Drookit? We didn’t notice
For ages I’d wanted to visit Port Appin – long before I heard about the amazing food at Airds Hotel on Scotland’s west coast. The place first captured my imagination when I read Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel Kidnapped, which tells of the notorious Appin Murder of Colin Campbell in 1752, just along the road.
I defy anyone to read Stevenson’s description of the chase through the Highlands and not pencil in a visit here.
The drive to Port Appin from Glasgow is both breathtakingly beautiful and, at times, slightly terrifying.
And where better to have a lie-down after the white-knuckle ride along the A85 than the award-winning Airds, which enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a romantic getaway – as well as praise for its mouthwatering grub.
The cheerful general manager, Robert McKay, showed us to our stunning suite. Used to weary travellers making the trek, he had stocked our room with a decanter of whisky mac – or whisky and green ginger wine, to the uninitiated.
It was just the tonic we needed after the drive.
We were keen to explore the area, but the miserable conditions beat us. Even a walk near the hotel in wellies and raincoats had to be abandoned.
But not before we managed a glimpse of the spectacular views across Loch Linnhe, to the isle of Lismore and the Morvern mountains.
Instead, we headed to the nearby hotel The Pierhouse for a drink and the opportunity to empty out our wellies. We were
“drookit”, as they say here. There’s one other shop in the village and a quirky visitor information point at the old Sager Bhuidhe Lighthouse. But anything more would be an unwanted distraction from the meal awaiting us at Airds. A young aristocratic couple en route to buy a Highland cow and a retired GP couple touring the area were our only companions there.
They raved about the food – and we could soon see why. The local crab and langoustine were recommended and didn’t disappoint. The rain was now a distant memory.
I plumped for a delicious cut of Newtonmore venison for mains, with my wife opting for monkfish.
Local cheeses completed the meal and we were soon heading for the comforts of our room, totally stuffed.
Next morning we headed for more food – this time for the Full Airds breakfast.
And after that, we were keen to go out. The hotel offers bikes, and a ferry to Lismore is close by.
There’s also Castle Stalker, which is famous for appearing in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
We had a wander around in nearby Oban before heading home.
But I’ll be back – and I won’t need to be Kidnapped to do so.
Double rooms at Airds Hotel & Restaurant, near Oban, Argyll, in August start at £375 a night including breakfast and dinner.
Tours of Castle Stalker are dependent on weather.