Lerags: Churchyard, Slate Cross and Forest Paths

Lerags appeals to travellers who want to discover cultural history and the landscape in different ways. In Kilbride, you can see medieval grave slabs and traces of old drove roads. In Cologin Forest, by contrast, an informal forest walking path leads through a conifer plantation; a rough hill path continues the route idea to a reservoir. When choosing a holiday apartment or other accommodation in Lerags, it is therefore worth considering in advance whether you want to focus more on historical discoveries, forest paths or a combination of both.

Cultural history around Kilbride

The old churchyard at Kilbride contains a significant group of late medieval grave slabs. Among other features, the slabs display carvings in the Iona and Loch Awe styles, giving the site a clearly recognisable cultural-historical character. Anyone interested in ecclesiastical art, stonework and regional history will find a concrete reason here to explore the area around Lerags more closely.

Kilbride Chapel in Lerags consists of the remains of a chapel built in 1706, standing on the site of a medieval parish church. Historic Kilbride also provides an information board and a map showing the location of all the graves in the churchyard. This guidance can be helpful if you do not want to limit your visit to a brief look, but instead want to place the individual features in the landscape in a more considered context.

Another distinctive monument is the Campbell of Lerags' Cross. The freestanding cross is made from a single block of slate and was originally erected in 1516 by Archibald Campbell of Lerags. It is one of approximately ten known complete examples of the West Highland school of sculpture. The combination of material, date of origin and art-historical classification makes the cross a particularly notable detail for anyone looking for visible traces of local history while travelling.

Forest paths and different ideas for a day out

Cologin Forest lies on a ridge between Lerags Glen and Loch Gleann a’ Bhearraidh. An informal forest walking path is accessible from the chalet complex in Lerags Glen. It runs along forest tracks through a conifer plantation and is designated as a Core Path. Alongside its cultural-historical attractions, Lerags therefore offers a clearly described opportunity to include the forest in your day's itinerary.

A rough hill path leads from the forest path in Cologin Forest to a reservoir. The reservoir is used by local anglers. This description of the paths offers another way to experience the landscape: when planning your days, you can distinguish between the informal forest walking path and the continuing hill path without treating both routes as one unified trail. If you are travelling with several generations, this distinction can help you tailor your day's activities to the type of path each person prefers.

Lerags as a starting point for planning your trip

The location of Kilbride on old transport and trade routes is also part of the character of the area. Kilbride lies at the intersection of two drove roads. One of these routes runs from Cologin Farm via Kilbride to the market in Falkirk. This adds a further historical perspective to your trip planning: paths appear not only as walking opportunities today, but also as routes that connected places with one another.

When looking for holiday accommodation in Lerags, you can therefore base your choice on your personal priorities. If you are mainly interested in grave slabs, chapels and sculpture, Kilbride becomes the focus. If you want to include forest paths and a rough hill path, the information about Cologin Forest is essential. Those who want to combine both can deliberately vary their days and experience Lerags as a destination offering cultural and landscape discoveries.

Discover more places

For further trip planning, you can also view the pages for Rothesay, Minard, Campbeltown, Isle Of Mull, Kilmelfort, Lochgilphead, Crinan and Dunoon.

For the higher-level travel overview: Argyll And Bute.