We spent a wonderful weekend this September camping in Ardnamurchan in the western Scottish Highlands. I’ve lived in Scotland most of my life, and consider myself to be fairly well travelled in my own country – but had never visited the Ardnamurchan peninsula until last weekend. All I really knew about it was that there was a lighthouse there, a distillery where Colin has a cask of whisky, and that it was very remote.
We set off one Friday in September to spend two nights with family at the Ardnamurchan Campsite , situated just outside the pretty, remote village of Kilchoan
From Edinburgh, right on the other side of Scotland, it took us five hours to get to the campsite. Once you get off the motorway at Stirling, the journey is just a joy, with incredible scenery as you drive through the Trossachs and the lonely moors of Glencoe within the shadow of Buchaille Etive Mor. We stopped at the Green Welly Stop at Tyndrum, where you can go to the loo and buy some fresh food in the cafe or some gifts and outdoor clothes if you feel inclined! There’s also a great cafe across the road at the Real Food Cafe – my vegan chickpea curry with chips was delicious, and you can order in advance on their website and pick the food up in the car park. Or, ten minutes on there are some incredible places to stop at Glencoe if you fancy eating your takeaway in one of the most scenic and iconic places in Scotland!
We stopped again at Ardgour for the five minute car ferry journey to Corran on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, then on to the single track winding road to the campsite. The views of mountains, lochs and beaches are breathtaking, but do pack a travel sickness pill for anyone who suffers from motion sickness as it’s a VERY winding road.
The site itself is pretty basic and no frills but has everything a camper could need. There’s a toilet and shower block – though I should warn you that if you don’t like creepy crawlies, it could be an issue as there are quite a few daddy long legs spiders who’ve made the block their home. They won’t touch you, but our kids weren’t fans. There’s also a washing up block with sinks and a washing machine.
Outside the blocks there’s a small communal area with seating and I think there’s one inside for use in non pandemic times too. There are sites for tents, motorhomes and vans with electric hook up, and the boundary of the site is a beautiful beach. There’s also free WiFi, and dogs are welcome. Campfires are allowed, and we spent evenings toasting marshmallows, listening to the sound of the sea and gazing at constellations in the clear dark sky – Jupiter and Saturn were visible, it was so clear! Waking up to the sound of the waves lapping at the shore nearby was pretty special, too.
You’re spoilt for choice with things to do in the area. On the Friday evening we headed to Ardnamurchan Lighthouse and the most westerly point of the UK mainland to see a spectacular sunset as we were buffeted by the winds coming in off the ocean. The lighthouse is the only lighthouse in the world designed in an “Egyptian’ style – it’s automatically operated now, but fully operational.
There are also a number of beautiful beaches – we spent an afternoon at Sanna Bay, which we had almost to ourselves. It’s a perfect expanse of white sand and clear blue sea, and we spent a few lovely hours kayaking, swimming, sunbathing and jumping off the sand dunes. Geologically, it’s a fascinating place to visit too, as it’s part of a concentric circle of volcanos, with plenty of wildlife to see as well.
Another day we took the CalMac ferry from Kilchoan to Tobermory on nearby Mull. We were foot passengers, but you can also choose to take the car – though be warned that if the pandemic is still live if you take the car on the ferry, you won’t be allowed to leave your car for the 40 minute journey to enjoy the beautiful views from the top of the ferry across to the Small Isles. We spent a few hours in Tobermory doing a treasure trail that we’d downloaded in advance – a great way to see the town and learn about its history – while Colin visited the distillery.
On our last day we climbed Ben Hiant, the highest point on the peninsula, and from where the sun rose each morning from the campsite. It’s not a particularly challenging hill at 528m, and the views at the top are breathtaking – across to the inner Hebridean islands and the mainland. It took us just under 3 hours to get to the top and back down.
You can book your pitch at the campsite here – they do get busy throughout the season, so make sure you book well in advance. Do go and explore this remote, unspoilt corner of Scotland – it’s been on our to visit list for years, and I only wish we hadn’t waited so long!