Kilbride Tour – Take a step back in history

This summer Cologin guests who book directly with us can add in a FREE guided walking tour of one of our local hidden gems – Kilbride Kirkyard. This scheduled monument includes the historic Clan MacDougall Burial Aisle featuring the grave of Iain Ciar, 22nd Clan Chief of the MacDougalls who was a leading light in the 1715 Jacobite uprising. Coincidentally, the first known house to be built in the nearby Oban was also constructed in 1715 whilst Dunollie Castle – home to the Clan Chief – was originally a 6th Century Dalriadan stronghold, part of the ancient Kingdom of Dal-Riata. This powerful kingdom flourished for over 500 years and encompassed Argyll in Scotland and what is now known as Country Antrim in Northern Ireland.

As you wander through this atmospheric site, you’ll discover ancient gravestones etched with the weathered names of those who shaped the region’s dramatic past. The Kirkyard stands not only as a testament to the enduring legacy of the MacDougall clan, but also as a living archive of local lore, legends, and the remarkable crossroads of Scottish and Irish heritage. Each moss-covered stone and timeworn carving whispers stories of kinship, conflict, and resilience, inviting visitors to imagine life as it once was, among kings, chiefs, and common folk alike.

If you’d like to join me for a short walk across the field to explore Kilbride, which truly has a ‘past too rich to be forgotten’ then please add the Kilbride Tour as a booking extra through our online booking system or using the Cologin Shop (link below). Please note, this FREE tour offer is only for guests who have booked directly with us.

I am a qualified and insured walking tour guide – a member of the Scottish Tourism Guides Association, Port of Oban Welcomes Group, and the World Federation of Tourism Guide Association. To fit in with my busy guiding schedule I can only offer these FREE tours one day a week to Cologin guests only.

This summer, tours are available on Thursdays during July and August. The meeting place is always at The Barn Bar at 4pm and if you’ve booked I will be there! The tour lasts approximately 60 minutes. Please wear suitable footwear and don’t forget to bring a suitable donation for the charity box at Kilbride.

If you would like to book a walking tour in Oban please take a look at Oban Guided Tours to book an Oban walking tour with one of my fellow local guides. If you’d like to visit Kilbride without a guided tour then do take a look at the Friends of Kilbride website for further information.

Please note: *The FREE tour offer is for Cologin guests only.