Dunoon Walking Tour

There’s so much more to Dunoon than meets the eye, so join me on a wee adventure around this wonderful town – once a thriving Victorian playground, the resort’s façade hides a much older, and much more interesting story. 

A Dunoon Walking Tour

 

Together we’ll stroll around this beautiful town, which once had a ringside seat of the last Viking battle across the river at Largs, and was the site of many political struggles in the 12th century.

As we wander through the streets and along the prom of the once-popular Victorian holiday resort, you’ll discover a darker history, hidden behind the stunning architecture and wide green spaces.

Long before the wealthy Victorians built their holiday homes, Dunoon was inhabited by the Campbells – the castle belonged to them, and from its walls, they watched a bloody massacre. A story well-hidden by the well-to-do holidaymakers in the mid 19th century!

  • East Bay Dunoon with bright blue sky

    View from Dunoon along Clyde Coast

  • Dunoon Pier on a calm sea with bright blue sky

    The Pier, Dunoon

  • Looking up at Castle House Museum Dunoon with a bright blue sky

    Castle House Museum, Dunoon

Dunoon Walking Tour highlights

We begin the tour at the site of where Dunoon Castle once stood and make our way around the Castle Hill area – where I’ll share the stories of the powerful Campbell family.  

You’ll learn of the strong links between the castle and the adjacent church and the old cottages close by, and why the castle played a vital role in the strategic defence of this part of the River Clyde.

Dunoon Burgh Hall

Dunoon Burgh Hall

 

Dunoon: A Victorian holiday resort

By the time the Victorians arrived in their hundreds, the town was ready for growth. The residents and business owners earned their living by servicing the needs of the wealthy – offering up specialist shops from grocery to milliners as well as cafes, boat trips, tennis and walks to enjoy.

With a thriving and vibrant community came the steamers, a spectacle in their own right, as throwing all caution to the winds they raced for the pier.


Dunoon & the River Clyde  

Dunoon was officially on the map as a sought-after holiday destination. The Clyde was a place to holiday, a place to relax, a place to play.

We’ll walk along the East Bay where you’ll learn of a different kind of visitor altogether. You’ll discover how pilgrims, the Royal Navy, and the United States Navy all used the Clyde for their own purposes, continuing to change and shape Dunoon in new ways year by year.

And then we will walk into the town through the second wave of Victorian development.

Dunoon: Behind closed doors

The Dunoon Walking Tour ends in the middle of the town where there are cafes to relax in and soak up all you’ve learned about this fascinating place.

Before you rest your legs, make sure you visit the Castle House Museum, once the home of James Ewing, one of the earliest merchants to put Dunoon on the map as the playground of the nineteenth century super rich.

Create your own Dunoon Tour

Because of the nature of my tourist guide services, there is no ‘off the peg’ tour. Rather, each tour tells its own unique story, in consultation with each unique client.

The tours you will find on these pages are examples of what can be done in towns and locations throughout Scotland. Please get in touch to begin.