Beaches & swimming in Argyll and ButeArgyll and Bute, Scotland

Bute's largest and most popular beach, a wide flat sweep of sand on the island's west coast with a tearoom.

Family sandy beach just outside Oban with views to Mull, Morvern and Lismore.

Colonsay's celebrated golden beach, a sweeping sandy bay open to Atlantic surf.

Wide Atlantic-facing beach of golden sand and high dunes on Islay's Rinns, near Kilchoman.

Sheltered shingle-and-sand beach on Loch Long backed by the Argyll Forest Park.

Two-mile arc of white shell-sand on Tiree's north coast, with the prehistoric Ringing Stone nearby.

Sweeping white-sand surf beach under Ceann a' Mhara headland at Tiree's south-west end.

Mull's finest beach, a broad crescent of pale sand and machair backed by low green hills.

Sheltered curve of sand on Kintyre's east coast looking across Kilbrannan Sound to Arran.

Long dune-backed white beach near Tiree's airport, popular for windsurfing.

Back-to-back white sandy beaches either side of a tombolo at the north end of Gigha.

Remote machair-fringed sandy bay on Coll's west coast, backed by wildflower grassland.

Seven-mile arc of Atlantic sand, the 'Big Strand', running along Islay's western shore behind the dunes.

Hidden golden-sand bay reckoned Cowal's finest beach, reached over dunes, with views to Arran.

Curving sandy bay on Bute's west coast, the island's best spot for watching a large colony of grey seals.

Quiet white-sand cove on the Ross of Mull, scattered with pink granite skerries.

Six-mile golden Atlantic strand backed by Argyll's biggest dunes, running north from Machrihanish.