Knoydart is a peninsula situated between Loch Nevis and Loch Hourn on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands. Cut off from the UK mainland road network, access can only be made on foot or by boat from Mallaig. The rugged and remote landscape is one of the area's primary attractions and is very popular with many hill walkers, and a small little-known part of the coast was used in the film Ring Of Bright Water.
The main settlement area of Knoydart is the village of Inverie where the pier is located for boat access to and from the peninsula, and a variety of holiday properties can be found along the bay. In the village itself you'll find community shops, a post office, primary school, pottery and tea room, and The Old Forge pub, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as being the remotest pub in mainland Britain.
The land and sea around Knoydart provides a habitat for a great variety of wildlife; red deer, foxes, badgers, mountain hares, goats and three types of bat all have their homes on Knoydart. Buzzards can be spotted in woodland areas and Golden Eagles can be seen in the skies during the mating season. Otters can often be seen playing around the shores of the bay, and a day trip on a boat during spring and summer will give you sightings of large pods of dolphins. Porpoises, minke whales and basking sharks can be seen at certain times of the year, and there are also occasional sightings of the more elusive fin whales and killer whales.
Knoydart isn't the easiest of places to get to, but for anyone who enjoys peace and quiet, isolation and stunning views it's certainly worth the effort.
