Inveraray Bell Tower

Standing on the main street in Inveraray, you can't miss this Victorian tower - it rises up rather suddenly from the town's Georgian heart like something from a fairy tale. Built in the 1880s, the Bell Tower originally served as a jail and courthouse, though these days it's more of a focal point for the town itself. The tower's distinctive architecture makes it worth a photograph or two, and it's right there in the thick of things, so you can pop in while wandering around Inveraray's other attractions.

It's mainly of interest to folk who enjoy Victorian history and architecture buffs - don't expect extensive displays or interactive exhibits. This is more about appreciating the exterior and what it represents in the town's development. The interior can be viewed seasonally, though opening hours are best checked locally. Most visitors spend twenty minutes or so here, combining it with a walk around the castle grounds and along the loch.

If you're based at Argyll Caravan Park or Stucreoch Caravan Park, the Bell Tower makes an easy leg of a broader day exploring Inveraray. It's free to admire from outside, and the tower itself is central enough that you won't be making a special journey for it alone. Rather, it's the sort of thing that catches your eye and becomes part of the fabric of your visit to this quiet, orderly town by Loch Fyne. Well worth a stop if you're already here, but not a reason to drive miles out of your way.