Heritage Trail Returns For 2013

[CampbeltownTHI]

Four years on and the Campbeltown Heritage Trail Group’s popular tours are back again. The group is run by volunteers and was formed in 2010 as part of the Campbeltown Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI). You will now have the chance to take a tour over July or August this year, every Wednesday at 2pm outside Aqualibrium on Kinloch Road.

The tour lasts an hour and is free, with no need to book a place and covers the main aspects of Campbeltown’s history, its rich heritage, its people and stories. The tours are delivered by Alex McKinven and John Bakes and have previously attracted more than 400 people including locals and visitors.

Anne Leith took part in one of the tours last year, “I was very lucky last summer to attend one of the Heritage Trail walks with Alex McKinven as our guide. I work full time so missed the afternoon walks and was very keen to be part of at least one of the evening trails! Alex McKinven, who can boast a fascinating family history of his own, possesses a knowledge of local heritage that extends way beyond the Campbeltown architecture and within a few minutes he had the group marvelling at his stories of the Kings of Dalriada, ancient battles, merchants and mariners, fishing folk and the “ordinary” folk who gave the town its sense of identity. Definitely an event not to be missed by visitors and locals alike and those who think Campbeltown is familiar and ordinary! Think again.

In addition to the main tours, the group is also running two Architectural tours delivered by David McEwan where you can gain an insight into some of Campbeltown’s finest buildings and their history. These tours will take place on Friday 26 July and Friday 23 August, departing from Aqualibrium at 2pm.There will also be a one-off evening tour around the Dalintober area of Campbeltown on Wednesday 7 August, setting off at 7pm from Dalintober Pier.

Bookings for all architectural tours is essential, to reserve a place please contact the Tourist Information Centre on 01586 552056.

The Campbeltown Heritage Trail Group has also designed and published 3 sets of leaflets; ‘Campbeltown Heritage Trail’, ‘Campbeltown’s Glasgow Face’ and ‘Gaelic in Kintyre’. These leaflets are available from the THI office, Visit Scotland and various other shops and hotels within the town. The leaflets are useful for those who are not able to take part in one of the guided tours.

Lead Councillor for Environment, Development and Infrastructure, John Semple said, “The work of the Campbeltown Heritage Trail Group is very much appreciated and I am pleased to see the tours back on offer again. Campbeltown is a historically and architecturally rich town there is much of interest to learn for locals and visitors alike. I would like to thank VisitScotland for their support in promoting the tours and dealing with bookings.”

Administration costs are funded via the Campbeltown THI Training Programme whose funders are; Argyll and the Islands LEADER, Heritage Lottery Fund and Argyll and Bute Council.

If you would like any more information about the heritage trail, please visit http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/chord/campbeltown-heritage-trail or contact Campbeltown THI on 01586 559048

[witchnettle]

is the architectural tour going to be on in the evening or at the weekend as well?
i work full time and cant make the daytime ones and the only other evening one is around the dalintober area x
thanks
eleanor x

[CampbeltownTHI]

Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately there are no plans for an evening or weekend architectural tour.

We have spoken to the Campbeltown Heritage Trail Group guide and it has been agreed that we retain the existing times and dates. We hope to offer an evening architectural tour next summer.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

[macrahanishbear]

thank you very much for the heritage walk round the wee toun, I attended this afternoon very interesting & enjoyable

[smiles]

Who is delivering the history of the area during the trail? Is is Alec MacKinven?

[macrahanishbear]

John a gentleman from yorkshire was doing the tour to-day

[smiles]

John a gentleman from yorkshire was doing the tour to-day

They're everywhere! A Yorkshireman delivering the history of Campbeltown, you couldn't make that up!! Was it/he good?

[Bonnie Lass]

If its John Bakes, then yes he is good - was an official tour guide in Yorkshire for something - so he'll have done his research.