Wild Life The unspoilt countryside of Ellary and Castle Sween makes it an ideal place to observe wildlife. There are large areas of oakwoods on the Loch Caolisport site and considerable areas of the Loch Sween site are wooded mainly with birch and alder. These areas are home to many of Scotland's native species, and it is not uncommon to see fox, badger, otter, roe, sika and red squirrel. Higher up the hills you will be unlucky if you are not able to observe herds of red deer, and if you include sea birds and migrating birds, more than eighty different varieties have been spotted on Ellary and Castle Sween. Take a walk along the shore and observe otter and seal. Schools of porpoise and basking shark and, more rarely, dolphin come near enough to be seen. Closer to the ground you can spot stoat, weasel, shrew, dormouse, pine martin and occasionally adder! Wild flowers are abundent, some of them quite rare. Fungi of many different varieties; you can collect useful amounts of chanterelle and field mushrooms in season. Ellary and Castle Sween truly is a haven for wildlife!

Archaeology The remains of ruined settlements, chapels, castles, forts and graveyards indicate that, long ago, this area was much more populated than it is in present times. There are many reasons for this. The migration of folk to the cities is still a factor, The colonisation of the New World had an effect. The invention of the motor car made communication and transport by sea less important. There is evidence that the climate was warmer a thousand years ago. It is established that this area supported a significant population for a very long time indeed, and there is archaelogical evidence of this going right back to pre-christian times. Look at Castle Sween itself, Kilmory Chapel, Viking Forts above Castle Sween, Dun a Bhuilg and Crannaig, and at St Columba's Cave. These are just some examples of interesting sites on Ellary and Castle Sween, but the shortest of trips can take you to equally interesting areas for example Kilmartin Glen.

Hill Walking As an occupier of accommodation at Ellary and Castle Sween, you are welcome to use the whole of the area of the estates which extend to approximately fifteen thousand acres. The enthusiastic hill walker will find all he could possibly wish for. Lochead Glen, for example, is one of the prettiest glens in Scotland, and from the heights of Corrbhan on a clear day, you can see as far as the Nevis range to the North, the head of Loch Fyne and Ben Arthur to the East, Kintyre and Northern Ireland to the South and the Isles of Jura, Scarba etc. to the West. At the same time, the less energetic, who may not feel the need for such exercise, can experience the same kind of adventure taking a comparatively easy stroll, for example the walk from Balimore down to Stronefield beach, or from Ellary down past the golf practise area to the Salmon Pool and beyond takes you into fascinating countryside, and there are many alternatives. Remember, you are free, when you are staying here, to go wherever you please.

Boating Staying at Ellary and Castle Sween you are never far from the water. If you are a boat owner, you should certainly bring it, - there is a slipway at Castle Sween where it is possible to launch anything likely to be towed by a car. If you are staying on the Loch Caolisport side, assistance is available to launch any reasonable sized craft from the beach. The slipway at Castle Sween makes it very convenient to take boats in and out, and at Ellary there is a small harbour, if it is thought more convenient to keep craft afloat. The tides in both Lochs Caolisport and Sween normally make very little rise and fall (about 5ft only), and as long as you do not venture beyond the mouths of the Lochs, there is very little in the way of currents. Beware, though, of the Sound of Jura where the current picks up the further North you go into one of the strongest that there is! For those with a sailing dinghy, there is safety in numbers, and the Loch Sween side is more suitable. If your preference is to have the sea all to yourself (or almost) and to explore small islands and inlets, you will find Loch Caolisport attractive, although Loch Sween is lovely for that too.

General A holiday at Ellary and Castle Sween is also interesting to anglers who can obtain permits to fish the Lochead Burn (salmon and seatrout) as well as other burns on the estates and a great many trout lochs; to cyclists and mountain bikers who can explore most of the estates on the private estate roads and tracks; to photographers and golfers. Some will want to come simply to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet, which is probably the main attraction of Ellary and Castle Sween .

Touring The impression of being isolated, at Ellary and Castle Sween, is because not very many people visit this area. But in fact you are right in the middle of the most attractive part of Scotland's west coast. Day trips can include destinations as far as Fort William and beyond to the North, most of central Scotland to the East and as far as Glasgow to the South. To the West, take ferry trips to Arran, Gigha, Islay & Jura, Mull and Iona and these can all be accomplished in time to get back for tea leaving plenty of time to do or see whatever motivated the trip. Such excursions might be to visit some of Scotlands most famous gardens (Brodick, Achamore, Arduaine, Crarae etc.) a trip on the steam locomotive from Fort William to Mallaig, a game of golf or a visit to a distillery on Islay, a day skiing at Glencoe or Aonach Morr or one of the hundreds of other attractions which the West of Scotland has to offer. Or perhaps you prefer to just drive a bit to explore the area and enjoy the scenery.