Bute, the pearl of the Clyde.
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BUTE is an island in the Clyde estuary, 15 miles long, 4 miles wide and has 57 miles of coastline. It is a little over an hour from Glasgow, but is another world of calm, peaceful, stress-free beauty.
Its peak was in 1906 when an incredible 60,000 people a day arrived at Rothesay (the capital of the island and the main ferry port) and it is said that the paddle steamers were 12 deep at the pier. Those days of course are long gone, and Rothesay has to reinvent itself to appeal to today’s tourists.
The classic route is by train to Wemyss Bay. The station here is just wonderful. It was built as the gateway to Bute. There are 2 long platforms stretching out towards Glasgow, covered by ornate iron and glass canopies, which also provide the roof to the circulating area where the unusual semi circular booking office still operates as it always has. From here a long curving light and airy matching walkway descends to the waiting Calmac boats – just as they always have, so you will not need to ever get wet if it rains (as it has a habit of doing on this west coast of course) The modern electric trains still connect with the ferry. Nowadays the railway only uses at most half of the station, but it is all beautifully maintained and preserved, with the spare rooms being a bookshop, restaurant etc.
The boats run hourly throughout the day 7 days a week, which shows how popular Bute is. The journey takes 35 minutes so 2 boats are busily shuttling to and fro very efficiently. I had taken my car across, and then realised that I didn’t need to. From Rothesay, West Coast Motors run a dense service of short single deck buses all over the island (and an open top one in the summer) so that you can walk so far and catch a bus back. Bus stops are dotted around everywhere, and even in remote lanes you will see walkers waiting at a stop.
The arrival at Rothesay, curving into the bay with its backdrop of solid houses, is a classic view. The ferry terminal quickly disembarks everyone, and you are right in the heart of the town. There are gardens beside you and the rather elegant Discovery Centre – the old winter gardens of 1928. This iron and glass building also houses a cinema and the tourist office. Another feature, of which Bute seems inordinately proud, is the 1899 built Victorian toilets on the pier, these feature in every guide book and postcard – you’ve just got to love a place that dotes on its urinals!
In the centre of town is Rothesay Castle, standing in a tamed and ornamental moat, open to the public and interesting to see, it was built in the early 13th century to protect against the Vikings. The rest of the centre rather needs a lick of paint I’m afraid, and there are a depressing number of empty shops, which is not unique to Bute of course, but does tend to give a poor view of the shopping centre of the island. It gives it an air of elegant dilapidation. There are still the solid hotels and B&Bs, and the one I stayed at, Bay View Hotel, is excellent and thoroughly recommended.
There are several events on during the summer season, starting with a Jazz Festival in May and including their own Highland Games in August. There are so many things to discover on the island. Ascog Hall has a Victorian fernery. In those days every house had to have a fern and the Victorians took a great interest in ferns, so with the mild climate this is a good place to grow them. The largest building on the island is Mount Stuart. The Stuarts of Bute trace their ancestry back to Robert the Bruce, and this is their ancestral home. The old house burnt down and the present red sandstone, massive, extraordinary house is a wonderful example of the 19th century Gothic revival movement. It is set in 300 acres of gardens where the most surprising variety of plants grow, thanks to the sheltered location.
Driving on Bute is relaxing, winding country roads, not much traffic at all, time to stop and stare without blocking the traffic – and then you come to an attraction like Mount Stuart and the car park is packed! Down on the coast clustered around a bonny wee beach, is their model village for their workers, at Kerrycroy. This is so strange; it is a typical English country village, perched on the shores of the Clyde!
On your way around the island you will see castles, like Kames castle, 6 lochs with excellent fishing (and there is sea fishing of course) and cyclists, as it is a popular place to cycle, plenty of ups and downs but nowhere very steep. The highest point is Kames Hill at 267 metres above sea level. There are also very well signposted walking routes all around the island, including the West Island Way, 30 miles long. This would be a good way to see the scenery and the sea views to distant mountains, islands and the mainland.
The northern part of the island is not so populated, and contains the Community Forest, which has part of it classified as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) because of its unique biodiversity. Wildlife abounds. The sheltered situation of Bute gives haven to sea birds, seals, dolphins and fish. There are three bird hides available to you at strategic locations. Bute has been inhabited for at least 5,500 years and can claim to have been in at the start of Christianity. The ruins (actually no more than a jumble of grass covered stones in a rough square) of St. Ninian’s chapel is a popular walk, sitting out on the end of a peninsular with broad views across the sea and down the channel…towards Ireland? There are also standing stones in several places, and one large stone dedicated to the memory of the brave men of Bute who were archers in Wallace’s army at Falkirk and were all killed on the 22nd of July 1298.
The beaches are ideal, curving, sandy, full of interesting shells, and not crowded. Again, the phenomena of a gentle drive along pleasant roads down to Ettrick Bay (there once used to be a tramway cutting across the island to this bay – it would be very special if you could still take the tram!) and pull into the car park at the excellent tea room – and finding it packed with cars and families. Going down onto the beach, there were just one couple walking along, and in the far distance, about 1 mile away on the curving sand, two dots of another couple could be made out. This was in April and so although the weather was not warm, it was bright and sunny, but even so, the beaches usually seemed to be deserted.
Coming back, the ferry staff cheerfully and efficiently loaded me aboard, tea in the café, and then suddenly you are back into the mainland traffic and driving up through the Glasgow area again – back in the noisy world of everyday, and you realise that Bute has peace, beauty and tranquillity. For more information, check out their very active tourist office and for details of the very efficient ferries see the Calmac website.
