ROTHESAY
Rothesay is the main town on the isle of Bute near the mouth of the River Clyde. The Isle of Bute was named the Best place to Live in Scotland in the 2022 Times Best Places guide.
Rothesay is the main town on the isle of Bute near the mouth of the River Clyde.
It is easily accessible from Glasgow by train. The train takes about 50 minutes to reach Wemyss Bay where a ferry takes another 35 minutes to reach the centre of the town of Rothesay. Check Caledonian MacBrayne website for details.
Rothesay is a small town of around 4,500 population. During Victoria times it was popular destination for water therapy. It also had a long period of time from Victorian times to the 1950s when it was a popular tourist destination for people from the west coast of Scotland.
The Winter Gardens, now a visitor centre and cinema, was a top entertainment centre on the River Clyde.
The standout visitor attraction on Bute is Mount Stuart House the home of the Marquis of Bute which is now run by a charitable trust. A second, and remarkable, tourist pilgrimage is to the Victorian toilets (still in operation) on the pier.
The Waverly paddle steamer calls in to Rothesay several times a year.
Bute holds lots of events to attract visitors : Jazz Festival Highland Games Linedancing Festival
Cycling Weekend Round Bute Run Regattas
visitor info
The ferry drops you in the centre of Rothesay and two of the 15 pubs two of the pubs are a short walk along the coast to the left. The furthest of these being The Struan and closer to town is Howards Way. The rest of the pubs are in the centre of the town.
The crawl can be reduced to 13 in number and a shorter walk by missing the two that are 5 minutes along the coast, although this does mean missing quite nice bars and one of the few with real ale.
As you come off of the ferry straight in front of you is The Esplanade Hotel. The door is at the side rather than the main road. On leaving The Esplanade turn round the corner it is on and walk away from the ferry terminal and square. The next place up is The Victoria Hotel which as a downstairs bistro/bar called Ghillies. From here, carry on a few shop fronts to Gamba’s Bar and then onto the roundabout up ahead. To the left and across of the roundabout (you cannot miss it) is The Criterion.
After The Criterion it is now time to turn up into Rothesay. Walk up this road and across what is the main street of the town. Just across the road bearing slightly round is The Islander. Now, come back the main, pedestrianised, town road called Montague Street. The only pub along here on the left is The Grapes.
From here continue along Montague St and turn up at the first right towards the castle. Right opposite the entrance to the castle is Mac’s Bar. Continue on and round to the right alongside the castle. Turn left into Castle St and opposite you is The Galatea Bar.
Right opposite The Galatea walk down a narrow road, Watergate, and half way down on the right is The Argyll Arms (keep looking to the right as it is easy to walk past from this direction). Coming out of here keep walking down and find The Taverna opposite the next corner.
Leaving The Taverna walk along the narrow road you recently crossed (not down towards the water). A few steps along brings you to the back door of The Black Bull. Leave here by the door you entered and continue along and at the end of this street you should see The Golfers across the road. Then along from there is The Palace.
Depending, on your tiredness you can now walk along the shore to Howard’s Way and then onto The Struan. The Struan is the furthest, 11 minutes according to Google with Howard’s Way closer than half way.
Either way, you return towards the ferry, staying on the town side of the road, you come to the front door of The Black Bull where you may as well wait on the ferry.
Pub info.
There are 15 pubs in the town, several of which are associated with hotels. Sadly, there are also a number of closed establishments.
Most pubs have pool and/or darts on offer as they accommodate towns people as well as day/weekend trippers.
Some of the pubs make little attempt to lure tourists and day trippers, unless, of course they are only visiting for the drink.
Many of the establishments are under tenement 'shops' and therefore have limited opportunity to improve the front of the bar to make it attractive. there are several who use bright colours to do this and some also have picture windows overlooking the bay and gardens.
There after several with unappealing facias but modern interiors
PLACES TO VISIT WITH PUBTRAILS
The towns and villages highlighted on this web site have a wide variety of pubs and beers in them. All of the places are great to visit, whether for a day or longer, and most have tourist attractions for all of the family.
There is a large variety of pubs throughout the different towns shown below. Some you may wish never to visit again but even discovering these can be interesting. There are pubs that you would not take your wife into. While some you could not take your girlfriend into. A few you would not take either into. However, most of the pubs are very pleasant.
HOME MAP of places visited
Alnwick Ambleside Anstruther Bakewell Bamburgh Barnard Castle Bath Berwick upon Tweed Birnam & Dunkeld Bourton on the Water Bowness on Windermere Bridge of Allan Chester Chichester Dunblane Dunoon Edinburgh Ely Fort William Glasgow Gourock Greenock Helensburgh Inverness Kelso Keswick Knaresbourgh Largs Linlithgow Lyme Regis Melrose Montrose Newton Stewart North Berwick Norwich Oban Pebbles Penzance Portree Pitlochry Quorn Richmond Rothesay St Andrews Seahouses Seend Shrewsbury Skipton Stirling Stratford-upon-Avon Stockton Heath Whitby Windemere Whitstable York
The Esplanade Hotel
The Esplanade Hotel has a bar and restaurant on the second floor. The room is mainly set out for diners with tables for drinkers round to the right. Staff prefer to do table service with paying a bill at the end. This seems to be a sister hotel to The Victoria. Lunch and evening meals.
Have a pint
Real ale : Armadillo (may not have made comeback since Covid)
Bitter : Tetley smooth Flow
Lager : Carlsberg; San Miguel
Cider : Strongbow Guinness
The Ghillies at The Victoria Hotel ★
The Ghillies at The Victoria Hotel, Rothesay
The Ghillies at The Victoria Hotel, Rothesay
The Ghillies at The Victoria Hotel, Rothesay
The Victoria Hotel, Rothesay - upstairs
The Ghillies at The Victoria Hotel is the downstairs bar/bistro for The Victoria Hotel. It has a large picture window with long couches overlooking the gardens (although parked cars obstruct the view. It has some small round tables for dining or sitting drinking. At the far end is a small curved bar with some stools.
Upstairs is a more traditional dining restaurant and lounge bar which is mainly used by hotel guests and diners. Prices in main restaurant prices and menu is the same as Ghillies.
A variety of bottles beer available as well.
NEWS
Have a pint or two
Real ale : Wilderness (Loch Less) (may not have returned after Covid)
Bitter : Tetley Smooth
Mild : Tetley Dark
Lager : San Miguel; Birra Moretti, Carlsberg
Cider : Somersby Guinness
Gamba’s Bar closed
Gamba’s Bar is brightly painted and has large windows trying to show the view. It has been modernised in a minimalist way. Tiled floor and ice blue material for settles makes it seem cold. The bar has three rooms with the front room having the servery, some couches and small round tables. The middle room has several small booths and the rear room, going round to the left has pool, darts, dance floor and DJ post. Disco and Karaoke bar
Have a half pint here
Heavy : Belhaven Best
Lager : Tennent’s; Stella; Fosters
Cider : Magners Guinness
The Criterion
The Criterion has painted itself bright pink and blue in the hope of being noticed and advertises quizzes and Sky. Inside the reddy-pink colour scheme is continued in the carpet and seating fabric. The interior is actually nicer than the outside with dark wood for tables and counter. It is long and thin, with a back area having pool and a couple of booths . The front room, with its long servery has several padded settle areas near the front door and stools along the length of the bar.
have a pint here
Heavy : McEwan’s 70/-
Lager : Stella, Tennent’s
Cider : Strongbow Guinness
The Islander
The Islander (The Why Not) is another old bar modernised quite tastefully. Attempting beams and mirrors. The servery is to the right of the entrance with seating opposite it. The middle of the floor has two awkwardly placed pillars holding the ceiling and the seating at small tables is beyond these. At the back there are 4 steps up to a comfy sofa seating area with a TV on the wall suggesting it is also used a sports viewing area. Another two screens are on the wall above the bar at the wall to the side of the bar. There are some barrels for those standing to balance drinks on.
Pint here
Bitter : John Smiths
Lager : Tennent’s; Fosters; Stella
Cider : Strongbow Guinness
PUB QUIZ
What was the first album to go platinium?
Answer at foot of page
The Grapes
The Grapes is a small fronted bar in the centre of town. Inside it has been modernised with marble like top and pine wood like tables and acts as a loud music on TV bar. At the front window there is a small raised are with some soft seating. The front of the bar has padded seating along the side and some small tables. The servery is on the right wall starting in the middle of the pub. At the far end is a larger area up 9 steps to a pool table and more TV screens.
A pint here
Heavy :Tartan; Caledonia Best
Lager : Fosters; Tennent’s; Stella
Cider : Strongbow Guinness
Mac’s Bar
Mac’s Bar has the traditional bar-lounge layout; except you cannot enter the lounge, unless you walk through the bar and turn right at the top. There is a small seating area followed by the rest of the lounge, to the right, travelling back down again. A pool table rests at the bottom of the lounge. The initial bar is small. The servery comes practically to the door leaving only a narrow passage between the counter and the wall – enough for a drinker at the bar and one against the wall who has to breathe in to let somebody by. The bar area widens at the top of the room and then there is the entrance to the lounge. If you know the lounge is there you might take the trouble to push by; but if you do not know it’s there, why would you try. Lots of TV screens showing sport – at least two each for football, cricket, racing and news. Loud and friendly. Range of bottled beer . Dogs allowed.
Historic interior NEWS
Have a pint here
Good Beer Guide (CAMRA) 2023. 2024
Real ale: Landlord
Heavy : Mc Ewan’s 70/-; McEwan’s 80/-
Bitter : John Smith
Lager : Tennent’s; Fosters
The Argyll Arms closed ★
The Argyll Arms looks closed from the outside but a gentle push on the outer door will allow you to access the pub door. This main door takes you into a square bar with the servery in front of you.
A passage at the left will take you to a small lounge room also served by same bar. Bottled beers served. Friendly staff and locals
Known locally as The Gluepot
Have a pint here
Heavy : McEwan’s Red
Bitter : John Smiths
Lager : Tennent’s; 1664; Carlsberg
Cider : Strongbow Guinness
The Taverna
The Taverna is a busy corner pub that has been nicely modernised. There is an entrance on each street. The servery is at the far end where a mirror wall makes the place look bigger. There is a very small stage in the corner. Mainly standing room in front of the counter. Seating around the wall between the two entrances with lots of tables crushed together.
Have a pint here
Heavy : Ossian (Keg); Caledonia Best
Bitter : John Smith
Lager : Tennent’s; Fosters
Cider : Magners Guinness
The Black Bull
The Black Bull runs between two of Rothesay’s streets. The back door, to the bar, is from the narrow West Princes St. This entrance takes you to a long thin bar. There is a relatively wide space at the entrance with dart board and music performance area. Then there is long counter which serves a space slightly wider than a corridor. This leads into the next room, a square lounge and dining tables. The exit door from here leads onto the main shore road. Lunch and evening meals
Have a pint or two here
Regular in Good Beer Guide (CAMRA) …. including 2023, 2024
Real ale :The Maids (Bute Brewery) ; Vital spark (Fyne Ales); Seven Peaks (Drygate)
Heavy : Tartan; Belhaven Best; McEwan’s 70/-
Lager : Stella; Tennent’s; Carling
Cider : Strongbow Guinness; Belhaven Black
The Golfers ★
The Golfers is a fine old pub with a three tabled snug just inside the entrance. After this is a long bar with an impressive gantry. Bar space widens at end where pool table lives. Very friendly staff and customers. There are claims that Rennie MacIntosh’s sister made the etched windows of the snug.
A pub with a regionally important historic interior
Mentioned in Scotland’s True Heritage Pubs (CAMRA) - books
Have a pint here
Heavy : Tartan; Belhaven Best
Lager : Tennent’s; Carling; Stella;
Cider : Guinness
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Books on Beer
A selection of recommended books covering all aspects of beer and brewing. There are books on the history of beer and others on different styles of beer.
For example
An Inebriated History of Britain by Peter Haydon
Amber, Gold & Black by Martyn Cornell
Brew Britannia by Jessica Boak & Ray Bailey
The Story of the Pint by Martyn Cornell
Miracle Brew by Pete Brown
Built to Brew by Lynn Pearson
And many more
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CAMRA
The website of the Campaign for Real Ale
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Books on Pubs
A selection of recommended books on pubs and their history. There are books on the social history of pubs and the design of pubs through the ages.
There are also books on visiting pubs and ones recommending pubs to visit.
CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide
Death of the English Pub by Christopher Hutt
Brewers, Brands and the Pubs in their Hands by Tony Thornton
Licensed to Sell by Brandwood, Davidson & Slaughter
And many more
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Scottish pub crawls
Craig Stevenson and John MacKay have used their bus passes to good effect. They have toured the towns and cities of Scotland visiting pubs. They recount their adventures in a series of books:
The Auldest Boozers in Town
The Cheap Way Round
Still Goin’ - in which they visit Rothesay
Inn Aff The Bar
Goin’ Roon The Edge
Mud, Sweat and Beers
The Palace
The Palace is a single roomed pub. Large windows allow views over the ferry terminal. The back bar has lots of amusing (once) sayings that everyone will have read before. Pool table at far end of room. Padded seating around the side and narrow metal tables.
Friendly locals
For sale
Have a half pint here
Heavy : McEwan’s export
Lager : Tennent’s
Cider : Strongbow Guinness
Summer's Bay Hotel (formerly Howard’s Way)
Summer's Bay Hotel (formerly Howard’s Way) is a small hotel along the coast road leading out of Rothesay. It has a large patio and a front room with a small wooden servery and friendly landlord. The patio overlooks the bay where ferries and boats can be watched
Real ale :Scalpsie Blonde (Bute Brewery)
Bitter : John Smith
Lager : Fosters; 1664
Cider : Strongbow; Strongbow Dark Fruit Guinness
Struan Bar
The Struan is a small basement bar on the road out. It has a very small patio then down some steps to a porch area with stools sitting below the small windows looking out under the tables (and legs of those using them) on the patio. These windows let the light into a large square bar. The servery is on the far-left corner and pool in the near right. The walls have framed drawings of the faces' of the many regulars.
Have a pint here
Heavy : Caledonia Best
Lager : Tennent’s
Cider : Magners Guinness
“Drink makes men hungry, or it makes them lie.”
— G Wilkins
ANSWER: Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971-75