In a manner similar to Inveraray further up Loch Fyne, Lochgilphead was first laid out as a planned town in the late 18th century, soon after the completion of the road from Inveraray to Campbeltown. The town grew in importance following the opening of the nearby Crinan Canal which provided a considerable short cut across the Kintyre peninsula.
Lochgilphead remains a key staging post and has the best range of facilities in the region which makes it an ideal base to explore Kintyre and boasts fishing, walking and other outdoor pursuits in abundance.