natural wonder
Loch Lomond
Britain's largest freshwater lake by surface area, where Highland mountains meet Lowland shores in a landscape immortalised in song.
16 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomScotland
Kilcreggan
Scotland, United Kingdom · Europe
About Kilcreggan
Kilcreggan works well as a base: 10 minutes from Rhu, 16km from Loch Lomond.
Kilcreggan is in Scotland, United Kingdom, with about 1,300 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Rhu, about 5 km away.
Kilcreggan (Scottish Gaelic: Cille Chreagain) is a village on the Rosneath Peninsula in Argyll and Bute, West of Scotland.
It developed on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde at a time when Clyde steamers brought it within easy reach of Glasgow at about 25 miles (40 km) west of the centre of Glasgow by boat. ManyRead more
Glasgow shipowners and merchants made their summer retreats or even permanent residences there, and this is reflected in some very grand houses along the shore. Not all have remained occupied; some were demolished and others have been converted into flats.
Its location at the end of the Rosneath peninsula, between the Gare Loch and Loch Long, makes the journey 38 miles (61 km) by road. The B833 minor road runs along the shore for the length of the village then cuts north inland just to the east of Kilcreggan pier rather than going east along the shore past Portkil Bay to Rosneath Point. About 2 miles (3 km) north of Kilcreggan the road reaches the village of Rosneath then continues north along the shores of the Gare Loch.
The majority of the houses look south across the Clyde towards the towns of Gourock and Greenock, and further down the firth towards the Isle of Arran.
Large attractive houses continue westwards from the pier towards Baron's Point, which marks the southern entrance to Loch Long, almost to the adjoining village of Cove which looks across Cove Bay towards Blairmore, only about 2 miles (3 km) distant, but separated by the deep waters of Loch Long. To the east of the pier, houses at Portkil extend down to Portkil Bay, and the 413-foot (126 m) hill at Rosneath home farm is topped by a television mast.
A ferry subsidised by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport provides a regular service from Kilcreggan pier across the Clyde to Gourock. Until 2012, the ferry service also included crossings of the Gare Loch to Helensburgh, and was operated by Clyde Marine Services which ran the elderly MV Kenilworth until 2007 when they introduced the new MV Seabus for the route. After re-tendering, the contract for the Gourock to Kilcreggan route was awarded by SPT to Clydelink which bought the smaller MV Island Princess for the run and commenced services on 1 April 2012. On 24 March 2012 more than 400 people protested at the pier over fears for the future of the service. The contract was taken away from Clydelink and returned to Clyde Marine, who resumed the Gourock to Kilcreggan ferry service on 14 May 2018 with the former Seabus, now in blue livery and renamed Chieftain. CalMac took over the contract from 1 June 2020, leasing Chieftain from Clyde Marine.
Kilcreggan is in the historic county of Dunbartonshire. Before the local government reorganisation in 1975 it formed part of the joint police burgh of Cove and Kilcreggan. It then formed part of Dumbarton District and Strathclyde Region until the reorganisation of the 1990s. It has been part of Argyll and Bute unitary authority since then.
Craigrownie Parish Church of Scotland serves the communities of Ardpeaton, Cove and Kilcreggan.
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Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Kilcreggan.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Kilcreggan?
Within an hour or so of Kilcreggan: Loch Lomond (16 km), The Oak Tree Inn (21 km), Rest and Be Thankful (A83) (25 km), Rest and Be Thankful (27 km).
Are there any good drives near Kilcreggan?
The nearest famous roads are Rest and Be Thankful (A83), Arran Coast Road (A841) and Glen Orchy.
Where is Kilcreggan?
Kilcreggan is in Scotland, United Kingdom, about 5 km from Rhu.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 1,290
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Scotland
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 55.9846, -4.8210
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Kilcreggan
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
cafe
The Oak Tree Inn
A popular stopping point on the A82 beside Loch Lomond, where road trippers heading to the Scottish Highlands pause to take in one of Scotland's most beautiful lochs.
21 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
Rest and Be Thankful (A83)
The famous climb out of Glen Croe in Argyll with the old military road beside it; landslide-prone but a spectacular gateway to the west coast.
25 km · about 30 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Rest and Be Thankful
A famous viewpoint at the top of Glen Croe where 18th-century soldiers carved the name into a stone after completing the military road.
27 km · about 30 min drive
castle
Inveraray Castle
The turreted seat of the Dukes of Argyll on Loch Fyne, with state rooms, an armoury hall and gardens open in season.
32 km · about 35 min drive
museum
Riverside Museum
Glasgow's Zaha Hadid-designed transport museum on the Clyde, packed with classic cars, a recreated cobbled street of vintage vehicles, and the tall ship Glenlee moored outside.
35 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Loch Katrine
The loch of Scott's Lady of the Lake, cruised by the 1899 steamship Sir Walter Scott and encircled by a traffic-free cycle road.
35 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Loch Achray and Ben A'an
A small Trossachs loch under Ben A'an, whose short steep path yields one of Scotland's best effort-to-view ratios.
38 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Kilcreggan
- 25 kmRest and Be Thankful (A83)The famous climb out of Glen Croe in Argyll with the old military road beside it; landslide-prone but a spectacular gateway to the west coast.
- 27 kmRest and Be ThankfulA famous viewpoint at the top of Glen Croe where 18th-century soldiers carved the name into a stone after completing the military road.
- 46 kmGoatfellArran's highest peak at 874m, climbed from Brodick, with views over the Firth of Clyde and to Ireland on clear days.
- 52 kmArran Coast Road (A841)The 90km loop around Arran, taking in the Boguillie and the Ross road climbs — a classic day's drive or ride from the Brodick ferry.
- 54 kmGlen OrchyA single-track alternative to the A82 between Bridge of Orchy and Dalmally, following the tumbling River Orchy through birch woods.
- 67 kmElectric BraeFamous optical-illusion stretch of the A719 on the Ayrshire coast where cars appear to roll uphill. Drivers have pulled over to test the gravity-defying slope since the 1930s.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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