The West Coast's Best Kept Secret

For the many travellers who take the breathtaking road from Inverness to Skye, the minor road which branches away from this wild Highland highway in the small but magnificently situated settlement of Shiel Bridge seems not to warrant a second glance. Indeed, the signs for Glenelg and Arnisdale offer little clue to the incomparable beauty that surrounds these out-of-the-way villages. To twist and turn for twenty miles, along the old single track road which ever so tenuously links the main road to Skye with these secluded west coast hideaways, is one of the greatest pleasures any traveller can experience. The feeling of seclusion and the sense of discovery is heightened by the ever-changing mountain and coastal vistas, and ever-changing weather, which will make this Scottish byway a journey to remember forever.

Where it all begins. The unspoilt village of Shiel Bridge on the Road to Skye, junction for Arnisdale, with the impressive snow-mantled shoulders of the Five Sisters of Kintail beyond.

It is by this quaint west coast cottage in Shiel Bridge, nestled at the foot of the imposing, snow-mantled Five Sisters of Kintail, that the unforgettable journey begins. If you think Shiel Bridge, with its quiet, winding A-road and wild goats roaming freely, is remote, then you will be taken aback by the wild seclusion that is to come...

The forests of Narnia: winter splendour in the Mam Ratagan Pass.

In true Scottish style, it is not long before the single track byway starts to climb rapidly, on a course of tight hairpins through a frosty glade lined with rich emerald spruces. The stubborn, lingering snow at the sides of the road only heightens the excitement of the passenger, and, perhaps, the driver's trepidation. Sensational views open out over the wide Loch Duich to the snowy Kintail peaks, and after a few more hairpins, another surprise is in store... The gateway to Narnia has now been passed, and suddenly, the entire landscape appears locked in the ice-queen's permanent grip. The spruces and pines quiver under the weight of the snow; the high mountains beyond are encased in ice. But for the feint tracks in the road, this is the ice-queen's own pristine kingdom. 

Icy Beinn Sgriethall and Beinn a'Chapuill from the Pass of Mam Ratagan.

This ice kingdom is known as the Pass of Mam Ratagan, which formed a formidable obstacle in the days when cattle were driven from Skye to Inverness, before any ferry or bridge existed at Kyle of Lochalsh. It is a wonder how the cattle ever survived a double-whammy of an icy swim from Skye to the mainland and a steep snowy climb over this pass. Hardy beasts indeed. Even the sight of the peaks and the forests sends an icy chill.

Descending from the pass, the snow gently recedes as the crofting lands of Scallasaig are reached. A couple more twists and turns, and the quiet village of Glenelg is upon you, a peaceful tree-lined village which looks out onto the majestic Isle of Skye across the cool blue waters. 

Glenelg village stretched out along the tranquil bay.

The snowy mountains of Skye, partially hidden in mist, as seen from Glenelg.

The snow is confined to the high peaks now, as the road turns to hug the coast. A light frost still dusts the occasional pine, larch or fir, as the road climbs high above the Sound of Sleat, offering sensational views of the length of the Isle of Skye, with even Torridon and Applecross visible to the north, and Rum, Eigg and Morar to the south, on a clear day. The shimmering seas and mountainous islands make this an unforgettable vista.

The dramatic outlines of Rum and Eigg on the horizon. On the right is the southern tip of Skye, and on the left is the little visited coast of Knoydart around Inverguseran.

These tantalising views of distant islands are briefly savoured, before the road changes its course once more. The wide seascapes are replaced by narrow, rugged mountainscapes, dominated by spear-like, snow-capped summits. A fjord-like loch cuts into this mountain range: the loch is Loch Hourn, and the peaks are those of Knoydart, a name synonymous with wild seclusion. Only two tiny settlementsremain, before the road runs out, and the snow-clad wilderness can re-assert its domination. 

In the deep bay beyond nestles Arnisdale, the most idyllic crofting township, comprising a string of West Coast cottages stretched along the shore. After a thrilling descent, it is time to take a while to

Arnisdale stretched out along the bay, hemmed in by precipitous mountains.

enjoy the slow pace of life and the spectacular views of the precipitous Knoydart peaks. Ladhar Bheinn and Luinne Bheinn look truly dramatic here, showing off a rugged and impregnable side, with their inaccessible and rarely-viewed north-facing corries rising sheer above the loch. 

Luinne Bheinn (left) and Ladhar Bheinn (centre) overlooking Loch Hourn.

The village at the end of the universe (the end of the road, at least): Corran.

The tenuous track, that has twisted and turned from Shiel Bridge, eventually peters out by the old cottages at Corran. The view back to the snow-crowned pyramid of Beinn Sgriethall, and the croft cottage at its foot, is very special too. 

The dilapidated wooden sheds by the shore, reminiscent of Beachcomber Ben's hideaway in Local Hero, provide reminders of busier times, when the villages of Corran and Arnisdale were both bustling herring fisheries. It is very hard to imagine now, but it is true. That is all gone now, and many of the fishermen have gone with it. The sheds still see use, housing the farming implements of those who still delight in the old Highland way of life. One of the village's last few inhabitants greets me here with his dog; he is a middle-aged man, a crofter and fisherman, a lifelong resident of Corran. He is one of the many speakers of Kintail Gaelic in the area; the lyrical tones of his mother tongue, a language embedded in these magnificent mountains, are reflected in his English too, creating a very beautiful but broad Scots voice, very different from the more familiar Lowland tones. Then as the path takes steep detours through birch and rowan copses, it is one of the West Highlands' least photographed peaks that catches the eye. What a peak it is, too. The great whaleback ridge of Sgurr a'Choire Bheithe is a daunting prospect, especially when liberally coated in deep, fresh February snow, the white of the mountain contrasting in perfect harmony with the deep blue hues of the loch. On this precarious hilltop, overlooking this wondrous peak and the deep loch below it, is perhaps the most perfect and peaceful spot for a picnic. It has to involve Lorne sausage and tattie scone rolls, obviously, to suit the location. My new Gaelic-speaking friend would surely approve.

 

The great whaleback ridge of Sgurr a'Choire Bheithe dominating the fjord-like Loch Hourn, as seen from the hills above Corran.

If ever you want a hideaway, where you can gaze at the Isle of Skye in perfect peace, and enjoy spectacular mountain vistas seen by few others, while at the same time delighting in the sound of the cool waters of a remote sea loch gently breaking on the sandy shore, Corran and Arnisdale are the perfect location. Take yourself along that single track road, brave the hairpins and the icy pass... You will never ever forget it! I can safely say that Saturday 21st February, 2015, will remain fixed in my memory thanks to these idyllic scenes.

The beach and the bay at Arnisdale, Skye in the distance.