A 5-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 five 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 out to 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 legs are the run from Inveraray to Crinan and the final return from Crinan to Oban, each around an hour. That leaves the bulk of each day for exploring on foot.
Oban is the natural anchor for this route. Basing yourself here at the start gives a full day to explore the town and get out into the surrounding country. 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.
With a full day to spare from Oban, you have two fine choices. Take the morning CalMac ferry to Mull (45 minutes from Oban pier), drive to Duart Castle on the eastern shore, continue to Tobermory or the Ross of Mull, and return on an afternoon sailing; the quieter alternative is the 10-minute ferry to car-free Kerrera from Gallanach Road, with walking trails to Gylen Castle. If the weather favours the mainland instead, spend the day driving east to Loch Awe.
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For a day out from Oban, drive east on the A85. 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.
A few kilometres back along the A85 is 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. Return to Oban the way you came.
Leave Oban on the A85 east, then turn 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 evening, drive 15 minutes north on the A83 to the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar at Cairndow, one of Scotland's finest seafood restaurants.
Your second day in Inveraray is well spent close to 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.
An easy day trip from Crinan, Kilmartin Glen lies a short drive north: take the B841 to the A816, then a few miles more 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, rejoin the A816 and drive north from Crinan to Oban, passing back through Kilmartin Glen and along Loch Feochan to the Atlantic coast. The run takes a little over an hour and completes the Argyll circuit 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. Crinan has the Crinan Hotel and limited B&B options; book this one early. Lochgilphead, a few minutes east, has additional rooms if Crinan fills up.
Driving time summary: Total driving on the circuit is around 160 kilometres. No single day involves more than about 55 kilometres of driving.
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The full route — stops, maps, and driving times — is on Routebook by Kington.
A 5-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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