Places to See
The Hill House
One of the finest and most unique country houses ever built in Scotland, The Hill House, Helensburgh, was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for the Blackie family in 1902. The whole house was his original concept and with his wife Margaret McDonald their plans and designs covered both the exterior and the interior including furniture and fittings.
The house and gardens are now fully open to the public and without doubt an essential stop in any tour of the local area.
Geilston House and Gardens
Geilston House and Gardens, dating from 1766, represent the style and intimate grandeur of the many small country houses and estates that were once found along the banks of the River Clyde. The history of the estate reflects the changing fortunes of the time and the history of Glasgow in the 18th and 19th centuries. Although the house is not open to the public, the 10 acres of gardens and grounds which extend to the north and west down and over the Geilston Burn make a delightful visit to the area.
Inveraray Castle and Town
On of the best day tours to take is a trip up to Inveraray, the estate town built by the 3rd Duke of Argyll in the mid 1700’s. Here you can wander this beautiful town and main street, enjoy the cosy atmosphere of the George Hotel, visit Inveraray Jail Museum and the seat of the current Duke of Argyll, Inveraray Castle.
Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle sits spectacularly on a volcanic rock overlooking the Firth of Clyde. The site on which the castle sits is the ancient capital of Strathclyde. It was in constant use for almost 1500 years but latterly was used by the armed forces during the last two world wars. Today it is in the care of Historic Scotland. Among its many interesting features are the 18th century artillery fortifications complete with 19th century guns, and magnificent views across the Clyde.
Denny Tank Museum
The Denny Tank Museum is part of the Scottish Maritime Museum and preserves the the world’s first commercial ship model experiment tank, built in 1882 by the Denny brothers. The brothers were builders of the famous Cutty Sark and invented the Denny helicopter, Denny hovercraft and Denny-Brown stabilisers.
