Machrihanish: Wild Camping on Kintyre’s Wild Atlantic Beach

A motorhome parked by the shore at Machrihanish in the evening, a person sitting on a chair looking out over the Atlantic.
This is why we came — the van, a chair, the Atlantic, and not another soul. Machrihanish at its best.

Overview — the wild edge of Kintyre

Out on the far west coast of Kintyre, facing the open Atlantic, Machrihanish is where the land runs out in a huge sweep of sandy beach and dunes, with nothing between you and Islay, Jura and the coast of Ireland. It’s wild, breezy and beautiful — home to a world-famous old golf links, a stretch of the Kintyre Way, and some of the best beachside wild camping we’ve found anywhere in Argyll. We loved it here — spent a night or two with the sea right outside the window, and at the time of year we travelled we had the whole place to ourselves.

Where it is (and where on the route)

Machrihanish sits on the west Kintyre coast, about 5 miles west of Campbeltown on the B843, near the old airfield and Campbeltown Airport. It’s a natural Stage 5 (Kintyre) stop on the Argyll Coastal Route — an easy hop from Campbeltown — and it’s right on the Kintyre Way long-distance path.

A 'Welcome to the Kintyre Way' map board at Machrihanish showing the Kintyre peninsula and walking route.
Machrihanish is right on the Kintyre Way — the 100-mile coast-to-coast path.

The beach — a giant Atlantic sweep

Machrihanish Bay is one of the great beaches of Argyll — a long arc of firm sand backed by dunes, taking the full force of the Atlantic. It’s the kind of beach you can walk for miles with the wind in your face and the waves rolling in, and it faces due west, so on a clear evening the sunsets are extraordinary — out over the sea toward Islay, Jura, Gigha and, on the clearest days, the hills of Northern Ireland.

A wide panorama of Machrihanish Bay — a long rocky and sandy Atlantic shore under a big sky, village houses to one side.
Machrihanish Bay — miles of Atlantic shore, and big skies in every direction.
The view out of a motorhome windscreen at Machrihanish, looking across the rocky beach to the sea and a signpost.
Breakfast view. You park up and the beach is right there through the windscreen.

Wild camping — a night (or two) by the sea

This is superb, quiet wild-camping country, right on the shore. We parked up with the Atlantic on the doorstep, sat out in the evening light, and woke to the sea — and off-season we had it completely to ourselves. As always, do it responsibly: pick a sensible, level spot, don’t block access, the golf course or anyone’s view, keep it tidy, take everything away, and arrive late / leave early. Machrihanish is a small community — treat it well and it stays open to vans.

A white Hymer motorhome parked by the shore at Machrihanish with the sea and evening sky behind.
Home for the night — the 594 parked up with the sea a few steps away.
Inside the motorhome at Machrihanish in the morning — a man relaxing with a small dog on his lap and coffee, sea view through the window.
Morning routine: coffee, the dog, and the Atlantic through the window. Hard to beat.
A small dog in a blue harness sitting in long grass looking out to sea at Machrihanish.
Even the dog knew it was a good spot.

Golf — a world-famous links

Machrihanish is a name that makes golfers go weak at the knees. The Machrihanish Golf Club (Old Course, laid out in 1876, with a hand from Old Tom Morris) is one of the great old links courses, celebrated for its opening tee shot played across the beach — and next door, the modern Machrihanish Dunes links runs through the natural dunes. Even if you don’t play, it’s part of what makes this little place so special. [Kevin — did we watch/play any golf, or just pass it? I’ve kept it factual.]

Wildlife

The shore here is alive with seabirds and ducks bobbing among the rocks and surf — a lovely spot to just sit and watch the Atlantic do its thing.

Two seabirds swimming among rocks in the Atlantic surf at Machrihanish.
Ducks riding the swell off the rocks. [Kevin — eider ducks? I won’t name the species unless you’re sure.]

🗺️ Map — our Machrihanish spot (from GPS)

Where we camped, from the photos (31 May – 1 June 2024): right on the shore at Machrihanish Bay.

🗺️ Route map — download: `machrihanish-spot.kml` · `machrihanish-spot.geojson`

Best time to visit

Late spring to early autumn for the long evenings and those west-coast sunsets — and, as we found, shoulder-season means you can have it to yourself. It’s exposed to Atlantic weather, so pick your window; midges are less of a problem here than in sheltered glens (the sea breeze helps), but bring repellent anyway.

Combine it with

  • Campbeltown — the town, harbour and whisky, 5 miles east.
  • Davaar Island & Keil, Southend — the Mull of Kintyre corner.
  • The Kintyre Way — walk a stretch of the coast-to-coast path from the door.

Reality notes

  • ⛺ Wild camping: great and quiet — be responsible, don’t block the golf course/access, tidy and low-impact.
  • 🌊 Exposure: open Atlantic coast — can be windy; park sensibly and face the weather.
  • ⛳ Golf: two links courses — mind crossing/So near the play if walking.
  • 🦟 Midges: usually eased by the sea breeze; repellent just in case.
  • 🐕 Dogs: brilliant beach for them (note any seasonal/wildlife restrictions and livestock).

Sources