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Machrihanish

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Machrihanish is a village in Argyll / Scotland, on the Kintyre Peninsula, 5 miles west of Campbeltown, 145 miles southwest of Glasgow by road, 39 miles by Ferry and road from Ardrossan.

The Kintyre Express small fast boat is based at Campbeltown for Golf and Whisky Tours around Ayrshire, Campbeltown, Machrihanish and the north coast of Ireland.

Machrihanish is popular for its 2 top class Links Golf Courses, long sandy Beach, and Holiday Park with Touring and Camping pitches.

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The image top right is looking down Machrihanish main street towards the Golf Club and Beach.

The second image is of the Machrihanish Golf Club left and Ugadale Hotel to the right.

The Golf Club was founded in 1876, with the Hotel built in 1898, standard price about £140 per round summer of 2025, 30% discount available for members of Clubs.

Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club is next to the Machrihanish Golf Club, but is an 8 mile drive round to it passing Campbeltown Airport, price about £125 round in summer 2025, founded in 2009.

The Old Clubhouse is next to the Ugadale Hotel in Machrihanish, now used as a Bar and Restaurant.

The vast Beach runs from Machrihanish north past Machrihanish Dunes, then onto Westport Beach where surfing is real popular, about 4 miles long.

There is no land between Machrihanish and Canada.

Machrihanish Holiday Park is just under 1 mile east of Machrihanish for Caravan Holidays, also with Touring and Camping Pitches.

Campbeltown Airport is 5 miles northeast of Machrihanish by road, mainly for small aircraft, with a regular service by Loganair to Glasgow.

Campbeltown Airport was built from 1918 as a military base under the name RAF Machrihanish, with the longest runway in Scotland at 3,049m, later being a joint air base with the US. Concorde flew in and out of here a few times, either during tests or due to diversions.

The Airport was used to protect the area as this is where the Nuclear Submarines would travel in and out of for the Submarine bases by Dunoon, with the Polaris Subs entering service from 1969, then Trident Subs from 1994.

The US forces departed in 1995 with the Airport becoming the Campbeltown Airport in 2012.

Machrihanish History

1500s - Machrihanish evolved around a small coal mine, also by using the coal to produce salt from seawater.

1785 - a Canal was built between Machrihanish and Campbeltown to transport the Coal.

1875 - a Narrow Gauge Railway was built between Machrihanish and Campbeltown to transport the coal to steamers at Campbeltown Harbour.

1876 - Machrihanish Golf Club was founded.

1900 - Campbeltown had become a popular holiday destination with many Passenger Steamers visiting, with the many Whisky Distilleries in Campbeltown a top attraction.

1906 - Passenger Trains also began running between Machrihanish and Campbeltown for the Golf.

1932 - the Machrihanish to Campbeltown Railway closed.

1967 - Coal production in the area stopped.

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