The village of Carradale lies a little over half-way down the east coast of the Kintyre peninsula at a point where the Kilbrannan Sound is less than three miles wide. It marks the point where the twin track road from the south becomes single track as it heads north, and much of it is actually bypassed by the B842 anyway. The result of all this is that no-one ends up in Carradale who hasn't actually set out to be there, and the village offers a gentle pace and a quiet charm that amply reflects that. The village is one of a number of reasons why you shouldn't overlook this less travelled east coast of the peninsula.

Carradale itself is a slightly fragmented settlement which can be viewed as a number of distinct parts. The main coast road passes through what the map calls Bridgend, and here you find the petrol and police stations, a restaurant and, a little way along the B879 to the rest of the village, the parish church. Following the B879 towards the rest of the village takes you past the Carradale Network Centre, a heritage centre, on your left, while the woodland opposite conceals Carradale House and, beyond it, a caravan site overlooking Carradale Bay.

The B879 is in total only about a mile and a half in length, and as you continue along it you pass the village hall on your right before entering the main centre of the village. Here you find a shop and post office, two hotels, a golf club, and the residential focus of the village. Continuing east brings you to a steep descent that emerges beside Carradale's harbour. Piles of nets, floats, ropes, lobster pots and assorted baskets tumble along the quay side and fishing boats jostle for position on their moorings. This is very much a working harbour. A plaque on the harbour wall pays tribute to the crew of the Carradale-based fishing vessel Antares, lost to the sea off Arran on 22 November 1990; a sobering reminder of the dangers of working these waters.