Facilities
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Bar |
Within the house we have the Ardbrecknish Room, with large open
fire and wood panelled ceiling. Play pool or darts and on occasion enjoy live
music and dancing. Additionally, the house has a laundry room and
a library introducing the wealth of local history, attractions and
wildlife. The beautiful grounds are ideal for woodland and waterside
walks and you will find a childrens play area,
picnic and barbecue areas. The house is adjacent to a boat yard which offers boat and canoe hire and launch facilities. Ardbrecknish also features a friendly bar featuring a friendly bar
serving fine ales, a range of malt whiskies - the ideal place to
relax around the fire and chat with the locals.
Activities and Amenities
Lochaweside
Forest and hill walks, wildlife, fishing, sailing, boating, canoeing, gardens,
archaeological sites and castles and bird watching available by arrangement.
Dalmally Area
- 8 miles
Golf course, Cruachan power station visitors centre, osprey watch,
salmon leap, and river fishing, Kilchurn Castle.
Inveraray Area
-12 miles
Tourist informatoin centre, castle, jail visitor centre, historic
buildings, golf course, sea fishing, pony trekking, Auchindrain Museum of Country Life, Loch Fyne Oysters, Ardkinglas Garden and Tree Shop, Crarae Glen Garden.
Taynuilt Area
-15 miles
Bonawe Iron Foundry museum, golf course, trout fishery, sea fishing, Loch Etive cruises,
gardens, River Awe canoeing, Inverawe trout fishery and country park.
Oban Area
-30 miles
Tourist information office, historic buildings, ferry terminal for Mull, Iona and western Isles, golf course, museums, and exhibitions, cinemas, live
evening entertainment, sea fishing, swimming pools, beaches, whale/seal spotting boat trips.
Eating Out, Shopping and Garages
Glenorchy Lodge at Dalmally (8 miles), The Taynuilt
Hotel (11 miles) and the George Inn at Inveraray (12 miles).
Shopping,
post office and pharmacy at Dalmally. Inveraray has good selection
of hotels, restaurants, excellent small shops and petrol stations.
Oban offers a good range of specialist shops, super markets, hotels,
restaurants and takeaways.
Outdoor Activities
"A magnificent group of hills bounded by Loch Etive, Glen Strae and the Pass of Brander with Cruachan in particular offering an impression that it is almost surrounded by great sea lochs. Such is the hill's proximity to the sea that the costal views, particularly those across to the Isle of Mull, are superb and that, taken together with spectacular rocky ridges, a series of fine peaks, and some high, imposing corries, make this one of the finest hills in the Southern Highlands." So writes Cameron McNeish author of the book 'The Munros': Scotland's Highest Mountains.
Ben Cruachan at 3694 feet and it’s three neighbouring Munros, Stob Diamh 3274 feet, Beinn a’ chochuill 3215 feet and Beinh Eunaich 3245 feet dominate Ardbrecknish and Loch awe. These give the casual rambler to the experienced climber or Munro bagger plenty of options. More Munros are found locally within a 50 mile radius, the Arrochar Alps, the Crianlarich Hills, Lawers Group, Bridge of Orchy Hills, Mamlorn Hills, Etive Range and the magnificent Glencoe, Rannoch and Glen Lyon, The Mamores and even Ben Nevis and Grey Corries. An exhilarating new facility can be found at Kinlochleven, The Ice Factor, an indoor climbing wall.
All standards of cyclists and mountain bikers can explore the natural and man made trails around Loch Awe and surrounding areas. Many of the rides are way marked routes on Forestry Commission land such as the Two Loch Trail that takes you along the shores of Loch Awe and Loch Avich and into the heart of Inverinan Forest. Further forest trails are found at Ardgarten just an hours drive away. The more experienced rider can use the numerous steep off-road mountain tracks within the Ben Cruachan range of hills. For the adventurous there is the Nevis Range downhill World Cup course. Bikes are carried free of charge on ScotRail and a small charge is made on GNER and Virgin. If necessary transport can be arranged from Dalmally railway station to Ardbrecknish.
Being the longest fresh water loch in Britain Loch Awe is 26miles long with over 60 miles of shore line there are endless options for the water enthusiast.
You can either bring your own or adjacent Loch Awe Boats hires out canoes, rowing and motor boats. There are full launch facilities and a rescue boat is always on standby.
There are numerous islands with ruined castles, burial sites and secret bays to be explored only by boat. More challenging rivers can be found locally for the white water enthusiast.
Ardbrecknish is surrounded by easily accessible sea lochs where the sea kayaker can explore numerous hidden coves and beaches.
Pony trekking is a popular activity in the area allowing the rider to access the many wide open spaces, hillsides and shorelines.
There is a wide variety of riding and trekking operators in the Highlands and Islands offering everything from short treks for children and novices to tougher routes for the more experienced.
Increasingly more people are looking to experience wildlife as part of their holiday. Loch Awe is unique in being totally undeveloped with much of the area only accessible by boat or foot. Eagles, ospreys and harriers can be seen overhead with waders, mergansers, ducks and divers feeding in the loch. Blackcock, grouse, wheatear and barn owls fly over the moors. Red and roe deer roam Ardbrecknish while red squirrel and pine marten inhabit the woods and otters swim in the loch. Numerous bats, butterflies, insects and wild flowers abound the moors, fields and loch side.
A short distance out from the sea lochs and Oban basking sharks, whales, dolphins, seals and the many sea birds can be seen via organised trips.
Useful contacts to help plan your holiday at Ardbrecknish.
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