The Highlands Resort Town of Dunoon on Cowal Peninsula

The Scottish Highlands resort town of Dunoon is onbeloved Highland Mary, overlooks the Pier from the
the Cowal Peninsula in the Argyll and Bute Councilside of Castle Hill. Above the Bonny Mary ise what little
Area. Dunoon shares the Peninsula with mountainousremains of Dunoon Castle, built in the 12th century and
Argyll Forest Park, home to some of the mostdestroyed in the 1685 rebellion. Mary, Queen of Scots
breathtaking scenery in a region famous for suchwas a resident at Dunoon Castle for short time in 1563.
sights. Dunroon looks out across Holy Loch from theA new breakwater was constructed south of the Pier
Firth of Clyde. Acroos the Loch is Gourock, a onetimein 2005. A new linkspan was installed also alongside
resort but now an exclusive residential area.the breakwater. The linkspan was to be used for
Dunoon is home to the Dunoon Pier, an outstandingberthing and loading auto and truck roll-on ferries,
example of the Victorian era's embracing of piers forreplacing the main pier's side loading ferries. A
people first. Built in 1835, rebuilt 60 years later, Dunoontendering process ran in to problems regarding funding
Pier is the dock for the Gourock ferry. The town canfor the new ferries and both interested local parties
be reached by land (it is at the south end of the A815)withdrew. As of last summer the three year old
or by sea; as late as the 1960s paddle steamerslinkspan was only being used to berth the
brought vacationers from Glasgow. The PS Waverley,aforementioned paddle-wheeler PS Waverley on her
last of sea-going paddle steamers, still stops at Dunoonoccasional visits. However, all is not lost: fishermen
Pier.enjoy the new breakwater daily.
A statue of Bonny Mary O' Argyll, Robert Burns'