The West Coast of Scotland is magnificent. I knew it and appreciated it even when I was growing up there. The sight of the lochs as they nudge gently in the laps of the mountains always makes me smile. It’s a sight that still resonates deep within and equates to being ‘home’ in the spiritual sense of the word. That enveloping protection as the mountains rise up around you is warming – despite the cold, blustery conditions outside (and yes, I know I said it was Summer).
We are travelling from Oban to the Kyle of Lochalsh. I specifically want to drive through Kintail. To our right we pass Loch Garry, Loch Lovle, Loch Cluani, the Roderick Mackenzie’s Memorial, and the proud Five Sisters of Kintail and Lundie. As we weave our way around the mountains like tinsel on a Christmas tree, along with the popping ears, I begin to feel goosebumps and the hairs on the back of my neck tingle. I know the beauty of my surroundings is something that will stay with me for a very long time to come.
I had very personal reasons for this visit to Kintail. It is the seat of the MacRae Clan – the place where many of my ancestors came from. In all my years in Scotland I have never been to this area, but I knew I would visit, and had to visit, one day.
Having recently lost my mother, who is a descendent from the MacRae line, I felt compelled to return, as if somehow that would help me connect with her – and remind me that we are all part of something much bigger. I also brought along my (at the time new) Australian partner. I wanted him to see my beautiful country. I also felt I was introducing him to the rest of my family. To date he is the only person I have shared that experience with so it felt truly special, and I hoped that he realised the symbolic nature of our visit.
I am thinking about all these things as l look at the windy roads open up in front of us, and I can’t help but feel a little emotional. I am finally here.
We continue to follow the road beside the loch, at the foot of these impressive mountains. The road takes us up to the top end of the loch and then hooks round, down the other side. It’s a beautiful drive, and we spend most of the time in silence just looking around us in quiet, respectful wonder. To the right of us we see our base for the next few days.
The Loch Duich Hotel
There is a vast array of accommodation to choose from in Kintail including self catering, bed and breakfast or hotels and lodges. We choose Loch Duich Hotel for our visit. I am particularly excited about the prospect of having a four poster bed in the room, complete with balcony and a breathtaking view of Eilean Donan Castle from our bedroom window. The website for Loch Duich Hotel promised character and it certainly has plenty of it. If the talk of four poster beds and balconies has you thinking of bourgeois grandeur, then think again. If you are looking for slick, polished features and the bland air of a fully modernised hotel, then you have come to the wrong spot. To be totally honest, the bathroom is a bit on the small side, the floor boards are rickety and complain loudly when we move, and there is no hint of a mini-bar in sight. It’s perfect! The view and location is awe-inspiring. As I admire the view from our balcony I surmise I would have happily foregone all basic human comforts in order to soak up the beauty and luxury (albeit on a different scale) of my surroundings.
The staff at the Loch Duich Hotel treated us like family. Quite literally! One evening I had been unable to finish the generous plateful that had been served up at dinner. I had felt quite guilty about the fact I couldn’t eat it all, but I felt ten times worse when the proprietor came looking for me after dinner to ask what was wrong with the meal, and why hadn’t I eaten it? I was immediately transported back home as a child, being chastised for not eating all my greens. Many people, more used to a city/impersonal service, may feel a little uncomfortable with that level of “family” hospitality. For me, it was just another quirky, yet endearing quality of the hotel, something else to love about Kintail. I made sure I left room for my dinner the next night.
“I surmise I would have happily
foregone all basic human comforts in
order to soak up the beauty and luxury
(albeit on a different scale) of my surroundings”
Send to Kindle
Recent Comments