The north and northwest Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 224

the village of Plockton is a lovely spot, with a superb setting on Loch Carron , a long
inlet which acts as a dividing line between Kyle of Lochalsh and the splendours of
Wester Ross to the north.

Kyle of Lochalsh
Moribund since the opening of the Skye Bridge, KYLE OF LOCHALSH is not particularly
attractive and traffic has little reason to stop, especially since Skye or Plockton nearby
offer more appealing accommodation. A great café aside, the only reason to pause is the
Atlantis , the UK's only semi-submersible glass-bottom boat ( T 01471 822716 or T 0800
980 4846, W seaprobeatlantis.com), which offers trips to protected seal and bird colonies
on Seal Island (£12.99) or over the World War II wreck of HMS Port Napier (£15.99).
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE KYLE OF LOCHALSH

By train It's a glorious journey from Inverness to Kyle of
Lochalsh (Mon-Sat 4 daily, Sun 2 daily; 2hr 30min); trains
stop at Plockton (15min from Kyle) en route.
By bus Reservations are recommended for all services
( T 0870 550 5050, W citylink.co.uk). Buses stop on the

waterfront at the old slipway.
Destinations Fort William via Invergarry (3 daily; 1hr
50min); Glasgow (3 daily; 5hr); Inverness via Invermoriston
(3 daily; 2hr 10min); Kyleakin, Skye (every 45min; 10min).

EATING
Buth Bheay By the old ferry wharf. A takeaway shack
where fish and seafood from the owner's boat goes into
big sandwiches and salad boxes - a bargain at £2-3. Also

prepares Cullen skink, and home-baking. Mid-Feb to
Christmas Tues-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 11am-3pm.

4

Loch Duich
Skirted on its northern shore by the A87, Loch Duich features prominently on the
tourist trail: coach tours from all over Europe thunder down from SHIEL BRIDGE en
route to Skye and one of Scotland's most iconic castles, Eilean Donan. Not that it's
just the happy hordes who visit: at the end of the loch is Glen Shiel, flanked by the
Five Sisters of Kintail - a classic tough trek that ticks of three Munros (see box, p.40).

Eilean Donan Castle
Beside A87 near the village of Dornie • Feb-Christmas daily 10am-6pm • £6.50 • T 01599 555202, W eileandonancastle.com
After Edinburgh's fortress, Eilean Donan Castle has to be the most photographed
monument in Scotland. Located on the A87 guarding the confluence of lochs Alsh,
Long and Duich, its tower rises on an islet, joined to the shore by a stone bridge and
set against a backdrop of mountains. Small wonder it has featured in Highlander and
the James Bond adventure The World is Not Enough . The castle was established in 1230
by Alexander II to protect the area from the Vikings but was destroyed during the
Jacobite uprising of 1719. It was rebuilt between 1912 and 1932 by a British army
officer, John Macrae-Gilstrap, because of the Macrae clan's ancestral links to the area.
So, its three floors, including the banqueting hall, the bedrooms and the troops'
quarters, are re-creations rather than originals. The Jacobite and clan relics on display
are all original.
ACCOMMODAT ION AND EATING LOCH DUICH

Grants at Craigellachie Ratagan, 2 miles south of
Shiel Bridge T 01599 511331, W housebytheloch.co
.uk. You'll find B&B charm and hotel quality in the three
modern en-suites plus a suite with kitchenette. The owner's
intimate restaurant serves first-class modern Scottish
dishes like pot-roast pheasant with wild boar, leek and

tarragon stu ng (mains average £16). Rese rvations
essential. Easter-Oct Tues-Sat from 7pm. £115
Kintail Lodge Hotel Shiel Bridge T 01599 511275,
W kintaillodgehotel.co.uk. A Victorian pile on the loch's
east shore with twelve hotel rooms plus dorm-style hostel
accommodation in the well-named Wee Bunkhouse plus