“There are few places in my life that I’ve found more ruggedly beautiful than the Highlands of Scotland. The place is magical – it’s so far north, so remote, that sometimes it feels like you’ve left this world and gone to another.”
-Julia London
It was five years between my last two posts, so getting this one done just after two weeks … ain’t bad going!
In my my previous post ‘Journeys (not) end!’ I mentioned that I would be writing a post about my time in the Scottish Highlands on reflection, this can not be done in just one post so, this is the first in what will be many posts about the Scottish Highlands. I will also go back to my horticultural back ground but for now, there will be a few posts about areas we lived and worked in.
This isn’t a post about a road trip to Scotland, even though seeing the above sign on the M6/A74 on the way back, always gave me a welcome feeling of calm. Its a post of what it was like travelling around the area were we lived.
We lived in the most magical place on the Ardtornish Estate located in the Morvern peninsula. When it came to taking in the views, you didn’t even need to leave the house let alone the estate itself.
View from the bedroom window.
A view from the front.
View from the back garden.
Heading out of Ardtornish Estate, you hit the A884 road. Turn left onto the A884 and you will be heading towards Lochaline village, known as LA by some of the locals, from there you can catch a short ferry ride to the Isle of Mull, or hang right and head towards Drimnin, taking in some wonderful views of the Sound of Mull.
Sound of Mull
Sound Of Mull with the mountains of Mull in the background.
If you turn right onto the A884, you’ll be heading into the wilds of the Scottish Highlands and Loch Sunart. Were both the A884 and Loch Sunart ends just before hitting the A861.
The A884 is one of the scenic roads I have ever been on. I have many a picture of the road but I have found a time lapse video on YouTube that best sums it up and is worth watching. The videos starts on the Isle of Mull where the A884 starts, where most of our weekly shopping journeys on the road would start every Friday from Lochaline, the destination … Fort William. Dodgy the odd sheep and stags along the way.
At the end of the A884, you can turn left when you hit the A861 and you’ll soon be in the picturesque village of Strontian, where you can then head towards Acharacle. Yet another picturesque village, Acharacle sits in an area where the River Shiel leads into Loch Shiel. I will mention about the top end of Loch Shiel later in the post.
Turn right onto the two laned A861 and you will be heading towards the Corran Ferry and then if you turn left after the ferry, you will head towards Fort William. If you turn right after the ferry, this leads towards Onich and then onto the Glencoe valley.
Corran ferry.
The Corran ferry only takes a few minutes to cross Lock Linnhe, and then only another eight miles to Fort William. Although if the ferry is not running (which is often the case), you only have one other choice and that is to carry on along the A861.
From here the road turns back into a single track road and is another 35 miles before you get to Fort William and is probably the most challenging section of the road yet. Again, dodging sheep, deer and confused tourists in camper vans and when the ferry is not on, it can get very busy as well, it can be a bit of a white knuckle drive. For the most part, the road follows the banks of Loch Linnhe and then Loch Eil, and on a good day and a clear weather day, it is a road with some amazing views as well some of Ben Nevis.
When you finally reach the end of the A861 and you hit the two lane A830, you can either turn right and head towards Fort William or turn left and to the final destination … for this post anyway.
Glenfinnan Viaduct
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For those who have watched any of the Harry Potter films, it is the bridge used for the scenes where the Hogwarts Express crosses and the famous flying car scene. Surrounded by mountains, loch’s and it’s not to far from Mallaig and then the Isle of Skye, there are many reasons to visit this truly magical place.
Heading back, you have the choice of going straight onto Fort William then onto the Corran ferry. Or turning right about five miles from Glenfinnan and again, fighting your way back down the A861 either way, the scenery keeps you entertained. When going to Glenfinnan, doing the loop round the lochs was the best way (if the ferry was on that is) and easily done in a day to really get the experience of travelling in an amazing part of the Scottish Highlands.
Although just before leaving Glenfinnan and directly opposite the viaduct, is the top end of Loch Shiel, approximately 18 miles away down the loch, is the village of Acharacle.
