THINGS TO DO AT JOHN FISHER'S COTTAGE

All visitors receive our own booklet A Personal Guide to the Area which distills our experience of the area over 40 years. This page gives a summary of what it says can be done during a stay at John Fisher's.

Walks
We supply guide books to local graded walks, and A Personal Guide identifies our favourites - but please note we feel too old to be 'Munro baggers' though there are seven in the immediate vicinity of the cottage. Walks include along the shore of Loch Duich to the Pictish broch at Totaig; over Mam Rattagan (1,200 feet) and past Glenelg to walk to Sandaig (Gavin Maxwell's Camusfearna) with its coral beaches; Balmacara Woodland Gardens (for the family with young children); The Falls of Glomach (Britain's second highest waterfall); and various walks around Plockton (including two hill walks), as well as the Five Sisters, starting at the front door. Skye provides another list of walks.

Visits
Those who want to tour will enjoy Glenelg with its sandy beach and nearby early Pictish brochs and beyond it Arnisdale. All of Skye is within 90 minutes drive over the free bridge, though you can go 'over the sea to Skye' on the community-run historic ferry from Glenelg, taking in the Otter Haven (we saw otters) at Kylerhea. Going north there is Attadale House on the shore of Loch Carron with its delightful gardens. It is on the way to the Applecross peninsula, about 90 minutes away over the highest pass between communities in Britain. It is also on the way to Sheildaig ('the jewel of Torridon') and the Inverewe Tropical Gardens.

There are numerous trails with information in our three folders of local details - trails include Arts, Crafts and Whisky.

Visit the historic castles at Eileen Donan (the other end of Loch Duich), Dunvegan or Armadale. Some of these visits can be combined with one of the trails.

Children will love the West Highland Farm (touch the animals and see the llamas!). There is a glass-bottom boat at Kyle from which you can see what goes on in the waters around Kyle. At Broadford there is a serpantarium (if you can cope with snakes) and an Otter Centre. Fans of Gavin Maxwell can visit his last home, Kyleakin Lighthouse, which is being developed by the Eilean Bàn Trust as a wild life sanctuary in partnership with the Born Free Foundation. There is an exhibition in Kyleakin where you book a visit to the lighthouse. If you get as far as Portree there is the Aros Centre with full information about Skye and Lochalsh.

The local Arts Group (Lochan) has excellent programmes, particularly in the autumn, winter and spring (visit http://www.lochan.info for details). In February the local drama competition is always immensely entertaining.

Excursions
A day trip by train to Inverness from Kyle takes you along a monument to Victorian engineering. Take a Seal Trip from Plockton (free if seals are not spotted). There are many boat excursions up and down the west coast in the summer. A cheap ferry takes you to Raasay (walks, industrial archeology, food). On Saturdays there are day excursions from Uig to the Outer Isles (we recently enjoyed a trip very much). There are boat trips from Elgol (Skye) around Loch Scavaig, and you can disembark to visit Loch Coruisk and possibly walk through the Cuillins to Sligichan.

Boating
We used to sail on Loch Duich and Loch Alsh. The easiest launching place is the Kintail Lodge Hotel. The gullies in the hills make for a stimulating sail, sometimes among porpoises. It is also a great canoeing loch.

And other outdoor sports
Fishing permits are available for the Croe from the local National Trust for Scotland Centre. There are at least two local riding stables; there are golf courses at Kyle (nine holes) and at Loch Carron (eighteen holes).

Eating out
There is no shortage of places to eat, ranging from the local cafe (good quality) to the very posh Grants at Craigellachie across the loch at Rattagan; and in between there are bistros, pubs and take-aways. A Personal Guide gives our personal comments on many of them.

Hang around
It hardly ever seems to rain in Kintail (well, it does sometimes!) but when it does we have a diverse collection of over 200 books for all ages and tastes and 60 DVDs (the last two including introductions to the area).

Further details
For our personal ideas of what to do see our Famous Fives