Lochgilphead is a small working town, but its setting at the head of Loch Gilp on the Kintyre peninsula puts some genuinely rewarding experiences within easy reach. The Crinan Canal, beginning at nearby Ardrishaig, is the main draw — a working waterway linking Loch Fyne to the Sound of Jura, with a towpath that makes for excellent walking and cycling through wild Argyll scenery. Kilmory Castle grounds, just south of town, offer woodland walks around a handsome 19th-century pile that now serves as the Argyll and Bute Council headquarters. Further afield, the standing stones and ancient rock carvings at Kilmartin Glen — one of the most important prehistoric landscapes in Scotland — are only a short drive north.