Port Bannatyne is a northern endpoint of the West Island Way and a place with a layered harbour history. The pier points to its maritime past, while the local golf club offers an unusual course format. You can shape your trip to Bute around specific interests: a walking stage, local history or a round of golf.
The West Island Way and Bute’s landscapes
The West Island Way is 30 miles (48 km) long and divided into four stages. On the Isle of Bute, the route passes rocky headlands and coastal stretches, by sandy beaches and onward through moorland, farmland and woodland. Its sequence of landscapes therefore extends well beyond the coast. In the north, the route ends at Port Bannatyne. The town is thus connected to the route as its northern endpoint, while its varied landscapes stretch across the Isle of Bute.
The four stages give the West Island Way a clear structure. If you choose this route as the focus of your trip, a path through varied landscape types takes centre stage, with Port Bannatyne marking its northern end. This is a different way to discover the island from focusing mainly on the harbour, a golf course or local history.
Harbour and local history
Port Bannatyne Pier was built for Duncan Hoyle of Kames and opened on 6 March 1857. During the Second World War, the Admiralty took over the pier. Support vessels used it for training on midget submarines; various tugs also used the pier. During the Second World War, the Bute Hydropathic in Port Bannatyne served as the shore base of the 12th Submarine Flotilla and was named HMS Varbel. A memorial in Port Bannatyne commemorates 39 men who lost their lives.
The pier’s opening in 1857 and its uses during the Second World War represent different chapters in the town’s history. The harbour also forms part of a wider maritime story: historically, it was one of the many small harbours and port facilities along the shores of the Isle of Bute. Anyone interested in the town’s history will find both a specific account of the pier itself and a link to the island’s wider harbour landscape.
Golf with a distinctive sequence of holes
The Port Bannatyne Golf Club has a unique 13-hole golf course on the Isle of Bute. Players first play the opening 12 holes, then play the first 5 again; a separate 18th hole completes the round. This sequence makes the course format distinctive. Alongside the landscape route, golf offers another clearly defined focus for a trip to Port Bannatyne.
Planning your stay
The City Sightseeing Bute tour also includes Port Bannatyne as one of its stops on the island. The tour is seasonal; check the tour dates if you would like to include this stop in your travel plans. When looking for a hotel for your trip to Port Bannatyne, it helps to decide on your main focus first: will it be the West Island Way, maritime history or golf? The seasonal tour is another way to plan a visit to the town as a stop on the island.
Discover more destinations: Campbeltown, Glencruitten, Taynuilt, Cairnbaan, Port Charlotte, Strachur, Craignure, Ardentinny
For the main travel overview: Argyll And Bute.
