West Highlands of Scotland

This region covers a large area stretching from near Oban in the south to Kintail further north. In an attempt to offer you a more accurate description of the area you will be visiting, we have broken down the West Highlands into smaller areas, which are described on this page. Scroll down to find details about the area you will be visiting.

The Knoydart Peninsula

Knoydart is situated in the Western Highlands and, although part of the mainland, has an island feel about it as it cannot be accessed by road.

It is a mountainous peninsula, sandwiched between two beautiful fiord-like lochs, Nevis (known as “heaven”) and Loch Hourn (known as “hell”). In the 1800s economic forces resulted in much of Knoydart being cleared of people for sheep and the problem of land ownership has remained a contentious issue up until very recent times. Today one of the estates, based around the main settlement of Inverie, has been subject to a community buy out and the residents now have control of their future.

The John Muir Trust also own part of the peninsula and is working to help restore the native forestry of Scots Pines, adding a natural grandeur to the area. The lower hill slopes are grassy, in summer often awash with purple orchids, and provide good grazing for the red deer. The lofty rocky peaks provide a habitat for the raven and the golden eagle, while the surrounding seas have a bounty of produce, such as prawns, mussels and various fishes, to sample.

Fine stalkers’ tracks, created in Victorian times, give access to the high passes and mountains. The use of boats on our Wilderness Walking trip means that we can reach some remote glens and that we can enjoy some memorable “A to B” hiking routes through the mountains.

In winter, when the true beauty of the mountains is enhanced by snow cover, wonderful hill days can be undertaken. The peninsula also has a wonderfully tranquil feel in winter, and you can feel your stresses and worries wash away as you step off the boat and the pace of life slows down.

Argyll and the South-West Highlands and Islands

The area around the Highland port of Oban is easily accessible from Glasgow and Edinburgh and is well worth exploring. There are high mountains, such as Ben Cruachan, beautiful lochs, such as Loch Etive, and it is a great place for many activities such as walking, cycling and photography.

Oban is known as the Gateway to the Isles and a trip to this area is not complete unless you visit some of the islands, large or small, which lie just off the coast. The islands include Mull (known for its wildlife), the 'green isle' of Kerrera, Lismore and, slightly further offshore, Iona, Staffa (with Fingal's Cave) and the Treshnish Isles, which offer superb bird-watching.

With so many islands to explore, this is an obvious place to base our private yacht charters from, although even if you are based on land, there are a number of boat services available which will allow you to discover the delights of this beautiful region of the Scottish Highlands.

The Sound of Arisaig, Moidart & Loch Morar

Moving slightly furtehr north, this rugged and beautiful, yet relatively secret, region of Scotland lies to the west of Fort William, the outdoor capital of the UK. Many of our sea-kayaking trips, canoe expeditions and family adventure holidays are based in this area.

The Sound of Arisaig is one of the world's top destinations for sea-kayaking. Its countless islands and skerries offer a wealth of hidden places to explore and are also home to an abundance of marine wildlife including seals, otters, dolphins, porpoises and even minke whales. One of our 2006 sea-kayaking groups recorded 26 otter sightings in 6 days!

Arisaig itself has an interesting history. In the 12th century, monks who settled at Arisaig called it An Garbh Chriochan (the Rough Bounds). The surrounding landscape is certainly wild and, indeed, it was only in the early part of the 19th century that the road at Arisaig became suitable for suitable for a stage coach!

A chap by the name of John Silver was born in Arisaig on 2 January 1853. As a young man he worked on the construction of a nearby lighthouse which was designed by Thomas Stevenson, father of Robert Louis. According to local legend, Robert Louis Stevenson took Silver's name for his character in his famous novel, Treasure Island.

Loch Morar lies just inland from the village of Arisaig and is one of the largest lochs in Scotland. It is very scenic, with several pine-covered islands near its western end and mountains surrounding it on all sides. It is also said to be home to 'Morag' - another of Scotland's monsters and a sister of Nessie!

Some of our family adventure holidays are based in the area around Loch Morar and Arisaig, which is great for many activities including sea-kayaking, canoeing, walking and mountain biking, as well as for boat trips to the Small Isles and visits to other nearby attractions such as the Harry Potter railway!

On our West Highlands Canoeing trip, we explore the region of Moidart via the deep cleft of Loch Shiel, which runs from north-east to south-west for over 30km, allowing access to some shapely and remote peaks using open canoes. Loch Shiel eventually spills into the sea at Loch Moidart, where the ruin of Castle Tioram stands guard over the many small wooded islands.

It was at Glenfinnan that Bonnie Prince Charlie first landed and raised his standard. Indeed, this whole area has strong links to Bonnie Prince Charlie with many caves named after him - legends say that he hid in these caves during his escape from Scotland.

The Great Glen Way

The Great Glen is a major fault-line which bisects Scotland from east to west. There is a long distance hiking trail, the Great Glen Way, which runs the length of it and it is also possible to make this traverse of Scotland by a canoe trip along the major waterways of Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy.

The Great Glen Way runs from Fort William, in the West Highlands, which is known as the Outdoor Capital of the UK, for 73 miles, before finishing in the capital of the Highlands, Inverness. Although it is popular with hikers, the Great Glen Way attracts far less hikers than the better known West Highland Way. This makes it an appealing choice for hikers who enjoy a bit of solitude on their walks. Most people hike the trail between April and October as this time of year provides the best weather. With limited accommodation available along the route, however, it is best to book early to guarantee availability.

Much of the walking is fairly straightforward, as it follows canal towpaths and forest tracks. That said, however, there are some more challenging sections along the route so you still need to be reasonably fit to complete the hike. Our canoe trip, as with our hiking trip, follows the Great Glen from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east.

The impressive geological fault of the Great Glen was formed 380 million years ago. The main lochs are linked by 22 miles of canals which allow boats to travel from one side of the country to the other without having to make a long and challenging journey around the north coast.

The Great Glen begins in Fort William and passes beneath the bulk of Ben Nevis - the highest mountain in the UK. The first loch you encounter travelling east is the wonderfully named Loch Lochy! However, it is worth knowing that Lochy is a Gaelic word for ‘deep’ so the name is not as daft as it may sound! The northern end of Loch Lochy is where the Battle of the Shirts took place during the times of clan warfare. Apparently, the day of the battle was so hot that the clansmen agreed to stop fighting while they took off their shirts - then they started fighting again!

Continuing north-east, you pass Loch Oich, the smallest of the three main lochs before reaching the village of Fort Augustus and the southern end of Loch Ness. Loch Ness has an average depth of 600ft, making it one of the deepest lochs in the UK. At 23 miles long, it holds over 2 cubic miles of water - which is more than all the lakes and reservoirs of England and Wales combined.

With its murky waters and with so much water to hide it, it is little surprise that it is home to the Loch Ness Monster! Although its existence has not yet been scientifically proven, many sightings are recorded, including several by ministers and policemen! Perhaps you will be the one to finally capture Nessie on camera!

At the eastern end of the Great Glen, the River Ness flows into the capital of the Highlands, the attractive city of Inverness. The Great Glen Way finishes on the banks of the river, close to Inverness Castle and several local pubs where you can buy yourself a well deserved drink.

To view our holidays in the West Highlands, click here.

The West Highland Way; Ben Nevis, Glencoe & Ardnamurchan

The West Highland Way in Scotland is one of the classic long distance hiking trails in the world. It runs from Milngavie (pronounced Mill-Guy) near Glasgow for 95 miles, finishing in the small West Highland town of Fort William, now known as the Outdoor Capital of the UK.

The West Highland Way was Scotland's first long distance hiking trail. It is popular with hikers, attracting over 50,000 hikers each year. Most people hike the trail between April and October as this time of year provides the best weather. With limited accommodation available along the route, however, it is best to book early to guarantee availability.

Although the Way is popular, you still need to be reasonably fit to complete the hike so please read the section on grading before deciding if this is for you. If you feel it may be too challenging, the Great Glen Way is slightly easier and is shorter too so may be a better option for you.

The West Highland Way leaves Milngavie and heads north to beautiful Loch Lomond - one of Scotland's most iconic lochs made famous by the song. A remote section of the route follows the eastern shore of the loch. Leaving the loch behind, you suddenly feel you are in the Highlands proper as you are surrounded by many beautiful peaks such as Ben Dorain which you hike along the base of. Much of this part of the route follows old military roads, many of which were built by General Wade for his English soldiers to march along as they tried to maintain their grip on the Highlands after the Jacobite uprisings in the 1700s.

The middle section then crosses the strikingly beautiful wilderness of Rannoch Moor before arriving in Glencoe, known for its dark history and bold mountains. In 1691, there was a terrible massacre of members of the MacDonald clan here. An order was given that 'every MacDonald under the age of 70 was to be put to the sword'. Men, women and children were killed as they slept. Even today, the glen has a sombre feeling as you gaze up at the mountains as darkness falls.

The final section sees you climb up and over the Devil's Staircase, then down to the tiny village of Kinlochleven and eventually to Fort William and a well deserved drink! Fort William sits beneath Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain. It is also the start point for the Great Glen Way, so it is possible to extend your hiking trip for another week and hike all the way to Inverness!

If you wish to explore this region but don't want to hike the West Highland Way, one of our Highland Escapes may be a better option, as one of the itineraries explores Ben Nevis, Glencoe and the tranquil peninsula of Ardnamurchan, based from a wonderful country house hotel in Ardnamurchan.

 

Kintail

Kintail is a spectacular area of the West Highlands, characterised by shapely mountains linked by fine ridges and dissected by glaciated glens. There are rivers and waterfalls, including the secretive Falls of Glomach, which drop 150 metres down a sombre chasm, and beautiful fiord-like lochs which penetrate far inland. The picture postcard castle of Eilean Donan, with its reflection in the still waters of Loch Duich, is one of the area’s best known landmarks.

Large tracts of this unique landscape are managed by the National Trust for Scotland. This ensures that the wildlife, which includes the red deer, golden eagles, otters and rare alpine plants, will be there for future generations.

Historically this has been an isolated area with the sea, since Viking times, providing the main transport arteries. Today, the few modern roads mainly follow ancient routes, initially developed for military purposes after the Jacobite uprisings in the 18th century.

Sheep farms and more recently large Victorian sporting estates have left a legacy of tracks and footpaths that enable the walker to fully explore the seashore, the glens and the high tops. The light, the shadows, the seascapes, the sunsets and the extensive mountain panoramas all combine to make Kintail a wonderful place to visit.