Kilmartin Glen, about 13 kilometres north of Lochgilphead, is one of Scotland's most important prehistoric landscapes — and one of the least crowded major archaeological sites in Britain. The valley floor is lined with a series of Bronze Age burial cairns, standing stone circles, and carved rock faces that span several thousand years of human activity.
The Kilmartin Museum in the village is an excellent starting point, with displays of artefacts found in the glen including jet necklaces, bronze axes, and elaborately carved stone slabs. From the museum, a waymarked trail connects the main monuments along the valley floor: Nether Largie cairns, the Temple Wood stone circles, and the remarkable carved rock face at Achnabreck. Allow three to four hours for a proper visit, and wear boots — the ground can be wet. The setting, with the glen framed by low hills and the ancient landscape stretching away in all directions, is genuinely moving.