The north and northwest Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 242

Ì The Albannach Baddidarrach T 01571 844407,
W thealbannach.co.uk. Lesley Crosfield and Colin Craig's
Victorian house provides a stay of exquisite taste and
astonishing views of Suilven. Individually decorated rooms
vary from romantic to hip, with great bathrooms. The
couple also possess Britain's most northerly Michelin star:
six-course set menus (dinner included for residents; £65 for
non-residents) of modern European food created from local
and home-grown ingredients are brilliant without ever
showing off. No children under 12. Food served from
6pm : mid -March to Oct & Dec Tues-Sun; Nov Thurs-
Sun. £295
Inver Lodge Signed off Main St, Lochinver T 01571
844496, W inverlodge.com. Refurbishment of a hillside
hotel has created a five-star stay, featuring relaxed
contemporary decor with a nod to Highlands country style
and loch views. The latter are at their best from the
restaurant, an outpost of Chez Roux , with fresh seafood plus
rich French country dishes like confit pork belly; menus
start at £43. April-Oct daily 6-10pm. £215
Ì Lochinver Larder Main Street, near bridge
T 01571 844356. Sensational home-made pies, including

exotics like wild boar, port and prune, have made it famous,
but this fine bistro prepares other food too: think seafood
linguini, home-made fishcakes (£13) or langoustine in
lime, ginger and chilli butter (£19). Superb takeaways too:
those pies, focaccia and baked potatoes. Daily: Easter-Oct
10am-8pm; Nov-Easter 11am-3pm. Closed first
fortnight in Jan.
Lochinver Mission Lochinver harbour T 01571
844324, W lochinvermission.org.uk. New in 2011, the
former seamen's mission by the harbour is now a
community-run bunkhouse. It has three modern dorms -
spotless if a wee bit bare and tight for space in the six-bed
- plus a good kitchen and laundry faciliti es. T The price
includes breakfast in the café beneath. Dorms £18
Veyatie Baddidarrach T 01571 844424, W veyatie
-scotland.co.uk. Gorgeous views across the loch and a
warm welcome in a B&B of immaculate rooms with
excellent new showers. Patterned bedspreads and local
pottery soften modern furnishings and hotel-quality extras
with hom ely c harm. Two nights min April-Sept is no great
hardship. £86

4

North of Lochinver
here are two routes north from Lochinver: the fast A837 along the shore of Loch
Assynt (see p.246) to join the A894, or the scenic B869 coast road. Hugging the
indented shoreline, the latter offers coastal views, superb beaches and high cliff walks.
The first village worth a detour is ACHMELVICH , three miles northwest of Lochinver,
where a tiny bay cradles a white-sand beach lapped by azure water. It's popular
(relatively speaking), but there are equally seductive beaches up the coast, including
a tiny, hidden cove, Port Alltan na Bradhan , a mile north, plus a beautiful strand at
CLACHTOLL a couple of miles beyond.

Old Man of Stoer
A side road that branches north off the B869 between STOER and CLASHNESSIE ends
abruptly by a lighthouse at Ra n . The reason to come is a two-mile stroll along a
boggy track to reach the Old Man of Stoer , a 197ft rock stack just of the headland's tip,
surrounded by sheer cliffs and occasionally scaled by climbers. It's worth a circuit
around the south side of the headland to return with a vast view of the mountains of
Assynt, after which you'll deserve a cuppa in the tea van at the car park (Easter-Sept
9am-5pm except in high winds and heavy rain).

POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Unusually, most of the land and lochs north of Lochinver are owned by local crofters rather
than wealthy landlords. Helped by grants and private donations, the Assynt Crofters' Trust
( W assyntcrofters.co.uk) made history in 1993 when it pulled off the first-ever community
buyout of estate land in Scotland. Subsequent agreements have now given Little Assynt Estate
over nine thousand hectares of the Assynt hinterland to manage. The Trust owns the lucrative
fishing rights to the area, too, selling permits through local post o ces and the Lochinver
tourist o ce. The tourist o ce also sells permits for the lochs managed by the Assynt Angling
Group on parcels of land to the south of the Assynt Crofters' Trust.