Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 30 on 01/12/2006.

This article is 42 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements.

That something special (Kilcamb Lodge)

Sally Toms visits Kilcamb Lodge, a luxurious country house hotel in Argyll

What do you look for in a holiday?

If it’s peace, tranquillity and spectacular scenery then we’re going to let you in on a secret; the west coast peninsulas are the place to be.

Travelling north by road from Glasgow is scenic, but you share the road with scores of tourists hot footing it to the Highlands.

Ignore the barrage of bed & breakfasts dotted along the busy A82 and break off the beaten path to Ardnamurchan.

The Corran ferry, eight miles south of Fort William, will take you and your car on the short crossing over Loch Linnhe in exchange for £5.20. Interestingly, this tiny ferry carries more cars per year than the Skye bridge, though that’s not to say the Ardgour peninsular is swarming with people. Quite the opposite, in fact. On the 20 minute drive to the village of Strontian, chances are the only things you’ll see on the road are a few lazy sheep.

Kilcamb Lodge is a beautifully restored, four star country house hotel surrounded by 20 acres of woodland. A sweeping lawn leads you down to the edge of Loch Sunart, where the loch bed is littered with mussels and scallops.

There’s wildlife here in abundance: otters, pine martens, red squirrels, seals, white tailed sea eagles and even the odd golden eagle. During a pre dinner drink in the lounge, we watched red deer happily grazing outside, not 30 feet from the window.

Kilcamb is one of the oldest houses in the area and is steeped in history, having spent part of its life as a church (Kil meaning ‘old church’ in Gaeli.....

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By Sally Toms

Section : Best of Scotland

Page number : 41