A Weekend in Lochaline with Ardtornish

Are you longing for a getaway on the Scottish West Coast, where you can immerse yourself in nature, relax by the seaside and enjoy fun outdoor adventures? Look no further than Ardtornish in Lochaline. Here is how to spend a chill and nature-loving weekend at Ardtornish!

Disclaimer: Ardtornish Estate invited me and my friends to spend two nights in Lochaline free of charge, and covered the cost of some meals and activities during our time there. But as always, all opinions are my own.

This post contains affiliate links from which I may make a commission. Find out more here. All opinions are my own.

If I could describe my trip to Ardtornish in Lochaline with one word, it would be: PEACEFUL.

Together with my partner and two friends, I travelled to Lochaline for an autumnal weekend of relaxation and nature. Our trip marked the end of my busy tour guide season and gave us the chance to celebrate our wedding anniversary. As such, it was important to us that we didn’t rush from place to place, but really enjoy spending this time together in the Highlands.

The invitation to try one of the cosy self-catering cottages at Ardtornish could not have come at a better time.

Read on for everything we got up to during our getaway at Ardtornish, and lots of tips for your own trip to Lochaline.

Fàilte gu Àird Tòirinis – Welcome to Ardtornish Estate

Ardtornish is a large Highland Estate on the Scottish west coast. It changed hands throughout the centuries, but is now owned by the Raven family. Today, it’s run as a family business, managed through a trust deeply invested in the local community and its economy.

As such, Ardtornish is committed to developing sustainably, keeping in mind the well-being of the people who live in Morvern, but also the natural world surrounding them.

Ardtornish operates an organic farm rearing cows and sheep to produce organic beef, mutton and lamb. You can buy the meat at the Old Dairy Gift Shop, and/or taste it in the home-made ready meals prepared by the kitchen. There is also a Victorian kitchen garden to grow fresh produce on site. For more information about the different food offerings at Ardtornish, check out the practical travel guide section below.

In 1996, Ardtornish built its first hydro-electricity turbine and has since added multiple schemes to increase its capacity. The turbines are powered by the River Rannoch, which in turn is always kept topped up by the frequent rainfalls on the west coast. Read more about the hydro-power at Ardtornish here.

But sustainability is about more than renewable energy – it’s also about communities. By feeding the generated electricity back into the grid, the estate creates income, which is used to fund local community projects, schools and more.

Our Weekend with Ardtornish

A Nostalgic Journey

Our journey to Lochaline began with a trip down memory lane… In 2020, I got married in Glencoe. We only had five guests, including my mother-in-law, my maid of honour + partner and my partner’s best man + his partner. And since our trip to Lochaline almost coincided with our wedding anniversary, we asked Thomas’s best man and his partner to join us for the adventure.

On our way up the A82, we passed the hotel where we got married, drove by the wee white cottage where we took our wedding pictures, and stopped for lunch at the Clachaig Inn – exactly where we enjoyed our last dinner as an unmarried couple five years ago.

This nostalgic start laid the perfect foundation for our trip to Lochaline!

The Adventure Begins

The wee Corran Ferry carried us across the deep and fast-flowing waters of Loch Linnhe, and by the mid-afternoon we crossed the golden hills of Movern to reach the heart of Ardtornish.

Checking into our cosy cottage couldn’t have been easier. The key was in the door, and our pre-ordered frozen meals were already waiting for us in the freezer. We arrived just a week after Storm Amy had wreaked havoc on the Scottish west coast. Lochaline was cut off for days due to fallen trees on the road, and power had only just returned a few days before our arrival. Several trees in our cottage garden had fallen, and overall, the estate had lost up to 200 trees. But nothing could dampen our spirits.

Within minutes of arriving and settling in, the view from our windows drew us back outside. We spotted a wildlife hide across the bay and decided to make the most of the remaining hours of daylight.

Exploring the Estate

The wee estate road took us past the restored 15th-century tower of Kinlochaline Castle and towards Ardtornish House. Beneath an old stone bridge, we watched the tumbling waters of the River Aline, and over on the other side, we spotted puffball mushrooms beneath the remains of a once-towering tree.

Initially, we had hoped to visit the beautiful Ardtornish House Gardens, which were first planted in the 19th century and continuously cared for by the Ravens and their team. But unfortunately, the garden was closed due to storm damage. Instead, we continued exploring left and right of the road.

Behind every corner, another new magical scene awaited. Geese were flapping their wings out on the water. Yellow mushrooms sprouted from moss-covered tree trunks, decorated by bright red, fallen berries. The ground was covered in fluffy cushions of lichen, as big as my hand.

We finally reached the wildlife hide and watched as the setting sun turned the soft white clouds brightly yellow, pink and orange. Far in the distance, the peaks on the Isle of Mull remained shrouded in clouds.

A Cosy Night

We returned to our cosy cottage, lit the fire and popped our homemade meals in the oven. We spent the evening drinking wine and listening to music by the fire. Every now and then, we poked our heads outside to look for the stars…

Breakfast for Champions

Overnight, the sky had cleared, and we awoke to the morning sun tickling our noses. But once I looked outside the window, I saw a mythical mist hang low over the water. The sun did its best to break through, while the birds on the shore enjoyed the safety offered by the fog.

A short stroll along the bay brought us to The Coal Shed Cafe, which had only just opened the day before we arrived. We settled in for a hearty breakfast prepared by Chef Gary Philipps and his team. I had a full vegan breakfast with tofu scramble, while the others enjoyed a full cooked breakfast, with most of the meats being sourced straight from Ardtornish Farm and the hills.

We all agreed that it was one of the best breakfasts we ever had – and that we’d need to do a bit of exercise to walk it off!

Hiking to Loch Teàrnait

While there are many options for hikes and walks in Morvern, Hannah from Ardtornish had recommended the walk to Loch Teàrnait. The loch lies in the heart of the estate and you can pick up the trail right from the cafe. No need to drive!

The wide, rocky track follows the River Rannoch and leads into the hills. We could see parts of the estate’s hydro scheme in several places, spotted beautiful boat houses and heard roaring stags in the distance. The sun was beating down unusually warm (for October), and after about an hour and twenty minutes, the sparkling waters of the loch came into view.

Our first stop was the shore – time to cool off! We changed into our swimsuits and scrambled over the rocks to reach the water. I regretted it as soon as I dipped my toes in – the loch was much colder than I had expected. But with a bit of time and courage, we managed to go in. However, we didn’t quite manage to swim out to the island in the middle of the loch. It’s said to be the remains of a crannog from the Middle Ages.

After our dip, we continued to Leacraithnaich Bothy, a small building that sits elevated above the loch. The bothy is managed by the Mountain Bothy Association and offers basic shelter to hill walkers and adventurous campers. There is no electricity or running water, just two large rooms with fireplaces, tables and sleeping platforms, and an additional small room for sleeping. The inside felt colder than outside, so we opted to sit out on a picnic bench and treat ourselves to some homemade apple cake.

Soon enough, it was time to return to Ardtornish. The hike to Loch Teàrnait is about 4.5 km one way. Allow 4 hours for the walk there, a break at the loch and bothy, and to return.

After a quick coffee break back at the Cafe, we jumped into our car and hopped over to Lochaline village. You could walk to the village from Ardtornish by following the car-free “low road” along the shore of Loch Aline – it starts right by the Castle Cottages and takes about 40-60 minutes. Unfortunately, the track was made impassable by fallen trees a few days before our visit. But there was no way we were gonna miss our next activity…

Time to Relax

We drove through the village, turned left for the Mull Ferry pier and continued on the rough track until we reached the end of the road. Here lies the latest addition to the community-run harbour venture: the Lochaline Harbour Sauna.

The wood-fired sauna box stands on the edge of the bay. A large picture window offers views of the deep-blue water and colourful boats bobbing calmly on the surface. We stepped inside and were enveloped by the warmth. As we relaxed, we watched villagers pull a boat out of the water, and kids play in the bright-white sand blown over from the Quartz Sand plant.

After each sauna session, we cooled off in the cold plunge outside, or a quick dip in the crystal-clear sea. What a treat after a long walk in the hills!

You can either book an hour-long private session at Lochaline Harbour Sauna for up to 8 people, or book a seat for their regular community sessions (up to 6 seats).

Cos Cottage, Cosy Night

We drove home as the sun began to set. The autumnal hills were dipped in golden light, and over in the distance, the top of Ben More – Mull’s tallest peak and only Munro – towered in the sky.

Once again, we returned to our cottage and settled in for a cosy night with pizza, wine and my new favourite: That Sound Game. I’ve never laughed this much!

Time to say goodbye

The next morning, it was time to check out and say goodbye. We enjoyed one last meal at the Coal Shed Cafe before returning over the stunning hills of Morvern. A short detour took us to Strontian, where we explored the ancient Ariundle Oakwoods and followed the Oak Trail through the glen. But eventually, we reached Ardgour, took the Corran Ferry back across Loch Linnhe and allowed the A82 to carry us home.

The Bottom Line

We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend getaway to Lochaline and our cottage stay at Ardtornish. The scenery on the journey up and the Morvern peninsula itself is absolutely incredible. Our cottage was the perfect home base for the trip and so cosy. We loved having everything at our doorstep – from delicious food to walking trails and even a seaside sauna.

My only complaint: Two nights were not enough! I can’t wait to return and spend a week here.

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Practical Travel Guide to Lochaline

Do you feel inspired to book a weekend getaway at Ardtornish? Find out everything you need to know about planning a trip to Lochaline…

Where is Ardtornish?

Ardtornish is a large Highland Estate on the Morvern peninsula, north of the Isle of Mull and southwest of Glencoe. A 10-minute drive from the heart of the estate, you’ll find Lochaline, the main village on the peninsula. It lies at the entrance of the sheltered bay of Loch Aline and is home to about 200 people.

Morvern is one of five West Highland Peninsulas, which are separated from the mainland by mountains, lochs and sea-lochs. The other peninsulas are Ardnamurchan, Moidart, Sunart and Ardgour.

Discover the West Highland Peninsulas with my travel guide for the region!

Getting to Lochaline

You need a car to get to Lochaline. There is a bus from Fort William, but it doesn’t run daily, making it less suitable for a getaway in the area. We left Glasgow around 10:30 am and reached our cottage at 3.30 pm – but that included a leisurely break for lunch in Glencoe.

From Edinburgh or Glasgow, make your way to Glencoe and continue on the A82 until you reach Corran. From there, take the Corran Ferry to Ardgour. Taking the ferry is by far the quickest and easiest option to get to Lochaline. The crossing costs £12 each way and takes about 5 minutes. The ferry can’t be booked in advance, as it goes back and forth from about 6.30 am to 9.20 pm. Note that on Sundays, the ferry starts later, around 8.30 am.

From Ardgour, it’s roughly an hour’s drive to Lochaline – about half of which follows a single-track road through the hills. For a scenic detour on the Morvern peninsula, take the winding and even narrower Glengalmadale road, signposted for Kingairloch. Along this journey, you might spot wild goats on the shores of Loch Linnhe.

You can also reach Lochaline entirely by road, but it’s a much longer journey. Head to Fort William and follow the Road to the Isles (A830) west until you reach the end of Loch Eil. There, take a left turn signposted for Strontian and Lochaline. This minor road follows the opposite shores of Loch Eil and Loch Linnhe, taking you back south to Ardgour, where the Corran ferry arrives and you join the main route described above.

Finally, if you travel to Lochaline from Skye and Mallaig, take the scenic route via Glenfinnan, Acharacle and Strontian.

Where to Stay: Ardtornish

Ardtornish offers four large Victorian apartments within Ardtornish House as well as nine cosy self-catering cottages scattered around the main grounds of the estate. The cottages sleep between 2 and 18 people, although most are for 4 or 6 – perfect for families or couples travelling together.

We spent two nights at Castle Cottage 2. The single-floor cottage sleeps up to 6 guests in 3 bedrooms: a double, a twin and a bunk. The common area offers a cosy lounge with a woodburning stove and a fully equipped kitchen with a dining nook, and there is one bathroom to share. The cottage backs onto another one, i.e. Castle Cottage 1 (sleeps 4), but the way the houses and gardens are laid out offers great privacy from other guests.

The cottage overlooks the calm bay of Loch Aline, with the lounge, double and twin room windows offering great views of the water and hills beyond.

My favourite thing about our cosy cottage is that it felt simultaneously remote, and yet, we didn’t need our car much once we arrived. Almost everything we could have asked for was right at our doorstep.

Where to Eat

Even the larger villages in the West Highland Peninsulas are small, and most offer only one or two options for eating out. Lochaline is no different.

There are two eateries in Lochaline: The Whitehouse Restaurant and The Hub Café.

• The Whitehouse Restaurant in Lochaline offers casual fine dining from Tuesday to Saturday. They also serve lunch from Wednesday to Saturday.
• The community-run Hub Café is located in the community hub building and serves up coffee, cake and lunch from Thursday to Saturday.

Unfortunately, we were not able to try either of these places due to their opening hours. (We travelled from Saturday to Monday.)

While I love staying at a self-catering cottage with a kitchen, I’m not really keen on cooking up a storm when I travel. Luckily, we were still able to eat out as Ardtornish has its own cafe!

The Coal Shed Café is open 7 days a week from 9:30 am to 4 pm, and serves breakfast, lunch and cake. The kitchen team is led by Chef Gary Phillips, who earned 3 AA Rosettes in his last job. You bet, all the food is delicious! It took us about 15 minutes to walk from our cosy cottage to the café, meaning that we could easily reduce the amount of cooking we had to do ourselves.

For dinner, you can pick up home-made frozen meals from the Old Dairy Gift Shop. Most of the dishes are made with beef, lamb and venison from the local hills and Ardtornish organic farm, but there are also vegan and veggie options. We pre-ordered our meals, and they were already waiting for us in the freezer when we arrived. Dinner has never been easier!