'At Peace' - Exploring Ardnamurchan & the West Highland Peninsulas

Episode 15: ‘At Peace’ (Season 2)

Ready for Scotland’s winding single-track roads? Let’s head out to the West Highland Peninsulas and explore the beaches, sea and history of Ardnamurchan and Morvern.

‘At Peace’ tells the story of a road trip to the remote West Highland Peninsulas that is both tranquil and thought-provoking.

We begin our journey on the blue waters of Loch Sunart, sea kayaking from bay to bay while listening to local folklore. We continue on the road to one of Scotland’s most beautiful beaches and finish with a hike to the historic township of Aoineadh Mor (Inniemore).

After the story, I’ll tell you some of my top tips to experience the West Highland Peninsula and visit Ardnamurchan, Morvern & co for yourself.

TRANSCRIPT

Resources

Check out my free Ardnamurchan travel guide.

Buy my Hidden West Coast itinerary and use it on your next Scotland trip.

Read a full version of ‘The Swan of Loch Sunart’.

Disclaimer: All information provided in this podcast is based on personal travel experiences. Companies mentioned in the story or tips were active at the time of release. If you listen to episodes at a later point, note that this information may have changed in the meantime.

Credits

Written and hosted by Kathi Kamleitner.
Produced and edited by Fran Turauskis.
Cover Art illustrated by Lizzie Vaughan-Knight.
All original music composed by Bruce Wallace.
Additional sound effects from Zapsplat, Pond5 and SoundBoard.
All photographs by Kathi Kamleitner.

The audio clips of Mary Cameron’s story at Aoineadh Mòr have been used with permission by the Forestry Commission.

5 Travel Tips for Ardnamurchan and the West Highland Peninsulas

1) Go kayaking with Otter Adventures

Karl – who features prominently in this story, runs a business called Otter Adventures.

He offers guided sea kayaking, canoeing and cycling experiences, from taster sessions that last a few hours to fully customised multi-day adventures around the West Highland Peninsulas. I can’t recommend his guiding business enough!

2) Stay at Otterburn B&B in Strontian

I spent two nights at Otterburn B&B in Strontian, which is actually run by Karl’s wife Laura. My room (called ‘Otter’) looked out at Loch Sunart – I could literally watch the otter in the water from my bed.

The B&B is a great home base to explore the different peninsulas in the area and I can’t wait to return.

3) Take your time

I recommend spending at least 2-3 nights on the West Highland peninsulas – anything less and you will spend the majority of your time on slow single-track roads, instead of exploring the landscapes and historic sites the area has to offer.

And believe me, driving down those winding roads takes much longer than you think.

4) Be smart about your route

The Ardnamurchan peninsula is pretty remote and as such, there aren’t too many facilities available. Think petrol stations, supermarkets or restaurants – they’re not behind every corner.

I suggest looking up those essential services and where they are before your trip, so you can plan your days-out accordingly without getting caught short on petrol or without snacks.

5) Use my Ardnamurchan travel guide

Last but not least, I actually wrote a travel guide for the West Highland Peninsulas that is full of my own experiences as well as some additional tips I picked up from Karl and Laura.

It will help you plan your own trip to Ardnamurchan and find lots of things to do.