St Conan’s Kirk

St Conan's Kirk tickets: which one to buy

Saint Conan's Kirk stands on the shore of Loch Awe, near the village of Lochawe in Argyll, in the west of Scotland, and entry is free, with donations welcome. It is one of the most unusual churches in Scotland, combining a wide range of architectural styles, and it is set in a peaceful garden overlooking the loch. The kirk is a short drive from Kilchurn Castle, the ruined castle on the loch, and the Cruachan Power Station visitor centre, where tours take visitors into a hydroelectric plant inside a mountain.

Lochawe has a railway station on the line between Glasgow and Oban, making the church reachable by train. Tours of the western Highlands sometimes stop here on the way to Oban. The church is used for services, and there is a small cafe in the grounds in summer. Parking is available beside the road above the church, with a path down to the entrance.

Visiting St Conan's Kirk: what to see

The church was built by Walter Douglas Campbell, a wealthy architect and brother of the local laird, who began it in 1881 as a small church for his mother, who found the walk to the parish church too long. He later rebuilt and expanded it on a grand scale from 1907, working on it until his death in 1914, and his sister Helen continued the work, which was finished in 1930. The result is a remarkable mixture of Romanesque, Gothic, Norman and Arts and Crafts styles, built of granite, with a cloister garth, a bell tower and stained glass. Inside, the church has a carved wooden chapel dedicated to Robert the Bruce, with an effigy of the king and a small bone from his tomb at Dunfermline.

There are carved pew ends, windows from older churches, and a figure of Saint Conan, a local saint. Outside, a terrace garden and a sundial overlook the loch. A carved stone figure of Saint Conan stands in the church, and a Norman-style doorway leads to the cloister. The south aisle holds a reclining effigy of Walter Campbell himself. Old stones from Iona and Dunstaffnage are built into the walls. The bell tower holds bells and offers views of the loch. The windows include stained glass from demolished churches. The organ is small but finely built. The church's granite came from local boulders.

St Conan's Kirk opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily from morning until early evening. The west of Scotland is often rainy, but the church is welcoming in any weather. Spring and summer are the best seasons, with long days and gardens in bloom; autumn brings colourful woodland around Loch Awe. Midges can be troublesome on still summer evenings near the loch. The light on the loch is beautiful in the early morning and evening. The cafe keeps seasonal hours. Allow about half an hour for the church and gardens, and combine the visit with Kilchurn Castle, a short drive or walk along the loch. The Cruachan Power Station visitor centre, about fifteen minutes' drive west, offers tours deep inside Ben Cruachan.