THINGS TO DO AT JHN 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 longest 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. The Applecross peninsula is about 90 minutes away over the highest pass between communities in Britain; going north there is Attadale House with its delightful gardens 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. 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; 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). There are day excursions from Uig to the Outer Isles. 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 gullys 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 250 books for all ages and tastes; 35 CDs and 10 videos (the last two including introductions to the area).