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Without a car

Many of our guests enjoy being able to leave the car behind and get outside more.  We would like to encourage this as much as possible, and you will find there are plenty of things to do without taking a car as well.  Unfortunately public transport is not as good as it could be, and changes in timetables of buses occur ‘whenever’. 

For anyone arriving without a car we are happy to pick you up from the train station or the bus station in Taynuilt.  It’s less than 1 mile to our house, but carrying your luggage isn’t always fun.

Our village shop, Graham’s the grocer, can deliver before you arrive.  Just ring them up 01866 822 248 to order, and you pay when you’re here.  When you shop while you are in Taynuilt they will drop your shopping off at our house for free.  They have a very wide selection of foods, lots of organic groceries, and they’re extremely friendly.  The shop manager is called Ian Campbell.

Also we will provide towels free of charge to anyone coming without a car. 

Trains – rail bookings and seat reservation – 08457 550033 www.thetrainline.co.uk .  Cycles are free anywhere on the rail network, but you have to book a place.  You can also make a seat reservation on this tel. no, even if you haven’t bought a ticket yet.  From Taynuilt you buy your ticket on the train (there is no ticket office)

Summer timetable – 20 May to 8 Dec 2007 Mon-sat. This is just to give you a flavour, please check your exact times.  Sunday more limited depending on time of year

You can hire bikes locally.  They are dropped off before you come and picked up when you leave, for an amazing £35 per week per bike.  These are good quality mountain bikes.  Or hire per day for just £15 a day.  We have some under cover area where you can leave the bikes. 

Ideas:

1. Enjoy our gardens, the Bonawe Iron Furnace (2 mins from the house), a walk around the lade, and Kelly’s pier where the iron oar used to land.  A historic day, taking in the industry as it was 250 years ago.
2. Walk to Inverawe Fisheries, tearoom and delicatessen. You could even take fishing lessons, or just wonder round the nature trails.
3. Walk to the viewpoint beyond the Inverawe fisheries.  Delight in the views to Mull and up Loch Etive to the mountains of Glen Coe.
4. Walk along the landrover track up the side of Loch Etive, which is blocked off to cars.
5. Take the wildlife cruise on Loch Etive to see the birds and seals.
6. Walk to Airds Bay along the beaches, and back via Taynuilt village and the Robin’s nest tearoom.
7. Take the train to Oban for a wander around the lovely fishing town.
8. If you like cycling, hire a bike from Taynuilt cycles.  Cycle up Glen Lonan, the back road to Oban. Visit Barguilliean Gardens.  Picnic along the rivers in this hanging valley.  Cycle on to visit the rare breeds park.  Whizz down the hill into Oban, and take your bike back on the train.
9. Take the 08.36 train to Lochawe in the morning, depending on fitness either walk over Ben Cruachan back to our house, or walk over Glen Noe (still quite demanding).  Or walk up the dam road, and either back the same way, or down along the river to the trainstation ‘Falls of Cruachan’.  This is a request stop and is only open until 23 Sept.
10. Take the bus to Oban in the morning, then walk south to Gallanach.  Take the ferry across to the island Kerrera, where you can walk all round the island or just to Gylen castle and back.  Keep a good eye on the time.  You can also take a ferry to the north end from Oban, I think it’s the north pier, but I’ve not worked this one out yet.
11. Take the train to Oban.  Catch the 12.00 ferry to Mull.  Walk round to the narrow gauge railway.  Take the train to Torosay castle.  The 5 pm ferry from Mull connects with the train back to Taynuilt.
12. A day to Glasgow by train.  Leave Taynuilt at 8.36, return at 21.00, giving you 7 hours in Glasgow.
13. Have a night in pub at the Taynuilt Hotel, or relax and watch that classic film you’ve always wanted to see from our DVD collection.
14. Enjoy our books in reception, or ask to borrow some of our own books.  We have an extensive selection of books from: Nigel Tranter, John Prebble, Patrick O’Brian, C.S. Forester, George Fraser, Philip Pullman, J.K. Rowling.
15. Take up sketching or painting.  We have several books in reception on getting you started.  Taynuilt post office sells supplies of pencils and paper to start you going.
16. Bird watching with some binoculars is always exciting around here.
17. Paddle or swim in Loch Etive.  Our children swim frequently from the pier with their wetsuits on.

Books in reception;