See Scotland Supplement - March 2005
ARDNAMURCHAN, WEST HIGHLANDS
As I glanced through the telescope, watching a colony of herons on a nearby island, an even more impressive show was unfolding just a few yards in front of me. A fat, grey seal was making a bit of a song and dance in the shallows of Loch Sunart as he desperately attempted to keep hold of what looked like a rather juicy fish. Typically, just as I was about to snap the action, the battle was over and he submerged himself into the icy depths to consume his catch.
Standing in a hyde, on the coastal edge of Sunart Oakwoods in Ardnamurchan, my friend Margaret and I were very much ‘at one with nature’. The woods are home to over 500 species of plant and animal life, some of them very rare, in particular the lower plants.
“A lichenologist’s paradise,” as Jamie MacIntyre, one of the Sunart rangers, put it. Indeed, botanists have travelled from far and wide to examine the flora which flourishes here. This area is one of the few parts of Scotland that retains its ancient coastal oakwoods and, following the set up of the Sunart Oakwoods Initiative ten years ago, is now a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC).For those who are not quite budding Bellamy’s, the woods are still well worth a visit. Pretty, winding paths lead through a wide variety of trees, home to pine martins, red squirrels and woodpeckers, and continue down to the shores of Loch Sunart, where there is plenty of bird life and perhaps, if you are lucky, an otter or two.
The Ardnamurchan peninsula, which gets its name from the Gaelic, ‘the promontory of the great seas’, is a bit like Scotland in miniature; a dramatic mix of high peaks, windswept moors, rich woodland, soft, white beaches, crumbling castles and rocky coastline. And all within a relatively small area of around 50 miles. An added bonus is that it is just a few hours drive from most other parts of Scotland, bar the far north. Our journey from Kyle of Lochalsh took just under three hours, including the Corran ferry crossing.
The southern coast of the peninsula runs along Loch Sunart and the Sound of Mull, while from the north coast, the islands of Muck, Eigg, Rhum are Skye are visible, dependent on the weather. One island, slightly closer to hand, is Carna, which nestles between Ardnamurchan and the neighbouring peninsula of Morvern.
A short boat ride from Glenborrodale with local skipper Andy Jackson, saw us disembarking onto what must be one of the most remote holiday destinations imaginable. A couple of hundred years ago, the island, just one and half miles long and one wide, was home to many local families but like most people of that time, they wee forced off the land during the Highland Clearances
Just three cottages remain on the island and it provides a perfect antidote for anyone in need of an escape from the grind of stressful, city life. The cottages are not suitable for those used to five star luxury however. Gas cookers, gas lamps and coal fires provide the heat and the light. There is no electricity, no mobile signal and civilisation feels like a million miles away. It’s just you and your island, and a boat should you wish to explore further afield.
The 500 ft peak provides an enjoyable walk and there are plenty of fish if angling is your thing. After a few hours of invigorating fresh air, what better way to relax than settling down in front of a roaring fire, with a bottle of your favourite malt and a good book, while you watch the seals playing in the loch. If you can’t face total isolation and would prefer a more pampered break then luxury, is not far away and the village of Stronian, at the head of Loch Sunart, is where you will find it.
Kilcamb Lodge, believed to be one of the oldest stone houses in the country, dating back to the 1700s, is situated a few yards back from the loch, and sheltered by woodland. Although now a fine country hotel, the lodge has an interesting history. In the early 18th century it is believed to have been a place of worship (Kil, in Gaelic, means church), as well as a military stronghold; at one time a barracks used by the army seeking supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Among former residents are an admiral, a church minister and a teacher. The landed gentry used it as a base for hunting in the 19th century and in Victorian times two new wings were added to the east and west of the original house. Dr Fraser Darling resided there post WWII, where he penned his book ‘West Highland Survey’. In 1960, Kilcamb became a hotel and the current owners, Sally and David Ruthven-Fox, do a sterling job in ensuring a most comfortable stay.
Epicureans will not be disappointed, particularly with the food, cooked by award winning chef, Neil Mellis, who trained with Raymond Blanc at Les Manoir Des Quatres Saison, one of the most revered restaurants in the world.The rooms, several of which look onto the loch, are very comfortable, but it is the cozy, log-fired lounge where you will undoubtedly want to linger. The shelves are dotted with antiques and history books, some of which mention Kilcamb, and from the fireside you can look out at the giant, ancient lime tree, which is floodlit in the evenings.
The whole place oozes romance, and even a steadfast singleton like myself could appreciate how fairytale it would be to be married here. The next morning, after fortification with Stornaway black pudding, we had planned to drive along the coastal road to Ardnamurchan’s most famous attraction - the lighthouse and then on to Sanna bay, but sadly our trip was curtailed by heavy snow. No matter – it means another trip can be planned during whale watching season. However, our route home did allow for a visit to Castle Tioram, a ruin which stands on a small tidal island in Loch Moidart. The castle has been unoccupied since it was attacked during the Jacobite Rising of 1715 but was previously a seat of the MacDonalds and dates back, in part, to the 13th century.
There are a whole host of other activities to keep you entertained here; whale watching, walking, beachcombing, the lighthouse and the natural history centre with its award winning ‘Living Building’ exhibition, to name but a few. Whatever it is you are looking for in a break, whether it is active adventure, a romantic rendezvous or just some solitude from the daily grind, you won’t go far wrong in Ardnamurchan.
Getting there
Ardnamurchan can be reached either by ferry from Skye to Mallaig or by ferry from Corran (near Fort William) to Stronian.
Alternatively, you can drive to Fort William and take the A830 to Kinlocheil and take a longer coastal road, the A861 along Loch Eil and then Loch Linnhe, to Stronian.
Kilcamb Lodge at Stronian has doubles from £X. Dinner is £42 for four courses.
www.kilcamblodge.co.uk; 01967 402257.
Loch Shiel House at Acharacle on the shores of Loch Shiel has doubles, with breakfast, from £70. www.lochshielhotel.com; 01967 431224.
Sunart Oakwoods Initiaitive – for further information visit www.sunartoakwoods.org.uk
Andy Jackson, Ard Charters (whale watching and hire of Carna cottages) www.ardcharters.com; 01972 500208