Back Roads Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

235

EAT AND DRINK

AROUND ARMADALE CASTLE

GARDENS

Harbour View moderate

This former fisherman’s cottage is now a

popular restaurant specializing in fish

and seafood. Try the fish pie or moules.

7 Bosville Terrace, Portree, Isle of Skye,

IV51 9DG (on A87 north); 01487 612

069; http://www.harbourviewskye.co.uk

The Three Chimneys expensive

Acclaimed restaurant in the north of

Skye, serving modern Scottish cuisine.

The menu might include saddle of

wild rabbit, or pan-fried sea trout,

followed by hot marmalade pudding.

Colbost, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye (on A87

north), IV55 82T; 01470 511 258;

http://www.threechimneys.co.uk

PLOCKTON

The Haven Hotel inexpensive

This pleasant little bistro located in a

central hotel offers varied dishes such

as fillet steak and lime fish cakes.

3 Innes Street, IV52 8TW; 01599 544

223; http://www.havenhotelplockton.co.uk

Plockton Shores moderate

This is part-grocer’s shop, part-restaurant,

on the waterfront in Plockton. Locally

sourced food might include scallops, or

venison cooked with juniper and thyme.

30 Harbour St, IV52 8TN; 01599 544 263;

http://www.plocktonshoresrestaurant.co.uk

Above left Craggy mountains around Elgol

Above centre Female red deer on the shore,

Ardnamurchan Peninsula Above right The

pretty village of Plockton in its lush setting

DRIVE 23: The Wild West Coast of Scotland

DAY TRIP OPTIONS

This route can easily be split into day

trips from Inveraray and Plockton.

Family Adventure

From Inveraray 1 , buy some picnic

provisions and visit the castle, with its

splendid interiors, then head north to

Ben Cruachan Power Station 2 , to go

deep inside the mountain. Next, it’s a

short drive to Bonawe Iron Furnace

3 , for a picnic in the idyllic grounds

before driving to the Scottish Sea Life

Sanctuary 5 , to see the seals,

aquarium and walk in the woods.

Follow A819, then join A85 north. Turn

off right on A828. Reverse to return.

Castles and Skye

Enjoy Plockton’s w temperate climate

and pretty palm-lined harbour, then

cross the bridge to the Isle of Skye and

walk around pretty Armadale Castle

Gardens 8. Go to Elgol 9 , close to

the cave that hid Bonnie Prince Charlie

and cross back to the mainland on the

Glenelg-Skye ferry to visit the romantic

ruins of Eilean Donan Castle q.

From Plockton head to the Kyle of

Lochalsh and take A87, then A851 to

the castle gardens. Then follow the

drive instructions all the way back.

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under £25; moderate, £25–£50; expensive, over £50

9 Elgol
Isle of Skye; IV49 9BJ
Elgol offers fine views of the Cuillins of
Skye, a fierce craggy mountain range
that challenges even experienced
climbers. Bonnie Prince Charlie was
hidden here in a remote cave, by loyal
members of the Mackinnon clan, after
defeat at Culloden in 1746. He was
then rowed across to Mallaig and
taken to France. Visitors can take a boat
trip to the cave, or join a trip to Loch
Coruisk in the heart of the Cuillins.
ª Follow B8083 back to Broadford,
turn right on A87 and right to Kylerhea,
turning left to Otter Haven Hide car park.

0 Kylerhea Otter Hide
Kylerhea, Isle of Skye; IV42 8
This forest hide (open daily) offers great
views across the Kylerhea waters to
Glenelg. Visitors can watch otters on
the shore, common and Atlantic grey
seals in the water and even the
occasional white-tailed sea eagle. The
otters here inspired Gavin Maxwell’s
famous novel, Ring of Bright Water.
ª From Kylerhea take ferry to Glenelg,
take the coast road then turn left to Shiel
Bridge. Stop at viewpoint for Five Sisters
of Kintail mountains above Loch Duich.
In Shiel Bridge turn right on A87 then
left to castle. In winter, when ferry is not
running, leave Skye on A87, cross bridge
to Kyle of Lochalsh, turn left for Plockton.

q Eilean Donan Castle

Dornie, by Kyle; IV40 8DX

This gloriously romantic, castle (Mar–

Nov: open daily; http://www.eileandonancastle.

com) reached by an arched stone

bridge sits on a rocky island, settled in

the 6th century by Saint Donan. The

castle was built much later, to defend

against invading Vikings. The building

was carefully restored in the 1930s –

visitors can now see the grand halls,

bedrooms and kitchens. Eilean Donan

may well look familiar: it has featured in

many films, including the James Bond

thriller, The World is Not Enough.

ª Continue on the A87 – at Balmacara

turn right onto a pretty country road

into Plockton. Park on street.

w Plockton

Plockton, Ross-shire; IV52

The warm winds of the Gulf Stream

give the little village of Plockton a

surprisingly lush appearance: there are

palm trees, colourful flowers and all

sorts of exotic plants flourishing in the

gardens that line the harbour. It started

life as a fishing village, planned in the

18th-century by the Earl of Seaforth. It

makes a relaxing base and is popular

with sailors, who moor their yachts in

the harbour. Visitors can enjoy loch and

hill walks or go on a sea cruise to see

the coast with Calum’s Boat Trips

(01599 544 306; http://www.calums-sealtrips.com).