6. Saddell Bay

I was making my way down to Campbeltown at the foot of Kintyre for an overnight stay prior to catching the ferry to Islay the next morning, I had been driving for eight hours, but it was such a magnificent balmy late-summer evening, I decided to take the scenic route through Kintyre and stop off at Saddell Bay to see the Antony Gormley sculpture which looks proudly over the bay from the rocks. It’s a short walk from the village car park, past Saddell House and onto the beach. As everyone seems to know, this was the setting for Paul McCartney’s Mull of Kintyre music video and it still draws devotees to this day. On this fine evening, it was just me, Antony’s statue and a family staying at one of the Landmark Trust properties at the rear of the bay enjoying a peaceful glass of wine to the setting sun. Jealous

I revisited Saddell Bay a year later on my tour of Kintyre in August 2022. This time It was peak summer and a few families were enjoying the beach. I ventured further than my last visit, past the castle and along the path at the back of the wide sandy beach. This is deservedly a very popular spot. The photos below are a selection from both visits.