17 April 2023

Isle of Bute Studio Trail

Forty-three artists, designers and makers are taking part in this year’s studio trail including me.

If you are thinking about planning a holiday on (or off) the west coast of Scotland, you should seriously consider making the Isle of Bute part of your plans whether it is for a day trip or longer.

11 suggestions and recommendations

to help you plan ahead to get the most out of the Bute Studio Trail.

1. Check out the IBAC website’s artists page and this year’s brochure. Take a look at the interactive map to see where your favourite artists are based and work out who you would like to see most. There are 27 venues and 2 days to fit them all in. They include painters, printmakers, furniture designers, traditional upholsterers, glass artists, crafters, jewellery designers, and so much more.

2. Getting Around The Island
   The interactive map suggests 5 possible routes. Two of them are walking routes straight from the ferry, ideal if you are a foot passenger. Eight studios in Rothesay make up these walking routes. Venues 1-6 are within 5 minute's walk of the ferry terminal. Venue 7 and 8 are just on the periphery of the town centre - 10 minutes walk from the ferry terminal.

3. Coming by car?
Start your trail in Rothesay. There is free parking in the Chapel Hill Car Park (see map), or you can park wherever you can find a space in town or along the promenade. Parking charges apply at Guildford Square (immediately across from the ferry terminal).

4. Recommendation: Park your car in Rothesay town centre and walk to the Rothesay town venues. They are all within short walking distance of each other.

5. Avoid parking outside venues situated on residential streets if at all possible, unless you have mobility issues. We want to keep the neighbours on our side.

6. For those on foot
If you come on foot and want to explore beyond the town centre, there are two choices. An open-top tour bus touring the island and the regular public bus service. Some studios on the island are not necessarily near a bus stop. Ask the bus driver if they will let you off or pick you up closer to venues you want to visit. I’m told they are very obliging.

7. Travelling by bike? You can of course bring your own bike, or … you can hire a bike from Scotland’s first island-based community e-bike scheme. There is a companion bike for wheelchair users, child trailers/strollers for under 5’s, as well as dog trolleys! You can book online and pick up your bike(s) at Rothesay ferry terminal or Port Bannatyne Marina.

8. Buying artwork.
Many artists sell original work. These tend to sell fast so don’t leave your favourite until 5 pm on Sunday. 

9. Bring cash!
Be warned! Not all artists have the means to take cards or digital payments. Whilst I can take card payments at my venue 7, you will need to carry cash if you want to be able to make a purchase at other studio venues. There are ATM machines in Rothesay (outside the Co-op on Guildford Square and outside the Royal Bank of Scotland on Montague Street). There is also one close to Port Bannatyne on Ardbeg Road.

10. Plan which artists/craftspeople you want to see otherwise you might struggle to get to all 27 venues over the weekend. You can see more of the artists’ work on Facebook and Instagram in the run-up to the event.
Many post their latest work that you might see at their studios, in addition to what is on their artist page on the website. You might just discover people you hadn’t planned to visit! You will get more of a flavour of the kind of work you can see at my studio venue on my original prints pages. Here’s my seascape prints page to whet your appetite.

11. Lots of venues provide home baking and refreshments
so you can eat and drink your way around the trail as you go. There are also a variety of cafes, pubs, hotels and restaurants to choose from across the island. Most but by no means all, are in Rothesay itself. Ask the artists for recommendations of places near their venue.

Stay on Bute

A Times newspaper survey in 2022 found that Bute was the best place to live in Scotland. I can absolutely vouch for that assertion.

Come and pay the island a visit and see for yourself. I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve met since I arrived who came for a short stay and never left, or came straight back as soon as they could to live here. Find out more about holiday accommodation and what else Bute has to offer here.