Category: Campbeltown, Kintyre peninsula

Had a great dinner at Ardshiel Hotel. The food was rather classic, but clearly prepared with a lot of care. The turbot I ordered was perfectly cooked and I loved the fact that the vegetables were served separately so everybody on the table could pick what they liked. The crumble I had as dessert was really just the perfect way to end the meal. Very good!

The ambiance in the dining area is very nice. I loved the fact that the ceiling is decorated with whisky bottles, illuminated by blue lights. Gave a modern feel to the classic interior. It was a bit chilly where we originally sat, because the door to the kitchen area swung open lots of times. But not to worry, we just moved to another table, which was no problem at all for the staff, who were very friendly and accommodating.

The bar also offers an excellent whisky selection, which we were very happy to try. A really great evening!

Information
Restaurant/hotel Ardshiel
Kilkerran Road
Campbeltown PA28 6JL
Argyll
Scotland
+44 1586 552133
info@ardshiel.co.uk
http://www.ardshiel.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/ArdshielHotel

Visited April 2017. You can find my review about Ardshiel Restaurant also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 4/5, food 4/5.

Davaar is a beautiful rocky island that you can only visit when the tide is low. So make sure to check first at the tourist information center when it is safe to walk there. The island isn’t very big, but the loose rocks make the walk kind of challenging.

When we visited Davaar Island it was really cold and a strong wind almost blew us away. Nonetheless is was an unforgettable experience. Make sure to visit the cave with the wallpainting of Jesus Christ.

Information
Davaar Island
55.42°N 5.54°W
Campbeltown PA28 6RE
Scotland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davaar_Island

Visited April 2017. You can find my review about Davaar Island Cave Painting of the Crucifixion also on TripAdvisor.

The Bluebell café can get rather busy. When we wanted to have lunch there we had to wait in line for about ten minutes. When the wait was over our waitress brought us to a nice table at the window.

Expectations are high when so many people visit a place, sadly those weren’t met. The jacked potato with prawn Marie Rose I ordered was mediocre at best, the shrimps were drowned in so much sauce they were hardly visible. The little salad with dressing was nice though. The ham and cheese toast and the burger my companions ordered were nothing special either.

Very plain food, to be honest. And the service wasn’t as friendly as we’ve gotten used to in Scotland.

Cafe Bluebell, 6 Hall Street, Campbeltown PA28 6BU, Scotland
+44 1586 552800

Visited April 2017. You can find my review about Cafe Bluebell also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 3/5, food 3/5.

Springbank distillery established in 1828 sure has a lot of history. What makes this distillery definitely worth a visit is the fact that Springbank uses traditional production methods and 100% of the whisky making process (including the malting) is done on site. It was very nice to learn more about the malting process and see how the barley is processed with our own eyes. The distillery has a real old and authentic vibe, which a liked a lot.

The guide was really nice and very knowledgeable. I could hardly believe he was 78 years old! He told us he was thinking about retiring as a guide, but I doubt he will do this anytime soon, since he was so passionate when speaking about Springbank.

After our tour in the Springbank distillery we visited the Glengyle distillery (we bought a combi ticket). This site was brand new and not as interesting as Springbank. Not really worth the extra money, if you asked me. Just stick to Springbank.

When the tour ended we had a little tasting in the shop. The shop was a strange mismatch of different rooms joined together throughout the years, which gave an special feel to the place.

Information
Springbank Distillery
85 Longrow
Campbeltown PA28 6EX
Scotland
+44 1586 552009
info@springbankwhisky.com
http://springbankwhisky.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springbank_distillery
https://www.facebook.com/officialspringbankwhisky

Visited April 2017. You can find my review about Springbank Distillery also on TripAdvisor.