Bute Travel
Contents |
Travel To and Around the Isle of Bute
Getting Around Isle of Bute | Rothesay | Things To Do In Bute | Tips And Accommodation Guide | Festivals and Sport
Getting there
Bute is easily accessible from Glasgow. Take a train from Glasgow Central to the ferry terminal at Wemyss ["weems"] Bay (1 hr 10 mins), and from there it's a 35-min crossing to Rothesay. Those arriving at Glasgow International Airport can take the shuttle bus (ten minutes) to Paisley Gilmore Station, where there is an hourly direct train to Wemyss Bay. Those arriving at Prestwick Airport (RYANAIR) can take Fastbus 585 direct to Wemyss Bay. WEMYSS BAY lies on the A78 coast road from Glasgow to Ayr. There are also buses to and from Rothesay into Argyll, which link into a whole network of minibuses throughout the western highlands and islands. There are only one or two a day, leaving early morning and returning later, so for times, contact Western Buses, Tel. 01700 502076.
Ferries
WEMYSS BAY TO ROTHESAY ferries sail daily every 45 mins from 0715 till 1945 (later on Fri, Sat and Sun). For times, Tel. 01700-502707.
There's also a ferry to Rothesay from Brodick on Arran (2 hrs), once a day on Mon, Wed and Fri in the summer only. Bute can also be reached from the Cowal Peninsula.
A small car/passenger ferry makes the 10 min crossing from Colintraive to Rhubodach, at the northern end of Bute, daily every half hour or hour; from 0530-1955 Mon-Sat and 0900-1955 Sun in the summer (21 Apr-27 Aug).
Getting around
The Western Buses service around Bute is fairly good, though limited on Sundays. The best way to see Bute is by bicycle, and there is a bike-hire shop close to the ferry terminal. The island is fairly flat and the roads are quiet and in good condition.
Buses
Buses connect with the arriving ferries at Rothesay and run to: Mount Stuart (hourly; 15 mins),Port Bannatyne and the Marina (every half hour on the quarter-hour,) Kilchattan Bay (4 daily Mon-Sat, 3 on Sun; 30 mins) and Rhubodach (1-2 daily Mon-Sat; 20 mins). There is an open-top double-decker that slowly circumnavigates the island, leaving Rothesay at 11.00am amd 1.00pm during the summer. Early morning, and in the afternoon there is a bus that heads to the north of the island, and over on the minor ferry to the Argyll mainland. On it's way to Dunoon it meets with our buses so that its possible to go to Tarbet, the isles of Arran and Islay, and other isles or up to Oban. Ask any bus driver for the latest time-table for COWAL.
Tourist information
A report of a Family Holiday visiting Bute, with photos can be seen at: http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Argyll/blog-267140.html
The local tourist information centre is not an independent operation. An independendent source of articles, blogs, photos, reviews, history concerning the Isle of Bute can be found on the page of Roger Mortimer, the acclaimed journalist:- http://del.icio.us/RogerMortimer
The Rough Guide to Scotland provides good independent advice, as does London based TIME OUT. Lonely Planet is the american publication of choice.
In Rothesay the Tourist Information Centre occupies The Winter Gardens on the Promenade, in Rothesay, Tel. 502151. Open Apr and Oct Mon-Fri 0900-1730.