Glamping at the Machrihanish Holiday Park in Kintyre

Camping and glamping in Kintyre

The Kintyre Peninsula is a bit off the usual tourist trail in Scotland, yet as I discovered, it has so much to offer.  Its compact size makes it ideal for exploring over a long weekend which is exactly what I did.
There are quite a few accommodation choices in Kintyre, however I opted to stay on the campsite at Machrihanish Holiday Park.  This was partly due it's location, partly due to the reasonable cost and more importantly the fact that it is dog friendly.  I also decided to leave the tent at home and upgrade from camping to glamping in one of their cosy wigwams.  ​All the wigwams have lovely open views across the fields to the water in the distance.  The views from the wigwams are probably some of the best in the holiday park as they don't face onto anything.
The holiday park has several different options including camping, glamping (wigwams and bell tents), lodges and static caravans.  There are also touring facilities for motorhomes, caravans and campervans.

Machrihanish Holiday Park Location

Machrihanish is on the southwest coast of the Kintyre Peninsula and makes a great half way point to stop off if you are spending a couple of days exploring the area.
If you plan on eating out, The Old Clubhouse Bar and Restaurant is a short walk from the holiday park or Campbeltown is approx 4 1/2 miles away with a choice of places to eat.  If you plan on self-catering then Campbeltown also has numerous local shops and 2 supermarkets.
There is a regular bus service between Campbeltown and the holiday park if you don't want to drive.
The holiday park itself is next to the golf course and a short walk from the beach and as you can imagine it is a pretty and peaceful location.  As the west coast of Scotland is famous for its sunsets, in the evening I headed a little further south along the coast from the campsite and found the perfect viewpoint just past the sea bird observatory (approx 5 mins in the car). 

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Get more ideas for your trip in my guide to Kintyre

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Machrihanish Holiday Park Facilities

I was impressed by all the extras in my glamping hut for the price which included a kettle, toaster, microwave, electric heater, powerpoint, electric lighting with bedside dimmer, crockery, cutlery, washing bowl and sponge, tea towel, water carrier and cool box.
if the weather is on your side then you can sit out on the decking area with a picnic bench and a slab for a barbecue.  
There are two sizes of wigwam - small for up to 3 adults and large for up to 5 adults.  I stayed in the larger sized hut with Mr Adventures Around Scotland and our dog, Willow.  It felt very spacious and I would probably opt for the larger size if I stayed again as there wasn't a huge price difference for the extra space.
As bedding is the only thing not provided we brought our own and as we were glamping we ditched the sleeping bags and brought a sheet, duvet and pillows and had a really warm and comfortable night's sleep!

The toilet block is a couple of minutes walk away but I would highly recommend a torch for night-time visits as it was very dark with little lighting outside the huts.  The toilets were very clean but there was only one shower which may be a problem when the site is busy although there was another toilet block which I didn't check as it was further across the campsite.
There is also a washing up area, launderette and and a handy water tap about 15m from the wigwams if you need to fill up.

The site also provides free WiFi although I didn't manage to get the code and couldn't find it on any of the info so I don't know how well it works.  Make sure you ask for the code on arrival as the owner isn't always about.

There is a camper's room which I didn't check out as I wasn't too sure where it was, however for those staying in a tent it provides a microwave, fridge, freezer and kettle which is a handy addition.  There is also a crazy golf course which looked great fun for little and big kids!

Any downsides?

No major downside although on arrival we found the reception closed and a phone number to call which was a problem as the mobile network in the area was down and the phone box on the site was out of order.  When we did eventually manage to get a phone signal the owner quickly arrived and was very friendly and helpful.  Had we not had the car and managed to find a phone connection things could have been more problematic!
In the morning at checking out time I waited with another couple to hand our key in but the owner never arrived and yes, you guessed it, no phone signal!  With no secure place to leave the keys we had no option but to sit them at the reception door.
Also having one shower in the ladies if the site is busy may be an issue.
Overall a great place to stay but including the WiFi code on the info pack, having a map of the park available and providing a way of collecting and dropping off the key when the owner isn't about would be useful.  ​

Would I recommend?

Most definitely!  despite a few minor hiccups, Machrihanish Holiday Park is in a great location, with good facilities and is very reasonably priced.

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