Book data

Kintyre Way
Sandra Bardwell   Jacquetta Megarry  
25 January 2023
UK price £15.99
80pp, 130 x 220mm, 180g
978-1-913817-12-1

Kintyre Way

(4th ed)

£15.99

Sandra Bardwell Jacquetta Megarry

In stock

"The book isn't merely practical, it's beautifully illustrated" - online review at Amazon.co.uk

The Kintyre Way is a fully waymarked trail that criss-crosses the Kintyre peninsula for 101 miles (162 km). Starting from Tarbert in the north, it visits coastal villages and inland lochs, passing through Campbeltown via Southend to its new terminus of Machrihanish. Our 2023 edition covers changes in both route and facilities, and has six extra pages. The book includes large-scale mapping by Footprint, and has many new photos. Our online route map is the most accurate resource available: zoom repeatedly for incredible detail.

Famous as Scotland’s only ‘mainland island’, Kintyre has rugged coastlines facing west to the Atlantic and east to the Firth of Clyde. You walk past castles, abbeys and prehistoric remains, along beaches, over moorland and climb high on forestry tracks with glorious views over Arran and towards Ireland. You will enjoy many wildlife sightings on this peaceful peninsula.

Our new fourth edition has many updates, improved mapping, remeasured distances and new content. It is in our narrow, pocket-friendly format with rugged perfect binding.

Features

This guidebook contains all you need to plan and enjoy the Kintyre Way:

  • detailed description of the route from north to south
  • summaries of each section, with distance, terrain and refreshment stops
  • fully updated for 2023
  • habitats and wildlife
  • whisky-making in Kintyre
  • side-trip to the Isle of Gigha
  • planning information for travel by car, ferry, bus and plane
  • in full colour, with over 100 photos
  • 13 pages with mapping showing the route (1:65,000)
  • rainproof paper throughout.
Look inside

Click on the thumbnails below to view sample pages from the book "Kintyre Way" in standard PDF format.
To reduce loading time, resolution is limited in these extracts, but all photographs are printed at top quality in our books. All text and images are copyrighted ©Rucksack Readers and licensors: please respect our intellectual property.

Contents
Part 1 (pages 4-13)
2.5 Habitats and wildlife
3.5 Carradale to Campbeltown
Gallery

Click thumbnail to enlarge.

Reviews

Review by a walker in 2023

I walked the route in April 2023 using the fourth edition of the guidebook. I found the new format to be a big improvement to the old one. It fitted into the side pocket of my walking shorts with no problem, and it was lighter as well as less bulky, than the third edition.

The guidebook is very good: it gives lots of detail about the area and great stories about its incredible history and wildlife. Its directions were easy to follow and the instructions very accurate – and the people that I met were all friendly and helpful. I liked the fact that mileages are given both on the book mapping and cited in the text, though as the authors point out they don’t always coincide with the Kintyre Way stone mileage posts.

The authors offer some good practical ideas such as crossing by ferry to Lochranza (on Arran) at the end of day one, so as to get around the lack of places to stay or have an evening meal in Claonaig. It also commends the side-trip to Gigha which can be fitted into the short section from Clachan to Tayinloan.

I have contacted the Kintyre Way website to alert them that on the section from Claonaig to Clachan some of the stiles are dangerous and need replacing and the path needs some attention because it’s a bog. Also, even in April the vegetation was starting to need strimming in places.

Overall, this was an enjoyable walk and the guidebook proved a useful companion and makes a pleasing souvenir.

John Jack, Milnathort, Perth & Kinross

Comment from a Kintyre resident

I am really enjoying “every step” of the Way; it’s an excellent book with so much intricate detail … The photographs are unique, and would make a good Argyll calendar. For me, the book evokes many memories, for I’ve lived in these parts all my life, and they beckon me back.

Mrs M Johnson, Lochgilphead

From a review by Neil Rawlins in the journal of the LDWA

This fourth edition, with its enticing photography and easy mapping, is enough to whet the appetite of both armchair reader and those contemplating walking just over 100 miles of a landscape rich in history … along stunning beaches, over hill and moor, yet within easy reach of civilisation where there is a warm bed and a hot meal after a long day’s walking.

… The waterproof book breaks the walk down into more manageable sections for day walks, and a helpful summary provides the essential information – distance, terrain, gradient, any interesting side trips and the all-important refreshment opportunities.

Strider August 2023 page 55

From a reader in Gig Harbour, Washington

Congratulations on such an informative book. It is a wonderful tribute to the peninsula. It should be a smashing success to say the least. It’s a must before undertaking the walk.

Email from Kenneth McAlpine, Washington, USA

Comment from a customer

The Kintyre Way book I bought recently is marvellous. It brought back such splendid memories of last May and our very successful completion of it. Many thanks.

Mrs A.C. of Churt, Surrey

Excerpt from a review at Amazon.co.uk

The route is clearly described, lest any marker posts have disappeared, and there are references to features of interest such as archaeological sites along the route. This description, and the photos, will be particularly helpful for newcomers to Kintyre, because they will know what to expect. On the other hand, walkers on the sections Claonaig to Clachan and Machrihanish to Dunaverty should also carry an Ordnance Survey map, because the maps in this book are useful for planning purposes but not for navigation on the ground.

And the book isn’t merely practical. It’s beautifully illustrated with colour photos that will surely tempt strollers and island-hoppers as well as serious hikers to visit Kintyre. The historical background, economic activity and the making of Scotch whisky are all described in clear language that makes it a pleasure to read.

Peter Stott "Stottie", Chesterfield, England

Bonus content

GPX route file
Video

This 2-minute video illustrates features of our Kintyre Way guidebook (3rd ed): the 4th ed has additional and updated content, and differs from the book in the video by being perfect bound and in our more pocket-friendly narrow format.

Route updates

To find out whether there are any detours or route changes, we advise you to check this page.

Apologies for a tiny typo on page 49, bullet 3: the direction to turn right onto “the waymarked path that leads steeply uphill” is correct, but it’s at mile 44.3, not 43.3. Ooops.

More info to help with your planning

Support services

Service providers that support this route

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Recommended maps

For those who want a larger scale map

View maps

Links

Links relevant to this book

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