Walkers in Kintyre will welcome the official opening of a new long-distance walking route through the peninsula on Saturday 12th August.

The Kintyre Way will be officially opened at 11am by George Lyon MSP at Tarbert Castle, Tarbert, followed by the unveiling of new interpretation panels.  Walkers will make their way into the village where there will be a folk band and a medieval farmer's market to celebrate the launch. 

Local people as well as tourists can now enjoy the diverse natural environment and outstanding scenery on the 149km way.  The route runs from Tarbert to Southend and approximately a third of it passes through Forestry Commission Scotland land.  It includes a couple of existing forest walks; the Tarbert to Skipness walk and a newly developed path through Deer Hill forest near Carradale. 

As well as offering side trips to secluded islands, the route offers the chance to sample some of the finest fish and shellfish on The Seafood Trail.  There is plenty of wildlife to be seen, from red squirrels and roe deer to golden eagles and badgers. 

The route will be managed by the Kintyre Marketing Group - a group of local business people who have helped with its development over several years. 

The prospect of the Kintyre Way has been turned into a reality with help from Argyll and the Islands Enterprise (AIE) that contributed £176,000 towards the construction of the paths, signage and way-makers.  Forestry Commission Scotland has carried out most of the practical work and has negotiated the route with adjoining landowners to fill the gaps.  Scottish Natural Heritage, VisitScotland and Argyll and Bute Council are all also contributing to funding of the Kintyre Way.  

The route includes a number of side spurs and goes through many small local communities.  Individual sections vary from 9km to 26km (5.6 miles to 16.25 miles), and many can be tackled as half-day or day walks using local bus services to return to the starting point. 

Ken Abernethry, chief executive of AIE said:  "Long distance footpaths have a strong following in the United Kingdom and abroad.  We are enthusiastic about what will become one of the great walks in Britain.  Its creation is another important step in making access available to the public to 'little know treasures of Kintyre."

Colin Hossack, Forestry Commission Scotland said:  "The Kintyre Way is a fantastic route.  We have a variety of trails throughout the country and this has been a great opportunity to link some of these and work with neighbouring landowners on a bigger scale.  The result is a great example of outdoor access in Scotland and a truly rewarding way to see Kintyre.

George Lyon MSP who opened the new route said:  "The opening of the Kintyre Way is an exciting new development that will attract many more visitors to this beautiful part of Scotland.  I believe it will provide a significant boost for tourism businesses in Kintyre throughout the year and it has the potential to grow into a major attraction on a par with the West Highland Way."