What to do once you get to Knoydart

Knoydart is renowned for its peace and tranquility but there are still lots of things you can do once you arrive.

Local residents and businesses have pulled together and created a specific portal for visitors.   Visit Knoydart pulls together all the facilities in one place.

In summary, there are currently four restaurants open at various times, the SHOP (A licensed community owned place to pick up a drink and a gift), Private and Public walks and Land Rover tours by the Knoydart Foundation Ranger plus a whole host of things happening at the Community Hall.

Landscape

Knoydart, traditionally known as The Rough Bounds and Scotland’s Last Great Wilderness because of its remoteness in the West Highlands. It is renowned for its stunning beauty, rugged grandeur and blissful tranquility. It is a haven for hill walkers, mountaineers, wildlife enthusiasts and those who just want to get away from the hurly-burly of urban life and enjoy Knoydart’s small working community.

Inverie is the main settlement, being home to half the area’s population of 111 residents. It lies within the 17,200 acre Knoydart Estate, which is at the heart of the 55,000 acre peninsula, between the sea Lochs Nevis and Hourn (the lochs of Heaven and Hell).

The Knoydart Estate is owned by the Knoydart Foundation. The rest of the peninsula comprises estates and private properties ranging in size from 14,000 acres to .25 of an acre. The map below shows the main Estate boundaries.

Within Knoydart’s 85 square miles rise four Munros (mountains over 3,000ft) and several lesser peaks. The mountains are separated by broad glens, rivers and high lochs.

The island nature of Knoydart and its Munros are its most important features. It is designated as a National Scenic Area.

There is still much work to be done.  We have just 111 residents from over 1,000 in the mid 1800’s.

Environment

Knoydart is mainly open deer forest.  A strange term for what many people would describe as gorse, peat, heather moorland.

It is blessed with an abundance of magnificent wildlife. 

On any one day you could be presented with Sea Eagles, Golden Eagles, Otters, Red Deer, Dolphins, Porpoises, Minky Whale, rare fungi or a whole raft of small animals. 

Coupled with the temperate rainforest around Inverie Woods, just a few minutes here and you realise it’s somewhere special.

This no holiday camp however.  

Inverie and other settlements are a hub of activity and while you will be afforded a warm welcome visitors must take care to remind themselves that this is a working community with everything that goes with that.  

Just a short walk out of one of the settlements and you’re in wild countryside.  So come prepared.    

Enjoy the wild side of Knoydart.

How to get here

There are no roads to Knoydart. 

Principal access to Inverie is by boat across Loch Nevis from Mallaig or a long trek overland from Loch Arkaig or Kinlochhourn, Shiel Bridge or Cluanie Inn or from Glenfinnan.

You can request walking guides from the Ranger Service.

Most visitors drive, take bus or train to Mallaig then catch the Western Isles Cruises ferry across to Inverie.

Here’s some useful links.

 Western Isles Cruises 01687462233

https://westernislescruises.co.uk/

 CityLink Bus 0871 2663333

https://www.citylink.co.uk/

Scotrail Trains 

https://www.scotrail.co.uk/