Wigtwizzle - Norman Smith's Travel Blog.: glenfinnan

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The Road to the Isles

Holiday time again. Me and Sal had a cottage booked in Badachro, Wester Ross for a week and, as I had always wanted to take her on The Road to the Isles and to Sanna Bay, we booked accommodation in Fort William for three nights on our way up.

After our long trip up, we decided on doing the short drive to Mallaig on Thursday and then do the longer day to Ardnamurchan on Friday. We made a good choice as the weather was much better on Friday. So off we went on The Road to The Isles.

We had intended stopping at Glenfinnan to visit Bonnie Prince Charlie's Monument but the car park was full and also the other two parking areas had been blocked off, presumably during lockdown. The weather wasn't that great plus the place was teeming with visitors so we wouldn't have seen the place at its best anyway. Sometimes its best just to move on.

The road is a sheer delight with beautiful Lochs, majestic hills, picturesque rivers and secluded bays and beaches accompany it's 40 mile route to the port of Mallaig.

The only settlements you come across are the sleepy coastal village of Arisaig (meaning The Safe Bay) and then a few miles further westwards Morar which gives its name to The Silver Sands. Morar and is also home to Scotland's shortest salmon river, namely the River Morar which is only 400yds in length.

The Arisaig area is also the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie embarked for France on the 20 September 1746 and The Prince's Cairn lies on the shores of Loch Nan Uamh, a few miles east of the village.

Morar was originally a crofting area so the present settlement is quite modern; having been built around the West Highland Railway's station which I presume was built there to serve the whole of the coastal peninsula.

Sal is a beach person so I took her to my two favoutites, namely Lon Liath which is just out of Arisaig and Camasdarach which is a few miles further on. Lon Liath is quite rocky and gives great views across to The Small Isles whereas Camusdarach is a sweeping sandy bay and looks over to Skye. We were lucky with the weather as the rain seemed to have stayed in the mountains even though there was a bit of a breeze at Camusdarch but then again there always is. We walked the full length of the beach and back and had the cobwebs well and truly blown off us. I think it was Sal's idea of heaven.

We did carry on to Mallaig but by then the rain had returned so we didn't get out of the car. The return journey was a bit miserable and we were accompanied by rain for the most part. Glenfinnan car park was still full despite of this but by then we were past caring and just wanted to get back to the hotel.

In the evening we had a smashing meal in our hotel before retiring to our room for an early night.

Callop River

Loch Ailort

Road to the Isles

Polnish

Lady of the Braes, Polnish

Polnish

Lon Liath, Arisaig

Camusdarach

The Road To The Isles

I always travel The Road To The Isles when I stay in Fort Willian as it has everything that The Highlands has to offer in a manageable day's drive. Once you get past the industrial outskirts of Corpach, every inch is a joy to travel. Beautiful Lochs, majestic hills, picturesque rivers and secluded bays and beaches accompany it's 40 mile route to the port of Mallaig.

The only settlements you come across are the sleepy coastal village of Arisaig (meaning The Safe Bay) and a few miles westwards Morar which gives its name to The Silver Sands. Morar is also home to Scotland's shortest salmon river, namely the River Morar which is only 400yds in length.

The Arisaig area is also the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie embarked for France on the 20 September 1746 and The Prince's Cairn lies on the shores of Loch Nan Uamh, a few miles east of the village.

The other village Morar was originally a crofting area so the present settlement is quite modern; having been built around the West Highland Railway's station which I presume was built there to serve the whole of the coastal peninsula.

My journey started off in snow but the farther west I travelled, the less it got and by the time I reached the coast there was no sign of any at all and the weather was bracing but fair. I always spend a lot of time in the Camusdarach area, it's a place I just never want to leave. The beaches are stunning and littered with small coves and islands which attract many varieties of birds.

I had my lunch sat on a rock listening to some lapwings and looking across the Sound of Arisaig towards the Small Isles and Skye. The weather on Skye looked absolutely foul, a phrase I think I've used a lot over the years and a rainbow did start to appear over that way but my excitement was only short lived.

I returned to the car just as a few spots of rain appeared and then completed the remaining few miles to Mallaig. By the time I arrived it was raining quite hard so I just parked up by the harbour and had a look to see if there were any seals about as they always follow the fishing vessels homeward. No luck that day I'm afraid.

With the weather turning, I just retraced my outward journey back to Fort William. These days I instinctively know when to admit defeat and beat an hasty retreat and this was one of them! That night I had one of the best pizzas ever in The Black Isle Bar where they have their own wood fired oven and washed it down nicely with a couple of pints of Yellowhammer IPA. A good way to end an excellent day.

Callop River

Glenfinnan Hills from Callop

Jacobite Monument, Glenfinnan

Loch Shiel

Glenfinnan Hillside

Lòn Liath, Arisaig

Camusdarach

Ardgour and Ardnamurchan

The only feasible way to get over to Ardnamurchan is via the Corran Ferry (about ten miles down the road from Fort William). Once across Loch Linnhe, I still had a forty five mile drive; a thirty four mile section of which was on single track roads with passing places. The coffee I had in the local cafe at Strontion was well received and set me up nicely for the horrors ahead as Strontian marks the end of normal roads and the start of the single track roads.

The worst part was from a village called Salen on Loch Sunart to The Natural History Centre at Glenmore which I should imagine was about ten miles in length and pure driving hell with one blind bend after another. To make things worse, the Natural History Centre Cafe, which I usually call in to break up the drive, was closed for the season so there was no coffee for me for the rest of the day. Fortunately for me I'd had that morning caffeine fix at the cafe in Strontian. The going from Glenmore onward was a lot easier; the road was still single track but at least I could see a fair way ahead of me plus I knew that I wasn't too far from the turn off for Sanna Bay.

Sanna Bay, as usual, didn't let me down in any way shape or form, you only have to look at the photos to see how beautiful it was. I may not have had the weather that I had last year but the stormier conditions brought a lot more drama to the scene. Unfortunately the rougher seas kept the dolphins at bay which was a disappointment and the time I spent hanging around waiting for them to appear, made it too late for me to go to the Lighthouse at Ardnamurchan Point.

I'd still had a belting day and, as I had visited the lighthouse a couple of times in recent years, I wasn't all that upset. If I had been prepared to drive all the way back to Fort William in darkness then I suppose I could have paid a quick visit there but the roads are bad enough in daylight hours.

I got back to the village of Glenuig just as the last of the sun was lighting up the hills across the bay and the sunset I got at Glenfinnan really was the icing on the cake. It had been a fairly long day but worth it and I was glad to get back into Fort William for a couple of beers and a bite to eat.