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 walking sea
sports touring
wildlife
Walking possibilities in and
around Plockton are unlimited. The back brae, a track running along
the length of the village on the hill behind the village, will show
you the lie of the land, with great sweeping views over the bay
and down to Loch Carron. Detour from this track to Camusteann and
the sheltered bays on the other side of the point.
Why not try the signposted route along the side of the loch to
Duncraig Castle, or the steep but rewarding walk to the TV mast,
where the panorama takes in Rhum and Skye, Applecross and Torridon.
There is a booklet available in the local shops with these walks
and more, all mapped. For more serious walking expeditions, advice can be given by Bob, who is a qualified mountaineering instructor.
Plockton was founded as a fishing village and while the village
is no longer dependent on this, the sea
still plays an important role, with many
local people owning a boat.
Every July and August, the village hosts the Plockton Regatta, with a range of races for visiting centreboards and local, clinker-built sailing boats. The start and finishing line is at Rhu, just opposite An Caladh.
Sports
available around Plockton include nine-hole golf courses at nearby
Kyle of Lochalsh, or further afield at Lochcarron, on the road to
Applecross.
There is riding at Nostie, just before Eilean Donan Castle at Dornie
(see below).
At Craig Highland Farm, just before Duncraig Castle, you will find
a wild breed conservation centre, with unusual sheep, goats, ponies,
pigs, rabbits and even llamas.
There is a swimming pool and fitness centre at Kyle, and swimming
beaches and coves in and around the village. Cycles are available for hire from the Haven Hotel, and from Kyle.
Plockton is an ideal base for touring
the local area. With an early start, you can make a good circuit
of the Isle of Skye and be back in the village by late afternoon.
Attractions in Skye include the Cuillin range, the ancient McLeod
stronghold of Dunvegan Castle, the malt whisky distillery at Talisker,
and the picturesque island capital of Portree. (Skye Bridge tolls
were abolished on 21 December 2004.)
For another day, the peninsula of Applecross is reached by Lochcarron
and Kishorn, and is a wild and remote region with small villages
huddling to the coast. Be warned that the road to Applecross village,
Am Bealach, the steepest road in Britain, is not for the fainthearted.
After Applecross, drive north then east along Loch Torridon to Shieldaig,
and back to Plockton by an easier route, or carry onto Torridon
itself, maybe the most spectacular peaks in Scotland.
Closer by, Eilean Donan Castle at Dornie is a fully restored Jacobite
castle and one of the premium tourist attractions in Scotland, with
a newly built Visitor Centre, giving a unique insight into the life
of a Highland Chief. Tour by yourself or with a guide.
After your visit to Eilean Donan, why not carry on to remote Glenelg.
Drive along Loch Duich for ten minutes and turn right at Shiel Bridge.
You will ascend the Pass of Rattigan, with superb views of the Five
Sisters of Kintail from the summit. Then down into Glenelg, where
you will find the abandoned barracks of General Wade, built to occupy
the area after the '45. There is an excellent hotel for lunch. About
three miles out of Glenelg, are a set of prehistoric brochs, 30-foot
high neolithic forts built to protect the inhabitants from sea invaders.
You will find full information on the numerous displays.
Sandaig is nearby, where Gavin Maxwell wrote 'Ring of Bright Water'. (There is a viewing platform for otters and other wildlife at the Bright Water Centre in Kyleakin in Skye, just over from Kyle.
Visible wildlife in Plockton
is focused mainly on the sea. You cannot fail to notice (or hear)
the seabirds, attracted by rich pickings from the bay. There are
numerous gulls, including the common, herring, glaucous and greater
and lesser black-backed. There terns, puffins and oyster catchers.
You may catch a glimpse of a heron at the water's edge, and shags,
guillemots and cormorants.
On land, you may just catch a glimpse of roe deer around the station area, or further on at Strathie, if you're up early enough. There are, of course, sheep everywhere and they have no road sense, so slow down if they are grazing by the road. The local Plockton cattle and Highland cattle, based in Duirnish, sometimes wander into the village.
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