Short Break in the Cowal Peninsula with Gilliian Hull

While we were there huge rafts of eider cooed gently close to the shore as we explored the coastline. You might be lucky and see a humpback or minke whale. Perhaps surprisingly, when one considers its proximity to Glasgow , the Cowal lies north of the Highland Boundary Fault. This means that Dunoon, with a population of over 10,000 is the second largest town in the Highlands , and that my mother-in-law was a 'highland lassie'. Though many people take the ferry from Gourock to Dunoon, we drove down from Strachur which is on the south side of Loch Fyne. The Peninsula lies between Loch Fyne and Loch Long and the pass, Rest-and-be-Thankful (so named by William Wordsworth ) is its north-eastern limit.

Possible explanations for the name Cowal are Comgall, a Dalriadan Scot, or an Old Norse word meaning a forked piece of land. 20,000 years ago a huge sheet of ice ground its way southwards forging out the sea lochs and points which give the peninsula its distinctive shape. From Strachur we drove south beside Loch Eck, a long and narrow stretch of fresh water. Like Loch Lomond it is home to the powan, a freshwater herring which became marooned in the loch after the last Ice Age. One of the Peninsula's glories is Benmore, the Younger Botanic Garden . This is one of the three regional outstations owned by the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh . The 50 hectares include two fine river valleys, Glen Massan and Glen Eachaig, and it was gifted to the nation by Harry George Younger in 1928. In 1863 a previous owner planted an avenue of Wellingtonias, now one of the glories of the area. Because of the mild, wet climate North American conifers thrive at Benmore, as do rhododendrons of which there are around 400 species. Though impressive at all times of the year, Benmore demands a visit in spring.

Continuing south we came to the Holy Loch, which extends two miles inland with some attractive villages hugging its coast. In stark contrast to its quiet beauty today, the loch was a submarine base in the war, and later became home to American nuclear submarines. The proximity of a force which could bring about such cataclysmic destruction did not encourage tourism in the area, though the American presence contributed to Dunoon's economy. They finally left in 1992 and, as a result of much hard work, Dunoon has recovered its vitality and position as a holiday town. Dunoon's Cowal Games take place at the end of August. They are Scotland 's largest Highland Games, attracting international competitors and many visitors. The majority of the Peninsula 's population live in the town which boasts very handsome Victorian and Edwardian villas climbing up the hill and fronting the four-mile long promenade. With two frequent ferry services one can live in Dunoon and work in Glasgow .

Probably on the site of an Iron Age fort, Dunoon Castle was built in the early 13th century. It became a royal castle when Robert II came to the throne in 1371. The castle was destroyed in 1685 and became a ruin. The stone was increasingly used for building, especially in the 19th century which saw the tiny village grow into a large and flourishing resort. In 1822 the provost of Glasgow , James Ewing built his country home in Dunoon.

Castle House, now an excellent museum about the Cowal, is close to the ruined castle which provided much of the stone Ewing required. Just below, gazing out to the coast of Ayrshire, is ' Highland Mary', with whom Robert Burns had a passionate affair, which inspired some of his most beautiful poetry. Mary Campbell who came from Auchmore Farm near Dunoon, died young. Her impresssive statue was put up in 1896, a hundred years after Burns' death.

The explosion of growth which turned a small village into a bustling resort accelerated with the coming of steam. Beautifully built paddle steamers carried the successful merchants of Glasgow down the Clyde to their new houses in Dunoon. Eventually day trips offered the poorer Glaswegians a chance to leave the industrial grime, if only briefly. Going 'doon the watter' must have introduced them to another world of which they would have had no conception. My mother-in-law described the extensive network of steamers, offering passengers unrivalled opportunities to explore the complicated coastline and admire the scenery beyond. The last Clyde-built paddle-steamer, the Waverley , was constructed in 1947 and still offers trips in the Clyde and around the islands.

The drive westwards across the island took us on a small road through forestry, but when we emerged the views were magnificent. Looking towards Bute , the northern tip appears to be cradled by the arms of the Kyles of Bute. These two channels meet to become Loch Riddon which forges its way inland. There is a short ferry crossing from Colintraive beside the eastern arm of the Kyles which takes one to Bute , while from Portavadie on the Cowal's western coast there is a ferry to Tarbert on the Mull of Kintyre. Even if the days of the paddle-steamer are virtually over, the network of ferry crossings allows one endless exploration of this fascinating part of Scotland .

Our brief exploration of my mother-in-law's childhood home reinforced for me her deep love and appreciation of its beauty. My husband was constantly remarking on place-names and saying 'Mother used to speak of that'. From Cowal we took the little ferry from Colintraive and continued to Bute . That must wait for another time.