Take warm sunshine, add Scotland’s stunning west coast, sprinkle in some freshly caught seafood and hold those legendary midges and you have the recipe for the perfect weekend, finds Nora McElhone.
The three-and-a-half-hour drive from the east to the west coast of Scotland can seem like a daunting prospect on a Friday evening, but as you get closer and the scenery gets more tantalising you are safe in the knowledge that it is all going to be worthwhile.
Skirting past lochs so still that they were throwing back mirror-like images of the mountains above them, we arrived at the Loch Melfort Hotel just in time to benefit from the late evening light and appreciate its incredible setting.
And what a setting. The hotel boasts that it has the most beautiful location on the west coast, an assertion that I was prepared to take with a large pinch of salt when I read it on the website. Having been there, however, it would be hard to argue the point. Set right on the sea, looking out over Asknish Bay to Jura, Shuna and Scarba, the view is truly breathtaking. All of the bedrooms have sea views and our room boasted sliding doors and a terrace to maximise the impact of the beautiful outlook.
Loch Melfort Hotel is perfectly placed for exploring the surrounding area and with this in mind we headed off on the Saturday morning for the Scottish Sealife Sanctuary, just north of Oban. Admission seems pretty steep at £12.50 for an adult so look out for discount vouchers and special offers before you visit, but the centre provides an interesting insight into the marine life of the area as well as some more exotic displays of fish, seahorses and a fantastic if rather shy giant octopus.
The setting alone, in a pine forest on the shores of picturesque Loch Creran and the beautiful scenery in the surrounding area make it a lovely spot to visit. Driving over the historic Connell Bridge, we got a glimpse of the Falls of Lora, although they weren’t at their spectacular best, which happens when the tide level in the Firth of Lorn drops below the level of the water in Loch Etive. On the ebb tide, the water from the Loch pours out through the narrows creating currents and waves that provide the perfect playground for kayakers.
The hot weather meant that it was a day for pottering about and we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the sunshine and watch the yachts and fishing boats dotting about in the bay before rousing ourselves to go and explore the neighbouring Arduaine Garden. The approach to the garden is via the hotel (you can pay your entrance fee here if the National Trust office is closed) and it is a popular stopping point for visitors and coach parties who come to admire the collections of rhododendrons, magnolias, azaleas and other plants.
When you are staying so close to the sea, it would be rude not to sample some of its produce and the menus of both the Chartroom Bistro and AA 2 Rosette Arduaine Restaurant feature fish and seafood in abundance. Our only disappointment was in that choosing to dine in the restaurant, we had to look on enviously as the bistro customers tucked into plates of langoustines (landed in Arduaine) that didn’t feature on our menu!
Dishes we sampled included a Tian of Tarbert-landed crab and avocado with sweet pepper sauce and (surprisingly delicious) avocado ice cream, followed by monkfish wrapped in Parma ham with cauliflower puree vegetable crisps and vanilla bean sauce. There is also a good selection of meat available on the menu, which is sourced from Barbreck Farm in nearby Ardfern and the selection of Scottish cheeses was one of the best I have seen.
Seafood continued to be the focus of our weekend the next day, as we headed towards the Lochfynehead area and the famous Loch Fyne Oyster Bar for lunch. The community at the end of picturesque Loch Fyne boasts not only a well-known oyster bar, but is also a great location for walking, boating and is home to a local brewery, Fyne Ales, (what else?).
We took the opportunity to visit another local garden, Ardkinglas Woodland Garden, where the paths and walks seemed to be shrouded in an azure haze of bluebells. The beautiful garden features a wonderful collection of rhododendrons and champion trees and, although some of the paths aren’t completely pram-friendly, it was perfect for exploring with our son in a back carrier and he loved pottering about among the giant trees.
Loch Fyne Oysters started life in the 1970s as a loch-side stall and now supplies seafood worldwide as well as to its chain of more than 40 Loch Fyne Restaurants. The Cairndow operation is based in a group of old farm buildings and includes the atmospheric and tardis-like restaurant and a farm shop selling Loch Fyne and other local produce.
The freshest of seafood is obviously the focus at Loch Fyne Oysters, although the menu caters for all tastes, and we indulged in oysters, crab, scallops and mussels in the bustling oyster bar. It’s hard to beat light, fresh, perfectly cooked seafood dishes when the weather is hot and it was difficult to make a choice from the amazing selection on offer.
Depending on the time of year, the oysters are grown without the aid of any artificial input of feed at different sites on the shores of Loch Fyne. During the winter months, when the high levels of flood water in the loch means that the oysters lose condition, they are grown by Loch Fyne Oysters’ partners in Argyll and the Islands. Mussels are reared on ropes near the loch’s headwaters, where the prime season runs from October to May and the supply is augmented by mussels grown by partners in Argyll, the Islands and Shetland. In short, it is all lovely, Scottish produce, and what better place to enjoy it than right by the shores where it grew?
After lunch, it was time to get into the car and head back home, away from the west coast sunshine and all that incredible seafood.
Somehow, I don’t think it will be too long before we go back. After all, the sun always shines in Argyll, doesn’t it?
And no, there really weren’t any midges, despite the heat. We couldn’t quite believe it either.
Nora was a guest at Loch Melfort Hotel, Arduaine, By Oban. The hotel is offering various special deals including the Summer Sizzler four-night midweek break for £259pp, including dinner in the restaurant on two nights. The Summer Holiday seven nights for the price of five offers the opportunity to stay in the hotel’s cedar wing for a week for £475pp. Tel 01852 200233 or visit www.lochmelfort.co.uk for more information.
At Loch Fyne Oysters, Clachan, Cairndow, bookings are recommended during summer months and at weekends. Tel 01499 600264 or visit www.lochfyne.com
Other links: Arduaine Garden, Scottish Sealife Sanctuary, Falls of Lora, Ardkinglas Woodland Garden, Inveraray Jail, Oban Passport special offers.