Dunoon is a resort on the east coast of the Cowal Peninsula
in the Firth of Clyde. Its pier,
originally built in 1835, used to receive the many paddle steamers arriving
from Glasgow, bringing hordes of excited passengers "doon the watter"
from the big city for a spell of R and R in the coastal resorts of the Firth of
Clyde. Nowadays there are frequent
ferries from Gourock to Dunoon, some carrying vehicles, some passenger only. With the onset of foreign package
holidays during the 60s, Dunoon's tourist trade went into a decline, prompting
a band called the Humblebums to pen a song called "Why Don't They Come
Back to Dunoon". Billy Connolly
once told a cruel joke about the town while performing the song, about a
competition in which the first prize was a week in Dunoon and the second prize
was a fortnight in Dunoon. Further
decline came about in the 1990s following the closure of the US submarine
base in nearby Holy Loch.
All this was not enough to put Emma Thompson off choosing
Dunoon for her marriage to Greg Wise, or having a second home nearby. And with good reason, since the town occupies
a lovely position around two bays with an attractive mountainous
hinterland. Between the two bays is the
ruined Dunoon Castle, originally built in the 11th
century. There isn't much left of the
castle now, but it is worth the hike up to it for the views over the
Firth. Just below the castle is a statue
of "Highland Mary", or Mary Campbell, who was romantically linked to
Robert Burns. Also nearby is Castle House, which houses a museum with displays on the history and heritage of the area. In summer boat trips are available on the Waverley paddle steamer. Golfers are catered for by the Cowal Golf Club.
Map of the area.
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| Dunoon Castle Gardens. Photo by Peter Fuller, via Wikimedia Commons |
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