Kilcreggan
Encyclopedia
Kilcreggan is a village in Argyll and Bute
, Scotland
.
It developed on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde
at a time when Clyde steamer
s brought it within easy reach of Glasgow
at about 25 miles (40 km) west of the centre of Glasgow by boat. Many Glasgow shipowners and merchants made their summer retreats or even permanent residences there, and this is reflected in some very grand houses along the shore. Not all have remained occupied, some were demolished and others have been converted into flats.
Its location at the end of the Rosneath Peninsula, between the Gare Loch
and Loch Long
, makes the journey 38 miles (60 km) by road. The B833 minor road runs along the shore for the length of the village then cuts north inland just to the east of Kilcreggan pier rather than going east along the shore past Portkil bay to Rosneath Point. About 2 miles (3 km) north of Kilcreggan the road reaches the village of Rosneath
then continues north along the shores of the Gare Loch.
The majority of the houses look south across the Clyde towards the towns of Gourock
and Greenock
, and further down the firth towards the Isle of Arran
.
Large attractive houses continue westwards from the pier towards Baron's Point which marks the southern entrance to Loch Long, almost to the adjoining village of Cove
which looks across Cove Bay towards Blairmore
only about 2 miles (3 km) distant, but separated by the deep waters of Loch Long. To the east of the pier, houses at Portkil extend down to Portkil bay, and the 413–foot (126 m) hill at Rosneath home farm is topped by a television mast.
A ferry, usually the MV Seabus which has superseded the Kenilworth
, provides a regular service from Kilcreggan pier across the Gareloch to Helensburgh
and across the Clyde to Gourock
.
Kilcreggan is in the historic county of Dunbartonshire
. Before the local government reorganisation in 1975 it formed part of the joint police burgh
of Cove and Kilcreggan. It then formed part of Dumbarton District and Strathclyde Region until the reorganisation of the 1990s. It has been part of Argyll and Bute unitary authority since then.
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
It developed on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
at a time when Clyde steamer
Clyde steamer
The era of the Clyde steamer in Scotland began in August 1812 with the very first successful commercial steamboat service in Europe, when Henry Bell's began a passenger service on the River Clyde between Glasgow and Greenock...
s brought it within easy reach of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
at about 25 miles (40 km) west of the centre of Glasgow by boat. Many Glasgow shipowners and merchants made their summer retreats or even permanent residences there, and this is reflected in some very grand houses along the shore. Not all have remained occupied, some were demolished and others have been converted into flats.
Its location at the end of the Rosneath Peninsula, between the Gare Loch
Gare Loch
The Gare Loch or Gareloch is a sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.-Geography:A sea loch aligned north-south, Gare Loch is 10 kilometres long with an average width of 1.5 kilometres. At its southern end it opens into the Firth of Clyde through the Rhu narrows...
and Loch Long
Loch Long
Loch Long is a body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The sea loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end. It measures approximately 20 miles in length, with a width of between one and two miles...
, makes the journey 38 miles (60 km) by road. The B833 minor road runs along the shore for the length of the village then cuts north inland just to the east of Kilcreggan pier rather than going east along the shore past Portkil bay to Rosneath Point. About 2 miles (3 km) north of Kilcreggan the road reaches the village of Rosneath
Rosneath
Rosneath is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It sits on the western shore of the Gare Loch near to the tip of the Rosneath peninsula which projects south to the Firth of Clyde between the Gare Loch and Loch Long to the west, and about 2 miles from the village of Kilcreggan which is sited...
then continues north along the shores of the Gare Loch.
The majority of the houses look south across the Clyde towards the towns of Gourock
Gourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
and Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, and further down the firth towards the Isle of Arran
Isle of Arran
Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
.
Large attractive houses continue westwards from the pier towards Baron's Point which marks the southern entrance to Loch Long, almost to the adjoining village of Cove
Cove, Argyll and Bute
Cove is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.It is on the south-west of the Rosneath peninsula, on the east shore of Loch Long.Before the local government reorganisation in Scotland in 1975 it formed part of the small Joint Burgh of Cove and Kilcreggan, in the County of Dumbarton.In common with...
which looks across Cove Bay towards Blairmore
Blairmore
Blairmore may refer to:*Blairmore, Alberta, a town in Canada*Blairmore, Sutherland, a rural settlement in Highland, Scotland*Blairmore School, a former independent school in Aberdeenshire, Scotland...
only about 2 miles (3 km) distant, but separated by the deep waters of Loch Long. To the east of the pier, houses at Portkil extend down to Portkil bay, and the 413–foot (126 m) hill at Rosneath home farm is topped by a television mast.
A ferry, usually the MV Seabus which has superseded the Kenilworth
MV Kenilworth
The MV Kenilworth is a historic passenger ferry. Built in 1936 as MV Hotspur II, she was the Hythe Ferry service across Southampton Water until 1978...
, provides a regular service from Kilcreggan pier across the Gareloch to Helensburgh
Helensburgh
Helensburgh is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde and the eastern shore of the entrance to the Gareloch....
and across the Clyde to Gourock
Gourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
.
Kilcreggan is in the historic county of Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
. Before the local government reorganisation in 1975 it formed part of the joint police burgh
Police burgh
A police burgh was a Scottish burgh which had adopted a “police system” for governing the town. They existed from 1833 to 1975.-The 1833 act:The first police burghs were created under the Burgh Police Act, 1833...
of Cove and Kilcreggan. It then formed part of Dumbarton District and Strathclyde Region until the reorganisation of the 1990s. It has been part of Argyll and Bute unitary authority since then.