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eazy-group · 1 year ago

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Wild Camping in Oban | Camping Divine

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Wild Camping in Oban | Camping Divine

Despite its relatively diminutive area, the resort town of Oban draws in thousands of tourists every year. It perfectly blends dramatic landscapes with a rich history that can be traced back to the early days of Scotland. Surrounded by towering mountains and the breathtaking sea, this charming town can please sightseers and culture seekers alike.

With so much to offer its guests, Oban is also a prime destination for wild campers. Find out in this guide the top campsites to serve as a convenient and comfortable base for exploring the beauty of this town and the Scottish Highlands. We will also help shed light on some questions about Oban and the wild camping laws you must keep in mind.

The 7 best camping spots near Oban

Looking for the ideal place to pitch your wild camping tents or park your motorhome around Oban? This section lists our selection of the top seven destinations you should strongly consider while planning the trip. Each recommendation promises something different, so be sure to go over every one of them to learn which will be the best option for you and your camping companions.

1) Clach Thoull

If you’re dreaming of beach camping, check out the area near Clach Thoull, a raised rock arch on Port Appin, a tiny fishing village only half-hour away from Oban. We like pitching our tent in the grassy area because of its remoteness and magnificent views of Airds Bay and the Morvern Hills, among others.

Given its proximity to Oban, choosing this campsite will allow you to take day trips to the town and be back by evening to go stargazing beneath the clear Scottish night skies. Many wild campers also like this camping spot for its proximity to the world-famous Loch Ness, where they can try chasing legends or engage in their favourite water-based pastimes.

2) Ben Cruachan Wild Camping

Located in the southern Highlands, Ben Cruachan is highly recommended for avid mountaineers and hikers. This mountain is 1,126 metres tall, making it the highest peak near Oban. On a clear day, it will likely take up to eight hours to reach its summit, where you can admire panoramic views of the adjacent hills, forests, and Loch Awe.

Aside from scaling the mountain, you can do plenty of other activities while camping at Ben Cruachan. Drive to Oban and taste the town’s cuisine and whisky. The latter is produced in Oban Distillery, one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries that still offers a tour of the historic plant.

3) Loch na Droma Buidhe

Reaching this amazing wild camping spot on the Movern peninsula is an adventure already. Starting from the mainland, you would have to take the multiple, drive to the next point, and finish the trek on foot. Everything will be worth your while, though, because Loch no Droma Buidhe is considered one of Scotland’s most breathtaking bodies of water.

We recommend looking for a suitable camping spot on the southern end of the loch, where you will find vast expanses of flat ground. If the weather is fine, go ahead and enjoy the calm lake aboard a kayak. Then, head to Oban for some whisky and Highland culture.

4) Leacraithnaich Bothy

This stone hut on the Ardtonish Estate is ideal for an off-the-grid wild camping experience. It was built in the 19th century for the farmers and shepherds in the area. Nowadays, the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA) takes care of it to preserve its structure and authenticity, so we encourage seeking permission from the landowner through the MBA to wild camp safely in this bothy.

It’s critical to pack for wild camping if you want to stay there during your trip to Oban. There is no electricity or running water there, so you will have to rely on your supplies and the nearby stream. Going to Oban from Leacraithnaich Bothy can be quite challenging because it also involves ferry rides, but we believe that only serves to enhance the overall experience of wild camping around Oban.

5) Calgary Bay

On the northwest coast of the Isle of Mull, you will find Calgary Bay, a beautiful beach with machair that bursts with colours because of the multitude of wildflowers on its grassy plains. This campsite is an excellent choice for wild campers who enjoy swimming or sunbathing. We also suggest taking on the hiking trails on the island.

Oban is one hour away from Calgary Bay. The best way to reach it is by boat because it also serves as an opportunity to admire the vistas and spot the native animals in the area. If you go to the town on a Friday, we highly encourage dropping by the local market, which is only open during that day of the week. You can replenish your camping supplies there and discover the specialities of Oban.

6) Roseview Caravan Park

Staying in this campsite in Glenshellach feels like a home away from home because it is owned and managed by a family of outdoor enthusiasts. It offers a wide variety of accommodations, such as tent pitches, caravans, and camping pods. The camping facilities include toilets with showers, a laundry room, a barbecue pit, a supply shop, and a children’s play area.

Roseview is a convenient campsite for travellers who wish to spend their days in Oban. It is located 2 miles away from the town so getting there is no trouble at all. You can also have more time to visit the historical places there—for example, McCraig’s Tower, which offers a beautiful view of the town’s landscape.

7) Gylen Castle Beach

Named after the ruins of the Gylen Castle, this beach on the Isle of Kerrera is characterized by its moody atmosphere and stunning views of the coastal areas of Oban. Wild campers may pitch their tents on its grassy plains beside the beach but remember to double-check the weather that day because the currents can become too strong for your safety.

Though swimming and most water sports are not recommended, you can still have an enjoyable time on Gylen Castle Beach by having a picnic and sunbathing by the shores. We also liked wildlife watching, especially because numerous seabirds flock on the island to nest every year.

Experience the Best of Oban Through Wild Camping

From stunning coastlines and lush greenery to cultural hotspots and historic buildings, Oban is truly an essential stop when wild camping in the Scottish Highlands. Planning your trip there involves careful planning, so we hope our rundown of the recommended places to wild camp near Oban could be a valuable resource to you.

Selecting the ideal campsite for you depends on your camping skills and expectations for the trip. Nevertheless, we believe that at least one of our suggested campsites would be a perfect match for you. Take your time evaluating these options to ensure that you will have a restful and safe haven after spending your days immersing your senses in the sights, sounds, and tastes of Oban

FAQs about Wild Camping in Oban

Can you wild camp in Oban?

In line with the laws on wild camping in Scotland, Oban allows travellers to pitch their tents or park in most areas not enclosed by walls or fences. Your chosen camping spot must also be no less than 100 metres away from the roads, buildings, and important structures. Wild campers should also exercise care and moderation to ensure they will not endanger the environment and its inhabitants.

What are the top campsites near Oban?

The list shared in this guide consists of the top seven campsites based on our personal experiences and judgment. Other highly rated camping spots are in the area, but we can vouch for our picks to be accommodating, clean and safe for wild campers. If you wish to evaluate other options, we suggest checking out the reviews and recommendations of fellow outdoor enthusiasts who have already visited Oban.

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itsmosblog · 8 years ago

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Saint Spook

After a difficult week of pig herding which had put a bit of a strain on our relationship, I asked Spook if he’d like to join me on a gastronomic tour out on the Morvern Peninsula, Strontian and the shores of Loch Sunart. It seemed the least I could offer after all he’d been through and I’d just been invited to take part in a short video being made to promote an adventure in Lochaber for a project called SAINT - Slow Adventures in the Northern Territories.

http://saintproject.eu/

http://www.ardnamurchan.com/about-ardnamurchan/area/lochaline-and-morvern/

A companion was required to join me and I couldn’t think of anyone better suited - especially as his body was so sore from recent events, that slow was all he was capable off. I just crossed my fingers that it wouldn’t push the boundaries of his reserved nature. Sara of SAINT had assured me we would take part in some light exercise and lot’s of eating. Jodie of the OCUK would manage the day for us and Cameraman John would demand very little of Spook regarding acting skills and only use footage of his best side. Never mind slow adventure - I was looking at this as The Outdoor Capital of the UK’s Relationship Repair Service (OCURRS).

We started our day on the Ardtornish Estate near Lochaline. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend staying here as Spook and I had a fantastic week in this house back in 2014 for my best friends 50th birthday. It’s a big house, with loads of space and character and was very affordable for a big group. I wrote a blog about it.......

http://itsmosblog.tumblr.com/post/93861150932/as-spook-and-i-settle-into-life-as-part-of-a-house

http://www.ardtornish.co.uk/achranich/

On this trip we hired bikes from the estate and set off to explore the immediate area.

The Ardtornish Kitchen Garden was amazing. Richard has spent 2 years taking it from a ruin to a bountiful and inspiring display of tasty produce. He invited us to pick veg to take away for lunch, and opened the first pea pod of the season for us to sample the sweetest pea that you wouldn’t want to put anywhere near boiling water. Unfortunately the OCURRS faltered a little at this point as apparently I went on a bit too much about how tall Richard was, and how much I admired his dungarees (I have some myself) and that I thought his neck tie was lovely......and wasn’t it fantastic that he’d grown all that stuff himself blah blah blah. Not to be outdone, Spook showed how earthy he could be himself, by insisting on carrying the basket.....

The garden is open to the public from 9-5 Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri. It is well worth a visit. http://www.ardtornish.co.uk/ardtornish-kitchen-garden/

There is so much to explore on this peninsula and keeping Spook to an eating agenda was quite difficult. He knows there are coastal nooks and crannies aplenty, but he allowed himself to be woo’d by lunch at The White House Restaurant in Lochaline.

Mackerel and potato pie doesn’t look like this when I make it. Art on a plate and absolutely delicious. It was painful to see Jodie, John and Noah (The Runner) salivating, so we shared our treacle soda bread and caboc cheese - grudgingly - but there was no chance we were letting them get their fingers into these plates

(my gazpacho soup photo - how can cold soup taste so wonderful? I’d stick this in a flask and use it to sustain me all day without need of anything else. A big flask.)

.The restaurant has it’s own kitchen garden so we added stuff to Spooks basket...

http://www.thewhitehouserestaurant.co.uk/

We took a cycle down to the shore for a wee gaze across to Mull and to let our lunch go down. This is a wonderful place and back in 2014 I was determined to come back and spend more time here and now I have renewed that pledge.

It was off to Strontian which is about 20 mile of slow uphill (it’s a slow adventure after all) with great views and an exciting decent to Loch Sunart. We had an afternoon picnic date with Kate Campbell at The Ariundle Centre where she had prepared us a hamper. Our next adventure was Canoeing and with more time we would have been taking our hamper on the canoe to a remote beach, but time was short - so we just had to eat it.........I’m more of a ‘throw a sandwich into a rucksack’ kind of adventurer, but THIS is the way to picnic.

https://www.facebook.com/Ariundle/

Kate lit up when we asked to see her spinning wheel - this is a slow adventure - no nipping out to buy a ball of wool for Kate. It is an earthy and absorbing past-time.......

But we had to be a bit more energetic to work off some of the calories, so we cycled off to Otter Adventures, just outside Strontian. Karl was a friendly and relaxed guide with a clear passion for what he does, who talked us through getting our canoe to the water and how to paddle if in the front or at the back. This is another opportunity for making or breaking a relationship and I wasn’t risking things breaking down, so took the easier position in the front of the boat. I did exactly what Karl told me to do and Spook, glad to be in safer, non-gardening territory, was masterful with the steering. It requires a bit of skill to get where you want to go and not where the tide and boat takes you. We took a wee tour around an island and were quickly surrounded by curious seals, bobbing and diving close by. Karl understood the concept of the comfort part of a slow adventure, and recognized that for some fok, it’s just a short paddle to a beach that would be hard to walk to, perhaps our picnic hamper to consume, or his outdoor coffee maker and cake, and a paddle home. If you’re not used to the efforts of paddling, you don’t want to have gone too far. But the potential for bigger explorations are all available in the expert hands of Karl.

https://otter-adventures.co.uk/

Had we been staying the night, we might have taken the comfortable and good value option of a cabin at Sunart Campsite. We checked them out and this is my way of camping. Cosy and comfy with no tent to wrestle with....

http://www.sunartcamping.co.uk/cabins.html

But whilst we were not staying over, we did have dinner to find and were getting used to fine dining, so we took advantage of the non-resident option at Kilcamb Lodge. If Spook had any stress and strain left from life in the piggy fast lane, it began to ebb away as soon as the wonderful staff made every effort to make us feel welcome....

This was the final glue in sticking us back together....

The First Class treatment from staff, the fantastically tasty and beautifully presented food, the comfort and wine..........the welcome of non residents for breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner - at prices which you would happily spend for a treat without hesitation (and I know that Spook will surely be working out how to treat me to a stay in the Lodge itself) make this probably our biggest surprise of the day. You could have all sorts of adventures out on these western peninsula’s, but topping it off with a visit to Kilcamb Lodge would be the icing on the.......well..... the ice in the bucket of wine.

crudities of the loveliest kind

The best melt in the mouth beef Spook has ever tasted.

https://www.kilcamblodge.co.uk/

Spook and I had a brilliant day out. When we got home, we got the map out and plotted all the adventures we are going to have way out west. And the food we are going to eat - not sandwiches.

Thanks to Jodie of OCUK for managing the day so calmly and not making us feel guilty about all the food we ate which they didn’t. To John for his One Shot Wonders which kept Spook on the right side of happy and to Noah who fulfilled his role as Runner beautifully by checking that the Caviar really doesn’t taste at all fishy. And to Sara of SAINT for asking us to be Luvvies for the day.

And to all those on this Slow Adventure who allowed us to try their wares.

And to Jodie for all the above photographs. Johns 55 sec video to come later......

#OCUK #Lochaber #Slowadventuresinnorthernterritories #SAINT #Ardtornish Estates #The White House Restaurant Lochaline #Ariundle Centre #Loch Sunart #Otter Adventures #Kilcamb Lodge #Morvern Peninsula #Ardnamurchan Peninsula #West Highlands #Scotland

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themovingpavement · 3 years ago

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Morvern Peninsula, 2020

#Morvern #Highlands #Scotland #United Kingdom #Street Photography #Photographers on Tumblr #Original Photographers #2020

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ruthlivingstone · 4 years ago

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432 Lochaline Link walk

[This walk was completed on the 16th August 2019.] Instead of heading straight back home from Loch Torridon, I’ve returned to the Morvern Peninsula, where I leave my Scooty bike a couple of miles outside Lochaline, at the turn off to Kinlochteacuis. Why am I back here? Let me explain…Continue reading

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#hiking #lochs #photography #scotland #travel

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scotianostra · 2 years ago

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On August 29th 1930 the population of St Kilda archipelago were evacuated.

Huddled together near the stern of HMS Harebell they were conveyed from Village Bay on Hirta, the largest of the St Kildan islands, on a 17-hour voyage to mainland Scotland. Most of the islanders disembarked at Lochaline in the Morvern peninsula, a Gaelic-speaking area, and, as planned, many worked for the Forestry Commission. The remainder alighted at Oban and dispersed more widely to Inverness, Portree, Culross and Stromeferry.

Whilst the authorities hoped the evacuation would receive minimal attention, it was inevitable that an exodus from such an iconic island attracted the exuberant media attention as it did, indeed 92 years later it still holds a fascination with people the world over.

Observing tradition, the islanders left an open Bible and a small pile of oats in each house,leaving the houses unlocked, and at 7am boarded the Harebell.

Although exhausted by the strain and hard work of the last few days, they were reported to have remained cheerful throughout the operation. Finally, at 8am the ship pulled away from the St Kildans’ homeland, the only one they had known.

As they steamed eastwards and the familiar outline of the island grew faint, the severing of an ancient tie became a reality and the St Kildans gave way to tears.

The women stood at the stern of the Harebell, their shawls around their heads, waving goodbye to the island until it was out of sight.

The shy people from Village Bay did not expect the throng that surrounded them” at Lochaline pier. One of the islanders, Lachlan Macdonald, recalled: “There was an awful lot of reporters and journalists there... As far as I can make out, they were thinking when they were coming from St Kilda that they were odd folk who didn’t know anything, they were more like wild beasts ... a curiosity, just as if you were going to the zoo to see some wild beast or something like that.”

Not for the first time in the historiography of St Kilda, the drama of evacuation further enhanced the island group’s iconic status popularly rooted in its environmental and cultural distinctiveness.

The islanders left behind their village on Hirta – the only island that was inhabited – consisting of a single street of stone-walled houses built in the 19th century to replace earlier dwellings known as black houses that still stand, their roofs covered with turf.

Generations had struggled to scrape a living from the unforgiving land far out in the Atlantic, but the 20th century had finally caught up with the harsh reality of existence there. It was a brutal process, as they carried their possessions and their furniture on their backs to the pier, the men had the unenviable task of drowning their working dogs in the sea, as they were not allowed to take them with them to the mainland, it was either that or leave them to starve, a very harsh ending to their life on the archipelago. Their cats were left to fend for themselves, but from what I can gather were eventually all killed off by the military over the next few years.

St Kilda is not unique, other Scottish Islands were abandoned beforehand, most notably, Handa, off Sutherland which met its doom in the 1840s. Mingulay, in the Outer Hebrides that was deserted by 1912. In previous posts I have also told you about one of the most recent islands to be “abandoned” Scarp, in the Outer Hebrides.

The Islands of St Kilda though had become a curiosity, a sort of freak show for tourists to observe, several operators take people to St Kilda to see what has been left behind, researchers and volunteers live on the island during the summer months and since 1957 people have lived on the main island of Hirta on a temporary basis to operate a military radar station.

In 2016 the last surviving resident of those evacuated from St Kilda, died. Rachel Johnson was born at Hirta in July 1922 and was eight years old when she, her family and other islanders left the isle. She settled in Clydebank and she lived there the rest of her life.

#Scotland #scottish #outer hebrides #st kilda #evacuation #history

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greatdrams · 4 years ago

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NC’NEAN LAUNCHES MUCH ANTICIPATED NEW SINGLE MALT WHISKY, SETTING A FUTURE STANDARD FOR SPIRITS

A new dawn

Becky Paskin, whisky expert and founder of OurWhisky, says: “It’s incredibly exciting to finally see Nc’Nean’s organic single malt whisky come of age. The distillery’s bright, fruity spirit is beautifully accentuated through maturation in ex-Bourbon and wine casks for a sweet, bready and creamy whisky with just a hint of spice. A lovely whisky to enjoy on its own or with soda and lots of ice."

Nc’nean’s Organic Single Malt is the first whisky released to the public by this new, independent distillery

Through innovative distilling processes, the whisky is impeccably smooth and elegant, with delicate fruity flavours; enjoy with soda to create a perfect serve with depth and texture

The first UK spirit bottled in a 100% recycled clear glass bottle, the whisky is also certified organic and made in a distillery powered by 100% renewable energy

Founded by Annabel Thomas, Nc’nean is a young, independent, organic whisky distillery with an uncompromising focus on sustainability and a pioneering approach to spirit making

Nc’nean Organic Single Malt Whisky is the highly anticipated new whisky from Scotland’s leading organic and sustainable distillery, Nc’nean. This incredible whisky is set to disrupt the industry through Nc’nean’s commitment to sustainability and creative approach to distilling.

Nc’nean has created a truly exceptional whisky with depth of flavour and the perfect balance between sweetness and spice. This is achieved through a combination of meticulously sourcing raw materials, slow and gentle fermentation and distillation processes, and maturation in carefully selected high quality casks. With tasting notes of lemon posset, peach, apricot and spiced rye bread, this smooth and elegant whisky is produced in small batches and is an easy-going, delicious tipple.

The spirit is made from organic Scottish barley, whose natural yields and rich soils enhance the depth of flavour. This avant-garde whisky achieves its signature body and sweetness from having been left to mature for three years in carefully selected ex-Bourbon and specially treated STR ex-red wine barrels. Each barrel has been chosen by Nc’nean for the distinct flavours the wood contributes to the whisky.

Nc’nean Organic Single Malt whisky - £47.95 - 70cl - 46% abv

Nc’nean spent the last 24 months refining the precise balance of casks to achieve this stunning new whisky, which stands up to industry bests. A whisky made for a new generation, Nc’nean is making a bold statement with its signature serve of a whisky and soda, breaking the perceived ‘rules’ that whisky from Scotland must be drunk neat. Named the Whisky Six, which is a nod to both the recipe and the perfect time of day for a long drink, this classic serve is perfectly suited to Nc’nean’s carefully created whisky.

This pioneering whisky is not only making a big impression in the whisky industry, but is leading the way in sustainability in the spirit industry. Nc’nean is committed to the smallest environmental footprint, and has created a certified organic whisky that is made in a distillery powered by 100% renewable energy and bottled in a 100% recycled clear glass bottle, a first in the spirit industry in the UK.

The spirit industry typically uses glass known as ‘extra-flint’ for its bottles. This glass has a very low recycled content, creating a big demand on raw materials, as well as high carbon emissions. Staying true to their sustainable and innovative ethos, Nc’nean has gone against the norm by sourcing a 100% recycled clear glass bottle, helping close the loop in the glass industry and reducing the carbon footprint by a staggering 40% per bottle.

Annabel Thomas, founder of Nc’nean, speaks on the first release: “When I left my London job to found Nc’nean in 2013, I wanted to create a distillery that would be known for creativity and would lead the way in sustainability. At the time, 2020 seemed impossibly far away, and we’ve overcome so many hurdles on the journey so far, but I am incredibly excited to have reached this point. But more than that, I feel the quality and taste of our first whisky proves that a focus on the excellence of the spirit with careful sourcing of barley and yeast, and a slow and gentle fermentation and distillation, creates a whisky that is both delicious and sustainable. I’m incredibly proud of the whisky we are releasing and can’t wait to see the response to our “Whisky Six”.

Uninhibited by tradition and protectors of nature, Annabel founded Nc’nean in 2013 on the remote Morvern peninsula on the west coast of Scotland. Pioneers in the whisky industry, Annabel leads the way, promoting environmental change in the world of spirits, and challenging the ingrained stereotypes of whisky distilling, bringing diversity and inclusion to the whisky industry. From its inception, she wanted Nc’nean to only use renewable sources for its energy, the distillery is certified organic by the Biodynamic Association and is a proud zero waste distillery.

Demand is expected to be high with pre-orders already soaring via Nc’nean’s website. Nc’nean whisky is also available at Selfridges, Berry Brothers, Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt as well as local retailers.

How to drink Nc’nean Organic Single Malt Whisky

Whisky Six

Ingredients

2 parts Nc’nean (50ml)

4 parts soda water (100ml)

Mint sprig to garnish

Method

Fill a glass with cubed ice and add all the ingredients.

Gently stir then garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

The post NC’NEAN LAUNCHES MUCH ANTICIPATED NEW SINGLE MALT WHISKY, SETTING A FUTURE STANDARD FOR SPIRITS appeared first on GreatDrams.

from GreatDrams https://ift.tt/3hmGoBP Greg

#whisky #GreatDrams

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johndburns · 5 years ago

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Out now my new novel Sky Dance

Here I am up against the wall at Vertebrate Publishing

It’s finally here!! My new novel Sky Dance is now available from Amazon of in most good bookshops. The novel is set in a fictionalised estate on the Isle of Morvan which is based on the Morvern peninsula on the West coast of Scotland. Readers who know the area will recognise many of the places where the action takes place. I published my…

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#bothy #driven grouse shooting #Hen harrier #highlands #hillwalker #humour #mountain #Sky Dance #walking

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tripstations · 6 years ago

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Coast through summer: 10 itineraries for the UK seaside | Travel

Llŷn peninsula, Gwynedd

Parts of the Llŷn peninsula still feel wild and remote – head to its tip along single-track roads for some splendid isolation and a glimpse into its mythical and holy past. The south coast is more popular with holidaymakers: it’s all about surfing, sailing and sandcastles on its long, sandy beaches.

Day one Shop for fruit and veg and all manner of worldly goods at the popular Wednesday market in Pwllheli – handy if you arrive by train, as it’s right by the station. Alternatively, wait until Sunday when the market stalls sell more local produce. Stop for fish and chips at Allports, where the chips come double-fried to order. Pwllheli boasts sandy beaches, Plas Heli – the Welsh National Sailing Academy – and the Hafan Pwllheli Marina, so there are plenty of sailing and yacht-ogling options.

Day two See the work of Welsh artists, sculptors and ceramicists at Plas Glyn-y-Weddw in Llanbedrog, a historic arts centre in a fine Victorian Gothic building overlooking Cardigan Bay. Wander around the exhibitions or buy jewellery, textiles and ceramics made by local craftspeople in its shop. Stop for coffee and cake in the glass-roofed tearoom, then walk its network of woodland paths that join the Wales Coast Path on the cliffs above Llanbedrog beach, with its colourful beach huts, shallow water and bucket-and-spade-friendly sand.

Day three Surf the waves rolling in from the Irish Sea at one of the long bays on the peninsula’s south coast. Hell’s Mouth (Porth Neigwl), between the headlands of Mynydd Penarfynydd and Mynydd Cilan, has the most reliable surf breaks. Its long, gentle, shelving beach suits swimmers, body boarders and kayakers, too. At the sheltered beach at Porthor, on the north coast, body boarders may even come nose-to-nose with a seal. Porthor has “whistling sands” – slide bare feet along the beach and listen to it squeak.

Plas Glyn-y-Wedd arts centre, Llanbedrog. Photograph: lan King/Alamy

Day four Be a pilgrim and walk part of the 135-mile-long North Wales Pilgrim’s Way (Taith Pererin Gogledd Cymru) to the end of the peninsula. Pick it up at the last leg, from Porthor to Aberdaron (about three miles). Then catch a ferry to Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island) from Porth Meudwy (£32.50 adult, £20 child, book in advance on bardseyboattrips.com), where, according to legend, 20,000 saints are buried. Be warned: the strong tides and currents mean that the crossing can be choppy and infrequent.

Day five Walk to the Tŷ Coch Inn (no cars allowed, park in the National Trust car park a 20-minute walk away), which is right on the beach at the tiny hamlet of Porthdinllaen. One of a string of buildings protected by a headland, with the sea a few feet away, the pub is a perfect lunch stop. Refuel with sandwiches and pasties, then go for a stand-up paddleboarding lesson, running every Thursday and Saturday throughout the summer holidays. Learn about Porthdinllaen’s surprising shipbuilding and fishing past at Caban Griff, the National Trust centre in the village.

Stay Bert’s Kitchen Garden (three-nights from £133 to £145 per pitch based on four sharing, pre-pitched tents also available) in Trefor is an eco-campsite with 15 pitches, communal campfires, a private shingle beach and a cafe in a converted campervan.

Ardnamurchan, Highlands

Bay of plenty … silver sands, rockpools and wildlife abound at Sanna, Ardnamurchan. Photograph: Derek Croucher/Alamy

A solitary road alongside Loch Sunart runs through this remote peninsula in the north-west Highlands. Wild, sparsely inhabited and unspoilt, it is the westernmost point of the UK mainland and the place to go for unhurried exploration of beaches, mountains, forest and moorland, taking in wildlife along the way.

Day one Gen up on local wildlife at the Ardnamurchan natural history visitor centre. The area is rich in wildlife, including otters, pine martens, golden eagles and wild cats. Some – pine martens, field voles and swallows – make their way to the Living Building, built to encourage a variety of creatures to make it their home. Visitors can walk through this turf-roofed timber building to experience simulations of various habitats, including a wild cat den and a wood at night. Its Lochview Tearoom serves full Scottish breakfasts and light lunches, or buy sandwiches and cake to take away.

Day two Hire a bike from Sunart Cycles (£20 a day) and either pedal independently or ask for a pre-planned tour. Bikes can be dropped off for no extra charge in the towns of Acharacle and Salen. Cycling on the peninsula itself is restricted mostly to the main road, which can get busy in summer. There are cycle paths on the other side of Loch Sunart in Morvern, however, which include routes through nature reserves and the ancient forest of Ariundle Oakwood. Suitable for hybrid and mountain bikes, there are several challenging off-road tracks.

Day three Climb Ben Hiant to get 360-degree views of the peninsula. Not as forbidding as it might sound, this extinct volcano is easy to scale – it’s a mere 528 metres high and there is a clear path to the top. As you ascend, look out for signs of pine martens and red deer. If visibility is good, you can see the islands of Muck, Eigg and Rum, Mull, Coll and Tiree from the top, as well as the rest of Ardnamurchan spilling out before you. Ben Hiant is loosely translated as Holy or Blessed Mountain, which may be a nod to the ancient burial ground nearby, at the bay of Camas nan Gaell.

Loch Sunart is a base for canoe and kayak outings. Photograph: Andy Sutton/Alamy

Day four Otter Adventures can guide you on a variety of kayak and canoe outings on Loch Sunart, including a Sea Kayak and a Family Canoe Adventure. With a guide (and other canoeists), you get to stop off at otherwise inaccessible islands and forests, or light a fire and brew a cup of tea. There may also be seals. Journeys take up most of the day and cost £80 adult, £50 child.

Day five Pack provisions and head to Sanna Bay, at the tip of the peninsula, as there is nothing to buy when you arrive. A remote and lovely spot with soft white sand beaches, turquoise seas and flower-rich machair in spring and summer, it is easy to spend hours here doing nothing very much apart from a spot of rockpooling or beachcombing. There are plenty of wildlife-spotting opportunities, too: sand martens nest in the dune cliffs; otters forage along the shore; butterflies feed on wildflowers; you may even spot a white-tailed eagle.

Stay Keeper’s West cottage (sleeps four, from £428 to £676 a week) sits beneath the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse at the edge of the peninsula. Tir Nan Og (sleeps six, from £340 to £640 a week) is a simple whitewashed stone cottage, minutes away from the white sand beach of Sanna Bay.

Morecambe Bay, Cumbria/Lancashire

Royal male … Piel Island has its own ‘king’ – also the pub landlord. Photograph: robertharding/Alamy

The vast, shimmering sands of Morecambe Bay may look beguiling but the quicksand and mudflats are notoriously dangerous. Best to admire these from the shore and explore its estuaries, islands and resorts instead.

Day one Stop for coffee at the Ravilious Rotunda Bar at the Midland Hotel – non-residents are welcome. This art deco smasher, with its curvilinear white facade, has become a destination in its own right. Sit by a window and look out over Morecambe Bay’s seemingly never-ending expanse. On 31 August–1 September, Hemingway Designs is holding its annual Vintage By The Sea Festival (free entry) at the hotel. Expect many moustachioed and red-lipsticked retro enthusiasts enjoying the vintage fairground, live music, market and classic cars.

Day two Walk south on Morecambe’s promenade to the very end – about three miles, depending on where you start. This flat and undemanding route, also ideal for cycling, skirts Morecambe Bay. You might see wading birds such as oystercatchers and turnstone digging around in the mudflats for food – especially at low tide when they are driven closer to the promenade. You’ll definitely see the wonderful statue of Eric Morecambe in one of his characteristic poses with a pair of binoculars around his neck (he was a keen ornithologist). At the prom’s end, walk up to Heysham Head and the ruined eighth-century St Patrick’s Chapel (rumoured to be where St Patrick came ashore following a shipwreck), which has great views of the bay. And look out for the body-shaped pre-Norman graves, carved out of rock and facing towards the ocean.

Day three Fortify yourself with breakfast at View Café, decorated with vinyl and music memorabilia. A designated Spam Menu includes Spam fritters, but there are other, more contemporary – and more appealing – options. Hire a bike at Morecambe station from Bike and Go (£10 for an annual subscription, then £3.80 a day), then join the Bay Cycle Way and pedal part of the route out of Morecambe, heading north along the coast. (Its entire length, from Walney Island in Barrow-in-Furness to Glasson Dock in Lancaster, is 81 miles.) Plotted by Sustrans, it takes cyclists on traffic-free paths and quiet lanes wherever possible (get a map, which includes several day rides at sustrans.org.uk, £13).

Pedalling the Bay Cycle Way. Photograph: Keith Douglas/Alamy

Day four Catch the train from Lancaster to Grange-over-Sands (or from Morecambe and change) and travel over the 505-metre-long viaduct that snakes across the estuary of the River Kent. On arrival, check out the station, with its elegant red-and-green wrought iron pillars supporting glass platform canopies. Grange-over-Sands was a popular resort during the Victorian sea-bathing craze and still has a rarefied air. Its sheltered position means it also has many subtropical plants along the promenade and in the Ornamental Gardens. It’s not the place to swim, however: at extreme low tides, the sea can be around 10 miles away.

Day five Have an audience with the King of Piel Island. This 50-acre kingdom off the tip of Furness peninsula, Barrow-in-Furness, comprises a ruined 14th-century castle, a row of houses and the Ship Inn. The landlord, Steve Chattaway, is also the king – a title he inherited with ownership of the pub. You can camp here (£5 per tent, must be pre-booked) and the pub also serves food, but most visitors come for the day. In high season (April-Sept), catch the ferry from Roa Island, which is connected to the mainland by an isthmus (daily 11am-4.30pm, weather permitting, adult £5 return, child £3). Piel Island is also accessible on foot at low tide from Walney Point, but be warned: it’s risky as swift tides can leave you stranded.

Stay Gibraltar Farm campsite (from £14 per tent) in Silverdale is a working farm in the Arnside & Silverdale AONB, with views of Morecambe Bay and its own ancient woodland. For groups, camping in a designated area in the woods is £160 a night for up to 10 tents. Wolf House Cottages are two self-catering properties near the village of Silverdale: the Coach House sleeps six, from £575 to £795 a week; the Old Cottage sleeps four adults and two children, from £495 to £580 a week.

Saltburn-by-the-sea, North Yorkshire

Twilight zone … Saltburn-by-the-sea has the only surviving pier in Yorkshire. Photograph: meldayus/Getty Images

Often overlooked in favour of its neighbour, the quainter fishing village of Staithes, or the mighty harbour that is Whitby, Saltburn-by-the-Sea is a Victorian seaside resort that remains steadfastly unchanged. It still has its original pier and lift, a funicular railway that takes passengers from the clifftop town down to the massive, sandy beach.

Day one Step into the imagination of Henry Pease, a Victorian Quaker and industrialist, who literally dreamt up Saltburn in 1858: a celestial vision prompted him to create a town on the edge of a cliff and turn its glen into pleasure grounds. The result is a dignified town with substantial houses overlooking the beach, streets named after jewels (Pearl Street, Ruby Street, Emerald Street) and a very long pier (see below). It also has a variety of independent shops – check out Chocolini’s for handmade chocolates, and Lillian Daph for Scandi-style homeware. Then promenade through the Valley Gardens, whose winding paths cross a stream, go through woodland, and pass formal gardens and a colonnaded gazebo.

Day two Plummet to the beach from the town in the Victorian, water-powered lift. The cliff lift deposits passengers at the entrance of the 200-metre-long pier, which extends across the wind-blown sand at low tide and over rolling waves at high. It has absolutely nothing on it except dog walkers and the occasional seabird – a place to go to clear the head and gulp salty air. The beach is a well-regarded surf spot, and although the sea can get lively, there are good beginner’s waves on either side of the pier. Saltburn Surf School has been teaching folk to surf here for over 30 years and offers private lessons (£50 an hour for one person, £60 for two).

Day three Hunt for fossils among the rocks and shingle on the beach. The entire coast between Saltburn and Scarborough is the stuff of geography field trips, and packed with Jurassic geological interest. Saltburn beach is backed by the sheer rock of Huntcliff, whose erosion has revealed ammonites, crinoids and belemnites, and fossilised wood. Staithes, Robin Hood’s Bay and Runswick Bay are all good fossil-hunting grounds.

The venerable Saltburn Cliff Lift. Photograph: stevegeer/Getty Images

Day four Spend a few hours in the village of Sandsend, a 30-minute drive along the coast. There is not a whole heap to do here except enjoy its massive (four mile) sandy beach and look around its well-scrubbed village: stone cottages with red roofs, some of which are holiday accommodation, sit in front of immaculate lawns beside a stream that rushes towards the sea. A sprinkle of shops includes a good general store and cafe. Eat well for a reasonable price at the Bridge Cottage Bistro, which serves an imaginative menu including many dishes involving locally caught fish. Alternatively, plump for a Whitby crab sandwich on the deck of the Sandside Cafe, inches from the beach.

Day five Visit Staithes to see why it has inspired so many artists, past and present. Park at the top of the town and walk down its steep main street to the harbour, wandering into intriguing-looking alleys along the way. Call in at Dotty’s Vintage Tearoom for a buttered tea cake and a pot of tea among vintage collectibles. The Cod and Lobster Inn on the harbour wall is as close as you could get to the sea: waves lash against its front door at high tide. At low tide, the rocky shoreline platform outside is exposed – good rockpooling territory.

Stay Coastguard Cottage (sleeps four, from £320 to £650 a week) is one of a row of houses perched above Saltburn beach on the Cleveland Way. The Spa Hotel (doubles from £109 a night B&B) sits above the beach, has views of the sea and cliffs, and offers Surf and Stay packages which include lessons.

Orford, Suffolk

Radio station … former military facility the Black Beacon can be climbed for great views of Orford Ness. Photograph: Susie Kearley/Alamy

Traces of Orford’s past can be detected in its ex-fishermen’s cottages, busy quayside and hulks of old boats sinking into the mud. This pretty village is a mixture of the delightful and the beguilingly sinister: the former military testing site and shingle bank, Orford Ness, stretch out alongside.

Day one Pick up breakfast from Pump Street Bakery in Market Square: all of its naturally leavened bread and pastries are made in the village, and it makes its own small-batch chocolate. Nip into Pinney’s for picnic supplies – the shop beside its smokehouse sells its own smoked fish, and wet fish caught daily on its boats. Orford General Store is an excellent village shop selling local cheese, fruit and veg, and just about everything else you may need, including maps.

Day two Catch the little ferry from Orford quay to Orford Ness, a strange and rare shingle spit running parallel to the coast. The fragile, shifting bar of pebbles, dunes, reeds, saltmarsh and brackish lagoons is populated by avocets, redshank, oystercatchers, brown hares and Chinese water deer among many other species. Barn owls also nest in several of the buildings built from 1913-1987, when Orford Ness was used as a military test site. Follow waymarked trails to see these and the wildlife.

Day three Motor south along the coast towards the estuary of the River Deben, stopping at Shingle Street – a lonely row of ex-fishermen’s cottages (now holiday accommodation) evacuated in 1940 under mysterious circumstances. Sit on the beach, soak up the atmosphere, or go for a swim. Stop for lunch at The Ramsholt Arms (the lunch menu includes handmade faggots, local ham steak and veggie options), and watch yachts sail by from its deck overlooking the estuary.

Pump Street Bakery, Orford. Photograph: Kumar Sriskandan/Alamy

Day four Tune into your animal spirit with a goat yoga session – the goats wander among you – at Skylark Farm (£15, book in advance) in Bawdsey, held on Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings. Goat petting/milking sessions can also be arranged as a child-friendly option. Drive on to Felixstowe, and either marvel at the Tetris-like dexterity of the crane drivers at the container port, stroll through the recently restored Seafront Gardens, or swim in the sea (rated “excellent” water quality by the Environment Agency). The beach is a mixture of shingle and sand.

Day five Climb aboard the Lady Florence, a lovely wooden second world war supply ship, for a lunch or supper cruise. Departing from Orford Quay, the three-hour trip along the rivers Alde and Ore goes past Orford Ness to Shingle Street and the North Sea, before returning. It also circumnavigates Havergate Island bird sanctuary. Alternatively, a breakfast cruise will take you upstream to Aldeburgh and back, as you eat hot muffins on deck. Twelve passengers per cruise, £22.50pp, meal extra, rivercruiserestaurants.co.uk.

Stay Daphne Cottage (sleeps two, from £485 to £795 a week) is a Grade II-listed Victorian cottage with a small garden at the front and a patio at the back.

Lynton and Lynmouth, Exmoor coast, Devon

Devon sent … Lynmouth. Photograph: Manfred Gottschalk/Getty Images

The twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth peer over the sea from the precipitous cliffs of the north Devon coast. Exmoor is close by, to the south, and the cliffs and gorges are threaded with numerous walking trails, rocky coves and hidden beaches.

Day one Ascend from the Esplanade at Lynmouth to its sister town of Lynton on the Cliff Railway. There’s no better way to get up a cliff than sitting in a bottle-green carriage of a Victorian funicular railway as it steadily makes its way to the top. Two carriages work in tandem – one goes up as the other goes down – propelled by the gravity pull of water discharged from tanks fitted to each. At the top, a giant scone awaits in the cafe as part of a Devon cream tea, plus views of the coast curling out of sight.

Day two Walk to the Valley of Rocks. A 20-minute walk from the Cliff Railway along clearly marked paths will take you to a U-shaped dry valley that runs parallel to the coast. A spectacular smattering of shattered rocks populated by feral goats (and, in high season, coachloads of tourists), it has inspired Romantic artists (Samuel Palmer), poets (Coleridge, Wordsworth) and novelist RD Blackmore, who set parts of Lorna Doone here. Free guided walks to Hollerday Hill and the Valley of Rocks leave Lynton Town Hall throughout the summer.

Day three Breakfast on shakshuka or eggs benedict at in Lynton. Then head for Lynmouth car park and follow the East Lyn River to Watersmeet (click on the link for downloadable circular walk). A pleasant two-mile stroll will take you along the river, through a thickly wooded gorge lush with ferns and over bridges to the fairytale-like Watersmeet House. Now a cafe, this ex-fishing lodge sits at the confluence of the East Lyn River and Hoar Oak Water. It is still possible to fish here for salmon, sea trout and brown trout (permits available from Watersmeet House), but most choose to drink tea on the lawn and listen to the river rushing past.

The Valley of the Rocks meets the Bristol Channel west of Lynton. Photograph: Craig Joiner/Alamy

Day four Discover a secret(ish) cove. Pack lunch and a book, and scramble down to Wringcliff Bay, following a path from the roundabout in the Valley of Rocks. It takes a bit of effort to reach it – it is accessible only by a steep footpath, so children should probably avoid it – but the peacefulness of the place is worth it. The small sandy beach is sheltered by steep cliffs all around and is often deserted. Strong currents mean it is not advisable to swim far out but paddling is highly recommended, as is sitting on a rock and watching the waves. Dogs are allowed.

Day five Explore Combe Martin, a seaside resort that runs ribbon-like along the bottom of a valley with a sheltered (and popular) sandy beach. Pick up some homemade pork pies and pasties from the Combe Martin Farm Shop, then spend the day rockpooling, or hire a kayak or two from Surfside Kayak Hire and go looking for hidden coves and dolphins. Alternatively, take the South West Coast Path out of town and walk to the vertiginous Hangman Hills, the highest sea cliffs in England. (Combe Martin is also where the Hunting of the Earl of Rone – a custom involving villagers dressing up and chasing the Earl of Rone through the town – takes place every May.)

Stay Bayview Tower in Lynton (sleeps four, from £560 to £2,129 a week,) is a rather grand apartment (with four-poster bed) looking over Lynmouth Bay. Countisbury Hill Cottage (sleeps four, from £309 to £819 for two nights/£559 to £1,479 a week, dogs welcome) is a stone cottage with an enclosed garden in a remote hamlet near Lynton. Foreland Bothy (sleeps four, from £21 to £27 a night) is a simple, windowless room with wooden platforms for beds (no mattresses or other amenities), right on the South West Coast Path near Lynton.

Winchelsea Beach, East Sussex

Big beach … Camber Sands (a few miles east of Winchelsea and Rye) is expansive enough to accommodate the thousands who head there on hot days. Photograph: Zuma Press/Alamy

Tucked behind a shingle ridge, a stroll from the soft sands of Camber and three miles from the cobbled lanes of Rye, the village of Winchelsea Beach still feels undiscovered. Pre-war railway-carriage homes sit beside wooden beach huts, bungalows and smart, contemporary dwellings, giving the area an appealingly ramshackle and curious air.

Day one Stock up on supplies for the week at Salts Farm Shop just north-west of Rye, which sells Kentish Mayde pies, free-range eggs from a farm in Battle, and beer from Romney Marsh Brewery. Head up the hill to the Winchelsea Farm Kitchen for good quality meat, wine and other deli delights. On the way back, drop in at The Clam, a new Camber cafe serving all-day brunch – tasty sourdough toast toppings include tahini, blood orange, pistachio and honey – and steak tacos.

Day two Stay local and make the most of Camber Sands on your doorstep. This four-mile stretch lined with dunes is one of the few sandy beaches along this coastline, and the place to head with a picnic and a beach towel. Even at busy times it’s possible to find a quiet spot to put up a windbreak (advised – it can get very blowy). The Kitesurf Centre and Rye Water Sports offer kitesurfing and paddleboarding lessons.

Day three Head out to Romney Marsh and explore its 14 medieval churches, rising in splendid isolation from the flat land. Built by lords of the manor to serve now-vanished communities, and also as a display of wealth, most are open to visitors. Don’t miss St Thomas à Becket at Fairfield, which has appeared in various TV programmes, including Great Expectations. End the day in an open-sided carriage of a one-third size steam locomotive on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. Buy a return ticket and hop on at nearby Dungeness for a sweet little chug along the coast to Hythe and back (rover ticket £18.60 adult, £9.30 child, less for shorter journeys).

A steam train at Dungeness on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. Photograph: Steven Town/Alamy

Day four Walk to Rye Harbour Nature Reserve – a land of gravel pits, lagoons, marsh and shingle. An important conservation site, you could spot avocets nesting in the saltmarsh or marsh harriers hunting in the reedbeds. Walk to a bird hide along wooden boardwalks (look out for yellow horned-poppies, sea kale and sea campion in the shingle along the way) and wait. The Avocet Gallery in Rye Harbour village serves tea and cake (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays) and showcases (and sells) the work of top-quality local artists, designers and makers.

Day five Go for a beachcomber’s lunch at The Gallivant and tuck into local specialities like saltmarsh lamb and fish from the Hastings fleet (but don’t bring young children – this hotel/restaurant next to Camber Sands welcomes over-10s only). Head up the hill and enter Winchelsea through one of its medieval gates. Now a quietly delightful town perched high on a ridge a mile inland, it was once an important port and the centre of the wine trade. Book a guided tour around its vaulted cellars – a great rainy-day option – to get a taste of the town’s medieval past.

Stay Seashells (sleeps five, from £1,150 to £1,400 a week) is a new, light and airy beach house on Camber Sands with a large gated garden. The same owner rents out Pebbles Beach House (sleeps five, £1,299 a week high season, £165 a night low season – two-night minimum), an airy, shabby-chic wooden bolthole on the shingle at Winchelsea Beach.

Isle of Portland, Weymouth and Chesil Beach, Dorset

Rock the boat … Jurassic Coast trips leave from Weymouth harbour. Photograph: fotoVoyager/Getty Images

The Isle of Portland isn’t actually an island – it’s a chunk of limestone tethered to the mainland by the shingle tombolo that is Chesil Beach – but it still feels apart from the mainland, and the rest of the Jurassic Coast.

Day one Take a look around the scattered settlements of Portland, keeping an eye open for buildings built from Portland stone. Drop by Tout Quarry nature reserve and sculpture park, where much of the stone was quarried (and ended up in Buckingham Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral, among other places) and which now has 60 hidden sculptures to discover along meandering paths. The Portland Museum, a community project founded by birth-control pioneer Marie Stopes and housed in two thatched cottages, is a good place to learn more. It was also the inspiration for the heroine’s cottage in Thomas Hardy’s The Well-Beloved.

Day two Continue explorations by venturing to Portland Bill, which overlooks the roiling waves of Portland Race. This whirl of tides and currents, combined with the Shambles sandbank, is why this rocky promontory has three lighthouses. Climb up the automated candy-striped one to understand the nature of the ship-wrecking waters that surround it. Drop in at the visitor centre, once the home of the lighthouse keepers, and learn more with the help of interactive displays, then feast on crab sandwiches at The Lobster Pot next door.

Day three Head along Chesil Beach to Abbotsbury. Chesil Beach runs beyond the pretty, thatched village of Abbotsbury, parallel to the coast to West Bay, framing Fleet Lagoon. This brackish lake is home to the 600 mute swans at the Swannery at Abbotsbury. Help to feed them at noon and 4pm daily, then sample Abbotsbury mackerel and other sustainably sourced fish at the Taste Café in the Chesil Beach visitor centre, which has views over the lagoon and beach.

Neck it down … feeding time at Abbotsbury’s swan sanctuary. Photograph: Paul Springett/Alamy

Day four Get out on to the water at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in Portland Harbour, which hosted the sailing events at the 2012 Olympics and is now a centre of sailing excellence. The RYA-accredited Andrew Simpson Centre offers sailing taster sessions for £20 an hour. There are also plenty of other opportunities locally to snorkel, canoe, swim, scuba dive to shipwrecks, and fish. Head into Weymouth and refuel with fish and chips at The Old Harbour restaurant, followed by a game of whack-a-mole in the amusement arcade on the beach for the full-on seaside experience.

Day five Visit the labyrinthine Northe Fort at the mouth of Weymouth harbour, which was built in 1872 to defend the Portland naval base from Napoleon III. Now a visitor attraction, it also has a reputation as a haunted site. Alternatively, hop aboard a wooden second world war naval boat and let a bewhiskered skipper take you on a 1½-hour trip along the Jurassic Coast. Boats leave from Weymouth harbour (£14). On the way back to base, stop for a drink at the Cove House Inn – sit outside and enjoy the sight of Chesil Beach stretching out before you.

Stay The Old Higher Lighthouse cottages (each sleeps four, from £450 to £1,000 a week) on Portland Bill, have the sea views you’d expect from a lighthouse plus shared use of a pool and hot tub. Alternatively, 50 Ocean Views (sleeps four, from £490 to £1,154 a week) is a smart contemporary apartment with a private terrace and sea views.

Helford estuary, Cornwall

Up chic creek … the life aquatic in full swing on the River Helford. Photograph: James Osmond/Getty Images

The cool, wooded creeks and tucked-away coves of the River Helford are a welcome escape from the busy beaches and bustle of nearby Falmouth. It’s all about the life aquatic here, whether it’s watching small boats and yachts from the footpath or the terrace of an agreeable pub, or taking to the water in a kayak.

Day one Sink a pint on the terrace outside The Ferryboat Inn at Helford Passage. This popular pub sits beside the river above a beach, and is a good viewpoint for gazing over the estuary and watching small boats bob about. The menu changes daily and includes pub food classics and inventive fish dishes (mackerel tacos, seabass linguine). It’s a prime position for watching the Helford Passage Regatta (10 August) and is also the place to catch the ferry across the river to Helford, see below, and to pick up the South West Coast Path.

Day two The lush vegetation and the cherry laurel maze at the National Trust’s Glendurgan Garden near the village of Durgan is a wonderful place to get lost in. Extending over both sides of a steep valley, the garden is planted with exotic species like Mexican cypress, Japanese loquat and mimosa. Giant gunnera erupt jungle-like in the lower valley. The maze is waist high, so it’s possible to signal for help from others caught in its coils. A stroll to the bottom of the valley leads to Durgan on the water’s edge, where the sandy beach is a good place to sit and eat a sandwich as others go rockpooling.

Day three Paddle through the creeks and coves of the River Helford. Slipping quietly through the water in a small boat is the best way to get to know the river and its forested valleys, witness its wildlife close up, explore the inlets that probe inland, and pull up at one of its quieter beaches and go for a dip. St Anthony Sailaway on Gillan Creek at the entrance of the river hires out single and double kayaks and rowing boats for £13-15 an hour. Koru Kayaking runs guided two-hour kayaking adventures for £40, setting off from the private beach at Budock Vean Hotel.

Visitors can rent kayaks at Helford. Photograph: Ian Woolcock/Alamy

Day four Visit convalescing seals in Gweek. Started when Ken Jones rescued a baby seal washed up on the beach in 1958, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary now has five pools and a hospital where it cares for orphaned, sick or injured animals – not just seals: otters, goats, ponies and penguins are all looked after here. Once recovered, most seals are returned to the sea: those that wouldn’t survive, stay on as “guests”.

Day five The shortish (three-mile) circular walk from Helford village and taking in Frenchman’s Creek is idyllic. Walkers will see the little ferry sailing to Helford Passage on the other side of the river with its cargo of hikers and holidaymakers (no cars). The path then passes the Shipwright’s Arms (where children can crab off the slip, and which holds an annual regatta), to the tiny chapel of St Francis at Pengwedhen, past Kestle Barton, the new Rural Centre for Contemporary Arts in a restored ancient farmstead, and along the wooded and fern-lined Frenchman’s Creek, made famous by Daphne du Maurier’s classic book, before returning to Helford. It’s worth tarrying to wander around the village’s thatched cottages and boathouses.

Stay Kestle Cottage (sleeps four, from £395 to £1,295 a week), near Frenchman’s Creek, is one of several holiday homes in recently converted farm buildings. Creek View (sleeps four, £317 to £939 a week) is an apartment above Helford Village Stores with a gorgeous view over the estuary. Bosvathick House B&B (doubles £110 a night, singles £70)is a grand private home in Constantine, a short drive from the estuary, with stately rooms, a laurel maze and rolling grounds (gardens open in peak season).

Ards peninsula, County Down

Down town … Portaferry’s marina at the entrance to Strangford Lough. Photograph: David Lyons/Alamy

The Ards peninsula wraps around Strangford Lough enclosing it from the Irish Sea. The shoreline is never far away, be it the sandy beaches of the east coast, or the shingle banks surrounding the Lough.

Day one Stock up on locally produced food and craft at the monthly market, held in Portaferry’s restored market house (first Saturday of the month, 10am-1.30pm). Portaferry sits at the southern end of the peninsula near the Narrows – the turbulent channel linking Strangford Lough to the Irish Sea – and is where to catch the ferry to the other side of the Lough. Sit outside the Portaferry Hotel with a coffee and wait for the ferry to arrive, or duck inside to eat seafood dishes, including bouillabaisse and lobster.

Day two Make your way three miles up the road from Portaferry to Kearney, a former fishing village restored in vernacular style by the National Trust. Now fully occupied, the simple whitewashed cottages tucked between drumlins (hillocks) and the sea, present a sanitised but appealing impression of what life was like in a 19th-century fishing village. In one cottage lived Mary Ann Doonan, captain of the so-called “she-cruiser”, a ship crewed entirely by women, and something of a local legend. The sandy beach of Knockinelder is close by and is a lovely spot for a dip.

Day three Hire a canoe and explore one of Strangford Lough’s 100-plus islands, many of them rich in seabirds and other wildlife; you may even spot seals and otters as you go. Outdoor Recreation NI, which manages and promotes outdoor activities in Northern Ireland, has devised a series of canoe trails, which can be found, along with a list of canoe providers, at canoeni.com. One canoe trail leads to Salt Island, where you can stay overnight in a bothy – it has a woodburner and a flushing toilet but no cooker (sleeps 10, £10pp sharing, £80 for exclusive use).

The view from restaurant Daft Eddy’s. Photograph: Carrie Davenport

Day four Drive around to the other side of Strangford Lough to the Castle Epsie Wetland Centre (which is just 12 miles south-east of Belfast). Blending with the shoreline of the Lough, its 25 hectares of tidal lagoons, salt marsh, woodland and reed beds are home to countless birds, bats and insects, and a stopping-off point for migrating brent geese. Watch the avian comings and goings from one of the hides, or walk among ducks, ducklings and geese in the duckery. On the way back, stop off at Daft Eddy’s, a smart modern restaurant by the side of the Lough, for Portavogie scampi and a pint of Guinness.

Day five Visit Grey Abbey House and Gardens in Newtownards to inspect a fine example of a big old Irish Georgian house. Located on the side of the Lough, the grounds have a walled and vegetable gardens, and two orchards of Victorian fruit trees and Irish apple trees. The expansive estate includes a lake and ancient woodland inhabited by red squirrels. Close by are the ruins of a Norman Cistercian priory, dissolved by Henry VIII. Up the road is Harrisons of Grey Abbey, a nursery, farm shop and popular restaurant.

Stay Cowey Cottage (sleeps four, from £395 to £550 a week) in Newtownards is a stone cottage with a woodburner, comfortable leather sofas and a flagstone floor, deep in rolling farmland but a short drive to the Lough. Castle Ward Caravan Park, in the grounds of the Castle Ward estate on the shores of Strangford Lough, has 10 pitches for tents (from £18.50), plus wooden camping pods (sleep two to five, from £42 to £67), and 25 hard stands for caravans/motor homes (from £22). For caravans and tents, add £2 per additional adult, £1 per child and £2 per additional car.

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spodzone · 7 years ago

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Time to explain the motivation for this excursion to the Morvern peninsula.

A few months ago, I was exploring what Google Earth had to show for the West coast of Scotland. A lot of photographers gravitate toward the north-west, around Sutherland, and rightly so – the geography up there is impressive. However, coming a little south past Ardnamurchan, there is also epic geology – evidence of volcanoes, beautiful mountains, the works. And so I stumbled across this glen past Loch Arienas and Loch Doire nam Mart, thinking there might be a view to enjoy part-way along the glen up one of the mountains to the left, perhaps.

On a little research, I saw the OS map of the area showed Aoineadh Mor, a former township dissolved in the Highland Clearances. Interesting history. So I drove – about 4.5 hours from Perthshire out through Fort William around Loch Eil and down at some length on wiggly single-lane 60-limit roads – and arrived at the small roadside carpark about 4.30pm.

The walk through the woods was beautiful: birches and oak trees catching the low sunlight.

Now it gets real. On emerging from the woods, the first evidence of habitation one sees is this broken dry-stone wall:

The Perimeter is Breached

which shouts the beginning of the story loud and clear: a township left to ruin, increasingly taken over by nature.

From what I gather, up to the 18th Century, Aoineadh Mor [approximately pronounced, and sometimes spelled, Inniemore, although the Gaelic ao vowel sound is inimitable in English] was a thriving crofting community on the slopes of Sithean na Raplaich where the burn (Allt Aoineadh Mor) flows down to the lochs.

It is a wonderfully beautiful setting – the Allt Aoineadh Mor burn burbling down the hillside, through the former township of the same name.

In 1824, Christina Stewart, newly owner of the Glenmorvern estate, forcibly ejected the crofters in order to farm sheep on the land for supposed greater profit, as happened in many places during the Highland Clearances.

The names of two of the last crofters to leave, James and Mary, have been given to two paths through the surrounding forestry.

By 1930 the sheep were also no longer profitable and the area was planted with trees as the cash-crop of the time. After 60 years, in 1994, the Forestry Commission uncovered the township.

And so my history intersects with the place in 2017. It is both quieting and disquieting simultaneously: quiet in that there is an open space, there are trees, light, water, all the elements of landscape we photographers like; yet disquieting in that the area is not really pure – on scratching beneath the surface, there seems to be a greater innocence in the subsistence existence of crofting, with subsequent industries of sheep farming and forestry tainted by crass desire for profit to varying extent. And so the hillside is not really wild but barren; the land not just beautiful but exploited.

Dust kicked-up by a passing logging lorry travelling a path through Forestry Commission conifer woods, taken from the former township of Aoineadh Mor. http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/activities/heritage/historic-townships/aoineadh-mor-inniemore/marys-story

These conflicting forces of land, money and habitation are summarized in this photo, where we have nature’s pine tree felled in the foreground, a generation of mankind’s ruined croft superseded by the unnatural choice of conifers blown in as seed on the wind, leading to blue skies beyond.

This used to be the township of Aoineadh Mor, a scattering of stone crofts on the braes beside a beautiful river surrounded by forest. Now the Forestry Commission has taken over, with several monoculture forests on the surrounding mountains, even wild-seeding into the former township.

For what it’s worth, a few more photos all taken around the township:

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The craggy face of Beinn na h’Uamha in the distance – from the path through Aoineadh Mor.

The Allt Aoineadh Mor meanders beautifully down the hillside, where once the township of the same name used to be. A beautiful place, quieting and yet disquieting simultaneously.

No roof No walls No doors Wild-seeding conifers taking over the surrounding landscape No settlement. Aoineadh Mor, as was.

Nothing left of the former buildings but outlines of stone walls in the grass.

There used to be the township of Aoineadh Mor here; now nothing remains but the outlines of a path in the tgrass, the hills and the sun overhead.

References:

WalkHighlands: Aoineadh Mor

Forestry Commission: Aoineadh Mor

Wild Lochaber: Aoineadh Mor

As I walk along these shores I am the history within As I climb the mountainside Breaking Eden again – Runrig, Proterra

Morvern 3/4: In Search of Purity Time to explain the motivation for this excursion to the Morvern peninsula. A few months ago, I was exploring what Google Earth had to show for the West coast of Scotland.

#Aoineadh Mor #Argyll #crofting #Inniemor #land use #photos #Scotland #story #words

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laurenfrostblog-blog · 8 years ago

Photo

02/05/17

Today I made this piece, inspired by one of my sketches on Lismore, looking across to the Morvern peninsula.

I chose this subject as the intensity of light breaking through the clouds resulted in a real sense of depth on the surface of the water. Moreover, the blueness of the rainy weather had a melancholy mood, similar to what many people I interviewed described to feel when the weather is wetter.

Again, I machine stitched onto the felt to add detail and tactility, and to emphasise the ripples in the ‘sea’. To suggest distance, the stitch nearer the mountains is more condensed.

The atmosphere associated with blue reminds me of Picasso’s blue period, which may provide good research regarding the way colour, and therefore the weather affects mood.

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peachwallpaper · 10 years ago

Text

Beaches

West

Troon

Glasgow to Troon

Day return 9.20

Armadale Bay

Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull

CalMac run regular ferries from Oban to Mull, while there are more remote routes from the Morvern and Ardnamurchan peninsulas. Your own car or bicycle is essential for Mull, unless you are seriously into walking, but if you're coming via Glasgow, it might be worth taking the train to Oban for the chance to ride the West Highland Line up the beautiful west coast of Scotland.

Clachtoll Beach

For Orkney

Glasgow to Thurso 78

Thurso to Orkney

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lovebooksgroup · 8 years ago

Text

Sue Reid Sexton lives in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Mavis’s Shoe was the first new Scottish novel to be published simultaneously in Braille and in print. It was Waterstones ‘Book of the Month’, in Waterstones ‘Books of the Year’ list 2011, a Books from Scotland ‘Book of the Month’, and was included in ‘Books to Treasure’ Book Week Scotland 2013.

Rue End Street is the sequel, as meticulously researched as Mavis’s Shoe, and takes us the length of the Clyde Estuary and all the dangers and turmoil of the port of Greenock, known during WW2 as ‘Port Number One’.

Sue has appeared on TV and radio talking about her work and is available for events and workshops.

Her advice to new writers is: ‘Do it and keep doing it until you know what you’re doing. Do it everybody else’s way but finish with doing it your own. Learn to run. I mean real physical running as in jogging if you can. I ran before I wrote seriously. What I learned about running taught me a lot about how to write. Writing anything good, especially long stuff like novels, requires massive stamina, awareness of your environment and awareness of yourself.’

She has a website: http://www.suereidsexton.com And a blog: http://www.suereidsexton.blogspot.com

This strong and uplifting novel about the Clydebank Blitz during the Second World War has recently been selected by the Daily Record for its top ten children’s books about Scotland in the Second World War. It was also selected by Waterstones in its Scottish top 10 books in its year of publication. In Mavis’s Shoe, Lenny survives the bombing, but in the chaos of that night, she cannot find her mum and her little sister, Mavis. The story is told by Sue Reid Sexton in an urgent, true-grit voice, and the early part of the narrative describes the devastation of the blitz as seen through Lenny’s eyes. During her desperate search for her mum and sister, Lenny finds a shoe she thinks belongs to Mavis and it becomes her talisman in the days that follow. Lenny is forced to flee over the hills to the hut community of Carbeth in the company of a scary neighbour, Mr Tait, her old school teacher, Miss Weatherbeaten, and little Rosie, a girl who is oddly like Mavis. With Mr Tait’s help she finds her mother but still no Mavis.

It is left to Lenny herself in a desperate act to return to the terrifying scenes of devastation and search amongst the rubble for her little sister. This is a powerful story, suitable for ages 10+, and it celebrates the importance of family, friends and supporting each other in a community.

Written by Glasgow writer, Sue Reid Sexton, who has worked with war veterans and as a counsellor specialising in trauma, this book is extensively researched and covers what went on in Clydebank, Glasgow and Carbeth during this harrowing time in Scotland’s history.

Buy your copy here ~ AMAZON UK

Q&A ~ The Real You ~ Sue Reid Sexton

Describe yourself using three words?

Truth conquers all. What inspired you to write your first novel?

I met my friend’s elderly aunt at a party and she told me about the Clydebank Blitz, a huge bombing incident which happened over two nights in 1941 and devastated that town. She had lived through it. I knew nothing about it until then and was horrified when I began my research. What time of day do you like to write?

I write best in the early morning when no-one else is up but this isn’t often practical. I also go off in my tiny campervan when I need peace to submerge myself in a project for a few days, or even a day. What is your favourite book and why?

I don’t have a favourite book. I’ve been inspired by too many books to choose one.

How did you pick the title of your book?

Mavis’s shoe is the central image of the book. Lenny keeps it with her like a talisman, the last thing that links her to her little sister who goes missing. This is common with people who have suffered loss and trauma. Are the characters in your book based on real people?

The main characters are not based on real people, but their experiences are derived from the real experiences of people who lived through the Clydebank Blitz or other similar bombings, or who went for safety to Carbeth, the hut community north of Clydebank, during the war. There are also one or two people in it who really did exist. What’s your favourite word?

I can’t choose one favourite word because it’s combinations of words that are really interesting. If you were a colour what would it be?

As with words, it’s the combination of colours that interest me, and my personal colours change every day. Do you plan your story beforehand or go with the flow?

I do a bit of both. I plan characters and settings and so on and I might have a rough outline of beginning, middle and end, and perhaps a few stepping stones in between. If I try and plan too much I get bored when I get down to writing it.

You are attending a dinner party with four fictitious book characters who would they be and why?

I only eat real food with real people.

What book are you reading at the moment?

The Atlantic Sound by Caryl Phillips and also Scotland and the Abolition of Black Slavery, 1756-1838 by Iain Whyte.

Where in the world is your happy place?

In my tiny campervan by the Atlantic coast, tea in hand and working on a project. You can read about it in Writing on the Road: Campervan Love and the Joy of Solitude. If you had one superpower what would it be?

A photographic memory. It would help my research. If you could give any literary villain a happy ending who would you chose?

Good books don’t generally have clear goodies and baddies. Real characters are more complex than that. I think a happy ending for any literary villain would be to learn the error of their ways and make amends. Personal progress would make them happy and the reading more interesting. Are you working on a new project?

Yes. The subject is a secret and it will be both fiction and non-fiction. Do you have any upcoming events our members can attend?

I’ll be at Glasgow’s South Side Festival in May, date to be confirmed, talking about solo campervanning, writing and escape.

This is the story of a young girl who is coming to terms with changes in her family she is not ready for. A passionate story, told with warmth and conviction set in Greenock and Carbeth in the Second World War.

It is September 1943, more than two years since Lenny’s world was devastated by the Clydebank Blitz and she and her family are safe in the beautiful green hut community of Carbeth, Scotland. But as the tides of war turn and Italy joins the Allies to fight the Nazis, the fists of war and fear are set to grab Lenny once more. Adversity threatens each moment, and Lenny is about to lose her closest ally.

Told the family must move back to Clydebank with its smoke and factories and now overcrowded, teeming dwellings, Lenny refuses to give up her rural sanctuary. When her mother Peggy returns to Clydebank for a job, leaving Lenny to become a little mother to her siblings, Lenny lies about her age to look for work locally. But this new turn is bewildering. Exhausted, Lenny seizes on news of her father, convinced that if only she can discover the truth about where he is, if only she can find him, she can make their family complete again. But no-one will meet her eye.

Desperate, and in need of a happy ending, Lenny sets out, but all is not as she hopes… Her steps take her the length of the great Clyde estuary, and into new dangers in the vast, dark, threatening and adult war-time ports of Helensburgh and Greenock …

Snap yours up ~ Amazon UK

Writing on the Road – Campervan Love and the Joy of Solitude is not just funny (or sad) stories of campervan trips in Scotland; it is not just ‘Zen and the art of campervan maintenance�� (with stories of sweetness and light that will entertain or make you cry), and it is not just nature writing (with observations of wildlife in the western Scottish Highlands).

But if you enjoy reading about how books are written and about recovery stories from relationship breakdowns, and if you like reading about women travelling alone and all the things that can go wrong (and right), about strategies for facing fear, dealing with creepy crawlies and noises in the night, and about surviving all that life throws at you (especially when you are over a certain age), then you will probably enjoy this book.

This new book is by Sue Reid Sexton. Over the last six years, Sue wrote two novels. In the process of writing them, Mavis’s Shoe (sold over 5000 copies) and Rue End Street, Sue needed to escape from her hectic household to create some space in her life to focus. As the mother of two and a step-mum of four, Sue realised her only real option was to get into her campervan and have it function as a mobile office. Whether she camped by a beach overlooking the Atlantic in the Kintyre peninsula with buzzards, golden eagles, deer, seals, surfers, other campervanners and dead fish for company, or in the hills around Glasgow, or on Skye, Morvern, the Cowal peninsula or even in southern France, her main aim was to switch off her phone, get out her laptop and write. Sue has made countless journeys in campervans in the last few years and thanks to her practice of taking notes as she travels, we, too, can enjoy her campervan experiences. Sue’s chosen and preferred van of travel is a Romahome, British-made, and she writes extensively about her Romahome campervan.

In Writing on the Road Sue also writes about the many and varied practical difficulties of campervan life that she has had to overcome. They include locking herself out of the campervan at night miles from home; coping with local byelaws and negative attitudes to campervans and to women travelling solo;driving a hundred miles with a window open before she could empty a cracked toilet; and finding out the wrong (and the right) way to buy a campervan. We hope this book will inspire anyone looking for encouragement in the expressive arts to get creative and persuade any would-be campervanners to get out there and enjoy the campervan life.

Grab your copy ~ AMAZON UK

For all your paperback copies ~ Waverley Books Store Online

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#Author Special with @SueReidSexton @WaverleyBooks #RT Sue Reid Sexton lives in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Mavis's Shoe was the first new Scottish novel to be published simultaneously in Braille and in print.

#Author Guest Spot #Authors #Sue Reid Sexton #Waverley Books

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