Things to do on the Isle of Bute

Bute offers a wide range of activities; outdoor pursuits from hikes to gentle walks, horse riding and sailing. Bute is compact and easily accessible with many well marked walks with a mixture of terrain from all access paths suitable for cyclists, wheelchairs and people with limited mobility to more rugged routes.

Bute boasts three golf courses and several stocked lochs. The island also has a wealth of historic sites to explore including the 13th Century Rothesay Castle and Mount Stuart House the finest Victorian Gothic mansion in Britain.

Historic Bute

The isle of Bute has been settled from the earliest times and boasts a host of historic and archaeological sites from ancient stone circles and stone age burial cairns, early Christian chapels, medieval castles and the Victorian Gothic splendour of Mount Stuart. Below are just a few of the historic sites waiting to be explored.

No visit to Bute is complete without a visit to the magnificent Mount Stuart House. Mount Stuart is the finest Victorian gothic mansion in Britain and famous across the world. :-www.mountstuart.com

Rothesay Castle is in the centre of Rothesay a short walk from the hotel and is an excellent and romantic venue for weddings. Built in the early 13th Century by Walter the High Steward to defend against Norwegian attack the castle is unique in Scotland because of its circular design and early date. Rothesay Castle :- www.historic-scotland.gov.uk.

The short walk from the parking area up the hill to St. Blane’s Chapel at the south end of the island is a rewarding one, with stunning views of Sudhie Hill and Dunagoil Bay. The Chapel was site of religious worship from late 500AD. The ruins today are extensive and date from the 12th Century the medieval nave and archway and decorative pillars can still be seen. St. Blane’s is excellent for a short walk or a picnic.

Golfing holidays in bute

For an island only 26miles long the Isle of Bute is blessed with three golf courses Rothesay Golf course, Port Bannatyne Golf Club and Bute Golf Club at Kingarth all of which offer a different challenge and exploit some of Bute’s most magnificent scenery.

Fishing holidays in bute

Take to one of Bute’s many well stocked Lochs. Loch Fad at 175 acres is excellent for Rainbow and Brown trout and offers boats for hire for fly fishing or take to the bank for line fishing. Fish of 18lb are landed regularly from both boat and bank.Loch Fad

The Quien Loch will test your abilities to the limit, stocked with brown trout this low lying fertile loch is fished by fly only. Whatever time of year you come to Loch Ascog you can pull in pike.

Paul and Sue can arrange drying areas for wet outdoor wear and refrigeration for your catch.