Argyll Forest Park is a

forest park A forest park is a park whose main theme is its forest of trees. Forest parks are found both in the mountains and in the urban environment. Examples Chile * Forest Park, Santiago China *Gongqing Forest Park, Shanghai * Mufushan National Fores ...

located on the

Cowal Cowal ( gd, Còmhghall) is a peninsula in Argyll and Bute, in the west of Scotland, that extends into the Firth of Clyde. The northern part of the peninsula is covered by the Argyll Forest Park managed by Forestry and Land Scotland. The Arrochar ...

peninsula in

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute ( sco, Argyll an Buit; gd, Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, ) is one of 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod (14 July 2020) ...

Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Sco ...

. Established in 1935, it was the first forest park to be created in the United Kingdom. The park is managed by

Forestry and Land Scotland Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) ( gd, Coilltearachd agus Fearann Alba) is responsible for managing and promoting Scotland's national forest estate: land, predominantly covered in forest, owned by the Scottish Government on behalf of the nation. ...

, and covers 211 km² in total. From the

Holy Loch The Holy Loch ( gd, An Loch Sianta/Seunta) is a sea loch, a part of the Cowal peninsula coast of the Firth of Clyde, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The "Holy Loch" name is believed to date from the 6th century, when Saint Munn landed there afte ...

in the south to the

Arrochar Alps The Arrochar Alps are a group of mountains located around the head of Loch Long, Loch Fyne, and Loch Goil, near the villages of Arrochar and Lochgoilhead, on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The mountains are especially popular ...

in the north, the park includes a variety of landscapes, from high peaks to freshwater and seawater

lochs ''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots and Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is cognate with the Manx lough, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh words for lake, llwch. In English English and Hiberno-English, the anglicised spelling ...

. Much of the forest park lies within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, which was established in 2002, however the forests at Corlarach and Ardyne in

are outwith the national park boundary but within the forest park.

Gallery

File:Rest and be thankfull - geograph.org.uk - 808103.jpg, Rest and be thankful File:Puck's Glen alternative path down to car park.jpg, Benmore forest File:Puck's Glen winter ravine.jpg, Puck's Glen ravine, in winter File:Glenbranter morning mists.jpg, Glenbranter

Highlights

Forestry and Land Scotland highlight trails at the following places: *

Glenbranter Glenbranter; is a hamlet on the northwest shore of Loch Eck in the Argyll Forest Park, on the Cowal peninsula, Argyll and Bute in the West of Scotland. Sir Harry Lauder Sir Harry Lauder owned a house at Glenbranter, demolished in the 1960s. T ...

, bike trails and walks, featuring ancient oaks *

Puck's Glen Puck's Glen is a river-formed ravine on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, with a popular scenic walking trail beside the Eas Mòr stream (Gaelic for "big waterfall"). In 2020 the glen and adjoining trails were closed temporaril ...

, trail up rocky gorge among woodlands * Benmore, forest around

Benmore Botanic Garden Benmore Botanic Garden (formerly known as the Younger Botanic Garden) is a large botanical garden situated in Strath Eachaig at the foot of Beinn Mhòr, on the Cowal peninsula, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The gardens are on the west side o ...

, with giant trees * Kilmun Arboretum, collection of tree species in woodland groves *

Ardentinny Ardentinny ( gd, Àird an t-Sionnaich or Àird an Teine) is a small village on the western shore of Loch Long, north of Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. Nearby is Cruach a Chaise (Cheese Hill), while on the ...

, easy trails and beach walk

References

External links

Argyll Forest Park leaflet

Argyll Forest Park website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Argyll Forest Park Parks in Scotland Cowal Argyll and Bute

Argyll Forest Park Argyll Forest Park is a forest park located on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. Established in 1935, it was the first forest park to be created in the United Kingdom. The park is managed by Forestry and Land Scotland, a ...

Highlands and Islands of Scotland Forest parks of Scotland