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Shiel Bridge

Ross Shire Iv40 8 Hw, Ross And Cromarty, Scotland
1 acre hosted by Test O.
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Totally immersed in magnificent mountainous scenery

Shiel Bridge is a legendary place among mountaineers, and anybody with aspirations to stand astride the most handsome mountains in Scotland will eventually find themselves in Glen Shiel, staring up at the famous Five Sisters of Kintail or contemplating the steep and slightly perilous ascent of the mighty Forcan Ridge on to the Saddle. The campsite lies in the deep crevice of Glen Shiel, surrounded by these monsters, and it’s fair to say that the view from your tent, in all directions, is of steep rock walls heading skywards.

It’s a mesmerising place to just sit and stare, without even putting a single foot on the hills. It’s a place for dedicated hill-folk, certainly, but hills are only half the story here, because this is a startlingly good area for more generalised exploration.

Besides all those big, brave hills there are plenty of local, lower-level walks, notably the track up Glen Lichd (it goes on and on, with the only limit being your own), or the path over to Glen More on the Glenelg Peninsula, and back via the Mam Ratagan Pass.

Still on an active theme, cyclists have ample opportunities to pedal through terrain varying from the near flat lochside lane on the western side of Loch Duich to a marathon push over to Glenelg and back. Another tremendous on-road biking route takes you around Loch Duich and Loch Long, then up Glen Elchaig to examine the Falls of Glomach which, after heavy rain, are awesome. In truth, the off-road and on-road biking opportunities around Glen Shiel, Glenelg and Loch Duich are almost as endless as the walking routes.

If you’re not a hill-walking superhero, what has Shiel Bridge got to offer holidaymakers who aren’t so keen on a hamstring hammering? Loads, is the answer. The Glenelg Peninsula is one of the least spoilt and least trodden places in Scotland, and stunningly beautiful, to boot. At Sandaig, you’ll find the location where author Gavin Maxwell lived with his otters and wrote the definitive story of solitary life in the Highlands, Ring of Bright Water. Then there are the wider attractions of Skye, with a distillery to visit, more waterfalls to gaze at, boat trips galore and, for general touring, the whole of Wester Ross to explore.

That very icon of Scottish scenes, Eilean Donan Castle, lies a few easy pedalling miles along the loch shore, too, but expect to share it with every nationality under the sun, such is this magnificent place’s celebrity status on the international tourist circuit.

For a really great day by bike or car, go over the Mam Ratagan Pass, board the tiny car ferry to Skye then meander back through Skye to Kyle of Lochalsh, returning via the (now free) road bridge. A very different kind of journey can be taken on the railway from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness, as the train threads its way through one of Europe’s most handsome and empty landscapes before arriving in the not-so-big city. If the weather were consistently kinder, all these attractions would make Shiel Bridge the Holy Grail of holidaying places.

The site itself is ever so civilised, with excellent shower and washing facilities, the provision of electric hook-ups and a decent food shop next door. But as at all campsites on the west coast of Scotland, midge protection measures need to be thorough. So, while the atmosphere on the site reeks distinctly of all things mountaineery, it would be unfair to cast the place in such a singular role; Shiel Bridge is just as good as a scenic base-camp as it is as a home for climbing heroes. That said, just see if you can resist the lure of those hills.

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Location
Ross Shire Iv40 8 Hw, Ross And Cromarty, Scotland, United KingdomTraditional, ancestral territory of various First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Test O.Joined in January 2015
From the host
Totally immersed in magnificent mountainous scenery
Nearby attractions
Food and drink
The rather splendidly situated Kintail Lodge Hotel (01599 511275) is a half-mile walk from the site, overlooking Loch Duich. It serves decent bar meals and also has a good restaurant serving up a host of local seafood and game.

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