What Kintyre can offer the Visitor
The Kintyre Peninsula is an area of outstanding beauty which is off the beaten track but only 1-1 ½ hours drive from the tourist hot-spots of Inveraray and Oban. New visitors to Kintyre are often struck by the quiet roads and deserted beaches that offer a true ‘get away from it all’ experience without having to travel hundreds of miles.
The area is popular with outdoor enthusiasts and Balinakill is an ideal base for golf, sailing, surfing, deer stalking, horse riding, walking, cycling, wildlife / bird watching, fishing, whisky tasting, diving, painting and photography as well as exploring local galleries, museums, historic sites, heritage centres and distilleries. There are a number of local golf courses – Machrihanish, the newly opened Machrihanish Dunes, Dunaverty, Carradale, Tarbert and Gigha. The first hole at Machrihanish Golf Club has in the past been voted the best first hole in the world.
For sailors there is an excellent harbour and sheltered anchorage in Tarbert which also plays host to the annual Tarbert Folk Festival, Tarbert Seafood Festival and several sailing events including the popular Scottish Series. The surrounding area is also well known for its beaches and unspoiled countryside, the beautiful secluded beach of Dunskeig Bay being just a short walk from the house.
The Cowal Peninsula and the Islands of Gigha, Islay, Jura and Arran are all easily accessed by Ferry Services only a short drive from Balinkaill. There is superb hill walking as well as the newly accessed Kintyre Way; an 86 mile walk opened in 2006 which is divided into sections enabling walkers of all ages and abilities to walk the length and breadth of Kintyre in relative isolation and safety. A scenic walk through Clachan village and up the hill takes you to the remains of an iron age fort and settlement, from where there are panoramic views towards Gigha, Islay, Jura, West Loch Tarbert and Ireland. There is excellent sea and loch fishing and Balinakill House has two rods on nearby Loch Ciaran.