Bonawe Historic Iron Furnace
You must visit Bonawe Historic Iron Furnace as it is quite an unusual heritage site. It is an industrial site in a beautiful natural setting – quite unexpected when you arrive. The nature and tranquillity around the area near Loch Etive makes it hard to believe it was once a bustling furnace – and it is the most intact charcoal-fuelled ironworks in Britain.
Why visit Bonawe Historic Iron Furnace?
It is perched on the side of the breathtaking Loch Etive and in the beautiful village of Taynuilt. There is a woodland next to it (now a nature reserve) which has several walking routes to try in it, and this woodland once fuelled the iron works with local oak wood. The iron works were set up in 1753 and continued right up to the 1870s, producing pig iron and cannonballs. It is an interesting site to explore with several outside interpretation panels to learn more about the site from. There are the remains of buildings and indications of how water supplied the iron works from the local river. A must-visit, lesser-known site to learn about something a bit different whilst visiting Argyll.
Image credit: Kelpie Media
Where to Eat & Drink
The Taynuilt Inn in the village provides a cosy, welcoming Gastro pub offering hot meals using local produce from the surrounding areas.
Discover Taynuilt
Good to Know / Planning Tips:
- Style: Perfect for history enthusiasts
- How to get there: Driving from Oban takes approximately 25 minutes. Take the A85, then take the left-hand turning when you reach the signpost for Bonawe Iron Furnace in Taynuilt village. Take time to travel down the smaller road, then track to the small, free Iron Furnace car park. For buses, take one from Oban to Taynuilt Hotel (21 minutes) and from there it is a 21-minute walk to the site. If you are taking the train, stop at Taynuilt station and walk the last 20 minutes.
- Access: Uneven terrain and track – take time travelling these.
- What to pack: Sturdy footwear for uneven terrain, weather and waterproof clothing, packed lunch.
- Best time of year to visit: Summer season as the small ticket office and toilets are open. Outside of this you can still park and walk around the site using the outside interpretation boards to learn about the sites heritage.
- Facilities: There are toilets on site (but only open during certain hours of opening). There are also public toilets in the nearby village of Taynuilt. There are no on-site food vendors – there are a few small shops within the village of Taynuilt to purchase basic supplies
KILCHURN CASTLE
Kilchurn castle is a must visit destination whilst in Argyll. It is a 15th century castle (now ruins) that is one of the most photographed castles in Scotland.
DUNSTAFFNAGE CASTLE
A visit to Oban is not complete without popping to visit Dunstaffnage Castle. The castle is one of the oldest dating back to before 1240 and was the base for the MacDougall clan
DUNOLLIE CASTLE & MUSEUM
Dunollie Castle and the Dogstone are a fantastic way to spend a day in Oban.
ST CONAN'S KIRK
St Conan’s Kirk is a must visit when in Argyll as it has natural beauty looking out onto Loch Awe, character, an interesting history of the Kirk itself and an active local community within the church today.
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