Where Is Rest And Be Thankful Located In Scotland?

If you like dramatic scenery and short, satisfying drives, Rest and Be Thankful is exactly that kind of place — it’s on the A83 at the top of Glen Croe in Argyll and Bute. The famous stone with the inscription sits at the viewing layby and gives you a sweeping panorama down the glen with the Arrochar Alps around you. It’s a great base for quick hikes or a pit stop en route to other Highland spots, and it’s only about an hour to an hour-and-a-half from Glasgow depending on traffic, so you can easily make it a day trip.

Public transport is less frequent, but local bus routes that serve Arrochar/Tarbet can get you into that neck of the woods and then it’s a walk or a short local lift to the pass. The road has a history of closures when rockfall happens, so I usually check before I head out — that said, the sense of relief and calm at the top is totally worth planning around. I always leave with a grin and a full memory card of photos.

Take the A83 west from the lowlands and you'll climb into a landscape that changes fast: rolling glens give way to the sharper outlines of the Arrochar Alps, and at the crest of Glen Croe you find Rest and Be Thankful. It's located in Argyll and Bute, perched where the military road reaches a natural resting point. The inscription on the stone bench gives the place its name, and every time I stop there I think about the people who built those old roads and how travel used to be a proper undertaking.

Beyond the storybook feel, it's practical to know this spot is on a significant artery through the west Highlands. The pass is often used as a starting point for hillwalks and it doubles as a scenic viewpoint for drivers heading toward the Kintyre peninsula or the west-coast lochs. Weather is a factor — fog and sudden rain can change visibility quickly, and the A83 has seen closures from landslides and rockfall, so I always check local reports before setting off. For me, it's one of those destinations that combines a neat historical hook with genuine wild beauty, and it's become one of my reliable go-to places when I need a proper Highland fix.

There’s a place on the A83 called Rest and Be Thankful that I go back to whenever I want a short, sharp hit of Highland atmosphere. Geographically it sits at the top of Glen Croe in Argyll and Bute, on the road that links the Arrochar/Tarbet area with the more westerly valleys toward Inveraray. It’s not hidden — the stone inscription is an obvious focal point — but the position on the ridge gives a proper sense of arrival after the climb up the glen.

What always strikes me is the mix of human story and raw landscape. The old military road and the carved message are reminders of the engineering and effort that opened up these routes centuries past, while the surrounding peaks (the Arrochar Alps are right there) are a pure natural counterpoint. Practically speaking, it’s a handy starting place for walks, a reliable photo stop, and a spot where you can often see sudden weather swings — sunshine one minute, mist rolling through the next. I tend to recommend packing layers and giving yourself extra time in case the A83 has a temporary closure from rockfall; it’s a beautiful place but also properly rugged. I always leave feeling quietly satisfied, the sort of spot that rewards the small detour.

Driving up the A83 on a clear day, you can't miss the pull-off where folks stop to take in the view — that's Rest and Be Thankful. It's a mountain pass in Argyll and Bute, sitting at the top of Glen Croe in the southern Highlands. The road there snakes between the lochs and sharp ridges of the Arrochar Alps, so you'll often see hikers, motorcyclists, and photographers parked at the layby. The place gets its name from an old stone bench carved with the words 'Rest and be thankful', left as a kind of quiet tribute when the military road was built centuries ago, and the spot still feels like that: a breath in the middle of a rugged route.

The area is more than a convenient photo stop. From the pass you can pick routes into the hills — peaks like Beinn Ime and the ridge lines that define the Arrochar range are within wrenching distance. The A83 has a history here too; rockfalls and landslips have closed the pass at times, which locals grumble about but also use as reminders to plan around the Scottish weather. If you plan a visit, bring layers, pick a clear day for the best views across lochs and mountains, and take a quiet minute on the bench: the view rewards the effort.

Personally, I love that it feels both dramatic and intimate. It's easy to rush past on a longer drive through Argyll, but stopping there always makes whatever trip I'm on feel more like an actual journey rather than just a route — a neat little slice of Highland mood that sticks with me.

I'm a bit of a weekend rambler and every time I head into Argyll I try to make a detour to Rest and Be Thankful. The pass sits on the A83 at the top of Glen Croe in Argyll and Bute, with dramatic views over the craggy Arrochar Alps and down toward the sea lochs. There's that little stone bench with the famous inscription that gives the place its name, and people often stop to stretch, snap pictures, or check their maps before heading up into the hills.

It feels like a neat crossroads between road travel and proper walking country. I usually park, eat a quick sandwich, and watch motorbikes take the bends — it’s a small ritual now. The A83 can be unpredictable in winter and there have been closures from rockfalls, so timing and a bit of weather luck help. Still, even on an overcast day the atmosphere is strong and oddly comforting; I leave feeling like I actually went somewhere, not just along a road.

One of my favourite little Scottish roadtop moments is the Rest and Be Thankful, and it’s tucked right in Argyll and Bute. You find it on the A83 at the summit of Glen Croe — the road climbs up from the lochs and then opens out at that famous viewpoint. If you’re driving from the direction of Arrochar/Tarbet (near Loch Long) you’ll hit the top of the glen and that stone inscription and parking area; coming from the Lochgilphead/Inveraray side you climb up toward the same pass. The landscape around it is properly wild: the Arrochar Alps loom nearby, so it feels like a proper mountain gateway rather than just a roadside overlook.

There’s a bit of history pinned to the place: the name reportedly comes from weary soldiers or road workers who, having slogged up the old military road, were told to ‘rest and be thankful’ when they reached that spot. You can still see the old stonework and the plaque that carries the sentiment, and it’s a popular jumping-off point for hikes into the surrounding hills. The modern A83 has been improved over the years, but sections can still be disrupted by landslides or rockfall in bad weather — I’ve had nights waiting out a closure, so always check the local traffic news if you’re planning a trip.

If you love photography, hiking or just a scenic coffee stop, it’s brilliant: quick pull-ins for photos, a proper view down Glen Croe, and the peaks of the Arrochar Alps to admire. It’s also roughly an hour to an hour-and-a-half from Glasgow depending on traffic, so it’s a very doable day trip. I always come away feeling like I’ve paused time for a minute — the view really makes you breathe slower.