A83 End To End - AKA Campbeltown or Bust
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- Опубліковано 16 лис 2024
- I had never met anyone who had been to Campbeltown. Everything I had heard about the A83 was that it was special, especially long and dramatic. You could even catch a plane from Glasgow to Campbeltown to avoid it. So now I had to drive it.
So in early June 2018 I drove to Birmingham Airport, caught a plane to Glasgow. Hired a rather nice c class Mercedes and by lunch time I was rolling out of Glasgow and we were on our way.
So lets look at the map and here you can see the route we are going to take.
Lets get going
You join us on the A82 by the Tarbet hotel. This is the start of the A83. Normally we turn right to go off down to Oban on the A82 however this time we are headed all the way down the A83.
As we climb out of Tarbet we passed the sign which confirms that it is 99 miles to Campbelltown.
We've just driven up along the banks of Loch Lomond and now we're heading to the head of Loch Long.
Now we are seriously on our way .
We are arriving in Arrochar which overlooks the head of loch long
Until 1980 it had the torpedo testing station where they fired torpedoes down the loch.
We stop for provisions and then we are driving around the loch
Before we know it we are climbing up to the strangely named Rest and Be Thankful pass -it links Glen Kinglas with Glen Croe . There are 2 roads the old military one which was completed in 1750 when a seat was erected inviting the traveller to rest and be thankful - hence the name which has stuck. The views are fantastic but the road can be closed by bad weather and rock falls when the single track military road is still used. It was used as a race track, at least in the 1950’s. There are now plans to erect a racing museum to commemorate the events.
Because we can, lets take a quick aerial view across the pass. It is magnificent.
We need to press on and we are headed on towards Inveraray, which is at the head of Loch Fyne and it’s fairytale castle. There is a full video on it - on this channel. For now we’ll just take a quick aerial spin before heading through the village and onward.
The village was moved here by the Duke of Argyll to complement his castle. Today it is a tribute to his taste and design.
We drive on to Auchindrain - we have now been driving for just on an hour on the A83 and we have covered just 30 miles. We press on through small hamlets called Furnace, Birdfeld and Lochgair, as the road hugs the west bank of Loch Fyne,
We pass through Lochgilphead. This is the administrative centre for the county of Argylle and Bute. With a population of around 2,300. The village lies at the end of Loch Gilp and lies on the banks of the Crinan Canal.
We actually cross the swing bridge of the Crinan canal. The canal allows boats to cut through the Kyntire peninsula making it possible to go from the Hebrides to Glasgow by a far shorter route. The canal was built around 1801 and runs for some 9 miles from Crinan to this sea loch gate at Ardrishaig. Boats following the route linger to enjoy the scenery taking up to 4 days to complete the transit but it costs maybe £200 - although apparently each transit uses 300,000 litres of water. There are 15 locks to negotiate.
As we drive on we approach Tarbert where we have booked a hotel for the night and so it is the next day before we actually drive into Tarbert to carry on. Tabet where the a83 starts to Tarbert where it crosses to the Atlantic seaboard is just on 60 miles and it has taken 2 elapsed hours of driving to get here.
The first thing we do as we enter Tarbert is to stop and buy midge repellent. The midges are fierce around here.
Then we are rising up out of Tarbert for the final 40 or so miles to Campbeltown and beyond. The most dramatic scenery is still ahead of us as we follow the coast southward.
We watch the Calmac ferry from Kennacraig on the West Loch Tarbert bound for Islay as it ploughs through the still calm waters
So now the traffic thins, the pace slows and we can take the time to enjoy the magnificent sweep of the road.
(piece to camera)
The road continues to run on to Campbeltown with epic Atlantic and coastal views as we linger to enjoy the last few miles.
The entrance to the town is between grim and drab buildings and estates in total contrast to the beauty we have enjoyed.
But soon enough we break through to the harbour and suddenly without any ceremony that’s it, we’ve driven the full length of the A83 from end to end - from Tarbet to Campbeltown.
At one time, Campbeltown around 1900 had the highest per capita income for any town in Scotland. Its success was based on the herring fishing industry, coal, shipbuilding, agriculture, and of course - whisky! Those days are long since gone but there is still lots to explore. We decide to take a trip out on a rib - but that’s another video.
So a huge thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed it.
Part of a series of videos I make because I can. Enjoy
Fabulous video. Lived in the toon in the mid 70s. Brought back some memories.
The A83 is the road Paul McCartney sang of in "The Long and Winding Road" which led to his home at High Park Farm.
I was in Campbeltown... I choose this lovely place to go and I am very grateful to myself for it. It's a marvelous place with gentle people and the best cheese I ever eat! You will have a great time there. In August, the Scotish Music Festival is fantastic!
Brilliant video David - very imformative. I live in N.Ireland... at one time we had a ferry crossing from Ballycastle to Cambletown (wish it was back). A rough crossing but we took our car and drove from Cambletown right up to Oban and Fortwilliam and on to Inverness eventually. Came back down south of Tarbert - went cross country to Claonaig and got the ferry across to Lochranza on Arran, stayed a few days then crossed from Brodick to Ardrossan, drove down to Stranraer and returned to Belfast. What a road trip! Loved it.
Good video, I'm planning a motorcycle trip down the A83 and found this helpful.
I am also Scottish but chose to overlook your slight miss-pronounciations. Thanks again.
I live in Campbeltown and take offence at your “grim and drab buildings” comment. Also your pronunciation of some of the islands and villages leaves a lot to be desired.
I'm sorry that you take offence at the description of the outskirts of Campbeltown. I was not intending any offence but the description as being grim and drab still seems apt- I've put an unlisted video of the dashcam here ua-cam.com/video/0SNUREnIkJQ/v-deo.html - and I wonder what adjectives you would use to describe the area? I am sorry that my Brummie voice does not do justice to the true pronunciation of the villages and island names.
Born and raised here and I can honestly say it's a complete and utter shithole. So dunno what your on about 😂
I also took offence at the description of our town,especially coming from someone from Birmingham who couldn't pronounce the names of the various places correctly,and no the description is not apt.All around Campbeltown,is beautiful scenery,gorgeous beaches ,but you as a Brummie ,a place Ive never cared for ,and which has it's fair share of grim and drab surroundings sees fit to criticize what you only experienced on a drive through basis.So judgemental coming from a Brummie
Stay clear of campbeltown
why?
@@thissignupisretarded it's full of the most nosey people on earth and it's a utter shithole stayed here all my life
@@VultureSunset i'm sorry that that has been your experience.
@@thissignupisretarded it's okay,. Just trying to warn others on how bad it really is. It isn't friendly people and whiskey it's nosey people negative people they all love to gossip about one and other.