Ardnamurchan (Scottish Gaelic: Àird nam Murchan: headland of the great seas) is a peninsula of around 50 square miles to the west of Lochaber in the Highland region of Scotland. It is the most westerly part of the British mainland and is quite literally the end of the road. This is a beautiful and remote corner of Scotland, with amazing seascapes over the islands, seemingly around every corner. The harsh landscape is relieved by a whole series of superb sandy beaches, Sanna beach, a curve of white sand, is one of the most beautiful in the country; whilst the peninsula ends with Ardnamurchan lighthouse.
For the geologist, Ardnamurchan Ring complex is a fascinating geological network of hills which once made up an active volcano. It is part of the Lochaber Geoparks and is of real interest to geologists worldwide. It is possible to walk the circumference of this ring of hills, giving a real sense of scale to the local area. Amongst these hills are good and relatively unexplored rock climbing routes.
For the archaeologist, on the north coast at Ockle, there has been a recently discovered Viking boat burial site, the first of its kind to be found on the British mainland. It has been described as ‘one of the most important Norse graves ever excavated in Britain’ and included remains of a Viking chieftain, lying in his longboat surrounded by his sword, knife, spear and drinking horn, with his cloak held with a pin from Ireland and his shield lying across his chest.
For the great outdoors there is some of the best scenery on the west coast of Scotland. Whether you are interested in walking, climbing, cycling, fishing, kayaking or wildlife spotting, there’s plenty to see and do. Go with a guided wildlife tour to see deer, pine martins, otters, eagles and sea eagles and possibly a wild cat.
If you are more energetic, you can climb Ben Hiant, Ben Resipole and even Ben Nevis for spectacular views, take a boat trip with Staffa Tours or Ardnamurchan Charters to explore the sea life of Loch Sunart and the Treshnish Isles, Staffa, where you could see puffins, dolphins, whales and basking sharks.
If you are looking for peace and tranquillity: the air is so clear and the area so unspoilt; you can spend relaxing days, exploring deserted sandy beaches, discovering ancient Atlantic oak woods, watching the sunset over the islands of Eigg, Rum and Skye, stargazing and marvelling at the magical Northern Lights.
For a day of shops, cafe’s, An Tobar Art Gallery, Tobermory Distillery and culture: take a 35 minute ferry journey across the Sound of Mull to Tobermory, the largest village on the Isle of Mull.
Quote from Graham Spiers Sports Columnist Saturday 9 of March 2013 Glasgow Herald
My enduring love for Ardnamurchan
“Yet it is a great adventure. After 40 minutes on this twisting corkscrew of a route you suddenly emerge into blissful, eye-catching open scenery, with glens on either side or a brooding Ben Hiant ahead of you. One summer I made this familiar trip on a gorgeous, sunlit evening only to be stopped dead in my tracks in my car. Twenty yards in front of me, suddenly by the roadside and on the nearby hill, was a 30-strong herd of deer, down from the mountain to slake their thirst in the low river. I stopped the car to take in this captivating scene, and the deer in turn stood and eyeballed me, frozen to the spot. I can still picture the frieze of antlers before me. It is one of many beautiful moments I have had in Ardnamurchan over the years.
A few minutes further on and the road sweeps round the corner, with Moidart to the north and Mull to the south, when Kilchoan finally homes into view. The main village on Ardnamurchan is a scattered clachan of houses and cottages spread all around the horseshoe bay, from Ormsaigbeg at the top to the jetty at Mingary at the foot.
If the weather is sunny – and when it is, this place is special – the thing to do is pack up the car for the six-minute trip across the peninsula from Kilchoan to Sanna. The very word “Sanna” conjures up for me white sand, pristine water and a blissful, slightly melancholy peace.
Sanna Bay is a west Highland gem: the beach, usually fairly deserted, is about 500 yards long, separating the ancient clachans of Sanna and Portuairk, with its white sands inviting you to lounge there for an afternoon. You have to park the car beside the old red telephone box and then walk for two minutes over the dunes, before the luxuriant beach suddenly gleams in front of you. It is a magical place of repose.
The hamlets of Sanna and Portuairk, having once housed crofters and fishermen, had pretty much become uninhabited by the mid-1980s, but these days they do have some all-year-round residents, plus some lucky people who have bought the old crofts and done them up for holiday homes. So across the bay are these whitewashed, luminous dwellings dotted above the beach.
In a blistering heat in high summer I have been poached alive lying flat out at Sanna. Last year, during another hot spell, my little boy and I ran and plunged into the fantastic, heart-stopping water. Stay in there for a minute and you’ll never want to come out.
If the weather is not so good the thing to do on Ardnamurchan is get your boots on, pack some lunch, and take off on one of the myriad, scenic walks across the peninsula. Everything is within a 10-15 minute starting point from Kilchoan, and quite often the best thing is simply to stride out of your house or hotel and just start walking. Within minutes you are in a chaotic geological wilderness of heather, wild flowers and these west Highland boulders that are strewn everywhere.
The great climb to do is Ben Hiant, standing at 528m (1732ft). The grand old lady stands watch over Ardnamurchan, offering panoramic views from the top to Mull, Skye, Coll, Tiree, Rum and Eigg. You can go up Ben Hiant any one of three ways: hike straight from the village (all day there and back); or park at the Kilchoan side (four hours up and down); or park at the rear of the mountain, in which case it is an easy 100 minutes up and an hour coming down.
Local rule: you cannot spend a significant time on Ardnamurchan and not climb Ben Hiant. If it is warm or even hot, the best way is to do the climb in the morning and then head straight over to Sanna and plunge in.
And at the end of it all, there is the village pub in the evening. There are two pubs, actually. The Kilchoan Hotel is right at the entrance to the village. Or there is the Sonachan Hotel, five minutes away by car en route to the lighthouse.
I love the pub at the Kilchoan Hotel, a wee snug where the locals gather, and where in summer visitors are warmly welcomed. I’ve been in there some nights when a guitar or a fiddle has come out, when the place has been heaving, and suddenly you realise you’re still there in the early hours. This Highland hospitality is not to be scoffed at.
I usually retreat from Ardnamurchan either sunburned or windswept, my muscles aching, my mind and heart restored. The journey home takes me back along Loch Sunart, back over the Corran ferry, then down through brooding Glencoe towards the lowlands and city life. Often, idling in the city again, I sometimes stop and wonder what it’s like back there.”