Home to the most westerly point on the British mainland, the Ardnamurchan Peninsula is an unspoilt boundary between the Highlands and the Atlantic Ocean. With a name meaning ‘the headland of the great seas’, the geography, history and way of life in Ardnamurchan have all been shaped by the waters which surround it.
The renowned Sanna Bay is home to golden eagles, whales and dolphins, and sits in the centre of an ancient volcanic crater, the outline of which can still be seen in the landscape today. To the south of the peninsula lies Loch Sunart, the longest sea loch in the Highlands, while the Singing Sands or ‘Camas an Lighe’ at Gortenfern reward visitors to the peninsula’s wild northern shore.
A bridge between the sea and the Highlands
Winding single-track roads provide the only access to much of the dramatic landscapes that lie west of Glenuig or Strontian out along the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. Dotted along the way, however, there are ample opportunities to stop and sample the local cuisine from seafood restaurants to vegetarian cafés. Moreover, while limited road access is a bonus for walkers, it also helps protect the moorlands, forest, sea lochs and beaches as well as the diverse habitats they provide.
While roads are few, sailors and other travellers on the sea have long journeyed to Ardnamurchan. St Columba is believed to have visited in the 6th century, and ‘Camas nan Geall’ or the ‘Bay of the Strangers’ has been found to contain both a prehistoric standing stone and the remains of a Viking burial ship. Today, Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, the most westerly in the UK, continues to shine a light for travellers in the Hebridean sea and the wild Atlantic beyond.
Closer to shore, kayakers and wild swimmers find themselves in their element in the sheltered sea lochs and bays right around the Ardnamurchan Peninusla, many taking the opportunity to also explore and discover the area’s Jacobite history along the length of Loch Shiel to Glenfinnan.
