Knoydart

Accommodation - Activities - Boat hire/Ferry

The last wilderness area in Great Britain, the Knoydart peninsula is only accessible by boat from Mallaig or by a 20 mile hike on foot. A wonderful area for walking and camping, this is truly a miles-from-anywhere, get-away-from-it-all place.

The Knoydart Foundation
Welcome to Knoydart and welcome to the Knoydart Foundation. The Foundation - a partnership of the local community, the Highland Council, the John Muir Trust, Kilchoan Estate and the Chris Brasher Trust - was set up to purchase the remains of the old Knoydart Estate which it achieved in 1999. In doing so we became the guardian for over 17,000 acres of some of the wildest land in Britain. Alongside this we have responsibility for managing several properties, a bunkhouse, deer management and the supply and generation of electricity to the local community.
Since taking ownership in 1999 we have undertaken a range of projects ranging from the development of a small display area through to the refurbishment of our hydro-electric scheme, but there is much more we want to do. You can help us to achieve some of our targets by becoming a Friend of Knoydart.
If you want to find out more please visit our website - www.knoydart-foundation.com - or drop us an e-mail: info@knoydart.org. Our website, which is currently being upgraded, contains a range of information from the history of the area to how to get here. You will also find information on our bunkhouse and how to become a Friend of Knoydart. We look forward to meeting you.

Food and Drink

The Old Forge, classed by the Guiness Book of Records as the remotest Pub in Mainland Britain is open all day, every day except Christmas.

The Pub has nine moorings and offers showers and a varied and interesting menu. We serve breakfasts, lunches and dinners, fresh wholemeal bread baked daily, and whatever makes it from the loch or hill to our kitchen. Langoustine, mussels, lobster, hake, haddock, scallops, venison, salmon, home-made stews, soups, etc., subject to availability, are a sample of what can be found on our daily menu.

The Pub features a large centre-piece fireplace with the essential drying-racks for wet gear above it on pulleys. Music is a great feature of life at The Old Forge and there is a collection of resident fiddles, guitars, bohrans, pennywhistles, mouthorgans, jew's harps and spoons so that visitors can try their hand at music making. Every evening is a ceilidh!!

Refreshment is also star-rated - CAMRA mention in Good Beer Guides and in Best of Scotland 'Bloody Good Pubs'. The two Real Ale Guest pumps often feature Skye Brewers Beer and Bass. The Pub encourages hill walkers, yachts and all good folks but not bus parties - and football, politics and religion are banned topics of conversation!!

We provide breakfasts (both hearty ones and new-age ones) especially catering for the eager Munroist at dawn!!

The Old Forge does not have rooms, however, if you are staying at any of the accommodation listed below, meals can be taken at the pub.

Bed and Breakfast Accommodation

Doune Stone Lodges - Martin and Jane Davies - Tel: 01687 462667 - martin@doune-knoydart.co.uk
3 rooms en-suite with minimum stay 3 nights. Fully catered with good food in Doune Dining Room. 7 miles from the village at the very tip of the peninsula.

Rafters - Annie & Alan - Tel: 01687 462622 or email raftersinknoydart@hotmail.co.uk
Luxurious B&B accommodation, in a superb and unrivalled waterfront location, 5 minutes walk to village and pier. Opened June 2009.

The Gathering - Cara Gray - Tel: 01687 460051 or email: cara@knoydart.org.
Luxury B&B accommodation 5 minutes walk from Inverie's pier. Rooms include kingsize doubles or bunkbeds.

Self-Catering Accommodation in and around Inverie Village

Other self-catering properties include:

• Knoydart House - Luxury large holiday house for families, walking groups, wildlife parties, shooting parties, ramblers, climbers, walkers and group accommodation on Knoydart. Sleeps up to 10 in the main house, or can be subdivided into 8 and a self contained wing for 2. Architect designed eco build, open fire, vaulted ceilings, wrap around decking, spectacular loch views set in under an acre of private woodland new for 2010. Bookings and enquiries being taken now for May/June 2010. Telephone Ian on 01687 462267 or 01687 460012 or email stay@knoydarthouse.co.uk
  Group Discounts, 3, 5 and 7 day lets available. Ideal for walking groups, shooting parties, intimate gatherings and special interest parties, very flexible arrangements for all group sizes 4 up to a maximum of 10 guests.
• The Old Byre - tel 01687 460099 or 01687 462780. Self catering accommodation for up to 16 people. Book the whole building, by the room or by the bed. 5 bedrooms (3 bedrooms with 4 bunks each, plus 1 twin & 1 double), 3 bathrooms, kitchen, living/dining room. Located in the village.
• Rowan Cottage - John Caughie - 0141 334 1203 - j.caughie@arts.gla.ac.uk
  Located in the village, spacious, well equipped, self catering cottage, sleeps 9.
• Sandaig Cottage - Mrs. Martin - 01732 781170 or 882331 - rswmartin@aol.com
  Self-catering cottage, located in Sandaig bay 7-10 metres from the sea in 400 acres of private land. 4 miles from the village of Inverie. Sleeps 6+. Landrover provided with the cottage. Remote location.
• Torrie Sheiling - Mrs Trussell - 01687 462669 - torrrie@knoydart.org
  Attractive, self catering bunkhouse, 20 minute walk from the village, large living areas, sleeps 12.
• Knoydart Bunkhouse - 01687 462242 - info@knoydart.org
  It sleeps up to 25 people in 4 bedrooms. Kitchen, dining-room, showers and laundry. 15 minute walk from the village.
• Scottas House - 0208 7470098 - anthea@acraigmyle.co.uk
  Georgian house 1 mile from the village. Sleeps 8 in 2 doubles, 2 twins and 4 singles. No children under 12 and no pets.
• Doune Bay Lodge - Liz Tibbetts - Tel/Fax: 01687 462656 - andydoune@clara.net.
  Sleeps up to 14 in 4 twins, 2 doubles and 2 singles. 7 miles from village at tip of peninsula. Catered option available with food in Doune Dining Room.
• The Old Byre - Kevin Butcher - 01687 462639 
• Creag Eiridh - Iain & Jo Wilson - 01687-462844
  Self catering house, 15 minute walk from the village, sleeps 10-11.
• Glaschoille Lodge - The Earl of Lindsay - 01333 360251
  Large, self-catering lodge, 30 minute walk from the village, sleeps 10 and includes use of Landrover.

[ Accommodation disclaimer notice ]

Activities

A whole range of activities and accommodation is available at Doune, on the western shore of the Knoydart peninsula.
Full details given on the Doune web site. Various special-interest week-long holidays are arranged at Doune covering hiking, wildlife watching, painting, photography, lacemaking, history and conservation.

Sail on the cutter Eda Frandsen or you can dive or explore the Hebrides on the powerboat Mary Doune. A restaurant and other facilities are available to yachtsmen and visitors to the area

Tom McClean's Highland Adventure Centre on the other side of Loch Nevis offers a bunkhouse base for outdoor activity holidays for groups who would like to go canoeing, diving, fishing, climbing, hiking, orienteering, clay pigeon shooting, etc. Expeditions can be made in Knoydart.

Ranger Walks

The Knoydart Foundation Ranger Service offers free guided walks, on Wednesdays, which are designed to fit in between ferries so you can come for a day trip from Mallaig.
Please contact us beforehand to confirm the activity is going ahead - tel: 01687 462242
 

For Programme of walks and activities for Spring 2008  Click here

The Rangers are also available for tailor-made guided walks, wildlife walks and team-building events.
Contact us for further details and prices at ranger@knoydart.org or call us on 01687 462242 and we look forward to seeing you.

Boat Hire

How to get here

Bruce Watt's boat, 'Western Isles', is the regular all-year service ferry from Mallaig. Timetables are available on his web page. Contact details: telephone/fax - 01687 462 320 and email brucewattcruises@aol.com.
If you wish to travel outside the schedule of the 'Western Isles', any of the other boats can be chartered for approximately £40-£60 with, naturally, prior notice preferred.

Sea Knoydart provides fast, comfortable and safe transport to and from Knoydart, the surrounding islands and almost anywhere you might want to go on the west coast of Scotland. Lophelia is a 12-passenger luxury RIB. Contact Mark Woombs - tel: 01687 460046. Boat charter available. Expeditions (with accommodation on Knoydart) can include visits to Eigg, Muck, Rum, Canna, Soay, Skye, Loch Coruisk, Eilean Donan Castle, Castle Tioram, etc. See birds, seals, porpoises, dolphins, whales, basking sharks and even sunfish.
Sea Knoydart also incorporates Knoydart Sea School which is a Royal Yachting Association recognized powerboat school.

Take the ferry to the islands:
Eigg - Rum - Canna - Muck - Isle of Skye

Visit mainland destinations on the online tour:
Fort William - Glenfinnan - Lochailort - Arisaig - Morar - Mallaig

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Page last updated: January 2010
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