West Highland Peninsulas

Home
United Kingdom
Acharacle
West Highland Peninsulas

Visitor information about the West Highland Peninsulas of Ardgour, Ardnamurchan, Moidart, Morvern and

Where land meets sea on the West Coast of Scotland, Ardnamurchan is a long narrrow peninsula along the shores of Loch Sunart and marks the most westerly tip of the British Mainland. Whether you are interested in outdoor sports, wildlife spotting or just enjoy peace and quiet there's plenty to see and do. Ardnamurchan Tourist Association covers the area covered by Ardgour, Strontian, Sunart, Moidart, Morvern and Ardnamurchan in the Scottish West Highlands.

07/09/2026

The seas around the West Highland Peninsulas enjoy special protection, with large areas of our coasts being designated either ‘Marine Protected Areas’ (MPAs) or ‘Special Areas of Conservation’ (SACs). On land, many parts of the peninsulas enjoy similar protection, being marked as SACs, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or National Scenic Areas (NSAs).

For visitors to the region, this means that our pristine waters and marine species are safe from over-fishing and environmental contamination, while onshore developments are subject to strict rules that nurture and enhance the natural environment. Ultimately, these protections play a key role in making the peninsulas such a beautiful and enchanting place for everybody that visits, lives or works here.

Photo Credit: Michael Macgregor

05/09/2026

Whichever time of year you choose to visit the West Highland Peninsulas, you can be sure to see an amazing variety of wildlife, both on land and out at sea.

The peninsulas are home to a wealth of rare and common species, including the ‘big 5’ of red deer, seals, red squirrels, otters and eagles. But take your time, look closer and you’ll discover a diversity of smaller birds, butterflies and insects, as well as lichens, mosses and ferns that cover the ancient woodlands. All in all, it’s truly a magical wonderland waiting to be discovered by you.

Learn more: https://www.westhighlandpeninsulas.com/explore/nature-wildlife

Photo Credit: Michael Macgregor

03/09/2026

The West Highland Peninsulas are perfect if you want to get closer to nature, and to engage with the beauty and tranquillity of the natural environment. With only a few single-track roads and centres of habitation it’s easy to escape to spaces where the only sounds are the sigh of the wind rustling through leaves on the trees, the call of birdsong or the gentle murmur of streams as they wind towards the sea.

The pursuit of Forest Bathing is growing in popularity as an accepted form of wellness; and the large tracts of ancient woodland, with towering Oaks, Scots Pine, Rowan, Birch, Alder and Hornbeam, form the ideal environment for you to bathe in nature.

Discover more: https://www.westhighlandpeninsulas.com/explore/wellness

Photo Credit: Rachel Keegan Photography

02/09/2026

Travel the road from Salen towards the Ardnamurchan Peninsula and you’ll find yourself approaching the remains of a huge volcanic ring-dyke.

This is all that’s left of a massive volcano - one of five along the Scottish west coast - that was last active around one million years ago. Although the cone has subsequently been eroded by thousands of years of glacial action and weathering, what’s left is nonetheless impressive.

Your first glimpse of this natural wonder comes as you approach the bay of Camas nan Geall, with the heights of Ben Hiant ahead. These mark the southeastern flank of the volcano. Continue along the road, and from Kilchoan head towards Sanna Bay.

You’ll drive through what’s left of a massive caldera, once a mass of seething lava, and find yourself surrounded by the distant hills that mark the outer extent of the ring-dyke. It’s a staggering but somehow sobering sight.

Discover more: https://www.westhighlandpeninsulas.com/explore/our-geology

Photo Credit: Steven Marshall

29/08/2026

The geology of the West Highland Peninsulas is nationally and internationally important. We’re part of the wider Lochaber Geopark and are home to what are called Moine rocks, as well as the west Ardnamurchan volcanic ring-dyke.

Moine rocks were formed around 1,000 million years ago from muddy sediments laid down in shallow seas. These were subsequently heated and compressed into hard metamorphic rocks by the continental collisions that eventually led to the formation of Scotland.

Later, as the earth’s crust continued to move, these rocks were forced up and over the layers of volcanic material that had previously covered them. The results can be seen today across the Peninsulas, as folded and curved strata, with the original marine sediments sometimes being clearly visible.

Spotting these unique rock forms can be great fun, especially if you combine it with a search for fossils. Kilchoan is one of the best areas for fossil hunting, where you can often find Belemnites and Ammonites embedded in the rocks along the shoreline. Happy hunting!

Learn more about geology: https://www.westhighlandpeninsulas.com/explore/our-geology
Lochaber Geopark: https://lochabergeopark.org.uk

Photo Credit: Steven Marshall

27/08/2026

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is one of the peninsula's most iconic landmarks.

The latest chapter in its history started in 2020, when the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Trust took the lighthouse complex (excluding the tower) into community ownership.

The old stable block has since been converted to a fantastic coffee shop, which also sells gifts and books, while there is a fascinating display of old lighthouse equipment, and an excellent viewing area over the foghorn and out to sea where you can often catch glimpse of whales or dolphins.

Discover more and visit: https://www.ardnamurchanlighthouse.com

Photo Credit: Ardnamurchan Lighthouse

25/08/2026

When it comes to holiday destinations, the phrase ‘chilling out’ has, quite literally, taken on a new meaning in recent months.

This summer’s extreme temperatures are increasingly prompting people to seek out holidays where they can escape the relentless heat. Places such as Scotland, especially the west coast, where we enjoy a mild climate and lush green landscape, fit this bill perfectly.

With our temperate climate we also have a fantastic choice of places to stay, eat and drink, visit, and try out new and exciting leisure activities, both on land and sea.

Discover what the West Highland Peninsulas offer: https://www.westhighlandpeninsulas.com

Photo Credit: Steven Marshall

24/08/2026

Three great nights of live music at Glenuig Hall are coming up soon! 🎶

📅 Saturday 5th September: RANT in concert
RANT is the meeting of 4 of Scotland’ s finest fiddle players, two from the Black Isle, one from Shetland and one from the Isle of Arran.

📅 Thursday 1st October: PETER PRICE in concert
Peter Price is a guitarist and singer with a brilliant international reputation, following a musical career which has so far taken him to festivals and concert venues throughout the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

📅 Friday 23rd October: DEISEIL - DANCING IN TIME
Deiseil: Dancing in Time is a powerful exploration of how stepdance, Scotland’s percussive dance, was lost to us…and how its revival, drawn from Cape Breton Nova Scotia, became woven into a lifelong friendship.

Three very excellent reasons to make an evening of it in Glenuig.

Book now:

https://www.ticketsource.com/whats-on/glenuig/glenuig-hall

23/08/2026

You often hear about the ‘Big Five’, which traditionally refers to African wildlife. Yet, we’ve our own Big Five in Scotland. This term is normally taken to include: red deer, otter, ine martin, golden eagle and eals – although some would replace pine martin on the list with red squirrel.

Not all of these are found throughout Scotland, but they all inhabit the West Highland Peninsulas. Seals and red deer are common sights; more secretive are otters and pine martins, while golden eagles can with patience be seen soaring above the hills and mountains of the peninsulas.

The wildlife experience doesn’t end there. We also see porpoises, dolphins and whales off our coasts, while White Tailed Sea Eagles can be spotted, along with red squirrels and a host of other common and rare species.

The West Highland Peninsulas are truly a wildlife paradise. Begin your wildlife experience here: https://www.westhighlandpeninsulas.com/explore/nature-wildlife

Photo Credit: Michael MacGregor

22/08/2026

The iconic lighthouse at the most westerly point of the British Mainland dates from 1849, when its original oil lamp first shone out across the seas.

Designed by Alan Stevenson, the uncle of Robert Louis Stevenson (author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped), the lighthouse stands on a plug of volcanic rock. It took three years to build using blocks of pink granite shipped from Mull.

It must have been a wild and difficult spot for the construction workers, facing stormy weather, high winds, poor food and disease; the latter included scurvy from which much of the workforce suffered.

Conditions for the early keepers probably weren’t much better. Just a few years after beginning operation the lighthouse was struck by lightning during a storm. All the windows were shattered, plaster was torn from the walls and large sections of boundary wall and access road were washed away.

Today, although the lighthouse is automated, visitors can still climb the 152 steps to the lamp room to enjoy the fantastic views from the 35m tower across the Inner Hebrides.
Discover more and visit: https://www.ardnamurchanlighthouse.com

Photo Credit:

Address

Acharacle

Website

http://www.westhighlandpeninsulas.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when West Highland Peninsulas posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to West Highland Peninsulas:

Want your business to be the top-listed Travel Agency in Acharacle?