Dunoon (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Omhain) is a Town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.
Waterfront
Dunoon Pier originated in 1835; however, the current structure was built in 1895 (now derelict). Prior to the late 1960s, fleets of paddle steamers brought holidaymakers doon the watter from Glasgow to it and numerous other piers on the Clyde Estuary. Until June 2011 the pier was used daily by Caledonian MacBrayne, who ran a regular car-ferry service to Gourock and by the PS Waverley, the last surviving seagoing paddle steamer.
Overlooking the Breakwater is a large statue of Robert Burns’ love, Highland Mary, also known as Bonny Mary O’ Argyll, which is located on Castle Hill, just below the remains of the 12th-Century Dunoon Castle. Very little remains of the castle, which would originally have belonged to the Lamont family but became a royal castle with the Earls of Argyll (Campbells) as hereditary keepers, paying a nominal rent of a single red rose to the sovereign. In earlier times, Mary, Queen of Scots stayed at the castle circa 1563 and granted several charters during her visit. The castle was destroyed during the rebellion in 1685.
In the spring of 2005, a new Breakwater was built just to the south of the Victorian Pier. As well as protecting the Victorian Pier from storm surges, a new linkspan was also installed alongside the Breakwater. This was to allow the berthing and loading of ro-ro ferries instead of the side-loading ferries that used to serve the Victorian built pier. A tendering competition to serve the new linkspan between two interested parties, namely Caledonian MacBrayne and local operator Western Ferries, failed when both parties withdrew from the tendering process. In June 2011, the outcome of a renewed tendering process saw a passenger-only ferry service (Argyll Ferries aka Caledonian MacBrayne) using the Breakwater for berthing. The PS Waverley also berths at the Breakwater when sailing on the Firth of Clyde during the summer season.
Transport
Dunoon is accessible by direct land and sea routes. Indirectly by Rail at Gourock.
Road
The town lies towards the southern end of the A815 road. At its northernmost point, near Cairndow, this road joins the A83 and provides access to the town by road from the East Loch Lomond / Glasgow and from the North Inverary / Oban and from the West Campbeltown.
Ferry
There are two ferry operators who provide services from Gourock to Dunoon.
Local company Western Ferries carries motor vehicles and foot passengers. Western Ferries ply the McInroy’s Point-to-Hunters Quay route.
Whilst David MacBrayne Ltd subsidiary, Argyll Ferries, runs the Public Service route (town center to town center), this is an intermittent service as is liable to weather disruption, it is a foot passenger only service from Gourock Pier to Dunoon Breakwater.
Train
At Gourock Pier, a First ScotRail train service provides access to the National Rail Network via the Inverclyde Line at Glasgow Central Station.
Bus
Public transport within Dunoon and the surrounding area is provided under Government subsidy by bus and coach operator West Coast Motors.
West Coast Motors 486 service provides a regular return journey from Dunoon town centre to Inveraray, where it connects with a Scottish Citylink service onward to Campbeltown, Oban and Glasgow, and points in-between.
McGill’s Bus Services operate service 907, a frequent coach service from Dunoon town center to Glasgow Buchanan Street Bus Station. The service travels aboard the Western Ferries crossing and operates via Greenock and Braehead Shopping Centre.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Filed under: British, Ephemera, Holidays, Traveling Tagged: British railwaiys, Dunoon