Sea Loch House at Kentallen
Sea Loch House is surrounded by many other spectacular landscapes and we are spoilt for choice with lots of excellent hill walking. Glencoe, laden with history, is only eight miles away. The West Highland Way is one of the most popular long-distance walking routes in Britain and you can access it from Glencoe or over the hill from Kinlochleven. Ben Nevis is not far away near Fort William, and there are many other Munros to climb in the area.
From Port Appin you can take the passenger ferry to Lismore, known as the Garden Isle. With few cars, the island is a great place for peaceful walks and bicycles can be hired by prior arrangement.
Sea Loch House lies just a hundred metres from the Sustrans Cycle Way (Route 78), a wonderful resource for cyclists and walkers alike. The track going south is a little hilly in places and offers great views over Loch Linnhe. Going north along the shoreline it is almost flat for a mile or more, making it a great asset for wheelchair users. We often see herons and oystercatchers here and if you are lucky, you may spot an otter on the shore.
Cuil Bay, a delightful wide pebble beach with views to Lismore and Mull, is a lovely 3 ½ mile ride down the cycle track to the south. Woodlands Golf Course, widely regarded as Scotland’s best 9-hole course, is just 2 ½ miles north.
There is a wide variety of good restaurants and cafés locally and we have a few favourites. The Holly Tree Restaurant is just five minutes’ walk away down the Brae, so no need for a designated driver! Their food is consistently excellent, majoring on seafood and game but always with a vegetarian option. The Pierhouse in Port Appin has a good reputation and lovely views over the ferry crossing to Lismore.
For really fishy people the Loch Leven Seafood Café near Kinlochleven is a must. You can also buy fresh fish and shellfish from their deli to cook when back at Sea Loch House.
The Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig is a great trip for Harry Potter fans to experience a ride on the Hogwarts Express. Fort William’s Lochaber Leisure Centre has a 25m swimming pool and The Ice Factor at Kinlochleven has a brilliant climbing wall and offers climbing lessons. For the bold of heart, Vertical Descents at Inchree offer white water rafting and canyoning, or you can learn sea kayaking and explore glorious sandy beaches with the Arisaig Sea Kayak Centre.
Local Visitor Centres at both Ballachulish and Glencoe have more information on the many things you can do in the area whatever your interests.
The iconic six-hundred-year-old Castle Stalker is nine miles to the south and the current owners give tours. Coeffin Castle is an atmospheric ruin on Lismore and Dunstaffnage Castle is just a little further afield near Oban. Glencoe village has a wonderful little Folk Museum and Fort William also has a very good museum and excellent new book shop.
Five miles north of Kentallen the Corran Ferry crosses to Ardgour. This is one of our favourite trips as the Peninsula seems delightfully set back in time and we often see wild goats and many deer. There are several cafés and restaurants, and Strontian is a nice wee town.
