How to get toCastle House Museumcar-free
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Visit Castle House Museum car-free
Travel a greener way and enjoy 50p off.
It’s fun to visit car-free, especially by ferry.
Ferries take 25 minutes from Gourock.
Gourock is reachable from Glasgow by train (40 mins) or bus (50 mins).
Check out our recommended route (below) and then use our journey planner (above) for door-to-door train, bus and walking routes.
Discount: Enjoy 50p off entry for up to three adults with a valid train ticket, bus ticket or bike helmet.
For money-saving tips see our handy guides to UK trains and buses.
Scotrail have various Rail and Sail tickets, which can take you all the way from Glasgow to Dunoon via Gourock.
Gourock ferry terminal is located in Glasgow ticket zone 6. City-Link offers multi-journey bus tickets. If you travel by train to visit Glasgow a PlusBus ticket is valid as far as Renfrew and Clydebank.
View hills and peninsulars across the Firth of Clyde on the scenic Clydeflyer 901 bus. It stops at Gourock from: Largs (35 mins), Port Glasgow (20 mins) and Greenock (15 mins). There’s also an open-top bus as far as Greenock, after which you could walk further round the coast for an hour.
If you take a local bus to the North East of the Cowal Peninsular, there will be the spectacular sights of the Loch Lomond Trossachs National Park, such as Ben Mhor.
Kids’ tickets and activities are available from Scotrail. Walk or cycle to explore the area with the interactive Dunon Forward app.
Cycle path National Route 75 goes on-road across the Cowal Peninsular from Dunoon Esplanade. Book a ferry spot for your bike. Plan your cycle route here. Find out about local cycle paths, or cycle hire here or here.
Please note that there is not currently a bike rack at the Museum and bikes are left at their own risk. Up to three bikes may be tucked under the stairs in the foyer at any one time. There is also cycle parking near the pier.
You can book taxis for Port Glasgow taxi rank. Try Invercylde Taxis – 01475 734563, for example.
Find accessibility information for transport and Castle House Museum. Both Glasgow Central and Gourock Station have step-free access, and the AccessAble website features further information about accessibility at Glasgow Central.
Discover more Argyll and Bute offers and days out with Good Journey.
Getting to Castle House Museum car-free
Here's our recommended route to Castle House Museum. To get bus and train times and walking routes use our journey planner.
By train and ferry
There are direct trains to Gourock from:
- Glasgow Central (40 mins),
- Greenock Central (5-10 mins), Bishopton [Renfrewshire] (25 mins), Paisley Gilmour Street (30 mins), Port Glasgow (15 mins).
Search for train times and cheaper tickets with Good Journey.
Ferries from Gourock port to Dunoon take about 25 minutes. This a foot-passenger service. You can book tickets in advance, but these are not for a specific time.
Once in Dunoon Castle House Museum is seven minutes from the Cal Mac ferry terminal. From the terminal, cross the road at the zebra crossing. You will see the Dunoon War Memorial that is opposite a large glass building called The Queens Hall. From here, head up the inclined path until you reach the top. Castle House Museum is located here.
By bus and ferry
By bus from Glasgow
Clydeflyer bus 901 and bus 906 leave regularly from:
Bus X7 also runs from Glasgow (75 mins) via Kilmalcolm (10 mins) and Bridge of Weir (20 mins).
By bus from Inverclyde & North Ayrshire
Ferries from Gourock port to Dunoon take about 25 minutes. This a foot-passenger service. You can book tickets in advance, but these are not for a specific time.
Once in Dunoon Castle House Museum is seven minutes from the Cal Mac ferry terminal. From the terminal, cross the road at the zebra crossing. You will see the Dunoon War Memorial that is opposite a large glass building called The Queens Hall. From here, head up the inclined path until you reach the top. Castle House Museum is located here.
Local buses on the Cowal Peninsular
About Castle House Museum
Castle House Museum is situated in the picturesque town of Dunoon on the West Coast of Scotland. Located in the town's Castle Gardens, Castle House Museum is at the heart of the history in Dunoon. Built in 1824 as a holiday home for the Lord Provost of Glasgow, the building has also been used as council offices and the town library over the years. From our windows there are picturesque views of the Gardens, the Victorian Pier, and the Castle Hill flagpole. This marks the spot where the thirteenth century Dunoon Castle once sat, and a small section of the ruin remains.
Our main display area takes visitors on a chronological journey through the town's fascinating past, from the Neolithic period to twentieth century wartime. Key exhibits showcase the history of The Clan Lamont, the life of Robert Burns' sweetheart Highland Mary, and the popularity of Dunoon as a holiday resort from the late nineteenth century onwards. We also have a varied collection of steamer models, as Dunoon was a key destination for those who packed themselves onto these vessels to travel 'doon the watter.' Our Victorian Rooms are realistic room-set reconstructions which showcase life in the Victorian era: the clocks are ticking and the plants are growing. Our cinema room shows a short presentation of pictures of Dunoon and the surrounding areas in the past and compares these to recent times.
There are activities for the whole family to enjoy included in our entry price, such as our popular Victorian Rooms Quiz and Museum Bingo.
For any queries about visiting contact Castle House Museum on 01369 701422 or [email protected]
Address: Castle House Museum, Castle Gardens, Dunoon, PA23 7HH. Visit Website