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Itineraries |
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| We offer a range of spectacular pre-planned day trips around the most magnificent unspoilt landscape in Scotland. You will see rugged mountains, sandy beaches, shimmering island views and fantastic wildlife. Alternatively, tours can be tailor-made to suit individual requirements. In every case, numbers are limited to a maximum of 6, thereby ensuring personal attention. | |||
Applecross |
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| This trip takes in the magnificent
Applecross peninsula, including the famous Bealach na Ba (Pass of
the Cattle), the road over which is one of the highest in Britain,
climbing from sea level to 2,053 feet. The views from this road are
truly spectacular, comprising some of the most dramatic mountain
scenery in the British Isles. On the far side of the Bealach the
road drops down steadily back to sea level, reaching the pretty
little village of Applecross, a peaceful haven after the high drama
of the Applecross tops. The Applecross Inn in the village is famed
for its seafood and there is also an excellent restaurant at The
Potting Shed in the walled garden of Applecross House. In the
vicinity of Applecross there are lovely sandy beaches and there are
a number of walks including, for the more energetic, a linear walk
crossing the northern part of the peninsula from Applecross through
to Kenmore.
After leaving Applecross village, we continue north around the coast road, passing a number of small settlements on the way and many magnificent views across to the islands of Raasay, Rona and Skye. After rounding the northern tip of the peninsula, the views change and we can now see the superb mountain scenery of the Torridon Hills. Eventually we reach the junction with the A896 about a mile from Shieldaig. Depending on how much time we have spent in Applecross, we can either take this road back to Lochcarron, a distance of about 13 miles or, if time permits, we can head towards Torridon - see the details of the next tour. |
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Torridon |
The trip to Torridon can either be taken
on its own or be added on to the Applecross
tour, details of which are above. On leaving Lochcarron village, we head north up the A896 towards Shieldaig, passing the junction with the north end of the Applecross coast road about 1 mile before reaching Shieldaig village. The main road by-passes the village but we make a detour through the village itself which has a very attractive row of cottages stretching along the water front. There is a shop in the village as well as the Tigh an Eilean Hotel. |
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| After leaving Shieldaig, we continue north up the
A896 from which there are spectacular views across to the Torridon
Hills and then arrive at the little village of Annat with its
dramatic backdrop of the towering Liathach. At Annat are the
Torridon Inn and the Torridon Hotel with its award-winning
restaurant. A mile or so beyond Annat we reach a junction where a small side road on the left leads to Torridon village and then continues for some 8 or 9 miles to the little village of Diabaig. If time permits, we can make a detour along this road, a very rewarding drive as the road rises to more than 1,000 feet above sea level at one point with some very dramatic views along the way. For those of an energetic nature, a linear walk of about 7 - 8 miles in length starts from the car park about 2 miles from Torridon and passes around the back (north side) of Liathach to reach the A896 in Glen Torridon. For those even more energetic, there are mountains such as Beinn Alligin and Liathach to climb! But expending energy is optional and there's still plenty to see from the air-conditioned comfort of the car! Our tour continues along the A896 through Glen Torridon with the bulk first of Liathach and then of Beinn Eighe on our left. The road passes through part of the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve, Britain's first national nature reserve which was established in 1951. In a short while we then reach Kinlochewe and the junction with the A832. From Kinlochewe we head towards Achnasheen along the magnificent sweeping curves of the recently upgraded double-track road, climbing up Glen Docherty from the top of which there is a viewpoint with magnificent views back down the glen to Loch Maree in the distance. At Achnasheen, we turn right on to the A890 to head back towards Lochcarron, the road passing initially through high open moorland with large mountains in the background and then dropping down steadily into the gentler landscape of Glen Carron as we get closer to our destination. |
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Loch Maree & Gairloch |
Our tour to Loch Maree and
Gairloch can be taken as a linear trip, travelling as far as
Inverewe Gardens and then returning by the same route.
Alternatively, if time permits, it can be made into a round trip
taking in the northern part of the Wester Ross Coastal Trail right
round to Braemore Junction, and then returning via the A835 and A832
to Garve and Achnasheen. On leaving Lochcarron village, we head east on the A896/A890 to Achnasheen where we turn left on to the A832 to Kinlochewe. This is therefore the latter part of the Torridon tour but taken in the reverse direction. |
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| In Kinlochewe there is a hotel and two
shops. Shortly after passing Kinlochewe we reach the Beinn Eighe
National Nature Reserve with its visitor centre and trails. There
are both low-level and upland trails, the latter affording some
dramatic views across Loch Maree towards Beinn a'Mhuinidh and
Slioch. Beyond the visitor centre, the road follows the shore of Loch Maree for just over half of its length before leaving the loch side at Slattadale to head north west towards Gairloch. Loch Maree is generally regarded as one of the most beautiful stretches of fresh water in the UK and there are many superb views to be seen. Just before Slattadale are the Victoria Falls, named after Queen Victoria following a visit by her to the area. 2 or 3 miles before reaching Gairloch, a little side road to the left leads to Badachro and Red Point. Badachro is a pretty little place, somewhat reminiscent of parts of Cornwall with its boats and harbour, and there is an attractive inn. At Red Point there is a magnificent sandy beach. If time permits, we may be able to include a detour along this road. Gairloch has a number of attractions: superb sandy beaches, a golf course, several inns and hotels, the Gairloch Heritage Museum, as well as a number of shops. At Flowerdale there is pony trekking at the Gairloch Trekking Centre as well as a very pleasant walk to some waterfalls. Continuing along the A832 for a few miles, we come to Poolewe (passing a superb view along the length of Loch Maree en route) and Inverewe Garden. Originally established by Osgood MacKenzie in 1862 and now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, the garden contains exotic plants and species from all around the world, courtesy of the warmth from the Gulf Stream, and there are some excellent views from the garden, too. From Inverewe Gardens we can return to Lochcarron either by re-tracing our steps or, if time permits, by continuing north around the remainder of the Wester Ross Coastal Trail to Braemore Junction. There are further sights to see along the way: the beautiful Gruinard Bay, the spectacular piece of road leading down towards Dundonnell, and finally the Corrieshalloch Gorge. From Braemore Junction we head towards Garve on the A835 and then return to Lochcarron along the A890 via Achnasheen. |
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Glenelg and Plockton |
This trip takes in some
places of historical interest as well as affording, once again, some
dramatic views of magnificent Highland scenery. From Lochcarron we go to the Strathcarron Junction and then take the A890 along the south shore of Loch Carron from which there are superb views of Lochcarron village on the far side of the water. At Auchtertyre and the junction of the A87, we turn left and 3 miles later arrive at Eilean Donan Castle, our first stopping point. This is probably the best known and most photographed of Scottish castles. |
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| From Eilean Donan we continue on the A87 alongside
Loch Duich to Shiel Bridge where we turn right on the side road
towards Glenelg. There then follows a dramatic climb up to 1,100
feet over Mam Ratagan with some stunning views of Loch Duich and the
5 Sisters of Kintail. On the far side the road descends gently
towards Glenelg. This superb few miles of road was originally built
as a military road by General Wade, leading to the Bernera Barracks
just outside Glenelg, the ruins of which can still be seen. At
Glenelg there is a shop and an inn. A mile or so beyond Glenelg there is a small road to the left leading to the two Pictish brochs of Dun Telve and Dun Troddan. Considering their age (over 2,000 years) and their dry stane dyking construction, the brochs are in a remarkably good state and are well worth a visit. Having seen the brochs, and if time permits, we can continue along the original side road heading south towards Arnisdale. This road has several dramatic viewpoints looking out to sea towards Skye and, further on some magnificent views of Loch Hourn (see above). The road also passes a track leading down to Sandaig, site of the former home of Gavin Maxwell, the well-known author of "Ring of Bright Water". Returning to Glenelg village, we have a choice: either to re-trace our steps towards Lochcarron via Mam Ratagan and Shiel Bridge to the junction of the A87 and A890 at Auchtertyre; or to incorporate an additional element of interest, a boat crossing to Skye! Apart from the Caledonian MacBrayne crossing from Mallaig to Armadale, the little car ferry from Glenelg to Kylerhea is now the only way of crossing to Skye by traditional means since the opening of the Skye Bridge. However, the ferry is seasonal and may not run in adverse weather conditions so we are dependent on availability for this extension to the trip. Having crossed to Kylerhea we pass the Otter Haven, an otter sanctuary where there is a hide for viewing purposes. However, patience is required and we may not have sufficient time to stop long here. Beyond Kylerhea, the road climbs high before descending again via Glen Arroch to the main A87 where we turn right and, after a few miles, cross back to the mainland via the new Skye Bridge. Whichever route we have used, we can now round off our tour with one remaining stop at the pretty little village of Plockton. This place was made famous some few years ago by the "Hamish MacBeth" TV series and was also used as one of the locations for filming "The Wicker Man". Plockton has a natural harbour and many people are surprised to see palm trees growing in the gardens along the water front, something rather unexpected in such a northern clime. Plockton has several inns and hotels serving excellent food and drink. From Plockton we return home to Lochcarron. |
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Isle of Skye |
No visit to this part of the
Highlands would be complete without a trip across the sea to the
Eilean a' Cheo, The Misty Isle! Nowadays, the main crossing to Skye
is via the new Skye Bridge, perhaps a little less romantic than going by
boat but without the frustrating queues and delays which
used to occur at busy times prior to the opening of the bridge. From Lochcarron we follow the initial route of the Glenelg & Plockton tour as far as Auchtertyre and the junction of the A87. Here we turn right heading for Kyle of Lochalsh and the Skye Bridge. |
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| Once on Skye we head north up the A87 towards
Broadford and Portree. Beyond Broadford the scenery becomes
increasingly spectacular as we approach the Cuillin Hills and there
are also superb views looking back across to the mainland. En route
we pass the famous Sligachan Hotel (which now has its own micro
brewery), standing close to the Black Cuillins which are so popular
with walkers and climbers. Portree is the capital of Skye and is quite a vibrant little place with a variety of shops, hotels, inns and restaurants. There is an attractive harbour with brightly painted buildings, a scene which has appeared in numerous photographs in books, calendars, etc. From Portree we continue north on the A855 up the east coast of the Trotternish peninsula and soon find some dramatic vistas opening up. Ahead in the distance can be seen the natural stack of The Old Man of Storr and then beyond the rocky escarpment of the Quiraing (see photo above, whilst to the east there are magnificent views back across to Applecross and Gairloch on the mainland. The eastern seaboard of Trotternish is a truly spectacular piece of countryside, especially on a clear day, and perhaps the most spectacular feature of all is Kilt Rock where we will make a stop. This is a 200 feet high sheer cliff face over which a waterfall tumbles straight down to the shore below. The rock is textured much like the folds of a kilt, hence its name. Other spectacular sights and views are to be found in the Quiraing, just to the north of Staffin. This has some quite bizarre rock formations and from the top on a clear day there are outstanding views across to the Western Isles as well as to the mainland; you will, however, require a little stamina to reach the top, not to mention a good head for heights! Once again, for those who prefer to remain seated, there is still plenty to be seen - and photographed - from the air-conditioned comfort of the car! Close to the western tip of the Trotternish peninsula we come to the ruins of Duntulm Castle standing on a promontory above the sea. Just a little further on, as we begin to travel down the western seaboard of Trotternish, is the Skye Museum of Island Life, a re-creation of a crofting township which depicts life as it was on Skye, and indeed throughout the Highlands and Islands, in bygone times. After this, the next landmark, just off the main coast road, is the little place of Uig with its ferry terminal for the crossings to North Uist and Harris. Just by the ferry terminal is the highly successful Isle of Skye Brewery and Brewery Shop, founded by two teachers from Portree High School in 1995 and now distributing real ales throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. From Uig we wend our way south on the A87 to Portree, thence retracing our steps back to Lochcarron via Broadford and the Skye Bridge. Skye is the largest of the Inner Hebrides and our trip to Trotternish takes in only one of the 5 distinct regions on the island. There are many other places to see and things to do - Dunvegan Castle, the Talisker Distillery, Glen Brittle and Elgol (from where there are boat trips to Loch Coruisk), to mention but a few. There are many possibilities for day trips to Skye, far too many to list here, so why not contact us to discuss where you would like to go? |
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| Applecross | Torridon | Loch Maree & Gairloch | Glenelg & Plockton | Isle of Skye |
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