Inverclyde is in Scotland and is small and friendly with loads to do all year round ranging from sightseeing, action adventure sports, water sports, historic attractions, beaches, stunning coast line, parks, cycling, sailing, golf, angling, people watching, eating and simply taking a long planned break. This is an area of breathtaking scenery right up to the Argyll Hills and Highlands with historic attractions showcasing the maritime history of the area.
Villages Inverkip and Wemyss Bay offer tourists a base for water sports while the Gryffe Valley has examples of history of a different kind like the Conservation village and Kilmacolm with its ecclesiastical background. Gourock is a very small town on the Clyde but is still a popular holiday spot with beautiful views and prehistoric sites, lighthouse and heated salt water outdoor pools! Greenock is a thriving town with impressive architecture and large parks offering moorings to large cruise liners due to the stunning views over the Clyde River. Kilmacolm is another picturesque village to explore between Port Glasgow and Paisley. A part of this little village is a conservation area and it's very popular with walkers and cyclists.
Lunderston Bay has a gorgeous, sandy beach with picturesque walks on the coast and places like Greenock are home to boutique shopping, cafes and theatre. Visit Finlaystone's gardens and waterfalls for some family fun or Fun World's indoor centre on a rainy day or head down to Kip Marina and hop on a yacht for a day of fun at sea.
Why not check beaches nearby as we have 3 beaches in Inverclyde, or have a look at our list of Inverclyde dog friendly beaches, or even our United Kingdom Blue Flag beach list.
Inverclyde Coast Search Bar
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Want some ideas on where to visit?
Every favourite location must be visited for the first time. Want some ideas, why not check out the below small selection of coastal locations, including beaches, activities, things to see and do, places to stay and eat:
- Gourock Outdoor Pool is a heated saltwater public lido that opened in 1909 that has views over the Clyde Estuary.The lido opens from May to the first week in September although the gym is open all year round.
- The McLean Museum and Art Gallery owes its origins to the Greenock Philosophical Society’s burgeoning collection of artificial and natural curiosities which became a museum in 1816 as a branch of the Society, housed in the Greenock library. There is a range of collections and exhibitions in the museum, including Egyptian, Archaeology and a history of maritime.
- Lyle Hill is a viewpoint in Greenock providing a panoramic view across the Clyde, its highest point is 130 m (426 feet) above sea level.
- Newark Castle is a well-preserved castle on the south shore of the estuary of the River Clyde. This is a strategic location where the firth gradually narrows and for centuries this location has been used as a port. Newark Castle was built in 1478 by George Maxwell with the original castle having a tower house within a walled enclosure. All that remains of the outer defensive wall is from one of the original corner towers. In 1597 Sir Patrick Maxwell, a powerful friend of King James VI of Scotland, expanded the building, constructing a new north range replacing the earlier hall in the form of a three storey Renaissance mansion. The castle is open to the public and managed by Historic Scotland.
- Wemyss Bay beach is a small shingle and sand beach, the beach is also known as Concrete beach as it has large concrete slabs at the top. Wemyss Bay is a small village on the Firth of Clyde and is the ferry port for Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. The beach has limited parking along the road and the town has a selection of local shops and places to eat.
- Gourock West Bay is a shingle beach with an outdoor swimming pool backed by a small promenade with views onto the Firth of Forth. Facilities at the beach include an outdoor swimming pool, car park, and toilets with some shops and places to eat nearby in the centre of Gourock. West Bay is also the home to the Royal Gourock Yacht club.
- Lunderston Bay beach is the closest sandy beach to Glasgow making this very popular with families. This sandy beach is backed by a grass area and large car park and has views over the Firth of Clyde towards Dunoon and towards the Isle of Bute. Lunderston Bay sits within the Clyde and Muirshiel Regional Park and you have a good choice of walks. Footpaths take you south to Inverkip or northwards to the Cloch Point lighthouse and beyond to Gourock. The facilities at the beach include a car park, toilets and grass area with picnic tables with a Garden Centre on the opposite side of the road that has a cafe and restaurant.
