Colintraive ( gd, Caol an t-Snàimh) is a village 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) ...

, Scotland. Once the site where cattle were swum across the narrows to the

Isle of Bute The Isle of Bute ( sco, Buit; gd, Eilean Bhòid or '), known as Bute (), is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault. Formerly a constituent isl ...

, the MV ''Loch Dunvegan'' — a ferry operated by

Caledonian MacBrayne Caledonian MacBrayne ( gd, Caledonian Mac a' Bhriuthainn), usually shortened to CalMac, is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west ...

— now provides a link to the island.

Geography and amenities

Colintraive is located on the west coast of 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. Its area includes

Ardtaraig Ardtaraig is a hamlet lying at the head of Loch Striven on the Cowal peninsula, Argyll and Bute, West of Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third ...

and

Loch Striven Loch Striven ( gd, Loch Sroigheann) is a sea loch extending off the Firth of Clyde, and forms part of the Cowal peninsula coast, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Loch Striven extends off of the Firth of Clyde just north of the Isle of Bute, where ...

to thenorth west, the head and the shores of

Loch Riddon ''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 spell ...

in the northeast, while the village itself faces the

Kyles of Bute The Kyles of Bute ( gd, Na Caoil Bhòdach) form a narrow sea channel that separates the northern end of the Isle of Bute from the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, on the Scottish mainland. The surrounding hillsides are roughly wooded, and ove ...

. The Colintraive area extends further south to Couston and around this hill back into Loch Striven again. The name ''Colintraive'' derives from Gaelic and means "swimming

strait A strait is an oceanic landform connecting two seas or two other large areas of water. The surface water generally flows at the same elevation on both sides and through the strait in either direction. Most commonly, it is a narrow ocean channe ...

" or "swimming narrows". In the past, cattle were swum over from the Isle of Bute to Colintraive on their way to the markets of lowland Scotland. The village possesses a few facilities, primarily the

Colintraive Hotel The Colintraive Hotel (also known as The Colintraive) is a hotel and pub in Colintraive, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It was formerly a hunting lodge for John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute. It stands a few yards from the eastern shores ...

, and its small adjoining post office. A Heritage Centre opened in 2009. The nearest town of notable size on the mainland is

Dunoon Dunoon (; gd, Dùn Omhain) is the main town on the Cowal peninsula in the south of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south of the Holy Loch and to the north of Innellan. As well ...

Sports and recreation

Colintraive and its nearest neighbouring village of

Glendaruel Glendaruel (Gaelic: ''Gleann Dà Ruadhail'') is a glen in the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The main settlement in Glendaruel is the Clachan of Glendaruel. Features The present Kilmodan Church was built in the Clachan of Glen ...

share a shinty team named

Col-Glen Col-Glen Shinty Club is a shinty club based in Clachan of Glendaruel, Cowal, Argyll, Scotland. History The club was founded in 1920, and was originally called Colintraive and Glendaruel Shinty Club. The name reflects the two villages from wh ...

(which is the combined first segments of both names). An active bowling club meets regularly during the summer and winter season. Colintraive and Glendaruel are located on the

Cowal Way The Loch Lomond and Cowal Way is a waymarked footpath through the Cowal peninsula, in Argyll and Bute, between Portavadie on Cowal and Inveruglas on Loch Lomond side. It was formerly known as the Cowal Way, but was renamed in December 2018 to re ...

Depopulation and regeneration

The name Col-Glen is also used by the local development trust, which was set up to combat the declining population and economy in the two villages. Glendaruel local

Michael Russell MSP Michael William Russell (born 9 August 1953) is a Scottish politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs from 2020 to 2021. He served as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning from ...

said of the project: "A small and fragile community like Colintraive and Glendaruel must go forward or it will inexorably decline — in population, in services and in viability." Falling rapidly in recent years, the total adult population of the two villages combined was estimated at 250 in 2009. For over 60 years, until the late 1990s, Caol Ruadh, one of Colintraive's Victorian mansions set in a 20-acre estate, was used as a residential school for children from Glasgow with special educational needs. Financial concerns caused the

City of Glasgow Glasgow City Council is the local government authority for the City of Glasgow, Scotland. It was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, largely with the boundaries of the post-1975 City of Glasgow district of the S ...

council first to reduce subsidies and later to sell the property after it use reduced when user charges were introduced. In 2012, the grounds were opened as a

sculpture park A sculpture garden or sculpture park is an outdoor garden or park which includes the presentation of sculpture, usually several permanently sited works in durable materials in landscaped surroundings. A sculpture garden may be private, owned by a ...

for contemporary sculpture and art works. The village no longer has its own primary school; pupils are instead bussed to

Kilmodan Kilmodan is a civil parish situated on the Cowal Peninsula, in Argyll and Bute, in Scotland. It includes the valley of Glendaruel and surrounding areas, with Kilmodan Church located in the Clachan of Glendaruel. The alternative historical spellin ...

. Secondary-school pupils attend

Dunoon Grammar School Dunoon Grammar School is a secondary school in Dunoon, Cowal Peninsula, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It was founded in 1641. It is currently a non-denominational comprehensive school which covers all stages from S1 to S6 (ages 12–18). Building ...

, the only secondary school in Cowal.

Transport

Colintraive lies at the southern end of the mainland section of the A886, which links to the

. A ferry crosses the gap''Sailing Directions (enroute) for Scotland'', United States

Defense Mapping Agency The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense whose primary mission is collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of national ...

, Hydrographic Center (1976), p. 40 to

Rhubodach Rhubodach is a small settlement on the north-eastern shore of the Isle of Bute, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The name Rhubodach may come from the Gaelic ''Rubha a' Bhodaich'' which translates as ''old man's point'' or ''promontory'' or alternativ ...

on Bute, giving access to the tourist town of

Rothesay Rothesay ( ; gd, Baile Bhòid ) is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies along the coast of the Firth of Clyde. It can be reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay, which offers an onward rail ...

West Coast Motors West Coast Motors (legally incorporated as Craig of Campbeltown Limited) is a bus, coach and ferry operator, based in Campbeltown, Scotland. The company also operates under the name ''Borders Buses'' and ''Glasgow Citybus''. History The foundi ...

provides a bus service.

Community Council

The Colintraive & Glendaruel Community Council consists of six members, and meets every third Monday of the month (except July and December).

Gallery

Image:Colintraive Ferry - geograph.org.uk - 229513.jpg, MV ''Loch Dunvegan'' Image:Colintraive - Rhubodach ferry from Dundarrach - geograph.org.uk - 52252.jpg, The same ferry, from Dundarrach Image:Colintraive Bowling Green - geograph.org.uk - 765493.jpg, Colintraive bowling green Image:Cloud signals over Colintraive (3569081343).jpg, Cloud signals over Colintraive

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colintraive Ports and harbours of Scotland Villages in Cowal Kyles of Bute Highlands and Islands of Scotland