TRAVEL HG
AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN | 175
STAR ATTRACTIONS
Inveraray Castle The
home of the Dukes of
Argyll, Inveraray Castle is
set in expansive grounds.
The opulent interiors –
including original Beauvais
tapestries – are noteworthy.
Loch Fyne Restaurant
and Oyster Bar
Superlative seafood
in tranquil surrounds.
http://www.lochfyne.com
The Manor House Hotel
An elegant Georgian
manor in the port city of
Oban. Ask for one of the
sea-view rooms.
manorhouseoban.com
Fyne Ales This family-run
craft brewery, housed in an
old cattle shed by Loch
Fyne, draws fresh water
from the surrounding hills.
Try the Jarl beer, which is
golden in colour with
grassy, citrus flavours.
fyneales.com
Ardberg This 200-year-old
distillery on the Isle of
Islay offers several tours,
ranging from 60 minutes
to more than three hours.
Perfect for those who
seriously love their Scotch.
ardbeg.comwhales and the odd dolphin. Others make
the pilgrimage to see the Corryvreckan
Whirlpool, whose roaring waters can
sometimes be heard up to 15km away.
The islands of the Inner Hebrides are
undeniably rugged, with peninsulas invaded
by fjord-like sea lochs. The archipelago’s
history is textured, either visited or settled
by Irish missionaries, Viking raiders, Gaelic
and Norwegian kings, and even the odd
Beatle – the Kintyre peninsula was
commemorated by Paul McCartney
in his 1977 hit song, ‘Mull of Kintyre’.
Today, the Inner Hebrides remain a wild,
fragile place. Single-lane roads wind over
and around pine- and peat-covered
mountains and skirt the various sea lochs
lined with oyster farms.
With so much fresh bounty to hand, it’s
no wonder that every restaurant features
seafood on the menu, from local cockles
and clams to langoustines. Wisely, chefs
showcase the magnificent produce,
rarely adding more than a touch of lemon
or a sprinkle of sea salt. Top local picks
include Ee-Usk in the town of Oban,
on the west coast of the mainland. At
the family-run eatery, you can sample the
Ethical Shellfish Company’s famed
hand-caught scallops. The popular
restaurant works its way through an
astonishing 90,000 oysters a week.
For a fabulous restaurant in a more rural
setting, try Loch Fyne Restaurant and
Oyster Bar near Cairndow, about 77km
north-west of Glasgow on the banks of
Loch Fyne. Depending on the season,
you might find pancetta-wrapped
cod or mussels with white wine, garlic
and shallots on the menu, as well
as the house-smoked salmon that is
exported around the world. #
For more information,
go to visitscotland.com.APToffersan11-dayHighlandsofScotlandluxurytourthatventurestotheInnerHebrides,includingtheIsleofMull(pictured)and
Scotland’swestcoast.TripsdepartfromandreturntoEdinburgh,JunetoSeptember2020.From$9795perperson.aptouring.com.au