Loch Awe & Loch Etive | Argyll | Scotland

Contents of this Video 00:00 Intro 00:21 Loch Awe: Kilchurn Castle 03:36 Drive through Lochawe village 04:22 St Conan’s Kirk 07:56 Drive from Loch Awe to Loch Etive 09:07 Highland coos by Loch Etive near Taynuilt 10:06 Drive from Taynuilt to Connel 11:26 Connel Bridge 13:02 The Falls of Lora Loch Awe and Loch Etive | Argyll and Bute | Scotland Loch Awe is the longest loch in Scotland at 25 miles and the third largest at nearly 15 square miles. There are many interesting places to visit in the area and it is set amongst beautiful mountain scenery. Kilchurn Castle is located at the north head of Loch Awe and is a very popular ruined castle with visitors. Sadly, on the day we visited, the interior was closed to visitors. It’s quite a long walk from the car park to the castle so we decided not to visit, which may have been a mistake as the visitors we could see did seem to be able to get up close to the castle, even if not inside it. I made the decision on the day to view the castle from Kilchurn Grazings, a field on the opposite side of Loch Awe which offers tremendous head on views of the castle, even if the walk across was very boggy in places. The castle for most of its occupied life was a Campbell stronghold and was used by the government in the Jacobite uprisings, except 1715 when Sir John Campbell, Earl of Breadalbane and Holland supported the Jacobites and lost the castle to another Campbell when the rising failed. In Lochawe village, there is a unique church, St Conan’s Kirk which sits on the banks of Loch Awe and was the life’s work of architect Walter Douglas Campbell, brother of Archibald Campbell,1st Baron of Blythswood. It was first completed in 1886 and extended between 1906 and 1914, the year of the architect’s death. Although built as a functioning Christian church it is a strange mix of styles from ancient Roman to Norman and contains unusual features such as the Bruce Chapel dedicated to Robert the Bruce, rather than, for example, a religious saint. In some ways it can be considered a folly, but it has always performed the role of a place of Christian worship and there is much workmanship of a very high standard here. The north head of Loch Awe is the source of the River Orchy, but there is also an outlet not far from there on the west side which feeds the River Awe as it makes it short journey to the sea by flowing into Loch Etive, a sea loch. A hydro-electric power station harnesses the power of the River Awe. The River Etive flows from Rannoch Moor near Glencoe, along Glen Etive and into Loch Etive at the end of the Glen Etive Road. Loch Etive is nearly 20 miles long, taking a sharp turn to the east at Taynuilt before emptying into the Firth of Lorn (open sea) just north of Oban. A spectacular steel cantilever bridge crosses Loch Etive at Connel, the Connel Bridge. Built in 1903, 3000 tons of steel were used in its construction, and it was originally designed as a rail bridge. After branch line closures in 1966, it was converted to a road bridge. The bridge crosses over the Falls of Lora, a tidal race which creates strong currents and whirlpools as water from Loch Etive conflict with tides from the Firth of Lorn. When the currents are at their strongest, which sadly, they weren’t on the weekend we visited, the falls are frequented by kayakers, keen to test their skills in the challenging rapids. The super calm wind conditions we experienced at the time we visited, however, meant that the falls were still marked against the calm waters surrounding them in the loch, so still looked impressive in my view. I hope you enjoy the video. Music: (all from YouTube Audio Library) In or Out – Telecasted Bring it Together - Telecasted The Road to Mordor – Ezra Lipp Spaghettification – The Grey Room _ Density & Time Rain Over Kyoto Station – The Mini Vandals #travel #travelvlog #silentvlog #notalking #landscape #landscapes #scenery #scotland #scotlandtrip #scottish #highlands #wildlife #mountains #loch #serenity #soothing #relax #relaxing #mentalwellness #soothing #wellbeing #mentalhealth #lochawe #lochetive #stconanskirk #connelbridge #falloflora #argyll