Those who have been to Scotland know that an epic road trip is guaranteed when visiting the West of Scotland.
A road trip to the Isle of Skye is one of the most popular things to do when visiting this wild region in Europe. However, there are so many more unspoiled places worth a visit and I highly recommend the white sanded beaches on the West of Scotland.
Arisaig and Maillaig are some of the most famous fishing villages on this side of the country, and on a fine day you may think you are in the Caribbean and not in cold Scotland.
Our road trip there was a proper exciting, adventurous and spontaneous one, with a last minute car hire from Edinburgh Waverley Train Station.
Glencoe
Our first stop on the way to Arisaig was unquestionably Glencoe: no epic road trip in the West of Scotland is complete without a stop in Glencoe
Fort William
Our second stop was lunch in the sport capital of the Highlands, Fort William. This little town is packed with fish restaurants, and sport shops, plus some lovely charity shops, whisky and craft shops for fantastic souvenirs.
If you are a seafood lover I would suggest to book a table at Crannog. It has been on my radar for a while now but the last time I was there I did not manage to get a table, and it was a foggy Tuesday in late October! It is indeed very popular.
Glenfinnan
After lunch, it’s when the road trip started to get interesting as we headed to the white sanded beaches starting in Arisaig.
On our way there, we drove through Glenfinnan, with a must stop for the Glenfinnan Viaduct, familiar to any Harry Potter fan.
Arisaig & Mallaig
The roads from Arisaig to Mallaig are lovely to drive and the views, some of the most scenic in Scotland, with the Silver Sands of Morar and Camusdarach Beach (you will know it if you’ve watched the movie Local Hero) being some of the most beautiful beaches.
You can spend the whole afternoon hopping from one beach to the other and I would advise ending your day with a lovely dinner and stay at the Arisaig Hotel in Arisaig, of which I loved every bit.
The hotel lies just in front of the water, where you can sit on lovely benches and look out to the horizon. Our room was very spacious and had a private little table and two chairs just outside. But most importantly the food was delicious!
Bastien and I had the lamb and mash and also tried a couple of good Islay Whisky which were on the menu. The restaurant’s windows look out on the water and the atmosphere was very cozy. Breakfast was great, and consisted of a full cooked breakfast plus a generous buffet with yoghurts, fruits, cereals, milk and juices; all you expect from a Scottish hotel after all!
Glenuig
Be ready to explore one of the most remote places in Scotland. From Arisaig head to Glenuig, a small village in the middle of nowhere with its own smokehouse. It was lovely wandering around and enjoying the peace of this place.
Ardnamurchan
From Glenuig we kept going on to Ardnamurchan, where the road gets narrow and steep, not for faint hearted!
The Ardnamurchan’s lighthouse is the western-most mainland spot in the UK and the lighthouse itself is breathtaking!
The surrounding cliffs are very dramatic and so its the path to it. I guess the foggy day added to the enchantment of this place.
Kilchoan
On our way back we stopped in Kilchoan, most specifically at the Kilchoan Crafts and Café, where the lovely owner opened the closed-doors for us (it was a foggy February Sunday) and offered biscuits, café and a lovely chat!
Of course we also bought a lovely oil-painted rounded stone of Arisaig, which is now hanging in our sitting room:) These are the kind of souvenirs that make the happier, as I know I am also helping locals and the art community.
The day would have not been complete without a 15 minutes ferry crossing – Corran Ferry – on to the main land, a fantastic experience and a brilliant service to avoid the long roads back.
Highlights
The nature! In only one day, we saw lots of frogs, a herd of deer who stopped to stare at us, a majestic stag on top of a mountain looking down at us, and finally, a lot of limpets attached to amazingly-shaped rocks!
Have you ever been?
To have a great trip, have a look at my recommendations about what to wear for when you travel to Scotland 🙂
Sara
Tales from a Red Suitcase 
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