The Point
Ardnamurchan point is the most westerly point of mainland Britain. And it feels it. The drive to the point is an adventure, and the distance to it is measured in time, not in miles. A single track road winds its way over some of the most beautiful countryside in Scotland, and on a clear day the views are almost unsurpassed.
Once you’ve negotiated the road, almost entirely single-track all the way from Strontian, you are greeted by the most westerly traffic lights on mainland Britain! The last two hundred meters are between walls with no place to pass, so these aren’t just for show.
The lighthouse was built in 1849, and it and its accompanying keepers’ cottages have a classical Egyptian feel to the architecture. The views from the top on a clear day are outstanding, with the Small Isles feeling close enough to touch, Coll and Tiree out to the west, and the hills of the Outer Hebrides tantalising you on the horizon.
The other buildings house a great exhibition on the science and social history of the lighthouse, and there’s a shop and tearoom. Beyond the lighthouse, a platform next to the giant (and thankfully silent) foghorn is a great place for whale watching. Pick a calm day, and take your time.
Strictly speaking, that is the most westerly point of mainland Britain! But you’re nearly there!
At the foot of the steps. Built in the days when not every penny was counted.
Passing the exhibition on the way to the lighthouse itself. The keepers’ cottages sit beneath.
The Stables tearoom. It doesn’t get much better than watching otters in the bay while enjoying tea and cake.
Picked the wrong day to enjoy the view from the top, but it’s pretty good even when overcast.
Coll, Tiree and the southern tip of the Outer Hebrides are out in this direction. Honest.
Looking down on the exhibition, the tearoom in the distance, and the, er, JCB. America is off to the right.