Dunoon (; ) is the main town on the

Cowal Cowal () is a rugged peninsula in Argyll and Bute, on the west coast of Scotland. It is connected to the mainland to the north, and is bounded by Loch Fyne to the west, by Loch Long and the Firth of Clyde to the east, and by the Kyles of Bute ...

peninsula in

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute (; , ) is one of 32 unitary authority, unitary council areas of Scotland, council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod ...

, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper

Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde, is the estuary of the River Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The Firth has some of the deepest coastal waters of the British Isles. The Firth is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre, Kintyre Peninsula. The ...

, to the south of the

Holy Loch The Holy Loch () is a sea loch, part 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 after leaving Ireland. Kilmun Parish Church and Argyll Mausole ...

and to the north of

Innellan Innellan is a village in Argyll and Bute, west of Scotland, on the western shore of the Firth of Clyde. It is four miles south of Dunoon. History The origin of the name "Innellan" is obscure. The village was developed as a holiday destinatio ...

. As well as forming part of the

council area {{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) A council area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Ac ...

of Argyll and Bute, Dunoon also has its own

community council A community council is a public representative body in Great Britain. In England they may be statutory parish councils by another name, under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or they may be non-statutory bodies. ...

. It was a

burgh A burgh ( ) is an Autonomy, autonomous municipal corporation in Scotland, usually a city, town, or toun in Scots language, Scots. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when David I of Scotland, King David I created ...

until 1976. The early history of Dunoon often revolves around two feuding clans: the

Lamonts Lamonts was a chain of department stores founded in Seattle, Washington. The chain was started in 1970 when Pay 'n Save renamed its suburban branches of Rhodes, a department store chain the company acquired in 1965. Lamonts remained a division of ...

and the Campbells. The town was a popular destination when travel by

steamships A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

was common around the Firth of Clyde; Glaswegians described this as going ''

doon the watter The Clyde steamer is the collective term for several passenger services that existed on the River Clyde in Scotland, running from Glasgow downstream to Rothesay and other towns, a journey known as going ''doon the watter''. The era of the Cly ...

''. This diminished, and many holidaymakers started to go elsewhere as roads and railways improved and the popularity of overseas travel increased. In 1961, during the height of the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

, Dunoon became a

garrison town A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...

to the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

. In 1992, shortly after the

dissolution of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

, they closed their Holy Loch base in Sandbank, and neighbouring Dunoon suffered an economic downturn. Since the base's closure, the town and surrounding area are again turning to tourism, marketing to outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife lovers, as well as promoting festivals and competitions. The largest annual event held in the town is the

Cowal Highland Gathering The Cowal Highland Gathering (also known as the Cowal Games) is an annual Highland games held in Dunoon, Scotland, over the final weekend in August. It is held at Dunoon Stadium. History The first record of an organised Highland games in the ...

, which has been held since 1894. The

Royal National Mòd The Royal National Mòd () is an Eisteddfod-inspired international Celtic festival focusing upon Scottish Gaelic literature, traditional music, and culture which is held annually in Scotland. It is the largest of several major Scottish Mòd ...

has also been held in the town.

History

Dunoon Castle Dunoon Castle is a ruined castle in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The castle sat upon a cone-shaped hill about high. Very little remains of the castle's structure today. Castle House, Dunoon, Castle House, built in 1822, stands a few yard ...

was built on a small, partly artificial, conical hill beside the

in the 12th century, of which low walls remain. It eventually became a royal castle with the

Earls of Argyll Duke of Argyll () is a title created in the peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the Peerages in the United Kingdom, peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The earls, marquesses, and dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most pow ...

( Campbells) as hereditary keepers, paying a nominal rent of a single red rose to the sovereign.

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

, visited Dunoon Castle on 26 July 1563 and granted several charters during her visit. In 1646 the Dunoon massacre of members of

Clan Lamont Clan Lamont (; ) is a Highland Scottish clan. The clan is said to descend from Ánrothán Ua Néill, an Irish prince of the O'Neill dynasty, and through him Niall Noigíallach, High King of Ireland. Clan Ewen of Otter, Clan MacNeil of Barra ...

by members of Clan Campbell took place. In the early 19th century, the town's main street,

Argyll Street Argyll Street is a street in the Soho district of Central London. It links Great Marlborough Street to the south to Oxford Street in the north and is connected to Regent Street to the west by Little Argyll Street. Historically it was sometimes w ...

, stopped at Moir Street. Instead of continuing to

Dunoon Pier Dunoon Pier is a Victorian era, Victorian pier in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is owned by Argyll and Bute Council, and was completed in its current form in 1898. Reaching out into the Firth of Clyde, the earliest parts of the pier date ...

, it turned right at today's Sinbad's Bar. Before

Dunoon Burgh Hall Dunoon Burgh Hall is a municipal building in Argyll Street, Dunoon, Argyll Street, Dunoon, Scotland. The structure, which is used as an events venue, is Category B listed building, listed. History Following significant population growth, largel ...

was built, beginning in 1873, the land was an open field, owned by James MacArthur Moir, leading to an area known as the Gallowhill. There were no streets and houses between Argyll Street and Edward Street. Argyll Street, roughly as it is seen today, was completed by 1870. Moir donated some of his land for the building of the Burgh Hall, but he did not get to see its completion; he died by suicide in 1872. The two banks mentioned above were the

Union Bank of Scotland The Bank of Scotland plc (Scottish Gaelic: ''Banca na h-Alba'') is a commercial and clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is part of the Lloyds Banking Group. The bank was established by the Parliament of Scotland in 1695 to devel ...

and the

City of Glasgow Bank The City of Glasgow Bank was a bank in Scotland that was largely known for its spectacular collapse in October 1878, which ruined all but 254 of its 1,200 shareholders since their liability was unlimited. History The bank was founded in 1839 ...

. The hydropathic spa, meanwhile, was "an elegant new baths building, named Ardvullin, erected a little to the north of the village as a hydropathic establishment, where baths - hot, cold, artificial salt, and Turkish — may be had at moderate charges." Many of the town's early villas had their own private bathing ground or boxes. The population of the united parishes of Dunoon and

Kilmun Kilmun () is a linear settlement on the north shore of the Holy Loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It takes its name from the 7th-century monastic community founded by an Irish monk, St Munn (Fintán of Taghmon). The ruin of a 12th-century chur ...

in 1861 was 5,444; in 1866 the estimated population of Dunoon, from Baugie Burn to

Hunters Quay Hunters Quay () is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Situated between Kirn to the south and Ardnadam to the north, Hunters Quay is the main base of Western Ferries, operating between Hunters Quay and McInroy's Point. Structures Roya ...

, was 3,000.''Colegate's Guide to Dunoon, Kirn, and Hunter's Quay'' (Second edition)
- John Colegate (1868), page 12 Submarine passing Kirn - geograph

During the

World Wars A world war is an international conflict that involves most or all of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World War I (19 ...

, as the main part of the Firth of Clyde defences, the Cloch Point-to-Dunoon

anti-submarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapon ...

boom was anchored to the shore in Dunoon below Castle Hill. A

Palmerston Fort The Palmerston Forts are a group of forts and associated structures around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The forts were built during the Victorian era, Victorian period on the recommendations of the 1860 Royal Commission on the De ...

and camp at Ardhallow Battery in the south of the town provided one of the coastal defence gun emplacements that covered the anti-submarine boom and Firth of Clyde waters. There also was a gun emplacement atop Castle Hill. In 1961, as the

intensified, the

's importance grew when the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

submarine tender USS ''Proteus'' brought Polaris ballistic missiles,

nuclear submarines A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear weapons, nuclear-armed. Nuclear submarines have considerable performance advantages over "conventional" (typically Marine diesel engine, diesel-elect ...

to the Firth of Clyde at Sandbank.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is an organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nucl ...

protesters drew this to the public's attention. Holy Loch was, for thirty years, the home port of U.S. Navy

Submarine Squadron 14 Submarine Squadron 14 (SUBRON 14), also known as Site One, Holy Loch, was a United States Navy submarine squadron. It was based at Holy Loch, Firth of Clyde, Scotland, between 1958 and 1992. History During World War II, served as tender and staff ...

and Dunoon, therefore, became a garrison town. In 1991, the Holy Loch base was deemed unnecessary following the demise of the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and was subsequently withdrawn. The last submarine tender to be based there, the USS ''Simon Lake'', left Holy Loch in March 1992, leading to a major and continuing downturn in the local economy."If you rebuild it, they will come: Unlocking local creativity 'doon the watter' , Jay Merrick"
- The Academy of Urbanism In May 2012, Dunoon and

Campbeltown Campbeltown (; or ) is a town and former royal burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies by Campbeltown Loch on the Kintyre Peninsula. Campbeltown became an important centre for Scotch whisky, and a busy fishing port. The 2018 populatio ...

were jointly named as the rural places in Scotland most vulnerable to a downturn in a report by the

Scottish Agricultural College Scotland's Rural College (SRUC; ) is a public land based research institution focused on agriculture and life sciences. Its history stretches back to 1899 with the establishment of the West of Scotland Agricultural College and its current orga ...

looking at ninety places.

Government and politics

Dunoon is represented in the

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...

Jenni Minto Jennifer Margot Minto (born 1968) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Argyll and Bute since 2021. She has been serving as Minister for Public Health and Women's Health since ...

, of the

Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic party. The party holds 61 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and holds 9 out of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, ...

(SNP), who holds the

seat. Dunoon also lies within the

Highlands and Islands The Highlands and Islands is an area of Scotland broadly covering the Scottish Highlands, plus Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles). The Highlands and Islands are sometimes defined as the area to which the Crofters' Act o ...

electoral region, from which a further seven additional members are elected to produce a form of

proportional representation Proportional representation (PR) refers to any electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to political divisions (Political party, political parties) amon ...

for the region as a whole. In the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

, Dunoon is represented by the SNP's

Brendan O'Hara Brendan O'Hara (born 27 April 1963) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He serves as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber since the 2024 United Kingdo ...

, who holds a seat also titled

Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was first contested at the 2024 general election, since when it ...

, although this seat has different boundaries from the one used for the Scottish Parliament.

Argyll and Bute Council Argyll and Bute Council (Scottish Gaelic: ''Comhairle Earra Ghàidheal is Bhòid'') is one of the 32 local authorities of Scotland, covering the Argyll and Bute council area. Thirty-six representative members make up the council, elected, sin ...

is the

Local Authority Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...

for the

covering Dunoon. It is one of 32 such council areas across Scotland. Dunoon forms a single ward for elections to Argyll and Bute Council, electing three councillors via the

single transferable vote The single transferable vote (STV) or proportional-ranked choice voting (P-RCV) is a multi-winner electoral system in which each voter casts a single vote in the form of a ranked ballot. Voters have the option to rank candidates, and their vot ...

system. At the last election, held in May 2017, one

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

and one member from each of the SNP and the

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...

was elected to represent the town. Dunoon has a

, whose primary role is to represent the views of the community to the Local Authority and other public bodies.

Religion

There are a number of churches in Dunoon, including: Church of Scotland: St John's Church Roman Catholic: Our Lady and St Mun's Church Other churches:

Historical

There is evidence of an

episcopal seat A cathedral is a church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations with an episcop ...

at Dunoon from the latter part of the 15th century. No remains of the Bishop's Palace now exist, the site is now occupied by the playground of

Dunoon Primary School Dunoon Primary School is a school in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located in a Category B listed building dating from 1901. The school accommodates 300 pupils. History The site was the original 1641 location of Dunoon Grammar Schoo ...

, between Hillfoot Street and Kirk Street. Defunct religious buildings

Culture

Architecture

Dunoon Pier

Dunoon's

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...

pier A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...

was extended to the current structure between 1896 and 1898.DUNOON PIER WITH WAITING ROOMS AND PIER MASTER'S OFFICE, SIGNAL TOWER AND ADJOINING TEAROOM, TICKET LODGE, PIER RAILINGS
–

Historic Environment Scotland Historic Environment Scotland (HES) () is an executive non-departmental public body responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment. HES was formed in 2015 from the merger of government agency Historic Sc ...

It was shortened to allow the building of a

breakwater Breakwater may refer to: * Breakwater (structure), a structure for protecting a beach or harbour Places * Breakwater, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia * Breakwater Island, Antarctica * Breakwater Islands, Nunavut, Canada * ...

in 2005, just to the south of the pier. As well as protecting the pier and its architecture from

storm surges A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...

, a new link span was installed alongside the breakwater. This was to allow the berthing and loading of

roll-on/roll-off Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, Trailer (vehicle), trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their ...

ferries instead of the side-loading ferries that used to serve the pier. A tender to serve the new link-span between two interested parties,

Caledonian MacBrayne Caledonian MacBrayne (), in short form CalMac, is the trade name of CalMac Ferries Ltd, the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries to the west coast of Scotland, serving ports on the mainland and 22 of the major islands. It is a subsid ...

and

Western Ferries Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd (also known as Western Ferries) is a private ferry company with its headquarters in Hunters Quay, Scotland. It currently operates on the Firth of Clyde running a year-round, high-frequency vehicle carrying service b ...

, came to nothing. Prior to June 2011, the pier was in daily use by Caledonian MacBrayne, who ran a regular foot passenger and car-ferry service to

Gourock Gourock ( ; ) is a town in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area and formerly a burgh of the County of Renfrew in the west of Scotland. It was a resort town, seaside resort on the East shore of the upper Firth of Clyde. Its ma ...

. However, after June 2011, a renewed tendering process produced a passenger-only ferry service ( Argyll Ferries, owned by Caledonian MacBrayne) using the breakwater for berthing. On 1 September 2004, during the construction of the breakwater, the cargo vessel Jackie Moon (82 metres in length) ran aground on the breakwater, with six people on board. Since the breakwater became operational in June 2011, Argyll Ferries operate from this docking facility. The ''Waverley'' struck the breakwater on 26 June 2009, with some 700 people on board. The pier was partially refurbished by

during 2015. Now containing meeting rooms, it is purely a tourist attraction.

Burgh Hall

Dunoon Burgh Hall opened in 1874, the work of notable Glasgow architect Robert Alexander Bryden, who is buried in Dunoon Cemetery, a mile to the north. It is a

Scottish baronial Scottish baronial or Scots baronial is an architectural style of 19th-century Gothic Revival which revived the forms and ornaments of historical architecture of Scotland in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period. Reminiscent of Scot ...

-style building that housed the municipal offices and had a hall accommodating 500 people. The

Category B listed This is a list of Category A listed buildings in Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern ...

building re-opened in June 2017, and is a fully accessible venue for exhibitions, performances and gatherings. Alongside a gallery and theatre, the venue offers creative workshop space, a garden and a café.

Other buildings

On 20 August 2021, several Argyll Street buildings were destroyed in an

arson Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercr ...

attack.

Landmarks and attractions

Mary Campbell, also known as "Highland Mary" and "Bonny Mary O' Argyll", was born at Auchamore Farm in Dunoon. She had a relationship with the bard

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...

. The ''Highland Mary'' statue was erected in 1896; it is prominently sited on Castle Hill, overlooking the breakwater in Dunoon. The statue is a scheduled monument (LB26437). The war memorial of Dunoon is located in the Castle Gardens, overlooking the pier. The

Queen's Hall The Queen's Hall was a concert hall in Langham Place, London, Langham Place, London, opened in 1893. Designed by the architect Thomas Knightley, it had room for an audience of about 2,500 people. It became London's principal concert venue. Fro ...

is the town's major multi-function hall complex. It is situated opposite the head of the Victorian pier and built in 1958. It was officially opened by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

on 11 August 1958. Riverside Swim and Health Centre, including an indoor pool (25m long) and associated facilities, located on Alexandra Parade. Dunoon Library is situated in the rebuilt Queens Hall at the Castle Gardens. A small group of rocks, known as

the Gantocks The Gantocks is a small group of rocks lying off Dunoon in the upper Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde, is the estuary of the River Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The Firth has some of the deepest coastal waters of the British Isles. T ...

, lie off the coast at Dunoon. The navigation beacon on the Gantocks in the Firth of Clyde is close to the coast at Dunoon. It was built in 1886. The Clan Lamont Memorial, also known as the Dunoon Massacre Memorial, is on Tom-A-Mhoid Road close to Castle Hill. It was dedicated in 1906 and commemorates the Dunoon massacre of 1646, when the Campbell Clan attacked the Lamont Clan, killing over 200 people. Local wildlife includes

seals Seals may refer to: * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impress an emblem, used as a means of a ...

otters Otters are carnivorous mammals in the Rank (zoology), subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic animal, aquatic, or Marine ecology, marine. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae Family (biology), family, whi ...

dolphins A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the cetacean clade Odontoceti (toothed whale). Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontopori ...

basking sharks The basking shark (''Cetorhinus maximus'') is the second-largest living shark and fish, after the whale shark. It is one of three plankton-eating shark species, along with the whale shark and megamouth shark. Typically, basking sharks reach ...

, roe deer,

red deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...

red squirrel The red squirrel (''Sciurus vulgaris''), also called Eurasian red squirrel, is a species of tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus''. It is an arboreal and primarily herbivorous rodent and common throughout Eurasia. Taxonomy There have been ...

s, and many species of birds. The Castle House Museum opens during the summer season. It holds historical information and displays for Dunoon and the Cowal peninsula.

Festivals

The

, established in 1894, attracts contestants and spectators from all over the world. It is held annually over the final weekend in August at

Dunoon Stadium Dunoon Stadium is a single-tier grandstand and natural environ in Dunoon, Scotland. A cinder track surrounds a central grassed area, overlooked from the south by the grandstand. Today, the stadium is the focal point of the Cowal Highland Ga ...

. Cowal Open Studios, held over a fortnight in September, gives the opportunity to visit the studios of artists around Dunoon and Cowal. Cowalfest celebrates the outdoors activities like rambling around Dunoon for ten days in October. Since the 1930s Dunoon has hosted the

a number of times – 1930, 1950, 1968, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012 and 2018.List of Mod's places
for each year on

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (; ) is a public higher education college situated in the Sleat peninsula in the south of the Isle of Skye, Scotland with an associate campus at Bowmore on the island of Islay. Sabhal Mòr is an independent Academic Part ...

website In 2013, the first Dunoon Film Festival was held over three days and opened with first public screening of ''

Your Cheatin' Heart "Your Cheatin' Heart" is a song written and recorded by country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams in 1952. It is regarded as one of country's most important standards. Williams was inspired to write the song while driving with his fiancée ...

'', a series made by the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

that had last been shown on television in 1990.

Transport

Dunoon is accessible by direct land and sea routes and indirectly by rail at

Road

Dunoon lies towards the southern end of the

A815 road The A815 is a major road in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It runs for about from the A83, near Cairndow, in the north, to Toward in the south. It passes beside three lochs, while its final stretch is along the Firth of Clyde. Route The road ...

. At its northernmost point, near

Cairndow Cairndow () is a coastal hamlet (place), hamlet in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The town lies between the A83 road and the head of Loch Fyne. Cairndow's school closed in 1988 after the roll fell to just 3 pupils. Now children in the area are sen ...

, this road joins the A83 and provides access to the town by road from

Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; ) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault (HBF), often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands.Tom Weir. ''The Scottish Lochs''. pp. 33-43. Published by ...

/ Glasgow in the east, from

Inveraray Inveraray ( or ; meaning "mouth of the Aray") is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Located on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, Inveraray is a former royal burgh and known affectionately as "The Capital of Argyll." It is the ...

Oban Oban ( ; meaning ''The Little Bay'') is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William, Highland, Fort William. During the tourist seaso ...

in the north and from

in the west.

Ferry

Two ferry operators provide services to Dunoon from Gourock: Caledonian MacBrayne MV Argyll Flyer at Dunoon pier

The

public service A public service or service of general (economic) interest is any service intended to address the needs of aggregate members of a community, whether provided directly by a public sector agency, via public financing available to private busin ...

route provided by the

Scottish Government The Scottish Government (, ) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in ...

owned Caledonian MacBrayne, which is a foot-passenger-only service between Dunoon Breakwater and

pier, giving easy access to the

National Rail National Rail (NR) is the trading name licensed for use by the Rail Delivery Group, a group representing passenger train operating companies (TOCs) of England, Scotland, and Wales. The TOCs run the passenger services previously provided by ...

Network. Western Ferries Local company Western Ferries (Clyde) LTD, carries motor vehicles and foot passengers between

near Dunoon and McInroy's Point on the A770, (Cloch Road). Travel connections For foot passengers at Gourock Pier, a

ScotRail ScotRail Trains Limited, trading as ScotRail (), is a Scottish train operating company that is publicly owned by Scottish Rail Holdings on behalf of the Scottish Government. It has been operating the ScotRail franchise as an operator of las ...

train service provides access to the

network at Glasgow Central, via the local service

Inverclyde Line The Inverclyde Line is a railway line running from Glasgow Central station through Paisley (Gilmour Street) and a series of stations to the south of the River Clyde and the Firth of Clyde, terminating at Gourock and Wemyss Bay, where it conn ...

Bus

Public transport within Dunoon and the surrounding area is provided under government subsidy by bus and coach operator

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'' in the Scottish Borders and formerly under ...

. West Coast Motors' route 486 provides a regular return journey from Dunoon town centre to

, where it connects with a

Scottish Citylink Scottish Citylink is a long-distance express coach operator in Scotland and Ireland (where it operates as Irish Citylink) and formerly England (where it operated as Stansted Citylink). The company was formed as a subsidiary of Scottish Transp ...

service 926 and 976 onward to Campbeltown,

, Glasgow and points in-between. Route 478 runs from Dunoon Pier to

Portavadie Portavadie () is a village on the shores of Loch Fyne on the coast of the Cowal Peninsula, in Argyll and Bute, West of Scotland. The Portavadie complex was built in 1975 by the then Scottish Office for the purpose of constructing concrete pl ...

six days a week.

Historical

Modern Dunoon owes its existence to steam power; as late as 1822 there were only three or four slated houses, the rest of the residences being traditional Highland cottages. In the

New Statistical Account The ''Statistical Accounts of Scotland'' are a series of documentary publications, related in subject matter though published at different times, covering life in Scotland in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The ''Old (or First) Statistica ...

, the MP James Ewing from Glasgow is named as beginning the expansion of the village when he built Castle House close to Dunoon Castle. The growth of the village increased from that time, paralleling the engineering-led growth of the steamers. Other infrastructural advances also helped like the construction of a jetty in 1835. From 1812 to the late 1960s, thousands of holiday-makers travelled ''doon the watter'' from

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

and industrial

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark (; ), is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the Central Lowlands and Southern Uplands of Scotland. The county is no l ...

to Dunoon and to numerous other town piers on the Firth of Clyde. In 1868, the following summer excursions by water could be had from Dunoon (going and returning the same day): *

Ardentinny Ardentinny () is a small village on the western shore of Loch Long, north of Dunoon in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Nearby is Cruach a Chaise (Cheese Hill). On the opposite side of Loch Long is the village of Coulport, home of RNAD Coulport, ...

, ''Chancellor'', 11 A.M. *

Ardrishaig Ardrishaig () is a coastal village on Loch Gilp, at the southern (eastern) entrance to the Crinan Canal in Argyll and Bute in the west of Scotland. It lies immediately to the south of Lochgilphead, with the nearest larger town being Oban. Hi ...

, ''Iona'', 9.30 A.M. * Arran, ''Hero'', 10.30 A.M. * Arrochar, ''Chancellor'', 11 A.M. *

Ayr Ayr ( ; ; , meaning "confluence of the River Àir"), is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. A former royal burgh, today it is the administrative centre of South Ayrshire Council, and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With ...

, ''Vale of Clyde'', 9.15 A.M. * Blairmore, ''Chancellor'', 11 A.M. *

Brodick Brodick ( , ("Castle Beach") or ''Breadhaig'') is the main village on the Isle of Arran, in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. It is halfway along the east coast of the island, in Brodick Bay below Goat Fell, the tallest mountain on Arran. The name ...

, ''Hero'', 10.30 A.M. *

, ''Gael'', 9.15 A.M. *

Carradale Carradale (, ) is a village on the east side of the Kintyre Peninsula, overlooking the Kilbrannan Sound and the west coast of the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde, approximately from Campbeltown. To the north of Carradale is the coastal p ...

, ''Gael'', 9.15 A.M. * Fairlie, ''Vale of Clyde'', 9.15 A.M. *

Gareloch The Gare Loch or Gareloch () is an open sea loch in Argyll and Bute in the west of Scotland, and it bears a similar name to the village of Gairloch in the north west Highlands. The loch is well used for recreational boating, water sports an ...

, early steamer to

Greenock Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...

, thence per

Garelochhead Garelochhead (,
, "Headland of the Short Lake") is a ...

steamer *

, various during the day *

Kyles of Bute The Kyles of Bute () form a narrow sea channel that separates the northern end of the Isle of Bute from the Cowal, Cowal Peninsula in Argyll and Bute, on the Scotland, Scottish mainland. The surrounding hillsides are roughly wooded, and overlook ...

, to

Tighnabruaich Tighnabruaich (; ) is a village on the Cowal Peninsula, on the western arm of the Kyles of Bute in Argyll and Bute, west of Scotland. In 2011 the population was 660. It is west of Glasgow and north of the Isle of Arran. Tighnabruaich is now p ...

Colintraive Colintraive () is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Once the site where cattle were swum across the narrows to the Isle of Bute, the MV ''Loch Dunvegan'' — a ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne — now provides a link to the islan ...

, ''Iona'';

Kilchattan Bay Kilchattan Bay is a village on the Isle of Bute, Scotland. It lies on the island's southern end, along the coast road at the foot of a steep hill called the ''Suidhe Chattan'' which shields the village from the prevailing westerly wind. The vill ...

Bute Bute or BUTE may refer to: People * Marquess of Bute, a title in the Peerage of Great Britain; includes lists of baronets, earls and marquesses of Bute * Lord of Bute, a title in medieval Scotland, including a list of lords * Lucian Bute (born ...

, ''Hero'' *

Lamlash Lamlash () is a village on the Isle of Arran, in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. It lies south of the island's main settlement and ferry port Brodick, in a sheltered bay on the island's east coast, facing the Holy Isle. Lamlash is the seat of A ...

, ''Hero'', 10.30 A.M. *

Largs Largs () is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" (''An Leargaidh'') in Scottish Gaelic. A popular seaside resort with a pier, the town markets itself on its histor ...

, ''Vale of Clyde'', or early steamer to Innellan, thence cross by Wemyss Bay Railway Steamer to

Wemyss Bay Wemyss Bay () is a village on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in Inverclyde in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It is in the traditional county of Renfrewshire (historic), Renfrewshire. It is adjacent to Skelmorlie, North Ayrshire. The town ...

* Lochgoil, ''Chancellor'' and ''Lochlong''; change at Blairmore *

, ''Chancellor'' or early steamer to

Bowling Bowling is a Throwing sports#Target sports, target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a bowling ball, ball toward Bowling pin, pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). Most references to ''bowling'' are ...

, thence by rail to Balloch, thence by steamer to

Tarbert Tarbert () is a place name in Scotland and Ireland. Places named Tarbert are characterised by a narrow strip of land, or isthmus. This can be where two lochs nearly meet, or a causeway out to an island. Etymology All placenames that variously s ...

, where cross to Arrochar, and catch ''Chancellor'' returning, or vice-versa *

Loch Long Loch Long is a body of water in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The sea loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end, to the Arrochar Alps at the head of the loch. It measures approximately in length, with a wi ...

, ''Chancellor'' * Millport, ''Vale of Clyde'', 9.15 A.M. *

Rothesay Rothesay ( ; ) 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 a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from Wemyss Bay, which also offers an ...

, various during the day *Tarbert, ''Iona'' *

Troon Troon (Scottish Gaelic: ''An Truthail'') is a town and sea port in South Ayrshire, situated on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland, about north of Ayr and northwest of Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Troon has a port with ferry and freight serv ...

, ''Vale of Clyde'' *Wemyss Bay, steamer to Innellan, thence cross by Wemyss Bay Railway Steamer to Wemyss Bay Only one

Clyde steamer The Clyde steamer is the collective term for several passenger services that existed on the River Clyde in Scotland, running from Glasgow downstream to Rothesay and other towns, a journey known as going ''doon the watter''. The era of the Cl ...

, the '' Waverley'', satisfies demand for this business today. It berths at the breakwater when visiting Dunoon during its summer season.

Education

Dunoon is served by three primary schools.

is on Hillfoot Street; this building was the original 1641 location of

Dunoon Grammar School Dunoon Grammar School is a secondary school in Dunoon, on the Cowal, Cowal Peninsula, in Argyll and Bute, west of Scotland. It was founded in 1641. It is currently a non-denominational comprehensive school which covers all stages from S1 to S6 ...

. St Muns Primary School is on Pilot Street and Kirn Primary School is on Park Road. Dunoon Grammar School is located on Ardenslate Road in Kirn. The

University of the Highlands and Islands The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) () is an integrated, tertiary institution encompassing both further and higher education. It is composed of 10 colleges and research institutions spread around Inverness, the Highlands and Isl ...

' Argyll College has a campus in Dunoon, located in the West Bay, near the breakwater and Castle Hill.

Sport and recreation

National Cycle Route 75

Dunoon is on the NCR75 a route from

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

to Tarbert on the

Kintyre peninsula Kintyre (, ) is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The peninsula stretches about , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south to East and West Loch Tarbert in the north. The region immediately north of Kintyre is ...

. The National Cycle Network is maintained by

sustrans Sustrans ( ) is a United Kingdom-based walking, wheeling and cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network. Its flagship project is the National Cycle Network, which has created of signed cycle routes throughout the United ...

Dunoon Stadium

The town's sporting arena is Dunoon Stadium, which is located in the north of the town on Argyll Street. When it hosted

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

matches, it had the largest capacity of any amateur ground in Scotland. It later became the focal point of the Cowal Highland Gathering. Motorcycle dirt track racing (or speedway) was staged at the stadium on 18 June 1932 as part of the annual Dunoon and Cowal Agricultural Show. A demonstration event had been staged in May 1932. The Dunoon Youth Football League (DYFL), founded in 1981, is a voluntary organisation that teaches football skills to all interested children with ages between 4 and 17. The DYFL have their own clubhouse and changing facilities at Dunoon Stadium. All coaches are parents who have received coaching certification through the Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA), and the club has a PGA officer and coaches with Sports Injuries First Aid certification. Cowal Rugby Club was formed in 1976. In 2008 it scored its first league victory in the

Scottish Hydro Electric Scottish Hydro-Electric (named North of Scotland Electricity between 1 April 1989 and 1 August 1989) was a public electricity supplier in the United Kingdom. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 ...

Western Regional League West Division 2. Dunoon Amateurs F.C. was founded in 1975 and play football at Dunoon Stadium and Dunoon Grammar School. Dunoon Camanachd was established in 2015; the shinty team started competing in South Division 2, in 2016. Cowal Golf Club is situated on the hillside above

Kirn Kirn () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach Districts of Germany, district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Kirner Land. Kirn is a Central place theory, middle centre serving an area ...

. Founded in October 1891, initially as a nine-hole course designed by Willie Campbell from

Bridge of Weir Bridge of Weir is a village within the Renfrewshire council areas of Scotland, council area and wider counties of Scotland, historic county of Renfrewshire (historic), Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Lying within the Gryf ...

. It was formerly an eighteen-hole course, reconstructed by James Braid between 1924 and 1928. The current clubhouse was built in 1996. Due to financial issues, club assets were sold off in 2020. The golf club is still trading, although as a result of a land sale the course is now only a twelve-hole course. The club is now owned by "Cowal Golf and Lodge Resort Ltd. The two

bowling Bowling is a Throwing sports#Target sports, target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a bowling ball, ball toward Bowling pin, pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). Most references to ''bowling'' are ...

clubs in Dunoon are Dunoon–Argyll Bowling Club, on Mary Street, and Bogleha' Bowling Club, on Argyll Street. They are two of the 21 members of

Bowls Scotland Bowls Scotland is the governing body for the sport of bowls in Scotland. A subsidiary of World Bowls, it is responsible for the leadership, development and management of lawn bowls in Scotland. It is headquartered in Ayr Ayr ( ; ; , meanin ...

's District 26. In 2006 and 2007, the town hosted a six-a-side

swamp football Swamp football (also called swamp soccer or suopotkupallo in Finnish) is a variant of association football played in bogs or swamps, characterized by its physically challenging environment. Originating in Finland in 1998, it was initially used as ...

tournament that attracted around 500 players and 1,000 spectators. Castle Tennis Club is situated in the town's Castle Garden. The club has two concrete and two all-weather courts, all lighted. Every year in June, the town hosts the Argyll Rally, a motorsport event that takes place on closed public roads around the local area. The rally counts as a round of the

Scottish Rally Championship The Scottish Rally Championship is a rallying series run throughout Scotland over the course of a year, that comprises both gravel and closed surface rallies.http://www.scottishrallychampionship.co.uk/ SRC Homepage Points are awarded to the top ...

and brings competitors from all over United Kingdom.

Walks

Trails (walks, running and mountain biking) thread through the hills surrounding Dunoon. Corlarach Hill has

waymarked Trail blazing or way marking is the practice of marking paths in outdoor recreational areas with signs or markings that follow each other at certain, though not necessarily exactly defined, distances and mark the direction of the trail. A blaz ...

routes for walkers, mountain biking and horse riders. These trails are located next to the Bishop's Glen. Puck's Glen is a popular short walk set in the hills close to

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, west of Scotland. The gardens are on the west ...

. (The arboretum at Benmore Botanic Garden, formerly a private garden for the Younger family, is now open to the public. It comprises and features some of the tallest trees in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

, including the avenue of

Giant Redwoods ''Sequoiadendron giganteum'' (also known as the giant sequoia, giant redwood, Sierra redwood or Wellingtonia) is a species of coniferous tree, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae. Giant sequoia specimens are the la ...

(Sequoia), some of which are over high. One of Dunoon's listed buildings is the Grade 2

fernery A fernery is a specialized garden for the cultivation and display of ferns. In many countries, ferneries are indoors or at least sheltered or kept in a shadehouse to provide a moist environment, filtered light and protection from frost and other ...

, which was reopened in 2009 after an 18-month restoration.) Part of the

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies ...

, the Garden is north of the town, just before

Loch Eck Loch Eck (Gaelic: ''Loch Eich'') is a freshwater loch located on the Cowal Peninsula, north of Dunoon, in Argyll and Bute, west of Scotland. It is long. It is oriented in a north-south direction. Its main inflow, at the northern end, is the ...

. A tumbling burn, criss-crossed by bridges, is enclosed by rocky walls heavily hung with

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular plant, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic phylum, division Bryophyta (, ) ''sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Wilhelm Philippe Schimper, Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryo ...

es and overshadowed by dense trees. The walk has clear, waymarked paths. The glen is named after Puck, from ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...

''. Morag's Fairy Glen is a short gorge walk, with trails alongside the Berry Burn, located on the hill behind the West Bay area of Dunoon. The Bishop's Glen Reservoir trail follows the shore of the remaining one of three reservoirs in the glen, that used to supply fresh water to Dunoon. The reservoir is damming the Balgaidgh Burn (Balgie) and is now a freshwater

fly fishing Fly fishing is an angling technique that uses an ultra-lightweight lure called an artificial fly, which typically mimics small invertebrates such as flying and aquatic insects to attract and catch fish. Because the mass of the fly lure is in ...

location. Access to the hills behind Dunoon, including Corlarach Hill, is available from the Bishop's Glen Reservoir trail.

Media

Dunoon's local weekly newspaper is the '' Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard'', which was founded in 1871 in Sandbank by editor and proprietor William Inglis Sr. (The town once had three other newspapers, namely the ''Cowal Watchman'' (1876),''Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland A Graphic and Accurate Description of Every Place in Scotland'' (1901)
- p. 1330 ''Dunoon Herald and Cowal Advertiser'' and the ''Dunoon Telegraph''.) Dunoon Community Radio was launched in 2009. Broadcasting on 97.4 FM from the ''Dunoon Observer'' building, it is an independent social business entirely staffed by volunteers.

Notable people

Virginia Bottomley Virginia Hilda Brunette Maxwell Bottomley, Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone, (née Garnett, born 12 March 1948) is a British Conservative Party politician and headhunter. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons from 198 ...

, politician * Robert Alexander Bryden, architect, educated in Dunoon * Mary Campbell, love interest of

* MT Carney, businesswoman *

Donald Caskie Donald Currie Caskie, OBE, DD (22 May 190227 December 1983) was a minister in the Church of Scotland, best known for his work in France during World War II. He was a member of the Pat O'Leary escape line which helped up to 500 Allied sail ...

, minister, educated in Dunoon * Peter Dorschel, spy, tried for espionage in Dunoon *

William Fraser William Fraser may refer to: Military people *William W. Fraser (1844–1915), American Civil War soldier and Medal of Honor recipient *William Archibald Kenneth Fraser (1886–1969), British army officer *William Fraser (British Army officer) ( ...

, architect, lived in Dunoon *

Stewart Houston Stewart Mackie Houston (born 20 August 1949) is a Scottish former association football, football player and coach (sports), coach who played as a Defender (association football)#Full-back, left-back. Born in Dunoon, he began his professional c ...

, footballer, born in Dunoon * Sir

Harry Lauder Sir Henry Lauder (; 4 August 1870 – 26 February 1950)Russell, Dave"Lauder, Sir Henry (1870–1950)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, online edition, January 2011, accessed 27 April 2014 was a S ...

(1870–1950), whose '' Laudervale'' mansion stood just south of Dunoon on Bullwood Road * Neil MacFarlane, footballer, born in Dunoon *

Mackintosh MacKay Mackintosh MacKay (1793 – 1873) was a Scottish minister and author who served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland in 1849. He edited the Highland Society's prodigious Gaelic dictionary ('Dictionarium Scoto-Celt ...

, minister in Dunoon and Gaelic scholar *

Sylvester McCoy Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long ...

, actor * Alexander Robertson, boatbuilder operating from boatyard near Dunoon * George Robertson, politician, educated in Dunoon *

Arabella Scott Arabella Scott (7 May 1886 – 27 August 1980) was a Scottish teacher, suffragette hunger striker and women's rights campaigner. As a member of the Women's Freedom League (WFL) she took a petition to Downing Street in July 1909. She subsequen ...

, suffragette, born in Dunoon *

Muriel Scott Muriel Eleanor Scott (1888–1963), was a Scottish suffragette, hunger striker, and protest organiser. Her sister Arabella Scott was force-fed many times, and Muriel Scott led protests about this cruel treatment. Family and education Muriel ...

, suffragette, family home was in Dunoon * John Smith, politician, educated in Dunoon *

Neil Warnock Neil Warnock (born 1 December 1948) is an English football manager and former player who is currently football advisor at Torquay United. He is also a television and radio pundit. In a managerial career spanning five decades, Warnock has managed ...

, football manager *

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (June 20, 1942 – June 11, 2025) was an American musician, songwriter, singer and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often Brian Wilson is a genius, called a genius for his novel approaches to pop compositio ...

, politician

Gallery

File:Dunoon Grammar School Hostel (geograph 5421634).jpg, Dunoon Grammar School Hostel File:Entrance to Dunoon Grammar School - geograph.org.uk - 3086981.jpg, Entrance to Dunoon Grammar School File:Northern Constabulary Pipe Band at Cowal Highland Games Dunoon Scotland (4949923566).jpg, Pipe band at the

File:Dunoon from above the Firth of Clyde - geograph.org.uk - 1143850.jpg, Dunoon from above the

, looking west File:Dunoon Pier - panoramio.jpg, The eastern side of Dunoon Pier File:Highland Mary - geograph.org.uk - 430101.jpg, ''Highland Mary'' statue File:Dunoon Castle Gardens - geograph.org.uk - 725762.jpg, Castle House Gardens and war memorial, looking northeast to East Bay File:The Gantocks from Dunoon - geograph.org.uk - 734466.jpg,

The Gantocks The Gantocks is a small group of rocks lying off Dunoon in the upper Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde, is the estuary of the River Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The Firth has some of the deepest coastal waters of the British Isles. T ...

from Dunoon, with Inverkip in the background to the east File:Castle Hill Dunoon - geograph.org.uk - 995905.jpg, Castle Hill, looking west File:Firth of Clyde, from West Bay, Dunoon, Cowal, Argyll and Bute.jpg, Firth of Clyde, from West Bay, Dunoon, Cowal, Argyll and Bute

Geography

Dunoon is on the west coast of the upper

, and on the east coast of the claw-shaped

peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...

. Much of the Cowal peninsula is covered with forest, particularly in the northern stretches and to the west and south with small patches in the south-east and east. To the north and north-west is the

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, ...

that was established in 1935.

Climate

As with the rest of the

British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

, Dunoon has a

maritime climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring ...

with cool summers and mild winters. It is an exceptionally wet part of the country, particularly so for a place near sea-level, with annual average rainfall totals nearing . Recorded temperature extremes since 1960 range from during July 1983 to as low as during January 1982.

References

External links

Visit Scotland, Dunoon page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunoon Cowal Firth of Clyde Highlands and Islands of Scotland Port cities and towns in Scotland Ports and harbours of Scotland Seaside resorts in Scotland Towns in Argyll and Bute Populated coastal places in Scotland Burghs Parishes in Argyll

History

Government and politics

Religion

Historical

Culture

Architecture

Dunoon Pier

Burgh Hall

Other buildings

Landmarks and attractions

Festivals

Transport

Road

Ferry

Bus

Historical

Education

Sport and recreation

National Cycle Route 75

Dunoon Stadium

Walks

Media

Notable people

Gallery

Geography

Climate

See also

References

External links