South of Fort William along the shores of Loch Linnhe is the inlet of Loch Leven, now spanned by a bridge but years ago crossed by a ferry, to Ballachulish where the road divides. The A828 goes south along the coast towards Oban,
while the A82 leads inland through Glencoe, site of the infamous massacre, and popular with walkers and climbers, before heading south-east over the wild and beautiful Rannoch Moor.
The harbour at Oban
Oban is a popular tourist destination set in magnificent scenery and with good access to Loch Awe, Loch Etive and Loch Fyne. Oban is the starting point for ferries to several islands, including Mull.
Mull's main centre, Tobermory, is set around the bay, lined by colourful 18th century houses. A Spanish Galleon, the Florencia, part of the Armada fleet, put into the bay after the destruction of the Armada in 1588. The galleon blew up, or was blown up by treachery, and sank with the loss of 350 men. Her reputed cargo of treasure sank with her and has never been recovered despite many attempts.
From Oban the road winds south through Lochgilphead, along Loch Fyne and then down to Campbeltown, almost at the tip of the Kintyre peninsula. Near the head of Loch Fyne is the imposing Inveraray Castle, not far past Crarae Gardens famous for its rhododendrons and azaleas. Throughout this area are numerous well known gardens in addition to Crarae: Arduaine; Younger Botanic Gardens; Ardmaddy Castle; Kilmory Woodland Park and others.
East of Oban, after Connel, the road leads through the Pass of Brander then past Kilchurn Castle at the head of Loch Awe. Turn south at Tyndrum, and then at Crianlarich, towards Loch Lomond and its 'Bonny Banks'. This area is Scotland's first National Park with a new visitor centre on the banks of the loch.
A few miles from Loch Lomond on the north side of the Clyde estuary with lovely views is Helensburgh, birthplace of John Logie Baird, inventor of television. On the line of the 350 million year old Highland Boundary Fault, Helensburgh is technically in the Lowlands although just a short distance away are the much older rocks of the Highlands. Hill House, designed by the renowned Glasgow architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and built in 1902-3, is open to the public. More of Mackintosh's work can be seen in Glasgow itself - the Willow Tearooms on Sauchiehall Street and the Art School on Garnet Hill for example.
Glasgow is a busy vibrant city with great shops, restaurants and lots of museums and art galleries. Despite the industrial era which turned the lovely buildings black, the majority have now been cleaned and Glasgow has wonderful terraces of "blond" and red sandstone houses and many large dignified homes in the city's west end. The West End houses the University, the Botanic Gardens with beautiful glasshouses and the huge Kelvingrove museum and art gallery.
On the southern side of the Clyde estuary, looking across to Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula, is Inverkip, a conservation village, where sailing and yachting are popular pastimes and there is a large marina.
Further south down the coast, with views across to Bute and Kintyre, is Ardrossan from where the ferry leaves for the Isle of Arran, often known as 'Scotland in Miniature'. Beyond Ardrossan, through Ayr, is Alloway and the cottage, now a small museum, where Robert Burns was born. Burns' family, farmers, moved around the area and he wrote his poems, which became hugely popular, in the local dialect.
A few miles away, overlooking the sea, is Culzean Castle, designed by Robert Adam, before reaching Turnberry, a links course much enjoyed by the golfing fraternity.
Just past Turnberry, still on the Ayrshire coast is Girvan from where roads lead inland to the Carrick Fells and through the Galloway Forest Park to Castle Douglas and Kirkcudbright. Near Castle Douglas is the ruin of Threave Castle, which was the stronghold of the Black Douglases, Lords of Galloway.
The main road, to and from Stranraer and the Irish ferries, passes through Castle Douglas and then on Dumfries. From here its just a few miles across country Lockerbie a handy stopover on the way north or south, or a place to stay whilst exploring the rolling rural countryside roundabout here. Nearby Gretna Green was the venue for many secret weddings and continues to be a popular place to get married even today.