The Ariundle Oakwoods are a truly stunning place, a surviving fragment of the great Atlantic Oakwoods - a temperate rainforest which once swathed much of Europe's western coastline. The name comes from the Gaelic Àirigh Fhionndail - the shieling of the white meadow.
Good waymarked forest tracks and paths.
None to start; bus to Strontian 3km away.
Ariundle Oakwoods car park.
From the Ariundle Oakwood carpark start up the wide track signed for Airigh Fhionndial and marked with an oakleaf. Ignore a path going off to the right, this is a route for horse that leads to a ford over the river. The track now enters the start of the woodland. For centuries these woods provided charcoal for the lead-smelting furnaces further down the glen. In the present day, a massive amount of effort has gone into conserving this rare habitat.
Where the path forks, take the right hand path marked with the oakleaf sign. This path leads downhill to a wooden bridge over the river. There are good views up the glen from here. Once over the bridge turn left (the other way leads back towards Strontian) and follow the path alongside the river. Pass a picnic table and re-cross the river on a second bridge. Go through a gate and follow a boardwalk path back up to the main track.
Turn left along the track. This leads directly back to the car park, but after a short distance a waymarked path on the right climbs up into the trees. This path explores the northern slopes of the woodland, passing close by an iron age hut circle and an old croft before eventually dropping back down to the main track.
Now turn right to follow the track back to the car park at the start of the walk. For more information on Ariundle and other Atlantic Oakwoods, also read Ben Dolphin's Walkhighlands article Exploring the Celtic Rainforest.
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