Touring the West Coast of Scotland
Posted on July 12, 2010 by admin
The west of Scotland is beautiful, and a trip here is one where you’ll want to bring your camera along wherever you go so that you can try and capture a little of that beauty to take home with you.
Oban lies on the west coast just south of Fort William, with the Isle of Mull just off the coast here. It’s a great place to base yourself if you want to visit the area thanks to the ferry and railway, and there are a great many seafood restaurants here for which it’s renowned. A trip to the Oban chocolate factory is a sweet treat, or if a tipple is more your thing, there’s the Oban Distillery Visitor Centre where you can take a guided tour.
There are of course many places here that you can stay in, but one rather impressive location is Luxury Hotel Barcaldine House. This early eighteenth century building is one of Scotland’s most unique hotels with just eight bedrooms in the main house, as well as six charming cottages offering self-catering accommodation overlooking a beautiful courtyard. The stunning Argyll countryside around it makes for a wonderfully romantic setting, and the hospitality here is second to none. Head Chef Craig Ferguson is Scotlands rising Star Chef of 2010, meaning that mealtimes here are something worth savouring.
Fort William just to the north was one of the locations used in the making of such films as Braveheart, Harry Potter, and Rob Roy. The town can be quite busy in the summer, and Ossians hotel on the high street puts on a ‘Scottish Show’ daily through the summer from 8-10pm where you can hear traditional music, and watch traditional Scottish dancing. Ben Nevis overlooking Fort William is the highest mountain in Britain at just over 4,400 feet. There’s a well established path to the top for those who wish to walk up it, remember that it takes most people the best part of a day to walk up it and back down safely, and you should make sure that you carry some food along and that you’ve extra clothes with you as it can be a lot colder at the top than you’d expect, and check with the local tourist office regarding weather conditions before you go.
The isle of Mull just off the coast near Oban is a large unspoilt island with a coastline of just over 300 miles. With it’s small population (approx 2,700), the majority of the island is given over to nature, and hills, waterfalls, sea caves, forest walks, and beautiful beaches can all be found here. It’s very popular with fishermen, and there are two golf courses here as well. Trips from Oban out to Mull and its neighbouring islands Iona, Staffa, and Tresnish are all available.
