The north and northwest Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 225

simple twins and singles in the Trekkers' Lodge . Its Kintail
Bar serves good pub-grub such as steak -and-ale pies o r fish
and ch ips (£10). Hotel doubles £130 ; lodge twins £30 ;
dorms £15
Ratagan SYHA Ratagan, 2 miles south of Shiel Bridge
T 01599 511243, W syha.org.uk. Superbly sited on
the loch, with views across to the Five Sisters. Traditional
in public areas but dorms are more IKEA-esque. It also

runs guided walks and beginner s' sea-ka yaking sessions.
March-Oct. Dorms £17 ; doubles £44.20
Shielbridge Caravan Park & Campsite Shiel Bridge
T 01599 511221, W shielbridgecaravanpark.co.uk. A
minor legend among hikers thanks to its superb location
at the west end of Glen Shiel beneath the Five Sisters.
Fin d it off the A87 behind the garage. Late March to Oct.
£6 /person

The Glenelg peninsula
In contrast to Loch Duich, the Glenelg peninsula is one of the region's more remote
areas. Even though summer traffic trickles through for the Kylerhea ferry to Skye, this
little-known crofting area remains a quiet backwater jutting into the Sound of Sleat
- one benefit of being on a road to nowhere. Indeed, the peninsula has probably
changed little since Gavin Maxwell wrote about it in his otter novel Ring of Bright
Water and he disguised its pristine coast by calling it “Camusfearnà”. he landward
approach is equally impressive on a road that switchbacks over the Mam Ratagan
Pass (1115ft) with a spectacular view over the Five Sisters massif. The main village,
GLENELG , is an appealingly soporific spot - a row of whitewashed houses, surrounded
by trees, that shows little indication of its time as a strategic centre in the 1700s, when
a large barracks kept clans in check. The ruins of Bernera Barracks are on the left as you
drive to the ferry.

4

Glenelg Brochs
Nearly two miles south of Glenelg, a left turn up Glen Beag leads to the Glenelg Brochs ,
one of the best-preserved Iron Age monuments in Scotland. Its spectacular circular
towers - Dun Telve and Dun Troddan - in a sheltered valley are thought to have been
erected around two thousand years ago to protect surrounding settlements from raiders.

Arnisdale
A lonely backroad beyond Glenelg village snakes southeast through a scattering of old
crofting hamlets, timber forests and views that grow more spectacular at each bend.
Eventually you drop down to the shore of Loch Hourn at ARNISDALE , actually two
hamlets in the bosom of the mountains: Camusbane , a traditional crofting settlement
ranged behind a pebble beach; and Corran a mile further, a minuscule, whitewashed
fishing hamlet huddled around a river mouth. Display boards in the latter's Ceilidh
House and Heritage Centre (always open; free) relate local history, including that of
Mansion House between the hamlets, built by Valentine Fleming, father of James
Bond author Ian. Other than that, there's no reason to come except to see the most
jaw-dropping sea loch in Scotland. Keep it quiet.

HIKING IN GLEN SHIEL
Ordnance Survey Explorer map 414
The mountains of Glen Shiel , rising dramatically from sea level to over 3000ft in less than a
couple of miles, offer some of the best hiking routes in Scotland. Taking in a bumper crop of
Munros, the classic Five Sisters traverse is claimed by some walkers to be the best day-walk
in Scotland. Allow ten hours to complete the whole 19km route, which starts at a lay-by off
the A87 in Glen Shiel. The distinctive chain of mountains across the glen from the Five Sisters is
the Kintail Ridge , with breathtaking views south across Knoydart and the islands of the west.
It's another full-day trek, beginning from the Cluanie Inn on the A87.
Don't underestimate either of these two routes: walkers come unstuck here every year, so only
attempt them if you're confident in your walking experience, and have a map and a compass.