An ancient village inn right by the fishermen's pier at Port Bannatyne. Five guest rooms; continental hospitality; freshly landed seafood including langoustine.

This place is of exceptional quality and thankfully very relaxed about it all... no tablecloths or pack-drill, just French quality meals, real ales, and Russian wines, beers and vodkas.

A mile long sandy beach and 200 seals close by. Be very nice to these good Russians they are providing a service unknown to Scotland! Along the seashore is a little marina and a pitch for playing Petanque.

Behind the village is a 13 hole golf-course with fabulous views over the water to islands, mountains and forests.

The Russian Tavern,
Seashore, Port Bannatyne, Isle of Bute, Argyll
01700 505073
www.butehotel.com
delicious.com/RogerMortimer
portbannatynemarina.co.uk
www.portbannatynepetanque.org.uk
www.portbannatynegolf.co.uk
Ferry for Bute leaves from Wemyss Bay on the A78 between Greenock and Largs. Direct train from Glasgow Central, and from Glasgow Int Airport and Prestwick Airport (RyanAir) RyanAir psssengers go half-price on the train.

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This is a totally preserved preVictorian stone and slate village around the shores of Kames Bay with a lifestyle of 50 years ago. Langoustines are caught here. Kames Castle at one end has period holiday cottages in the Estate. There is a small marina, highly eccentric ancient golfcourse, old tramtrack to Ettrick Bay - a great bit of sand with 200 seals, two pubs, fish and chips, Post Office/shop, a Petanque piste and a Russian Tavern run by Russians serving Russian specialities and Russian beers, wines and vodkas. They have four guestrooms too.
The scenery of seascapes, mountains, forest and islands is simply spectacular. Curlews, oyster-catchers and seals share the beach while wild deer graze the golfcourse. This is a very peculiar place to find in the UK!

Ferry to the Isle of Bute from Wemyss Bay (pronounced "weems") on the A78 between Greenock and Largs at the mouth of the River Clyde. Trains direct to Wemyss Bay from Glasgow and either Glasgow Airport. Ferry every 45 minutes, ferry time 35 minutes.
delicious.com/RogerMortimer
www.butehotel.com
www.portbannatynepetanque.org.uk
www.kamescastlecottages.co.uk

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North from Rothesay on the Isle of Bute is the village of Port Bannatyne around Kames Bay. Time has stood still. The little inshore fishing boats leave from the stone-pier catching crabs and langoustines. The bobbing yachts anchor offshore. The views across the water to the Argyll mountains are stunning. There are three pubs, and a great little cafe-cum-shop, and a post-office too.

Behind the village is an eccentric golfcourse with wonderful views, north and south. The little hotel sells truly fresh seafood, real ales and, astoundingly, Russian cuisine!

An absolute oasis in western Scotland.

Port Bannattyne is 2 miles north of Rothesay along the coast road on the Isle of Bute. Ferries to the isle leave from Wemyss Bay on the A78 at the mouth of the River Clyde (30 minutes sailing.) Wemyss Bay is linked by rail and bus to Glasgow Central station,Glasgow bus station,Glasgow Int Airport and Prestwick Airport (Ryanair.)

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The Isle of Bute is just a 20-minute ferry ride from Wemys Bay to Rothesay, very easy to get to from to Glasgow.

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The best bit is the Tearoom at Ettrick Bay, a couple of miles north of Rothesay. This is a semi-derelict shed which desperately needs a lick of paint, but serves the most incredible home cooking including lemon meringue pie with the top four inches high and soup to keep you going for a week.

www.isle-of-bute.org.uk/ettrickbay/

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A faded echo of its palmy days when it had 30 thousand visitors a day, it’s now a haven for birdwatchers, walkers and those interested in vitrified forts, standing stones, Mount Stuart House, and peace and quiet.

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