Lochgilphead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lochgilphead
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| Town and administrative centre | |
 View of Lochgilphead at dusk |
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 Lochgilphead
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| Population | 2,280 (2020) |
| OS grid reference | NR 86284 88138 |
| • Edinburgh | 87 mi (140 km) |
| • London | 380 mi (612 km) |
| Council area |
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| Lieutenancy area |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Lochgilphead |
| Postcode district | PA30, PA31 |
| Dialling code | 01546 |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Lochgilphead (pronounced 'lock-gilp-head') is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. About 2,300 people live there. It's an important place because it's the main office for the Argyll and Bute Council.
The town is located at the end of Loch Gilp, which is a part of Loch Fyne. It also sits right next to the Crinan Canal. Lochgilphead is on the A83 road, with Ardrishaig just 2 miles (3 km) south and Inveraray about 24 miles (39 km) to the north-east. Oban is 37 miles (60 km) north on the A816.
The local council offices are at Kilmory Castle. This castle is surrounded by a lovely woodland park. There's even an old Iron Age fort nearby! The Forestry and Land Scotland group also has an office here.
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History of Lochgilphead
Lochgilphead was planned and built in 1790. This happened soon after a new road was finished, connecting Inveraray to Campbeltown.
The town became even more important after the Crinan Canal was completed in 1801. This canal made it easier to travel across the Kintyre area. In 1830, another road was built, linking Lochgilphead to Oban. A pier was added in 1831, which helped boats travel between Lochgilphead, Glasgow, and other ports on the Irish Sea.
In 1975, Lochgilphead was chosen as the main administrative centre for the Argyll and Bute District Council. This was because of its central location.
Around Lochgilphead, you can find many ancient sites from the Neolithic period. These include interesting cup and ring marks in the nearby Kilmartin Glen. Also close by is Dunadd Hillfort, which was once the capital of the ancient Dál Riata kingdom.
Things to Do and See
Lochgilphead has many facilities for its residents and visitors.
- Sports and Fitness: You can find a swimming pool, a sports centre, a nine-hole golf course, and a bowling club. There's also a special hydrotherapy pool.
- Shopping: The town has a Bank of Scotland, a Co-op Food and Tesco supermarket, an ethical food store, two petrol stations, and shops for homeware and hardware.
- Healthcare: There's a community hospital run by local doctors. It has an A&E department for emergencies and a psychiatric hospital.
- Other Facilities: You can also find a fishing tackle shop and a Renault car dealership.
The Army Cadet Force has a local group in the town, linked to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Bus services run daily from Lochgilphead to other parts of Scotland, like Glasgow, Campbeltown, and Oban.
Education in Lochgilphead
Lochgilphead has a modern school building called the Lochgilphead Joint Campus. It opened in 2007 and replaced the old Primary and High Schools. This campus can hold up to 727 students. The Secondary School section welcomes students from the wider mid-Argyll area.
Argyll College also has two locations in Lochgilphead. One is on Lorne Street, and the other is a special Construction Skill Centre in Kilmory Industrial Estate.
Healthcare Services
Lochgilphead has two hospitals that provide important healthcare services:
- The Argyll and Bute Hospital: This hospital helps people with mental health needs. It has wards for new patients, a special care unit, and services to help people recover. It also offers therapy, learning disability support, and services for young people's mental health.
- The Mid Argyll Community Hospital and Integrated Care Centre:
This hospital has an emergency department for minor injuries and a radiography department for X-rays. It also includes a GP (doctor's) practice, a ward for patients, and social work services. Other services include dementia care, a maternity unit, dental care, and community nursing.
Sports and Fun Activities
Lochgilphead offers many ways to stay active and have fun!
- Mid Argyll Community Pool: This is a 20 by 8 meter (66 by 26 ft) swimming pool run by the community.
- Mid Argyll Sports Centre: This centre has a hall for many games, a dance studio, a squash court, and a gym. Outside, there's a floodlit football/hockey pitch and four tennis courts.
- Lochgilphead Golf Club: Enjoy a game on their nine-hole golf course.
- Lochgilphead Bowling Club: Play bowls on their green and relax in the clubhouse.
- Lochgilphead Library: A great place to read, use computers, and find books. It has a special area just for kids.
- Cycling: There are many cycling paths around Lochgilphead. You can ride along the Crinan Canal Towpath or try the exciting Fire Tower Mountain Bike Trail with jumps and drops!
- Shinty: MacCrae Park is the town's shinty pitch. It's the home ground for the Kilmory Camanachd Shinty Club.
- Putting: On the Front Green, you can find an 18-hole putting green that's open during certain times of the year.
- Fishing: Lochgilphead is a great spot for fishing in the sea, rivers, and lochs.
- Motocross: The Mid Argyll Motocross Club has a track at Achnashelloch where they hold events, including the Scottish Championship.
The town is home to the shinty team Kilmory Camanachd and the football team, Lochgilphead Red Star.
Community and Culture
Lochgilphead has a lively community spirit and hosts several cultural events.
Television Appearances
In July 1982, Lochgilphead took part in the popular BBC Television show It's a Knockout. They competed against teams from Perth and Oban. Lochgilphead's team won their round and later went on to compete in the international version of the show, 'Jeux Sans Frontieres', which was filmed in Switzerland.
Dalriada Provincial Mod
Every September, the town hosts the Dalriada Provincial Mod. This is a Gaelic festival organized by the local branch of An Comunn Gàidhealach. It's a chance for people of all ages to show off their talents in Gaelic music, singing, highland dancing, drama, sports, and writing.
Lochgilphead in Films
Lochgilphead has even appeared in movies!
- In the World War Two film 633 Squadron, Lochgilphead's main street can be seen briefly from the air.
- The James Bond film From Russia with Love also used locations in Lochgilphead for some shots. The local cinema was used by the cast and crew to watch what they had filmed each day.
Mid Argyll Music Festival
Lochgilphead is one of the places that hosts the Mid Argyll Music Festival. This festival runs for about two weeks every year and features many different musical performances.
Lochgilphead Lantern Parade and Firework Display
This annual winter event used to be a big highlight in the Argyll area, attracting large crowds. However, the Lantern Parade stopped happening in 2014.
Local Inventions
The Argyll Turbo GT sportscar was built right here in Lochgilphead by Bob Henderson.
Mid Argyll Show
Lochgilphead hosts The Mid-Argyll Agricultural Show every year. This is a major event held on the second Saturday in August, celebrating local agriculture and community.
Climate in Lochgilphead
Lochgilphead has an oceanic climate, which means it has mild temperatures and a lot of rain. Like most of the West Highlands, it doesn't get a huge amount of sunshine.
The town receives about 1,150 hours of sunshine each year and nearly 2,000 mm (79 inches) of rainfall annually. Sometimes, during winter storms and very high tides, some buildings along the waterfront can experience minor flooding.
| Climate data for Lephinmore (9 m asl, averages 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) |
7.6 (45.7) |
9.0 (48.2) |
11.8 (53.2) |
15.1 (59.2) |
17.1 (62.8) |
18.6 (65.5) |
17.5 (63.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
12.5 (54.5) |
9.3 (48.7) |
7.4 (45.3) |
12.4 (54.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.8 (35.2) |
2.0 (35.6) |
3.1 (37.6) |
4.1 (39.4) |
6.6 (43.9) |
9.4 (48.9) |
11.2 (52.2) |
10.7 (51.3) |
9.5 (49.1) |
6.8 (44.2) |
4.0 (39.2) |
1.9 (35.4) |
5.9 (42.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 240.0 (9.45) |
151.1 (5.95) |
192.6 (7.58) |
113.6 (4.47) |
82.5 (3.25) |
100.9 (3.97) |
100.9 (3.97) |
137.3 (5.41) |
168.9 (6.65) |
239.3 (9.42) |
204.6 (8.06) |
193.4 (7.61) |
1,925.1 (75.79) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm) | 21.2 | 14.8 | 18.5 | 13.7 | 12.7 | 15.2 | 15.9 | 15.6 | 18.8 | 19.2 | 18.7 | 18.4 | 202.7 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 37.4 | 59.6 | 82.5 | 141.3 | 180.0 | 157.9 | 138.3 | 119.0 | 86.4 | 71.6 | 47.2 | 28.3 | 1,149.5 |
| Source: Met Office | |||||||||||||
Famous People from Lochgilphead
Several notable people were born in or have connections to Lochgilphead:
- Neil Dewar: A famous footballer.
- Donald Fraser: A missionary.
- William Fraser: An architect.
- Sydney MacEwan: A singer who helped build and was the priest of St Margaret's Church in the town.
- Zander MacKenzie: A footballer for Partick Thistle.
- Martha Payne: Known for a blog that caused a lot of discussion.
