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Mingarry Lodges

time for nature in the heart of The West Highlands

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Beaches

Ardtoe Beach

Over the heather to the beach at Ardtoe

Ardtoe Beach is a lovely secluded sandy beach within 10 minutes drive of Mingarry Lodges. It is great for rockpooling, beachcombing, swimming and birdwatching and is particularly beautiful at low tide with great views to The Small Isles. At high tide, it provides great opportunities to explore the rugged coastline and small islets by canoe or kayak. You can also walk along the hill tops. Look out for otters, whit-tailed eagles and golden eagles. The single track road to Ardtoe passes over Kentra Moss and skirts around Kentra Bay providing a scenic drive to this lovely beach.

The Singing Sands near Kentra

The Singing Sands at Kentra

Mingarry Lodges are close to the Singing Sands near Kentra and the sandy beaches of Dorlin and Ardtoe. The Singing Sands are a magical place at any time of the year and make for a great half day walk or cycle ride from the nearby carpark at Arivegaig, though also within easy cycling distance from Mingarry Lodges.

The magnificent silvery sands of Morar

The Silver Sands of Morar

The magnificent silvery sands of Morar lie at the northern edge of the river Morar estuary, one of the shortest rivers, flowing from one of the deepest lakes in Europe seaward. The steep-sided loch (18km long and 2km wide) in places was carved out be glaciers. Morag, a relative of the Loch Ness, is also believed to reside in Loch Morar.

The fabulous beaches of Portuairk and Sanna

The fabulous beaches of Portuairk and Sanna

The fabulous beaches of Portuairk and Sanna provide amazing views of Adnamurchan Point and The Small Isles. The grasslands and dunes are a riot of colour in Spring and Summer, and not least among the amazing plants is the dwarf willow (Salix herbacea), a tree barely taller than the surrounding grass. There are many easy walks in the area.

The remote beach at Smirisary

The remote beach at Smirisary

The remote beach at Smirisary is well worth the walk with great views to the small isles and an opportunity for a private swim. There is a good example of machair plant community behind the beach, so please be careful not to cause undue disturbance to the vegetation and remember to take your plant identification guides.

Camusdarach, near Arisaig

Through the dunes to Camusdarach beach

Camusdarach, near Arisaig, is on the list of Scottish Natural Heritage's most beautiful beaches in Scotland and is part of the Silvery Sands of Morar. It is perhaps most famous as Ben's Beach in the film Local Hero. Just how many grains of sand can you hold in your hand? The dunes behind the beach provide a good example of the coastal Machair plant community, more commonly associated with the Western Isles, and have been the focus of a restoration effort over the previous ten years or so. A good site for birding and beachcombing.

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Mingarry Lodges are rated 4 stars by Visit Scotland
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Mingarry Lodges
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