Isle of Bute

The Isle of Bute is located in the Firth of Clyde and is very close to the more famous Isle of Arran. It is easily accessible from Glasgow by train that stops at Wemyss Bay. Wemyss Bay train station is an Edwardian jewel built in 1905; it has a very elegant iron and glass structure that takes you back in time and is directly connected to the ferry that takes you to Rothesay, every 45 or 60 minutes, depending on the time of the day.

Rothesay is the main town and has about 3000 people. The island is not very big and you can easily drive around it in a day. The northern part is hilly, while the southern part is flatter. The island also has a couple of small lakes in the interior. There are many cottages with peasant families who raise sheep, cattle and cultivate the land. Obviously in the town center tourism is very active and therefore it is full of shops, bars, pubs and restaurants.

Rothesay is a lively town with a beautiful sea front. The little harbour is always full of boats of all types and sizes; fishing boats that leave early in the morning and return late in the afternoon, sailing boats of all sizes, motorboats and, of course, the legendary ferry. Every time it docks, the little harbour comes alive with people and vehicles. Rothesay harbour has always been very busy since the late 1800s as the island was a tourist destination easily reached from the city of Glasgow. The harbour also has beautiful Victorian baths that are open to the public for visits. Between Rothesay and Port Bannatyne there is a sailing school where, starting in April, lessons on how to manage a boat . It is a pleasure for the eyes to see so many young people in small colourful sailing boats racing up and down the bay. In the centre of the town stand the ruins of an ancient castle from the 16th century with an older part from the 13th century; can be visited for most of the year, it is surrounded by a large moat where swans permanently reside. It is definitely worth a visit.

Near Rothesay is Port Bannatyne, a small village with a small Marina for yachts. The village is very characteristic with beautiful 19th century houses, a post office that also supplies groceries, and a Tavern run by locals that provides refreshment to all the tourists who visit. Above the village is a golf club with 13 holes. Golf is very popular in Scotland and there is no place that does not have its acclaimed golf club.

Not far from Port Bannatyne there was the holiday home of Richard Attemborough, the very famous actor of Jurassic Park, and brother of the more famous David Attemborough. Rhubodach was a beautiful white stone building that was sold in 2017; it was much loved by the actor and his wife and it is said that 1 / 3 of Richard's ashes were scattered in its garden. Another palace that is linked to another famous actor of the Harry Potter saga is Mont Stuart. Mont Stuart is a Gothic building open to the public, absolutely worth a visit. It has huge gardens that in spring bloom with every flower and the interior of the palace is nothing short of spectacular. Built in 1719, it was remodeled by the Marquis of Bute in 1870; inside it is adorned with marble of every color from Italy, including the enchanting white marble chapel. It was the first house in all of Scotland to be lit by electricity. Today it is also used as a wedding venue. Stella McCartney, daughter of Paul McCartney, got married here.

It is said that years ago, the current Marquis of Bute invited the famous actor of the Harry Potter saga, Robbie Coltrane, to spend a weekend in Mont Stuart. Of course, he was assigned a room in the residence; unfortunately, given the size of the actor, the historic bed literally fell apart under his weight and in the middle of night they had to find a new bed to replace it.

I want to reserve a separate section for the less populated part of the island but which offers enchanting excursions. In the westernmost section of the island there are the ruins of one of the oldest Christian monasteries in Scotland, St Blane’s Church. It was founded in 500 AD but unfortunately now you can only admire ruins and some very ancient graves. Another wonderful place to visit is the beach of Ettric Bay. It is a beautiful sandy beach that stretches for about 2 km. It is much loved by the inhabitants of the island who like to go there for walks with their dogs. The bay has wonderful views of the Isle of Arran and at low tide the sea retreats up to 500 m. In this wonderful inlet of the sea there is also a small cafe that always offers handmade cakes and is definitely worth a stop, especially on a windy day. There is a beautiful botanical garden on the island, Ascog Hall Fernery and Garden; It was one of my favorite bike rides and I still fondly remember the wonder I felt when I visited this garden and its ponds with centuries-old ferns and beautiful orchids. Visiting it is a magical experience, especially on a sunny day.

I invite you to look at the photo gallery of my personal story at the Isle of Bute

If you are returning after a day of walking around the island you need to find a good pub to cool your thirsty throat. I can suggest two of the oldest pubs, the Black Bull Inn, a very lively pub, with an excellent choice of draft beer, and The Taverna bar, where on Saturday nights there is always music and is a great place to make new friends and dance in company.