Alas, when Walter Douglas Campbell set out his plans for St Conan’s Kirk back in 1881, making it accessible to all was not the top of his priority list!
Whilst it is possible to access most areas of the Kirk for those reliant upon either wheelchairs or walking aids, it does come with some challenges.
On this page, we’ve highlighted what you can expect when visiting the Kirk.
Parking and Access
We have limited parking at St Conan’s. There are 5 spaces at the entrance to the Kirk, by the War Memorial, with additional spaces in the layby opposite – please be very careful crossing the road when using these spaces.
Further parking can be found to the West (Oban bound) just past the Kirk on the left-hand side, opposite the bus stop.
Note, that if parking in the spaces to the west, or arriving by bus, the descent to the Kirk through the gardens is via a fairly steep ramped path with no handrail.
The access in front of the Kirk is mainly gravel, which can prove problematic for wheelchair users. In this instance, disabled visitors are more than welcome to drive down into the grounds and park in front of the Kirk itself. Your blue badge should be displayed when parking here. Please be careful when parking, as this is a pedestrian area.
The Interior
You can access the Kirk via the Cloisters. The map below shows those areas where there are steps to be navigated. In most instances there is a single or double step. During manned events, there is normally a ramp available, but this is not the case in general. Check out the Events to see when the Kirk will be manned.

The Gardens
The gardens are built on a steep terrace, leading down to the railway line and Loch Awe. The paths are gravel and include several areas of steep, uneven stepping. As such, access may be limited for less mobile visitors. Visitor discretion is advised.
Facilities
During manned events there is a disabled toilet available accessed via a ramp in the Vestry. However, there are no toilet facilities normally available inside the Kirk.
If the tea room is open, there are toilets available for customers, however, there is no disabled access.
Note: We are in the process of having fully accessible facilities installed in the octagonal Engine Tower in the Cloisters.