Exploring Ardnamurchan (part 1)
The wilder side of Scotland in our tiny home on wheels
Hi, we are Nigel and Nicola and in January 2023 we sold our flat in Portrush, Northern Ireland, and moved full time into our VW Transporter Campervan. Since then we have visited 20 different countries, had one or two break-downs, a few tears, and of course some incredible memories. In 2025 we hope to spend quite a bit of time in the mountains. As well as our YouTube channel, we also like to write about our experiences to perhaps both inspire others, and also give a more realistic view of two 50-somethings travelling full time in their campervan. Thanks for following along.
Is it possible to travel yourself happy? Let’s find out !
(Part 1 of 3)
And so our bimbles around the wild, mostly untouched Ardnamurchan begins.
First stop: a little break at The Green Welly in Tyndrum. Sure, it’s a bit of a tourist trap, but we quite like it here. £3 for a hot 10-minute shower—bring a friend.
Sadly, it was still early morning, so no whisky treats for Nigel. The shop has an incredible collection from all over the world. You can also stay here overnight (£6) in your van, although it can be a bit noisy. There are plenty of other alternatives close by. We also recommend hitting up The Real Food Cafe - fantastic food all day long. When the lady asks do you want a side portion of their ‘Tattie Scone’ say yes … always say yes!
We opted against taking the Corran ferry across to the peninsula, a decision that, in hindsight, wasn’t our finest. The single track between Garvan and Trislaig seems to double up as a race track for large logging trucks and waste collection lorries. Those guys mean business, so make sure you keep you eyes well ahead for passing places. We pull into a little nook for lunch and the sun decided to make an appearance, although still brutally cold, mind you, a theme for the week ahead.
That night, we parked up at the Lochaline port, momentarily tempted to hop on the ferry for an impromptu trip to Mull. But that’s an adventure for another time.
A quiet night followed, and come morning, we sipped our brew while watching the first ferry arrive and depart for Mull. Toilets open here 24x7 and no issue it would seem with staying overnight. I guess in the height of summer you may be challenged regarding taking up a parking space, so be mindful.
A short walk from the car-park you will find Lochaline Quartz Sand Mind, notable for being Europes only underground sand mine. Tours are available in season so best check their website for details.
Van packed, we head out under a bright winter sun. The landscape around is wild and barren but in a beautiful kind of way. We stop along the road to admire the sight of a White Tail Sea Eagle - aka the flying barn door - as it soars effortsley along the ridgeline of the distant hills. Always an absolute treat to see these magnificent birds of prey.
A quick supply stop at the stores in Strontian (toilets available too), we then take a short hike around the local woods which offer some rather nice views out over Loch Sunart. As a side note, close to here you will also find Airundle Oakwood National Nature Reserve which is certainly worth a few hours (or more) of your time.
Next up, Garbh Eilean Wildlife Hide, parking around 1km away in a small woodland car-park which is part of the Scotland Stay the Night campaign. In the trial phase these were free, but now £7 for an overnight stay. No services, but good to know you are parked up in an approved spot, while also giving a little something back to the community. The walk over is undulating, but good to get the heart and lungs going. We no sooner arrived when Nicola whispers that she has spotted an Otter, and we spend the best part of an hour watching it fish.
What a treat to spend an hour or so watching these wonderful creatures go about their daily business of fishing, pruning and general meandering. Makes us miss the Isle of Mull where we have had some of the best Otter sightings of our lives.
Later, and with the sun hovering just about the ridge-line, we pull into our park-up for the night, the small clump of land behind helping to shield us from the fierce wind. We get the feeling we are being watched and Nigel goes to grab the binoculars. Sure enough the surrounding hills are dotted with red deer, both male and female. They don’t seem too bothered by our presence and we are privileged to watch them until the fading light makes it impossible to see. It’s a shame it’s not rutting season. There is something magical about listening to the guttural roar of a large male stag piercing the darkness outside, while supping on a warming single malt. Less of a roar and more of a whimper as Nigel disappears outside into the wind for a late night pee.
The following morning we are treated to a rather nice bit of colour, Nigel braving the -8c windchill for a few images and footage for the vlog. From here we head down to Kilchoan where we had hoped to make use of the community building for a shower. Sadly they don’t open until mid April, so something to make note of if you are up this way in winter. Quick supply stop at the Ferry stores (very expensive) and then away to the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse - the surrounding area the most westerly point of mainland Britain. We didn’t spot any warning signs, but be cautious about driving up the walled road towards the lighthouse in anything wider than around 2.5 meters. It’s pretty tight. Everything is closed this time of year, but you can still explore the outside of the lighthouse. The wind bites at any exposed skin, and we only spend an hour or so exploring.
For us, it’s time to move on, with plenty more to see in this wild and remote corner of Scotland, but I guess that will be a story for next time.
Part 2 coming soon.
Catch up with part 1 of our vlogs from Ardnamurchan below.
Thanks so much for allowing us a few moments of your time. A little share with your own community really does help spread the word of our travel stories.
And of course, if you really enjoyed this then you can pop a few pennies into the tip jar below. We would love to say it’s for essential things such as diesel and camping, but let’s be honest, it’s going to be spent on cake !
Until next time, thanks and travel safe.
Nigel and Nicola