I took a trip to Scotland’s ‘secret coast’ – and found a quiet haven roaring back to life

The scenic Cowal peninsula west of Glasgow is once again attracting holidaymakers with its mix of unspoiled nature, community ventures and cool places to stay

The remote Cowal peninsula, extending into the Firth of Clyde, is not the sort of place you’d expect to find artisan coffee roasters, outdoor infinity pools and modern outdoor sculpture. Take it from me: my mum was born here, in the faded Victorian resort of Dunoon. Outside shinty circles – those familiar with the local hockey-like game - “the secret coast” is little known, even in Scotland.

But a spotlight shone briefly on the village of Tighnabruaich last November, when artist David Blair’s vaulting 20-metre-long, six-metre-high Ark of Argyll – designed to raise awareness of the climate emergency – was visited by delegates to COP26. I’d heard about other new ventures breathing life into Cowal, so turned away from the Scotland of queueing campervans on Loch Lomond and went to investigate, with my 10-year-old daughter in tow.