Cowal before it was the defended medieval homestead of the MacEwens; at first there was a palisaded enclosure, and then a promontory fort with a timber rampart. The remote areas in the north east of Cowal, which were theoretically under the dominion of Clan Lamont, were used by Scottish kings for hunting; indeed, Cowal was the last part of Britain to have wild boar. When King John Balliol was threatened by his rival, Robert de Bruys, Balliol's ally, the king of England, established Henry Percy at Carrick Castle, in the region; likewise Dunoon Castle further south. De Bruys expelled the English
Western Ferries individuals, sports organisations and charities. Western Ferries sponsors local sporting events including the Cowal Highland Gathering and the annual "Western Ferries Pro-Am golf tournament". The company provides a call-out service through the night for the Scottish Ambulance Service, for ambulances carrying emergency cases to hospitals in Greenock, Paisley and Glasgow The company runs a fleet of four purpose-built car ferries. Western Ferries Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd (also known as Western Ferries) is a private ferry company with its headquarters in Hunters Quay, Scotland. It currently operates on the Firth of Clyde running a year-round, high-frequency vehicle carrying service between Hunters