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The Great Britain Guide

Castles · Scottish Highlands

Dunoon

♿ Wheelchair: limited

Dunoon (; Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Omhain [t̪un ˈo.ɪɲ]) is the main town on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south o

Old building on George Street - geograph.org.uk - 6203613

Thomas Nugent — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1.5 h–3 h
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access

About

Dunoon (; Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Omhain [t̪un ˈo.ɪɲ]) is the main town on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south of the Holy Loch and to the north of Innellan. As well as forming part of the council area of Argyll and Bute, Dunoon also has its own community council. It was a burgh until 1976. The early history of Dunoon often revolves around two feuding clans: the Lamonts and the Campbells. The town was a popular destination when travel by steamships was common around the Firth of Clyde; Glaswegians described this as going doon the watter. This diminished, and many holidaymakers started to go elsewhere as roads and railways improved and the popularity of overseas travel increased. In 1961, during the height of the Cold War, Dunoon became a garrison town to the United States Navy. In 1992, shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, they closed their Holy Loch base in Sandbank, and neighbouring Dunoon suffered an economic downturn. Since the base's closure, the town and surrounding area are again turning to tourism, marketing to outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife lovers, as well as promoting festivals and competitions. The largest annual event held in the town is the Cowal Highland Gathering, which has been held since 1894. The Royal National Mòd has also been held in the town.

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From the Wikipedia article

Dunoon (; Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Omhain [t̪un ˈo.ɪɲ]) is the main town on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south of the Holy Loch and to the north of Innellan. As well as forming part of the council area of Argyll and Bute, Dunoon also has its own community council. It was a burgh until 1976. The early history of Dunoon often revolves around two feuding clans: the Lamonts and the Campbells. The town was a popular destination when travel by steamships was common around the Firth of Clyde; Glaswegians described this as going doon the watter. This diminished, and many holidaymakers started to go elsewhere as roads and railways improved and the popularity of overseas travel increased. In 1961, during the height of the Cold War, Dunoon became a garrison town to the United States Navy. In 1992, shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, they closed their Holy Loch base in Sandbank, and neighbouring Dunoon suffered an economic downturn. Since the base's closure, the town and surrounding area are again turning to tourism, marketing to outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife lovers, as well as promoting festivals and competitions. The largest annual event held in the town is the Cowal Highland Gathering, which has been held since 1894. The Royal National Mòd has also been held in the town.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

, looking southeast]] ]] Dunoon Castle was built on a small, partly artificial, conical hill beside the Firth of Clyde in the 12th century, of which low walls remain. It eventually became a royal castle with the Earls of Argyll (Campbells) as hereditary keepers, paying a nominal rent of a single red rose to the sovereign. Mary, Queen of Scots, visited Dunoon Castle on 26 July 1563 and granted several charters during her visit. In 1646 the Dunoon massacre of members of Clan Lamont by members of Clan Campbell took place. In the early 19th century, the town's main street, Argyll Street, stopped at Moir Street. Instead of continuing to Dunoon Pier, it turned right at today's Sinbad's Bar.…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
55.9509, -4.9262
Postcode
PA23 8BB
Parliamentary constituency
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber

Sources

  • wikipedia: Dunoon (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Dunoon?
Dunoon is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode PA23 8BB).
Does Dunoon charge admission?
Dunoon typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
How do I get to Dunoon?
Drivers can navigate to postcode PA23 8BB. It sits within the Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber parliamentary constituency.