Kilmartin Area forum 12 room
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Kilmartin Area

Kilmartin tips?

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suave harv wrote:
Kilmartin looks like a top place to lose oneself for a few days. Any tips on the area guys? Good campsites? Any book recomendations on the area? I'm thinking of doing four days there in June.
If you are intent on camping... seek out wild camping at seaside spots beyond Ardrishaig or just North of Crinan (Google maps will help a lot). You need sea breezes to help control our little friends. The Midge element in this area is quite appalling, the campsite at Lochgilphead was a real horror. There is also a site at Tayavallich just South of Crinan, but it can be pretty horrific too. The Midges can seriously wreck nights (and some days) in this area. June will still be early in the Midge season but they will be there in numbers you cannot imagine. The Kilmartin Midge is part of the vicious Argyll and Knapdale Variant which form relentless clouds of biting evil in and around your tent.
As far as the rock art, cairns and stones go... you will be tripping over them. The Kilmartin Museum's Guide and Stan Beckinsall's book are both great. See here... order them well in advance and read them before you go... buy the OS Explorer Map too... plan your days... there is soo much to see... it all helps..


Guide

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kilmartin-Scotlands-Prehistoric-Landscape-Introduction/dp/095336741X

Stan's book


http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Prehistoric-Rock-Art-Kilmartin/dp/0953367428/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330686005&sr=1-1

Map

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lochgilphead-Knapdale-North-Explorer-Series/dp/0319238644/ref=sr_1_90?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330686428&sr=1-90

I hope you have a great time.

That campsite at Tayvallich is a pretty good one - we always stay there when we go up that way. Bit of a drive to Kilmartin though, maybe an hour? And the midges were pretty bad! Cover every exposed bit of skin in Avon Skin So Soft dry oil body spray - they still go for you, but die before they can bite! (in theory!)