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Free Parking for Customers We are open 7 Days Gift Vouchers Available Bring your own bottle Outdoor Patio (weather permitting) email us for details
Tel. 01475 521 733
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Wemyss Bay
It
is widely believed that Wemyss Bay takes its name from the Gaelic for cave.
No-one though is quite sure where the location of this cave could be, though
there is one of significant size located further along the coast road in
Skelmorlie. Some argue however that it was local fisherman Robert Wemyss who
gave the town its name.
Positioned on the fringes of Renfrewshire and on the border with Ayrshire, Wemyss Bay lies 8 miles (13 km) south of Greenock and 31 miles (50 km) west of Glasgow.
Wemyss Bay proved wildly popular during the heyday of the Clyde Steamers. The railway first arrived here in 1865 and the magnificent Victorian railway station was built in 1903 to welcome the crowds sailing over to Bute and Millport.
Many came from Glasgow on their excursions 'doon
the watter' for fish tea's and ice creams. (Still on the menu today!!)
Much of the area was originally part of the Kelly estate owned from the 15th century by the Bannatyne family. Today on the old site of Kelly Castle (burnt down in 1740) a caravan park is sited.
Dr. David Livingstone was a regular visitor to the Kelly Estate in Wemyss Bay in the mid 1800's as guest and personal friend to Dr. Young, a scientist, entrepreneur and benefactor of Livingstone's.
On
hearing of Livingstone's death, Dr. Young arranged permanent employment on the
estate for two of the explorer's native servants, Susi and Chuma. These two
later recreated Dr. Livingstone's Hut in Wemyss Bay as it was near the Victoria
Falls, itself becoming the major tourist attraction of its day.
H.M. Stanley, commissioned to find Dr. Livingstone and who on
doing so uttered the famous words, 'Dr. Livingstone I presume', was curiously
also a regular visitor to Wemyss Bay as a guest of Lord Inverclyde of Castle
Wemyss.
It is widely believed that much of Anthony Trollope's novel 'Barchester Towers' was written at the same Castle Wemyss, a 19th-century mansion then owned by George Burns, the first Chairman of the Cunard Steam Packet Company.
Notable guests to the Castle have been the Royal Family, Peter II of Yugoslavia, General Sherman and Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia.
Today many of the large merchant houses still stand and Wemyss Bay has a thriving community welcoming famous people in the past and continues to do so in the present. Hey, and don't forget to come in for some of the best coffee and warmest welcomes in the area!
Check out some local images.
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Check out the local website Wemyss Bay Net.
Activities
Golf, one of Scotland's greatest exports can be experienced at
the picturesque Skelmorlie Golf Club
nearby, with Routenburn
and Kelburn Golf Clubs in Largs
both Fancy a high speedboat tour then check out Cumbrae Voyages from Largs for unforgettable marine and wildlife adventures. They also rent bikes. For the classic bike ride try a round Cumbrae trip. The
circular island route is flat and an hour should be enough time to get round.
Also nearby is a recently opened Wemyss Bay Quad Biking centre for thrills, water splashes and of course mud (jumpsuit provided). In Greenock,
Funworld is fun for all
the family and is Scotland's largest indoor activity centre.
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providing challenging courses.
In addition the Clyde has some of the best sheltered waters in Europe and ports
such as Rothesay and Tarbert are popular yachting destinations in
the summer. 
Whether John Wayne or Calamity Jane, Wemyss Bay
has its own Riding School located near the caravan park. For further information
telephone 01475 529477.
Isle of Bute
Only a short ferry ride away is Rothesay on the Isle
of Bute, the epitome of the traditional Scottish seaside resort.
Featuring a large selection of restaurants, picturesque
B&B's and hotels, it is the ideal location to get away from it all.
A principal highlight of Rothesay is its medieval castle, dating back to the C13th,
complete with moat and battle scars.
Another must see are the famous Victorian Toilets by the Pier, I kid you not.
Mount
Stuart House, the ancestral home of the Marquis of Bute is located
on the Isle of Bute, and is famous for its gardens and Italianate Chapel,
it also boasts over 600 years of ancestry.
The Firth of Clyde has long been renowned for its sailing and cruising waters. In 1999, Greenock on the Clyde played host to the Tall Ships Race.