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Wild Weekend in Torridon

Wild Weekend in Torridon

Way out west in the wilds of Wester Ross, among some of the most dramatic mountain scenery Scotland has to offer there lies a hidden gem, a former hunting lodge now open to the public in all its resplendent Victorian glory. Torridon is as far from the madding crowd as you can get.

For many reasons Torridon has been hidden from the public gaze. Until fairly recently it’s been pretty inaccessible for a quick trip, but new roads have changed all that. This is not someplace you are likely to be passing by, but once there, the delights of deserted mountains and glens, seas lochs and open skies have enduring appeal.

There is no town here, The Torridon Hotel is basically it. Built as a shooting lodge for the Earl of Lovelace, its commanding presence looms over the area. It took twenty years to build and 100 years to become a hotel.

How to get here
From London the best way is fly drive. Flybe’s 9.30am service from London Gatwick to Inverness can be as cheap as £30 and gets you there in just over an hour. Pick up a car from Arnold Clark and you’re on your way in minutes. Inverness Airport is small, and Arnold Clark, Scotland’s main car rental agency, meet you off the plane.

The drive to Torridon is beautiful. It takes an hour and a half along the A862/A832 through spectacular scenery, mountains, lochs, Achnasheen. At a leisurely pace, you can be there for lunch.

OK. WE’RE HERE.
The main purpose of coming here is to get out and about, to enjoy the solitude and grandeur of spectacular surroundings. Mountain biking, walking, climbing, canoeing are all here. There are guided mountain routes, guided sunrise and sunset walks, mapped out routes through glens and round lochs. There’s abseiling, gorge scrambling, pony trekking, sea angling, river and loch fly fishing, golf and cruises. Phew!

There’s shooting, archery, and – just in case you’re wondering where all this frenetic activity is going, an utterly fantastic restaurant.

Bring it on.



STAY WHERE?
The Torridon Hotel has been through a makeover under its owners, the Gregory Family, and has been festooned with awards from Best Newcomer to best Hotel In Scotland to Best Activity Hotel, which hits the spot. It is a hotel for the active (as well as those who like comfort).

Room Two on the first floor is as grand as they come. A large, sumptuously furnished escape from the world, where a waiting decanter of sherry eases you into relaxation, the plump sofa facing the panorama of Loch Torridon before you. At the corner of the room is the turret bathroom, where a stand alone cast iron bath is positioned to take in the view while you soak. It is luxurious to the point of decadence.

All mod cons, from satellite TV to WiFi are here amid antique furnishings and sumptuous drapes in all 19 ensuite rooms.

The common parts of the hotel are fascinating. Built in the 50th year of Queen Victoria’s reign, the décor in the entrance lobby, Dining and Drawing Rooms is dedicated to her.

Not only that, but the hotel provides two alternatives for accommodation.

The Boat House is a secluded hideaway along its own private road on the shore of Loch Torridon where seclusion is mandatory. You will not be disturbed here. Two bedrooms, with breathtaking views, it’s surrounded by forest and hidden from view. Just you, the otters and if you’re lucky you’ll spot an eagle or two.

Striking a more economic note, the Torridon Inn is the recently converted stable block which provides more basic (but still comfortable) accommodation with walkers and climbers in mind. 12 ensuite rooms are a mix of double, twin and family with its own bar and restaurant. It’s clean, comfortable and all brand new.

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL, 1,2,3….
(1) The plethora of activities available to guests of The Torridon Hotel is breathtaking and the hotel has made a name for itself here. Simply arrive and start. Chris Wilson is the Activities Manager and he’ll get you up and running in no time, from a stroll around the extensive (58 acres) grounds to climbing a Munro. All the maps, guides, instructions and kit is here, including the Hotel’s own mountain bikes, clay pigeon shoot, and all fishing tackle from rods to boats.

(2) From the hotel it’s an easy and fascinating drive along the opposite, northern shore of Loch Torridon which, if you follow the whole way (8 miles, it just seems lot longer) you’ll reach Lower Diabaig, a lochside community which appears to be set in the most impossible location until you realise that its existence predated the motor car, it was the water that brought people here. From fishing boats to paddle steamers from Glasgow for shopping, the residents had little need to drive over the hill, a long and potentially dangerous journey in midwinter. But go and see it. One of the locals even serves afternoon tea.

(3) A few miles up the road is the impossibly pretty Shieldaig, a holiday and fishing village which sits prettily on the shores of the eponymous Loch. Story is that the island facing the pub, a nature reserve, is resplendent with pine trees which escaped the chopper to make war ships in the Napoleonic wars by dint of the place becoming a fishing community rather than military training base.

The pub is a very pleasant place to while away the day.

AN APERITIF
The bar at The Torridon Hotel is stocked with as much single malt whisky as it’s possible to have, hundreds of bottles from all over Scotland. A light island malt or a Speyside dark and peaty, the choice is yours.

DINNER IS SERVED
After a day on the hill or the loch, the Torridon’s civilised dining room is a welcome respite. Formerly the entrance lobby, the room is dominated by the views over the magnificent grounds and beyond to the mountains. It’s a formal looking room – expect a few guests in full Highland Dress – but the service is relaxed and friendly.

Dinner is a five course set menu for £45 with seasonal, local produce to the fore. Start with caramelised highland lamb sweetbreads, squash gnocchi with a minted jus and almond crumbs or soft local crowdie with roast courgettes and red pepper drops on freshly made warm soft pancakes. Mains range from Pollock to Morayshire Pork in honey and herbs. Cheeses are Scottish and the desserts are sensational, on one occasion a lemon composition with meringue, jelly and pink grapefruit preserve served with sugar snaps and Sri Lankan cream.

© TheTravelEditor.com

Reproduced with the kind permission of TheTravelEditor.com

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