Camping the Kintyre Way

[goldblade]

Hi there,

Myself and 3 others are walking the Kintyre Way in early September this year and are hoping to camp the entire way.  I have bought the Kintyre Way guidebook and notice the following campsites on the map at the back:

Start: Tarbert - 2 miles south west of Tarbert on banks of West Loch Tarbert (i have contact details)

Day 1: Claonaig - no accommodation?!

Day 2: Claonaig to Clachan - campsite/caravan site (I cannot find contact details?!)

Day 3: Clachan to Tayinloan - camp site 2 miles before Tayinloan near High Dunashry/Rhunahaorine Point (I cannot find contact details?!)

Day 4: Tayinloan to Carradale - camping at Carradale Caravan Park (I have contact details)

Day 5: Carradale to Peninver/Campbeltown - Peninver Sands campsite (I have contact details)

Day 6: Peninver - Peninver Sands to Machrihanish - Machrihanish Caravan and Camping Park (I have contact details)

Day 7: Macrihanish - Dunaverty - Machribeg Campsite (I have contact details)



My questions are below:

Does the above look OK and are all the campsites still in existence?
Does anyone have contact details for the campsites at Clachan and Tayinloan?
What are the options in Claonaig - is wild camping a possibility?
Is wild camping a possilibity in Campletown rather than taking the spur to peninver?
What are the options from getting from Southend to Campbeltown on a Saturday due to reach Dunaverty on a Friday, presumably a bus? Does anyone know the service number(s) so I can look up timetables?

I look forward to all of your replies I'm so looking forward to doing this walk... it looks great! I did the West Highland Way in May and have certainly caught the longer trekking bug again!

Thanks

Brian

[Kintyre Way Ranger]

Hi Brian
Some not so good news for you, the Clachan campsite has closed and there is still no accommodation in Claonaig.
Better news is that there are several sites along the coast between Skipness and the Claonaig ferry terminal where wild camping is possible. Will you be using a lightweight backpacking tent or a larger basecamp tent moved around by car? If you are backpacking there are lots of sites where wild camping is possible. There is a caravan/campsite at Point Sands, Tayinloan (Tel. 01583 441263) which the Kintyre Way passes through.
There is also a great campsite at Muasdale (01583 421207) half way down Kintyre. Its a bit off the route but Tayinloan Taxis will pick you up and drop you off.
Sadly there are no campsites in Campbeltown so your only option is to stay in a B&B, get the bus out to Machrihanish or wild camp above the town somewhere.
Finally if you look on the website www.kintyreway.com there are links to the local bus services which should help you with your planning.
Hope that helps
Owen
Kintyre Way Ranger

[Jacquetta]

Good luck to you and your three friends, Brian

We list campsites on page 13 of the guidebook, but it's sad to hear that Clachan has closed since the book was printed   As Owen's helpful reply makes clear, the solution is low-impact wild camping - free and flexible!

The bus services shown on page 12 bus map are routes 200/442  Campbeltown/Machrihanish and 400/444 Campbeltown/Southend.  I am confused about whether you expect to reach Dunaverty/Southend on a Friday or a Saturday but hope that the route numbers should help you to sort it out