A Grand Day Out at Millport, Cumbrae
- lomondappletree
- Jul 14
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 16
Millport is the capital (and only) town on the tiny Isle of Cumbrae, which lies in the Clyde estuary, just off the town of Largs and about an hour’s drive from Appletree Cottage.
At about 2.5 miles long (4km) and 1.25 miles wide (2km) Cumbrae, or Great Cumbrae to give it is official name, is one of the smaller isles in the firth of Clyde and hugely popular as a destination for day visitors from Glasgow and much of the surrounding area who travel by rail and ferry to reach the island.
We travelled by car, although we would have preferred to take the train. Parking was easy when we arrived in Largs, and it was a short walk to the ferry terminal where we bought tickets for our crossing in the booth on the pier.
The ferries in the summer season run continuously, departing every fifteen minutes. There were two vessels in operation the day we visited – The Isle of Cumbrae and the much larger Loch Shira, both owned and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne.Â
We boarded the Isle of Cumbrae and found seats upstairs on top of a life raft. Nice to be safe! Â
Largs slowly glided into the distance as we sailed away. The crossing took around fifteen minutes.
Both ferries carry vehicles, but we’d decided to take advantage of the well-timed bus service, which was sitting at the pier on Cumbrae awaiting our arrival.
The bus took around ten minutes from the pier to Millport village at the southern end of the island. On the way, the driver slowed down and pointed out to some of the kids on the bus a large seal basking on the shore.
Although the bus terminates in the centre of Millport, we decided to alight as soon as we reached the outskirts so we could enjoy a stroll along the shore, into the town.
Millport has an attractive sandy beach to the north, becoming rockier closer to the town centre. Many private yachts are anchored in the bay, and there is also a small harbour for further moorings.
Millport was the inspiration for the BBC Radio 4 comedy series of the same name, written by Lynn Ferguson and broadcast between 2000 and 2002
We wandered along the seafront, past the many varied and interesting houses which one might expect in a seaside setting. From the traditional stone-built Victorian Villas to Art Deco and colourfully painted dwellings.  Cyclists made their way along the road and cycle paths, for Millport is very popular with cyclists.
The road around the island is largely free of traffic and mostly on the level. A round trip of the island by bicycle takes just under two hours at a leisurely pace.  The trail follows the coastline, and on the western seaboard, there are fantastic views of Arran, Bute, and even the Paps of Jura to be had.
For the energetic, there are several cycle hire shops in the village which offer regular bikes, electric bikes, tandems and interesting contraptions designed for three or four people.
The Isle of Cumbrae also has an 18-hole golf course, with fantastic views of Arran and Bute to the west. There is also sea fishing, fly fishing and a bowling club.
The island has the smallest Cathedral in the UK, which is the Cathedral of the Isles (Scottish Episcopal Church)
It was nearly lunchtime as we made our way along the shore, so we started to look for somewhere to eat. We chose the excellent Round Island Café, where we found outside tables in an area recessed from the road.
As we ate our lunch, the Waverley paddle steamer, the last sea-going, steam-powered paddle steamer in the world, passed in the distance, heading south at a surprising lick. An adventure for another day!
One of Millport’s claims to fame is that it is the home of the narrowest house in the world! As it happens, this was right next to where we were eating.
Known as the Wedge, the house frontage is only forty-seven inches wide (119.38cm), although it does get wider towards the back. It is the shape of a wedge of cheese – hence the name.
With one bedroom, the inhabitants have said that there is actually plenty of room inside.
So perhaps it might just be the narrowest house frontage in the world. Even so, it is pretty narrow.
Another famous landmark is the Crocodile Rock down on the shore. This painted grinning toothy crocodile first appeared in postcards from around 1900 but is thought to date from before that time. Many people ask, but there is no connection with this Crocodile Rock and that performed by Elton John.
The parade along the main street has a series of interesting shops, many with a seaside or carnival flavour.Â
A decorated pillar box on the main street adds to the sense of fun.
Millport was originally a customs and excise hub in the days when the Firth of Clyde was developing as an international port. Many of the streets are named after crew members of the revenue cutter Royal George.
Nowadays, however, the emphasis is on tourism.
On the shore side of the road, there is the obligatory crazy golf as well as a small set of dodgems and traditional swing boats.
At the village centre, we looked back along the shore, with the small harbour just below us.
After a good wander round and investigation of the beach (the water looked amazingly clear), we boarded the bus back to the ferry terminal, making a note that next time we visited the island, we would bring our bikes.
Our journey back to Largs was in the larger boat, Loch Shira, which was altogether more luxurious, although the crossing took the same amount of time.
Once back on the mainland, we headed for Largs’ other famous attraction – Nardini’s. First opened in 1935, and noted countrywide for its Art Deco design and fabulous range of ice cream, this restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a traditional meal of fish and chips, making it an ideal place to end our grand day out.
