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If you are travelling from England there are several possible routes:
There is very little difference between any of the first 3 routes, indeed it probably depends on the traffic which is fastest. The ferry is slightly slower but a lovely route. All the routes pass through stunning scenery and you should really do them all at some point.
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Recommended route, via Inveraray. M74 to Glasgow (The Annandale services 25 miles north of Carlisle are very tranquil and adjoin a large park) Then the M8, signed to Glasgow City Centre (2 filters off, the second is easy to miss) through Glasgow (Don't turn off at Junction 17 onto the A82 signed to Crianlarich, it goes right through the busy part of the city and is very slow). Go past the airport to junction 30 and turn off onto the M898 across the Erskine Bridge (no longer a toll bridge). The Petrol Station 2miles after the bridge is usually as cheap as anywhere for petrol). Then the A82 to Tarbert and continue straight on following signs for Inveraray & Campbeltown (A83). In Inveraray turn right under the first white arch on to the A819, signed to Oban and Crianlarich. This brings you onto the A85 where you turn left to Taynuilt some 10 miles away. |
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A new restaurant/tearoom has opened in Tarbert called the Ben Lomond (www.thebenlomond.com 01301 702393) , and it's in a church on the right, which is recommended for a break. Else the 'treeshop', just after Cairndow, which allows you to wonder to a tree house and stretch your legs, or just have a cuppa at the tearoom, or a sit down meal at the Oyster bar www.loch-fyne.com 01499 600236. |
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Shortest but twisty and can be very slow in summer if there is a lot of traffic. M74 to Glasgow (The Annandale services 25 miles north of Carlisle are very tranquil and adjoin a large park) Then the M8, signed to Glasgow City Centre (2 filters off, the second is easy to miss) through Glasgow (don't turn off at Junction 17 onto the A82 signed to Crianlarich, it goes right through the busy part of the city and is very slow). If you find the M8 very confusing, with lanes going off to the left and the right, my advice is to be a middle lane hogger, and you won't have to change lanes then. Go past the airport to junction 30 and turn off onto the M898 across the Erskine Bridge (no more toll, the Petrol Station 2miles after the bridge is usually as cheap as anywhere for petrol). Then follow the A82 to Crianlarich. At Crianlarich turn left to Tyndrum, 5 miles away, and turn left again just as you are leaving Tyndrum on to the A85, signed to Oban. Taynuilt is 25 miles down here. This has one very slow and twisty bit along Loch Lomond, that some people prefer to avoid. |
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Slightly longer again but avoids the centre of Glasgow which can be confusing. M74 to Glasgow, then take the M73 to Stirling turning right at the end onto the A80 (you have no choice), then becomes the M80, then becomes the M9 (actually it's all the same road!). Turn left at junction 10 of the M9 on to the A84, just after Stirling Castle appears on the left, signed to Callander and Crianlarich. Follow the A84 to Crianlarich. Continue for 5 miles to Tyndrum, turn left just as you are leaving the village on to the A85, signed to Oban. Taynuilt is 25 miles down here. |
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The slowest but still OK and gives a lovely ferry crossing for a break. M74 to Glasgow, the M8 through Glasgow, this turns into the A8 to Greenock. At Greenock turn right onto A770 to Gourock. From here take the ferry to Dunoon (every hour in summer). Take the A815, signed to Inveraray, to join the A83, and on to Inveraray. In Inveraray turn right under the first white arch on to the A819, signed to Oban and Crianlarich. This brings you onto the A85 where you turn left to Taynuilt some 10 miles away. |
Approach Taynuilt on the main Crianlarich to Oban Road (A85) and opposite the Taynuilt Hotel, turn off to "Village Centre". Continue past the shops, over the railway bridge, down the hill and over a single file bridge to a sharp left turn (approximately half a mile, signed to Bonawe Furnace) The road itself bends sharp right here. Turn sharp left up the hill to a Church at the top on the right and turn sharp right (100m, if the road starts to go down hill, you have gone too far!). Go past some houses for about 800m then at the end of the tarmac take the left fork to an avenue of beech trees and the driveway to Bonawe House.
Park your car in the car park, and come into the courtyard. The reception is on the left side of the canopy. All the cottages can be accessed from the courtyard, where you can park to unload.
Road information:
AA Roadwatch: 09003 401 100
RAC Traffic information: 0906 470 1740
Highways agency to check up on roadworks www.highways.gov.uk and on 08457 50 40 30
Glasgow airport is situated on the M8 to the north west of Glasgow, 75 miles from Bonawe House, about 2 hours drive. From the airport follow the signs for Greenock (not towards Glasgow city), and come off at the next junction, junction 30 to Erskine.
If you arrive at Glasgow Prestwick airport, you head out to Glasgow on the A77, that becomes the M77. When you get near to Glasgow, follow the signs for glasgow airport. This takes you off the motorway, and you need to follow the signs carefully while you weave your way through trafficlights and across the M8 motorway several times, until you can finally join the M8. Then follow the directions as above out to Erskine Bridge.
There are plenty of car hire companies at the airport, perhaps the cheapest is www.easyrentacar.com which can offer cars for as little as £9 per day. The pickup places are at Glasgow airport, and in the centre of Glasgow. Another much used company is www.hertzrental.co.uk It is also useful to book parking at your departure airport through the Easyjet website.
It is also possible to take the airport bus, which runs every twenty minutes from in front of the airport, into the centre of Glasgow (£3 single), taking about 20 minutes. It stops at Queen Street train station from where the train to Taynuilt runs.
From Edinburgh airport you can either catch the train to Glasgow and on to Taynuilt or catch a coach via Stirling. You have to use the airport bus to Edinburgh Waverly first (about 20 minutes).
Useful websites are www.easyjet.com who fly once a day from Amsterdam to Edinburgh. Also flights from Luton, Stansted, Bristol and Belfast to Glasgow.
KLM also have several flights a day to both Glasgow and Edinburgh from Amsterdam www.klm.com
Trasnavia have just started flights from Amsterdam to Glasgow Prestwick. www.transavia.com
Also Ryanair www.ryanair.co.uk who fly from London Stansted, Brussles, Dublin, Stockholm and Oslo to Glasgow Prestwick (Glasgow Prestwick is about three quarters of an hour south from Glasgow). Car hire is available from www.hertzrental.co.uk or look through the recommended options from Ryanair. It is also useful to book parking at your departure airport through the Ryanair website.
Other airlines coming into Glasgow and Edinburgh: bmibaby fly-be and flyglobespan all do British flights
By Boat
A new boatservice has started from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Rosyth, which is just to the North of Edinburgh. It's about 2.5 hour drive to Taynuilt. The website is www.superfast.com
The other option is to take the Ijmuiden in the Netherlands to Newcastle. That still leaves you with about a 4 hour drive to Taynuilt. They often do very good deals.
The Glasgow to Taynuilt train runs 3 times a day in each direction ( twice on a Sunday). It takes about 2 hours 45 minutes and is an extremely pretty journey. THE TRAIN LEAVES FROM GLASGOW QUEENSTREET STATION NOT GLASGOW CENTRAL ( 10 MIN WALK). Times vary from season to season a little but for Summer 2006 trains leave Glasgow at 0842, 1242 & 1812 ( Sunday 0935, 1240 & 1812) and from Taynuilt to Glasgow at 0840, 1342 & 1832 (Sunday 1257, 1642 & 1832). Typically these vary by about 20 minutes from season to season.
To check your train times we have found the official website for Britain very useful and you can book on line too (a bit cumbersome). The website is www.thetrainline.com . Alternatively ring 08457 484950.
We are happy to collect people arriving by train from Taynuilt train station.
There is a sleeper service from London Euston to the Highlands 08457 550033. The best place to head for is probably Fort William as you can rent a car from there. The shortest journey to here is from Crianlarich or Tyndrum. It is possible to link in with the sprinter trains to Taynuilt, but there is quite a wait. Standard prices are £149 return, but many deals are available in advance or booking through the website www.scotrail.co.uk , for as low as £89 return! Please note there is no service on Saturday night. The train leaves Euston at 21.05, and gets into Crianlarich at 07.30 and Fort William at about 09.00. Return times are leaving at about 17.50 in Fort William, 22.00 from Crianlarich, and arriving in Euston at 08.45.
Renate uses this service regularly and finds it's a good night's sleep if you use earplugs. Please ask her if you have any queries about the service.
Car Hire
You can hire cars at the airport, www.easyrentacar.co.uk , National - 0141 887 7915 or www.hertz.co.uk etc. Or you could hire a car for a few days in Oban. Hazelbank motors, 01631 566 476 do a car hire from £25 per day, scooter hire £30 per day, bicycle hire £15 day. They are situated on the south side of Oban, near Tesco (Lynn Road). Also, Practical Car & Van Hire 01631 - 570 900. Flit self drive 01631 - 566 553 ( www.rentalsystem.co.uk )
If you are coming by sleeper service, you are probably best coming to Fort William and picking up a car there. Ace Car & Van Hire - 01397 - 703 348, Budget 01397 - 702 500, Easy Drive Car & Van rental 01397 - 701 616, Volkwagen Rental 01397 - 702 432, Heathercroft Motors , 01397 - 703 877.
| The following link provides a range of maps of different scales |  |
Directions from your home to Bonawe House
The following link provides detailed directions from your house to Bonawe House as well as giving an estimated journey time and accurate mileage. Simply enter your home address and our address (Bonawe House, Taynuilt, Argyll PA35 1JQ) and a starting time and you will be provided with directions for your journey that you can print out. Please be aware that it will tell you to turn off at Junction 17 on the M8 in Glasgow, which we strongly recommend you don't do. Carry on along the M8 to Erskine Bridge (junction 30 after the airport).
Links to Other Websites
The
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