Alison’s guidebook
Sightseeing
Attadale Gardens
Attadale GardensLovely gardens to wander around.
Great village to wander around, nice views and pubs, seal trip good fun too (free if no seals!).
53 Einheimische empfehlen
Plockton
Great village to wander around, nice views and pubs, seal trip good fun too (free if no seals!).
Applecross has to be my favourite place, once you have mastered the hair raising drive over the Bealach (‘’pass of the cattle”) you come down in the village of Applecross. I would definitely recommend the pub for fabulous seafood and the Walled garden, if nice you can sit outside while the kids can explore the garden. There are quite a selection of little paths around the village which are well signposted. The Applecross bay is lovely and easy to potter down onto. Sand beach (drive north over the first hill) has some amazing sand dunes and last time we went full of brittle stars which we tried to rescue but watch out their legs break off very easily! The walk down to Collie gillie and Ardban is about a 40 minute walk and there is a lovely beach at ArdBan and if the tide is out a fantastic beach just west of Colliegillie.
44 Einheimische empfehlen
Applecross
Applecross has to be my favourite place, once you have mastered the hair raising drive over the Bealach (‘’pass of the cattle”) you come down in the village of Applecross. I would definitely recommend the pub for fabulous seafood and the Walled garden, if nice you can sit outside while the kids can explore the garden. There are quite a selection of little paths around the village which are well signposted. The Applecross bay is lovely and easy to potter down onto. Sand beach (drive north over the first hill) has some amazing sand dunes and last time we went full of brittle stars which we tried to rescue but watch out their legs break off very easily! The walk down to Collie gillie and Ardban is about a 40 minute walk and there is a lovely beach at ArdBan and if the tide is out a fantastic beach just west of Colliegillie.
Cam-Allt Na Mara Adventure Ideas
Plockton is a great place to visit. Callums seal trips (free if no seals) are great for the whole family. Callum is a real character and usually lets anyone have a go at driving the boat. There is an inside bit as well as outside if it does get a bit cold or wet outside.
There is a nice walk up the back of the village where you can look over the tops of the houses to the hills beyond.
If you walk through the village just as the road turns up to the left, there is a private driveway with a gate and cattle grid, walk through this and follow the signs to a circular path through someone’s gardens around the peninsula with fab views out.
The coral beach up near the aerodrome is one of my favourites. It is marked as Port Luinge on the map and is accessed down a track and has some great rock pools, a beach made of coral and shells, picnic bench and nice bay to swim in. Well worth the extra effort to walk down to it.
There is a highland farm on the way to Plockton http://craighighlandfarm.co.uk where you can feed the animals and mingle with lamas.
Applecross has to be my favourite place, once you have mastered the hair raising drive over the Bealach (‘’pass of the cattle”) you come down in the village of Applecross. I would definitely recommend the pub for fabulous seafood and the Walled garden, if nice you can sit outside while the kids can explore the garden. There are quite a selection of little paths around the village which are well signposted. The Applecross bay is lovely and easy to potter down onto. Sand beach (drive north over the first hill) has some amazing sand dunes and last time we went full of brittle stars which we tried to rescue but watch out their legs break off very easily! The walk down to Collie gillie and Ardban is about a 40 minute walk and there is a lovely beach at ArdBan and if the tide is out a fantastic beach just west of Colliegillie.
For those occasional rainy days there is a swimming pool at the Lochalsh Leisure Centre in Kyle of Lochalsh !
Pop up Pottery in Lochcarron will do individual sessions. We didn’t know how long our son (who must of been 3 when he first went) would last in a pottery session but he spent a great hour playing with the clay really happily. Meanwhile the rest of us had a go on the potter’s wheel. Vicky can glaze and fire the items and send home if you manage to create anything good. We have a lovely hand print and foot print which we brought home. If you went early you might be able to do the glazing while you are there as you will be there for 2 weeks.
There is a crab net in the garage and at low tide we put it out in the old fish trap in the loch with some ham or sausage as bait. Then go and check at the next low tide and see what we have caught. We release the crabs back again as none of them are really big enough to eat. However there is a fishing rod if you are feeling lucky enough to catch your own dinner. The rocks have some mussels which are a bit more reliable to catch! Though take the ones near the top as the bottom ones often have pearls so watch your teeth!
Why not take the train and alight at Duncraig (a request stop so let the driver know) and walk along the footpath to Plockton, then after lunch you can return by train to Strathcarron. Or alternatively take the train all the way to Kyle of Lochalsh as you get the best view from the train.
Attadale Gardens is further along the road towards Kyle of Lochalsh, it has a sculpture collection, water gardens, sunken garden, Japanese garden, kitchen garden, fern garden, and a DIY tea room. Visit http://www.attadalegardens.com/ for more information
Glen Elg is the location of some impressive ancient stone Broch’s (Dun Telve and Dun Troddan). Sandaig Bay where Gavin Maxwell wrote “Ring of Bright Water” and a small manual turntable car ferry (takes 6 cars) which crosses the Kylerhea straights to Skye. There is a good chance of seeing seals, otters and possibly a sea eagle.
The road to Ardneaskean is lovely, stop at slumbay for a wee potter (good spot for otters), then a look at the weavers (there is a path from the weavers leading to the old, abandoned village), Strome castle not much to see but fab views through the old archway out to Skye and a great little story. At the end you can park and do a circular walk through the woods to Leacanashie.
Cam-Allt Na Mara
Cam-Allt Na Mara Adventure Ideas
Plockton is a great place to visit. Callums seal trips (free if no seals) are great for the whole family. Callum is a real character and usually lets anyone have a go at driving the boat. There is an inside bit as well as outside if it does get a bit cold or wet outside.
There is a nice walk up the back of the village where you can look over the tops of the houses to the hills beyond.
If you walk through the village just as the road turns up to the left, there is a private driveway with a gate and cattle grid, walk through this and follow the signs to a circular path through someone’s gardens around the peninsula with fab views out.
The coral beach up near the aerodrome is one of my favourites. It is marked as Port Luinge on the map and is accessed down a track and has some great rock pools, a beach made of coral and shells, picnic bench and nice bay to swim in. Well worth the extra effort to walk down to it.
There is a highland farm on the way to Plockton http://craighighlandfarm.co.uk where you can feed the animals and mingle with lamas.
Applecross has to be my favourite place, once you have mastered the hair raising drive over the Bealach (‘’pass of the cattle”) you come down in the village of Applecross. I would definitely recommend the pub for fabulous seafood and the Walled garden, if nice you can sit outside while the kids can explore the garden. There are quite a selection of little paths around the village which are well signposted. The Applecross bay is lovely and easy to potter down onto. Sand beach (drive north over the first hill) has some amazing sand dunes and last time we went full of brittle stars which we tried to rescue but watch out their legs break off very easily! The walk down to Collie gillie and Ardban is about a 40 minute walk and there is a lovely beach at ArdBan and if the tide is out a fantastic beach just west of Colliegillie.
For those occasional rainy days there is a swimming pool at the Lochalsh Leisure Centre in Kyle of Lochalsh !
Pop up Pottery in Lochcarron will do individual sessions. We didn’t know how long our son (who must of been 3 when he first went) would last in a pottery session but he spent a great hour playing with the clay really happily. Meanwhile the rest of us had a go on the potter’s wheel. Vicky can glaze and fire the items and send home if you manage to create anything good. We have a lovely hand print and foot print which we brought home. If you went early you might be able to do the glazing while you are there as you will be there for 2 weeks.
There is a crab net in the garage and at low tide we put it out in the old fish trap in the loch with some ham or sausage as bait. Then go and check at the next low tide and see what we have caught. We release the crabs back again as none of them are really big enough to eat. However there is a fishing rod if you are feeling lucky enough to catch your own dinner. The rocks have some mussels which are a bit more reliable to catch! Though take the ones near the top as the bottom ones often have pearls so watch your teeth!
Why not take the train and alight at Duncraig (a request stop so let the driver know) and walk along the footpath to Plockton, then after lunch you can return by train to Strathcarron. Or alternatively take the train all the way to Kyle of Lochalsh as you get the best view from the train.
Attadale Gardens is further along the road towards Kyle of Lochalsh, it has a sculpture collection, water gardens, sunken garden, Japanese garden, kitchen garden, fern garden, and a DIY tea room. Visit http://www.attadalegardens.com/ for more information
Glen Elg is the location of some impressive ancient stone Broch’s (Dun Telve and Dun Troddan). Sandaig Bay where Gavin Maxwell wrote “Ring of Bright Water” and a small manual turntable car ferry (takes 6 cars) which crosses the Kylerhea straights to Skye. There is a good chance of seeing seals, otters and possibly a sea eagle.
The road to Ardneaskean is lovely, stop at slumbay for a wee potter (good spot for otters), then a look at the weavers (there is a path from the weavers leading to the old, abandoned village), Strome castle not much to see but fab views through the old archway out to Skye and a great little story. At the end you can park and do a circular walk through the woods to Leacanashie.