 8AM-5PM.
• Boots pharmacy in the same building is open M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-1PM.
• Kilcreggan Antiques is open Th-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11:00-16:00.
• Bank of Scotland opposite the pier is only open Tu Th 10AM-2PM but has an external ATM.
• Rosneath: Co-op Food is open daily 7AM-10PM.

Eat

Rosneath Castle in its heyday

• Kilcreggan Café next to the ferry pier is open W-Su 9AM-4PM.
• Lotus Takeaway is your only sustenance in Rosneath, open daily 4:30-10PM.
• Harvest Moon Deli is a reliable dine-in cafe at Clynder a mile north of Rosneath. It's open F Sa 5-10:30PM.

Drink

• Creggans Bar by the ferry pier is open daily noon-midnight.
• Castle Isle within Castle Park Caravan Site serves non-residents daily noon-11:30PM.

Sleep

• 1 Easter Garth Guest House, The Clachan, Rosneath G84 0RF, ☏ +44 1436 831007. Pleasant welcoming guest house. B&B double £85. (updated Jul 2023)
• 2 Rosneath Castle Park, Rosneath G84 0QS, ☏ +44 1436 831208. Accommodation in static caravans open Apr-Oct, 3 nights minimum, they don't have tourer or camping pitches. Rosneath Castle was rebuilt several times and finally demolished in 1961. Double £110. (updated Jul 2023)
• 3 Knockderry Country House Hotel, Shore Road, Cove G84 0NX, ☏ +44 1436 842283. 15-room hotel, built in 1848 and stylishly extended in 1890, scores well for comfort and dining. B&B double £145. (updated Jul 2023)

Connect

As of June 2023, Kilcreggan and the main road down Rosneath Peninsula have patchy 4G from EE, Three and Vodafone, but no signal from O2. You might even get 5G from Three.

Go next

• From Gourock turn east into Glasgow, or south towards Ayr, or take another ferry from Gourock to Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula.
• With your own transport, drive north through Garelochhead then south to Helensburgh or north to Loch Lomond and the head of Loch Long.