Applecross Between History, Coast and Mountains

Applecross brings together historic sites, waymarked trails, mountain scenery and coastal activities. When choosing a hotel, you might first consider which of these aspects you want to focus on during your trip: history and archaeology, walking, cycling or the water. Historic sites range from the local Heritage Centre to the Iron Age broch; trails, the garden and the coast offer other points of interest. There are two road connections for getting here: the winding coastal road from Shieldaig and the Bealach na Bà pass.

History and Buildings

The Applecross Heritage Centre is a local museum and research centre run by volunteers from the Applecross Historical Society. The present-day Clachan Church was built in 1817 on the site of an earlier parish church. It also provides space for weddings, musical events and exhibitions.

The Applecross Broch is a multi-phase Iron Age broch investigated by Time Team and as part of a community archaeology project. The investigations confirmed that it was a ground-level broch with a gallery, extending over at least two storeys. In the case of this structure, its dating to the Iron Age and the archaeological interpretation of its architectural form are two distinct historical questions.

Trails and Mountain Scenery

At 550 metres, the River Walk is shorter than the 1.8 km Archaeological Trail. The River Walk is a woodland path leading to the Walled Garden; the waymarked trail crosses an old hazel woodland and links the farm area with Milltown. The Keppoch Track descends from Bealach Road, passing a disused lime kiln and an old ice house. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

The Beinn Bhan SSSI lies in the south of the Applecross Peninsula and overlooks Loch Kishorn. Beinn Bhan is a Torridon sandstone mountain with high cliffs, deep corries and upland plant communities. The sandstone describes the underlying geology, the cliffs and corries the landforms, and the plant communities the upland vegetation. The summit can be reached via the mountain road over the Bealach na Bà and an access path to the radio mast. Mountain conditions can change; check local conditions before setting out. The Bealach na Bà therefore features in two contexts: as one of the road connections to Applecross and as part of the mountain road to the summit of Beinn Bhan.

Coast, Garden and Activities

Ard Ban is a white “coral beach”; the fact that its sand is made up of calcareous remains of several species of red algae gives this description a concrete basis. The Applecross Walled Garden covers 1.25 acres and includes an orchard, raised vegetable beds and a herb garden. The Applecross coast offers numerous places to launch and land for sea canoeing and kayaking. Inland, Applecross has roads, trails and open spaces for family cycling, touring and mountain biking.

Discover more destinations: Staffin, Acharacle, Durness, Rosemarkie, Castletown, Wick, Shandwick, Nethy Bridge.

For the regional travel overview: Highland.