The north and northwest Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 216

EATING
Ì Whitehouse Restaurant Lochaline T 01967
421777, W thewhitehouserestaurant.co.uk. Arguably the
best reason to visit Morvern, this is one of the Highlands'
finest restaurants. Simple style belies outstanding modern

European cooking that showcases local meat and seafood
like fresh mussels and crab. Booking recommended. Easter-
Oct Tues-Sat noon-9pm.

The Ardnamurchan peninsula
he Ardnamurchan peninsula is the most westerly point on the British mainland. Once
ruled by Norse invaders, the peninsula lost most inhabitants during the Clearances and
only a handful of crofting settlements cling to the coastline, making this one of the
west coast's backwaters. Yet with its empty beaches and sea vistas, Ardnamurchan is an
inspiring place. A single-track road threads down its length, a superb route with a real
sense of transition from ancient mossy oak forest to salt-sprayed moorland as you
approach the sea. It's not fast, but this is slow travel at its best, with a huge variety of
wildlife and scenery to make walking a pleasure; pick up a locally produced guide from
tourist offices and most shops.

Strontian and Salen
Actually part of the near-roadless regions of Sunart and Ardgour , STRONTIAN serves as
a gateway base for the peninsula. The village's moment of fame came in 1722, when
local lead mines yielded the first-ever traces of strontium , which was named after the
village. Don't get too excited.
The hamlet of SALEN , spread around another sheltered notch on the loch's shore,
marks the turn-off for Ardnamurchan Point: from here it's 25 miles of scenic driving
beside Loch Sunart - slow and all the better for it. A turf-roofed Garbh Eilean hide
(free access) five miles west of Strontian is an opportunity to peer for seals, seabirds and
the occasional eagle.

4

Nàdurra
Glenborrodale • April-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm, Sun 11.30am-5pm; Nov, Feb & March Tues-Fri 10am-4pm, Sun noon-3.30pm •
£4.50 • T 01972 500209, W nadurracentre.co.uk
Nàdurra , a small, child-friendly natural history centre just west of Glenborrodale (5 miles
down the road from Salen), introduces the flora, fauna and geology of Ardnamurchan.
Named after the Gaelic word for “nature”, the centre is in a timber “Living Building”
designed to allow in wildlife - pine martins nest within the walls, long-eared bats
occasionally hang from the rafters and a glass wall descends into a wildlife pond.
Otherwise there are the usual wildlife displays and a film, plus cameras trained on
whatever's most interesting - the pine martins, perhaps, or a heronry opposite.

Kilchoan and Ardnamurchan Lighthouse
KILCHOAN is Ardnamurchan's main village - a modest crofting settlement which straggles
along the Sound of Mull. From here, the road continues to Ardnamurchan Point , the most
westerly point in mainland Britain, marked by a 118ft-high lighthouse . The lighthouse
buildings house a small café and an exhibition on local history, while tours go up the tower
to see the lighting mechanism (exhibition April-Oct daily 10am-5pm; £3; tour April-Oct
daily 11am-4pm; £6; T 01972 510210, W ardnamurchanlighthouse.com).

Sanna Bay
Explore the area around Kilchoan to find myriad coves, beaches and headlands. The
finest beach is Sanna Bay , about three miles north of the lighthouse, a white strand
with unforgettable views of the Small Isle. Incidentally, the road there crosses the crater
of what was the largest volcano in prehistoric Britain, still visible on a map in the
northwest peninsula.