Camping in Dunoon

There is no large-scale touring or tent campsite within Dunoon itself, but the Cowal Peninsula around it is well supplied with genuine camping and touring caravan parks, all within a few miles of the town and its ferry links. The closest options sit just north of Dunoon around the Holy Loch and Kilmun, within easy reach of the seafront, the museum and the shops, while a short drive further into Cowal opens up sites set among woodland and hills, better suited to walkers heading for Puck's Glen, Benmore Botanic Garden or the Argyll Forest Park.

Facilities across the area tend towards the straightforward rather than the resort-style: electric hookups, modern shower and toilet blocks, and dog-friendly pitches are standard, while swimming pools and organised entertainment are the exception rather than the rule. That suits the kind of camping the Cowal Peninsula does best, built around walking, wildlife and the loch and forest scenery rather than static holiday parks, though touring caravans and motorhomes are just as welcome as tents at each of the sites below.

Given the region's rainfall, a hardstanding or well-drained pitch is worth checking for at busier times of year, and it is sensible to book ahead for the Cowal Highland Gathering weekend in August, when demand for pitches within reach of Dunoon rises sharply along with demand for the town's hotel rooms.