Kyles of Bute Ferry

In addition to this short crossing to Bute, the island can also be reached by the Rothesay Ferry, sailing out of Wemyss Bay on the Ayrshire Coast.

Crossings

Operated by Calmac's MV Loch Dunvegan, the Kyles of Bute service takes about 3 minutes to cross. It runs every 20/30 minutes from either side between 5.30am and 8/9pm (later start on Sunday). This ferry is one of those displaced from the Kyle of Lochalsh service when the Skye Bridge opened.

The ferry crosses at the narrowest point between Bute and the mainland, indeed the channel is so narrow that it wouldn't take much to 'throw' a bridge across it. The obvious problem with building a bridge here, however, is that it doesn't really go anywhere. It would still be a lot quicker to get to Glasgow, and indeed most places, by using the Rothesay Ferry across to Wemyss Bay. Thats not to say that the ferry is quiet, but perhaps there is more local traffic from the sparsely populated communities of Cowal across to Bute and its town of Rothesay than the other way, except for tourists of course!

History

In 1963 this service ran between 8/9am and dusk, carrying up to 8 cars across the Kyles of Bute in just 4 minutes. The cost was 7/6. However, the crossing was still in its infancy at that time. The historic crossing route to Bute was across the western Kyle, from Tighnabruaich or Kames to Kilmichael on Butes north west coast. This crossing originated because the parish church for South West Cowal was at Kilmichael on Bute, so burials in particular had to be made in the graveyard, and many other aspects of life required people to cross from their homes on Cowal to the church on Bute.

Ferries

Name	IMO	Operator	Dates	Notes
Loch Dunvegan	9006409	Calmac	1999-date	36 cars
Isle of Cumbrae	7521625	Calmac	1997-1999	18 cars
Loch Riddon	8519875	Calmac	1987-1997	12 cars

Links

• Calmac Website
• Undiscovered Scotland page