Extract from: Scottish Natural Heritage (2010). The special qualities of the National Scenic Areas . SNH Commissioned Report No.374.

The Special Qualities of the , and National Scenic Area

• A landscape of outstanding coastal scenery • Seascapes both intimate and distant • The distinctive backdrop of the • Peaceful, unspoilt and remote • The formal element of designed landscapes • Strong historical associations • The indented Ardnamurchan coast • The spectacular volcanic landforms • The flat expanse of Bay and Kentra Moss • Loch Moidart and its islands • , romantic ruin and cultural icon • Sound of , and Loch nan Uamh

Special Quality Further information

• A landscape of outstanding coastal scenery

This extensive area of the western Seven Landscape Character Types either lie within or seaboard possesses richly varied directly adjoin the NSA. It is the relationship between these adjoining types - their arrangement, transitions, scenery of outstanding quality. The relative dominance and sequence – which gives the area coastline is deeply fragmented with its unique combination of characteristics, producing a numerous promontories, bays, islands distinct sense of place. and sea lochs. Inland there is a backdrop of hills and mountains, while The mountain backdrop varies north to south: out to sea there is a horizon of • The pyramidal mountain summits (e.g. Rois Bheinn) spectacular islands. The small can be glimpsed along the Ardnish peninsula and the settlements are interspersed with north Moidart coast. lengths of wild, uninhabited coast. • The lower, rounded rocky coastal hills of South Morar form a backdrop to north-facing views along the north Hence strikingly different views can be Moidart coast. had, depending on whether the location • The skyline at Kentra Bay is formed by is open to the sea or enclosed by Ardnamurchan’s Rugged Coastal Hills, which present islands; whether it borders a sea loch or a distinctive series of ridges to south and east, e.g. an estuary; it falls gently to the sea, or is Beinn Gheur. stepped or cliffed; it is rocky, sandy, boggy, or wooded; it is inhabited or uninhabited; or whether the backdrop is of mountains or islands.

This variety ensures the eye is constantly drawn to the next turn in the road or path, in the expectation of another breathtaking view.

• Seascapes both intimate and distant

As the coastline itself varies, so do the Seascapes vary as follows views out to sea. Large-scale outward • In the north, the coasts of the Arisaig and Ardnish panoramas contrast with those which are peninsulas, and the north Moidart coast from enclosed and inward-looking; views of far eastwards, enclose the . Seascapes distant islands contrast with those of here are enclosed to north and south, and on the small, inshore archipelagos. mainland side by the Morar and Moidart hills. • In contrast seaward views, northwards and north- westwards from the Ardnamurchan coast, and from Smirisary, Moidart are open, outward-looking and panoramic.

The Loch Moidart coast offers strongly enclosed, channelled glimpses of the sea.

Intermittent views from the north boundary of the NSA on the A830 look out over Loch nan Uamh, and Loch Ailort. Other sections are screened by thick Atlantic oakwoods.

• The distinctive backdrop of the Small Isles

The Small Isles, each island with its own ‘…through the western peninsulas of Ardnamurchan and distinct profile, dominate the western , we cannot fail to be lured by the tantalizing presence of those fabled isles across the sapphire- horizon: the long extended line of Canna, coloured seas.’ Murray (1970) the verticality of Muck’s basalt cliffs, Rum’s jagged peaks, and ’s The Small Isles are visible northward from much of the distinctive, sloping Sgurr. Ardnamurchan peninsula; and north-west from Moidart.

These landmarks engender both a strong sense of place and anticipation – a tantalizing prospect of further places to reach and explore.

• Peaceful, unspoilt and remote

The area is rural, there is a lack of large- The majority of the NSA cannot be accessed by roads or vehicular tracks, in particular: scale development, housing is generally scattered and human population is low. • The Arisaig peninsula. • The Ardnish peninsula. Road access is constrained, with many • The rugged, mountainous ranges of Moidart (a small small coastal settlements being found at area at the eastern end of the NSA lies within an SNH the end of no-through roads. The interior Wild Land Search Area). is rugged, rock-strewn moorland, with • The seaward, rocky coastal extremities of Smirisary, great tracts of land uninhabited and not and those north of the peninsula. served by any roads, being accessible only to the walker. Access to northern Ardnamurchan’s coast is along a series of single track, no-through roads, with footpaths leading to This imbues the landscape with a strong the shore. Few places are directly accessible by road. sense of solitude and peace, although at In the past, settlements were cleared to make way for times tinged with melancholy owing to sheep-farming, and crofts were created. Hence there has the evidence of long-gone populations been considerable depopulation, as witnessed by the from the abandoned townships and visible remains of houses and settlements. This can evoke the memory of a once-populated landscape where people blackhouses. are now largely missing.

2 • The formal element of designed landscapes

Four designed landscapes create a Arisaig House, Kinlochmoidart and , are all formal element within the wider recognised on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes on account of their outstanding scenic value countryside. Their policy woodlands offer and their historical, architectural and horticultural interest. variety and more managed looking From Shiel Bridge northwards, the River Shiel, an important places within the wider untamed sporting river, is laid out with ornamental plantings and th landscape. This is highlighted by pools, the 19 century design dating to activity by the Dorlin ornamental plantings, managed and Ardnamurchan Estates. woodland and estate-style buildings The Dorlin estate belonged to James Hope Scott (1855), (lodges and architectural features). married to Charlotte Mariot Jane, the granddaughter of Sir Walter Scott. They did much to improve the estate, as did Generally, these private estates are Lord Howard of Glossop who bought it in 1871. The house secluded and situated to take advantage was demolished post World War 1. of spectacular scenery – as with Eilean Shona’s landscape design, which has strong views of the sea, smaller off-shore islands, Castle Tioram and the South Channel of Loch Moidart.

Elsewhere the public road passes through or alongside the policies, for example Kinlochmoidart, the riverside plantings at Shiel Bridge and the drive to the Dorlin shore at Loch Moidart.

• Strong historical associations

Strong historical associations link Loch There is a cairn on the shores of Loch nan Uamh (Loch of nan Uamh to Jacobite history. It is the the Caves) commemorating Bonnie Prince Charlie, erected by the 1745 Association in 1956. place where Prince first set foot on the mainland (25 Kinlochmoidart House also has historical associations with July 1745). He also departed from here Prince Charles Edward Stuart, who stayed here in August to France after his wanderings following 1945, before raising the Jacobite standard at . the defeat of the Jacobite forces at the in April 1746. The book Commando Country (National Museums of ) describes the use of the landscape during WWII; Dorlin, Inverailort, Kentra and many other places were Landscape features at Kinlochmoidart used. House, dating from the 19 th century, commemorate the ’45: ‘The Seven Men of Moidart’, originally seven beech trees but now replanted are said to represent the Prince’s loyal companions – of whom Aeneas MacDonald, of Kinlochmoidart was one. The Prince’s Walk is a formal avenue leading to the Kirk.

The area was also extensively used for commando training during the Second World War, which has left its legacy on the landscape.

3 Location-specific qualities

• The indented Ardnamurchan coast

North Ardnamurchan has an indented, ‘We are now in the realms of the , which have their rocky coastline typifying Hebridean own special scenery… Were it not for a narrow isthmus near Salen, the long arm of Ardnamurchan would itself be scenery. To arrive here necessitates a insular… In most other ways, however, it is Hebridean, not journey along the length and breadth of least in its remarkable geology and scenery .’ Whittow the Ardnamurchan peninsula, the most (1977) westerly landmass on mainland Britain. After experiencing the volcanic landforms The western section of the coast differs from those further east. This is due to the peninsula’s geological structure of the interior, the coastal landscape is a (volcanic in origin) and sea-erosion. ‘ Marine erosion is marked contrast and surprise. currently battering away at the outer ramparts of the igneous complex, and at Sanna Bay has broken through as The long coast is distinctive due to the far as the Great Eucrite ridge. The coasts of western strong rhythmic landscape of rugged, Ardnamurchan, therefore, are characterized by an alternation of dark, forbidding cliffs and headlands with rocky headlands interrupted by coves delightful bays backed by beaches of creamy shell sand .’ and sandy bays. Some bays are backed Whittow (1977) by and machair, as at Sanna.

Although an exposed coastline, small, localised pockets of shelter can be found within a succession of small glens that cut through the rocky landscape to the sea. Each glen has its own fine view out to the Small Isles.

Additionally, many coastal spots give oblique views across to Morar’s beautiful ‘Silver Sands’ and hills.

• The spectacular volcanic landforms

The interior of the Ardnamurchan Ardnamurchan’s mass is made up of arcs of high, volcanic peninsula is composed of distinctive moorland hills. These form spectacular features, the remains of what was once three separate volcanoes that volcanic landforms. erupted in the area, 60 million years ago. The most spectacular example lies within the NSA, at and Glendrian, where there is an unbroken ring of hills some three miles in diameter – a ring dyke. These descend towards Achnaha and the abandoned village of Glendrian, in a striking series of steep slopes and crags, ‘ which in turn give way to a nested series of circular valleys and ridges ’ (Whittow, 1977).

Standing inside these hills gives a real impression of being inside the cone of an ancient volcano.

4 • The flat expanse of Kentra Bay and Kentra Moss

Surrounded by rugged hills on three The area marks the division between Moidart and sides, the expanse of Kentra Bay and Ardnamurchan. Kentra Moss, together with the neighbouring Claish Moss, represents a highly oceanic Kentra Moss is both surprising and raised bog type found on the north-west coast of Scotland. intriguing. The coastal hills rise They are two of only three known eccentric mires, more dramatically from the boggy plain, commonly found in central Scandinavia. contrasting with, and emphasising, the sandy bay and the level moss. They are of special interest as they are a very unusual raised bog landscape, with a rich Sphagnum flora. Transitions to saltmarsh are a notable feature of Kentra The plain is vast, uniformly flat and Moss. devoid of trees. This, taken with the lack of development on the moss itself, Apart from a sole vertical radio mast, vertical features are results in open views and a feeling of absent. exposure. Crofting settlement is confined to drier areas on the fringes and is loosely clustered, which helps maintain the open feel of the area.

• Loch Moidart and its islands

Loch Moidart, a very sheltered, shallow, ‘Tucked away in the corner of the Ardnamurchan slightly brackish sea loch, cuts deeply peninsula, Loch Moidart is split in two by tidal Eilean Shona which was leased by J M Barrie in the 1920s as a through coastal hills, to form an peaceful place to write… This lovely island… has high and extensive area of intertidal mudflats. It is precipitous hills, natural woodland, exotic trees and a large almost totally enclosed by steep, rocky house and grounds. The house overlooks South Loch and wooded coastal hills and the Moidart with a densely wooded islet called Riska, and landscape closes in upon itself, with romantic Castle Tioram.’ Haswell-Smith (2008) limited sea and land access. The inner, eastern, half of the loch is studded with islands. The western half, at its sea- mouth, is tightly constrained, Its specific attributes differ and contrast being divided in two by the tidal island of Eilean Shona totally from Kentra because this is a (joined to the smaller Shona Beag, by a narrow isthmus). Thus sea-borne travel is constrained and controlled to sheltered, introverted landscape of north and south of the island through narrow but intimate seclusion and charm, offering navigable channels. peace and tranquillity. The loch’s shores are made up of long stretches of undisturbed rocky shore and oakwoods, and views are framed by wooded islands and scrub-covered islets.

The rounded forms of the wooded islands set amidst the loch’s braided channels mean that at low-tide long, low, ever-receding vistas of water, sand, rock, woodland and grassland are interleaved with one another in ever-changing western light.

Views from the north shores of the loch are of a largely undeveloped landscape, and visible man-made features are minimal, being small-scale and set amidst thickly wooded hills.

5 • Castle Tioram, romantic ruin and cultural icon

The picturesque ruins of Castle Tioram Castle Tioram belongs to a remarkable group of seaboard stand on the rocky tidal island of Eilean castles in and the Isles, and is linked with the long history of the dominance of seafaring in the political and Tioram, situated where the river Shiel social culture of the Western Highlands in the post-Viking issues into Loch Moidart. The castle is period. The castle was an important centre and significant the focus of the widely recognised within Gaelic culture. It was supported by the produce of the romantic landscape of Loch Moidart, and extensive estates that surrounded it, the surrounding area is of outstanding cultural importance. being considerably more populated in the past. Castle Tioram was constructed with the other similar It is a popular visitor attraction, and also castles at Mingarry and Kismull, in the 13th to 14th an important part of the view from the centuries. It ceased to be the family residence of the houses and designed landscapes of Clanranalds when they built a more comfortable house at Eilean Shona and Dorlin House. Ormicleat, ; subsequently it fell into disrepair. As a ruined castle, standing within loch and West Highland landscape, it composes a prime, iconic image of Scotland. The author J M Barrie took one story from the castle, that of the maid who was tied to a rock on the beach for stealing silver, and used it in Peter Pan .

• Sound of Arisaig, Loch Ailort and Loch nan Uamh

Loch nan Uamh and outer Loch Ailort ‘Thomas Telford… directed the government to build the so- open into the Sound of Arisaig, called "Parliamentary Road", beginning in and in 1803 and running out to Arisaig. It was called in providing fine views to the Small Isles. the official papers of the Commission for Highland Roads Their shores are richly wooded with and Bridges the "Loch-na-Gaul" road, and it is this same rocky promontories, and the lochs are piece of road, from Loch nan Uamh to the village of Arisaig, studded with heather and scrub-covered that is now finally going to be engineered to finish the islets which enhance the wide process begun by Telford in the early 1800s. panoramic seascapes. ‘If we think of the Highlands as bare and rocky hills and high tops, this once-hidden land to the west of Fort William The alternating views from the A830 of challenges this impression with its cover of birch and rowan sea-loch, heather-topped islands and and its ancient oak woods. sweeping hills and oakwoods have a rich pattern and typify the romantic ‘The last winding stretch of the former "Parliamentary Road" will always be remembered for the trees crowding down the scenery associated with The Road to slopes and obscuring the view of the motorist. But this was the Isles – marking progress in journeys a symbol of the wealth and fertility of the lands of westwards to Arisaig, and the Clanranald, praised by its poets and remembered islands. proverbially as "dark Arisaig of the woods" - Arasaig dubh ghorm a' bharraich.’ Cheape (2007)

The Sound of Arisaig, Loch Ailort and The oakwoods were important in the past for charcoal, Loch nan Uamh offer prime, West Coast bark and timber, which has probably contributed to their sea-faring. survival.

Selected Bibliography

Cheape, H. 2007. Historic route hailed in song. The Scotsman , 7 March 2007.

Crawford, V, & Moffat 1990. Ardnamurchan, Annals of the Parish .

Environmental Resources Management 1998. Landscape Character Assessment. Scottish Natural Heritage Review, No.97.

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Gillen, C. 2003. Geology and landscapes of Scotland . Terra Publishing,

Haswell-Smith, H. 2008. The Scottish Islands. The Bestselling Guide to Every Scottish Island . Edinburgh: Canongate.

MacKinnon, C. R., of Dunakin 1961. The Highlands in History .

Mcfarlane, P. J. The Geology Of Ardnamurchan . See www.ardnamurchanstudycentre.co.uk (accessed February 2009)

New Statistical Account Renfrewshire & Argyllshire VII 1845. Written 1838 by Rev Angus Mclean, Minister.

Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland 2004. An Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes. Supplementary Volume 2. Highlands & Islands .

Whittow, J. 1977. Geology and Scenery in Scotland . Penguin.

www.1745association.org.uk/ ref. Kinlochmoidart and Loch nan Uamh (accessed February 2008)

www.walkingbritain.co.uk/ ref. Walk 3506 - The Silver Walk, Loch Moidart (accessed February 2009)

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