A pleasant woodland walk to Armadale hill viewpoint and walk back past Armadale Castle, once the ancestral home of the Clan Macdonald. The walk does not give access to Armadale Castle gardens.
Summary
Straightforward signed walk on back roads, tracks and clear paths.
Terrain
NG639044
Grid ref
5.5km/3.25 miles
Distance
Grade
Armadale castle entrance
Start
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Regular buses from Portree, Kyleakin and Broadford - get off at Armadale Castle entrance.
Open Traveline Scotland
Public transport
Pronunciation
and meaning
1. From the visitor centre at Armadale Castle walk past the stable block and cafe along the A851 towards Ardvasar for a short distance. Take the tarmac first road on the right which heads uphill, ignoring the sign-posted path to Armadale Pier. Take the next left which is signed for Armadale Hill. This road climbs steeply to a row of holiday chalets. Here keep right onto a track through a gateway; it skirts the edge of the woodland.
2. Follow the track as it climbs and then heads right into the woods, passing over a wooden bridge and to the right of a derelict cottage. The track becomes a path, crossing a vehicle track, and you turn left at a signposted fork still following the signs for Armadale Hill. From here the path climbs through the trees with views across to Knoydart. Keep left at another fork and the path continues to climb eventually coming out of the trees into an open area of bracken and grass.
3. Another signed junction is now reached. If the weather is clear, it is worth turning left along a track through a plantation to reach a large gate leading onto open moorland. Keep straight ahead on the sometimes muddy track across the open moorland. When the small dome of Armadale Hill (marked by a wooden post on the summit) is next to you on your right, climb up a faint grassy path to the top. From here there are good views across the water to Mallaig and Knoydart, with the mountains of Ladhar Bheinn and Beinn Sgritheall prominent, as well as down onto the Armadale woods. Retrace your steps back to the last junction in the woods. This time take the left turn (signed for the steading) and follow the path as it descends above a grazing field.
4. The track continues downhill, with views over to the ruins of the Castle at first, and passes to the right the side of a derelict steading. At the track beyond turn right, slightly downhill. Shortly afterwards take a path on the left (signed Red Trail and Castle Gardens), then left again (signed Castle Gardens) passing through a gate and continuing on the wooded path, then right to reach a white building at the back of Armadale Castle. From here you can either continue on the red nature trail route as described here or turn right and explore the castle gardens for which an entrance fee is payable (if planning this, it is best to pay at the car park before you begin the walk). Also recommended is the Museum of the Isles run by the Clan Donald Lands Trust who also own the castle and grounds.
5. If continuing on the nature trail, keep immediately to the left of the castle and walk straight ahead beside the lawn .Take the path off to the left passing a model of a wooden boat. Follow this path, ignoring the first turn on the right but taking the next right. This immediately leads to a 't'-junction; just to the right is a viewpoint over the Sound but our route is to turn left (Signed 'White gate'), passing through a gate. The path eventually slopes down to the road, where you turn right and cross the road to join the pathway on the seaward side which makes a pleasant return route to the car park.
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