A 7-night self-drive loop from Oban through Argyll: Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe, Inveraray Castle on Loch Fyne, Crinan Canal, and 5,000 years of prehistory at Kilmartin Glen.
This Argyll road trip itinerary traces a clockwise loop from Oban through Scotland's western mainland, connecting four distinct landscapes in seven nights. Drive east to Loch Awe and the ruined towers of Kilchurn Castle, south to Inveraray Castle on Loch Fyne, west to the Victorian locks of Crinan Canal, and north through Kilmartin Glen's 5,000 years of prehistoric monuments, before returning to Oban on the Atlantic coast road. The circuit covers around 160 kilometres of mostly well-maintained A-roads, with a few short stretches of single-track near Crinan's western end.
The loop begins and ends in Oban, the Inner Hebrides ferry hub. The longest single driving leg is 46 kilometres from Kilmartin back to Oban, taking around 50 minutes. That leaves the bulk of each day for exploring on foot.
Oban is the natural anchor for this route. Two nights here gives one full day to explore the town and one day on the water. Start with McCaig's Tower, the granite amphitheatre on the hill above the bay; the 10-minute climb from North Pier rewards with panoramic views across Oban Bay to the islands of Mull, Lismore, and Kerrera.
The seafood scene is exceptional. Eeusk on North Pier is the town's most celebrated restaurant; Waterfront Fishouse and Cuan Mor are strong alternatives. For something informal, the shellfish stall on the harbourfront sells fresh langoustines, crab, and oysters.
On your second Oban day, take the morning CalMac ferry to Mull (45 minutes from Oban pier). You can drive to Duart Castle on the eastern shore, continue to Tobermory or the Ross of Mull, and return on an afternoon sailing. Day trips to Kerrera are less crowded: the 10-minute ferry from Gallanach Road drops you on a car-free island with walking trails to Gylen Castle.
White chalk cliffs, a Norman conquest battlefield, cobblestoned medieval streets and a seaside city that refuses to be ordinary: this East Sussex road trip itinerary covers it all in seven days.
Leave Oban on the A85 heading east. The road follows the shore of Loch Etive through the Pass of Brander, where Robert the Bruce defeated the MacDougalls in 1308, before reaching Dalmally. Kilchurn Castle is signposted off the A819; a short walk brings you to one of the country's most dramatic ruin viewpoints, with the 15th-century Campbell towers reflected in the still water of Loch Awe on clear mornings.
After Kilchurn, return to the A85 and drive a few kilometres to the entrance for Cruachan Power Station. The visitor centre is free and tells the story of the reversible pumped-storage hydro plant built inside Ben Cruachan in the 1960s. Underground tours are suspended until 2028, but exterior walking routes to the dam are open and wildlife spotting is well documented here.
Continue south on the A819, which climbs through Glen Aray before dropping to Inveraray.
Inveraray sits at the northern end of Loch Fyne, one of Scotland's longest sea lochs. The town was rebuilt in the 18th century alongside the new castle, giving it an unusually coherent Georgian character. Inveraray Castle, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Argyll, opens Thursday to Monday; book tickets online before you arrive, particularly in July and August.
Tours are self-guided, with knowledgeable attendants on each floor. The kitchens and armoury are the highlights. After the castle, spend the afternoon at Inveraray Jail, an atmospheric museum inside the original prison buildings. For dinner on your first Inveraray evening, drive 15 minutes north on the A83 to the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar at Cairndow, one of Scotland's finest seafood restaurants.
Day two in Inveraray is well spent on the water. The Loch Fyne shore north of town has peaceful walking paths. Six miles south on the B8025, Auchindrain Open Air Museum preserves an entire Highland township as it stood before the Clearances.
Drive west from Inveraray on the A83, then take the A816 south toward Lochgilphead. At Lochgilphead, join the B841 heading west along the canal towpath toward Crinan. Thomas Telford's 9-mile canal, completed in 1801, was cut through the Knapdale peninsula to save fishing boats the long passage around the Mull of Kintyre.
Walk the towpath beside the locks and watch yachts work through the basin at Crinan village. At the eastern end, the Egg Shed heritage centre at Ardrishaig tells the story of the waterway and the communities it connected. Moine Mhor National Nature Reserve, one of Europe's rarest lowland raised bogs, flanks the eastern section and supports marsh harrier, otters, and white-tailed eagles.
From Crinan, drive north on the B841 back to the A816, then continue north a few miles to Kilmartin village. Begin at Kilmartin Museum; the audiovisual presentation provides the essential context for what you are about to walk through.
From the museum, the main prehistoric sites form a loose trail down the glen. The Linear Cemetery of Neolithic cairns runs north to south, with Nether Largie South cairn at its lower end dating to around 3000 BC, older than the Pyramids of Giza. Temple Wood stone circles are two minutes' walk west of the main road. Two miles south on the A816, the rocky knoll of Dunadd rises from the Moine Mhor bog. This Iron Age fort was the seat of the kingdom of Dalriada, and a carved footprint in the summit rock marked the coronation of each new king.
On the final morning, continue north on the A816 from Kilmartin to Oban. The 46-kilometre drive takes around 50 minutes, passing Loch Feochan and the Atlantic coast before arriving back at the harbour.
Getting there: Oban is 93 miles from Glasgow (around 2 hours via the A82 and A85). From Edinburgh, allow 2 hours 45 minutes via the M9, A84, and A85.
When to go: May to September offers the most reliable weather. September is a particularly good month: summer light persists, crowds ease, and the morning mists on Loch Awe and Loch Fyne make for memorable photography. Book accommodation well ahead for July and August.
Getting around: A standard car handles all roads on this route. The B841 near Crinan narrows to single track in a few short sections; passing places are clearly marked.
Fuel: Fill up in Oban, Inveraray, or Lochgilphead before heading to Kilmartin or Crinan. Petrol stations on minor roads are limited.
Accommodation: Oban and Inveraray have the widest choice of hotels and guesthouses. Dalmally has a hotel. Kilmartin village has one hotel plus nearby B&Bs. Crinan has the Crinan Hotel and limited B&B options; book this one early.
Driving time summary: Total driving on the circuit is around 160 kilometres. No single day involves more than 50 kilometres of driving.
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A 7-night clockwise loop from Oban through Argyll: Kilchurn ruins on Loch Awe, Inveraray Castle on Loch Fyne, the waterways of Crinan Canal, and 5,000 years of prehistory at Kilmartin Glen.
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