Campbeltown Tourist Information

The Royal Burgh of Campbeltown has been occupied continuously for over 8000 years. Once home to a big fishing fleet, the Herring fishery declined after the 1920's, and now fine quality Shellfish is landed here.

In the 19th century, at one point there were no fewer than 34 distilleries operating at once, and fishermen could navigate home by the smell! It is recorded that in 1886, the town's production of whisky totalled nearly 2 million gallons.

The town is overlooked by Beinn Ghuilean, where pleasant walks can be enjoyed, and at the head of the Loch, connected by a tidal breakwater, lies Davaar Island, where in a cave a painting of the crucifixion was completed in secret in 1877.

More recently, Campbeltown has been an important naval base, especially during World War II; Convoy Escorts were trained here, Submarines and the Atlantic Tugs were based in the Loch.