Hello from Kathryn, Operations Manager

Unlike many other highland estates, we are delighted to have our own Gift shop, Farm shop and Information Centre.

The Information Centre is in the Estate Square, and open from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, 7 days a week through the summer months. Due to the small team that we have, there will always be times when we have to close the shop for short periods while we take care of other matters that may have cropped up. It has information about the estate, local places of interest, and good ideas for walks, trips, and nature spotting.

We stock a range of items for sale.

We are proud of our Ardtornish meat – frozen venison, beef and lamb from the estate and farm, of very good quality and the absolute minimum of food miles.

Practical goods include maps, midge repellent, fishing flies, postcards and stamps.

Whilst we also offer some luxury products such as Dubarry boots and handbags.

If you’re just passing by, then you can pay for your visit to the gardens either in the Gift shop or in the ‘honest’ box just outside.

Information on hill loch and river fishing can also be obtained here.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Kathryn McLaughlin, Operations Manager

My role has changed, amongst other things, I am now responsible for the wider property portfolio and the repairs and maintenance relating to built infrastructure projects.

While I am no longer involved in the day to day tourism operation, I will be steering the strategic direction of the enterprise.

If you see me around, feel free to stop me for a chat, I’m always happy to answer any questions you may have about the business.

Six things you need to know about Ardtornish

From Ardtornish’s heights you can gaze to the mountains of the Hebrides. Ancient woods surround sheltered sea-lochs. Waterfalls drop straight from moorland to the sea. One medieval castle guards a bridge over a rocky river, another the tip of a headland in a strategic sea-lane. In the nineteenth century this largely wild landscape was carefully turned into a model estate: at its heart a stupendous mansion house, half French château, half Victorian engineering triumph. Around its feet are gardens filled with veteran trees and century-old Himalayan rhododendrons, officially described as ‘stunning’. At every turn are elegant and decorative cottages. It would be difficult to find a place in which more care has been taken.

Giant white tailed eagles vie with golden eagles for nest-sites here. The offlying skerries are the haunt of seals and terns. Otter territories ring Ardtornish. Grey geese overwinter on the pastures; barn owls and woodpeckers, falcons and siskins are here year-round. Ardtornish is one of the few remaining refuges of the native wildcat. Pine martens hunt in the woods. A walk in the hills is a journey into the world of golden plover and red deer.

Our twenty miles of coastline includes wide bays fringed with ancient forests, pink granite and black sand beaches, rocky coves, volcanic cliffs, and the quiet waters of Loch Aline. It’s one of the best places to dive, sail, and canoe in the country. A kayak route along our coast is ranked by National Geographic’s Traveler magazine (2011) as one of the fifty greatest tours in the world, “teeming with seals, otters, dolphins, minke whales and basking sharks.” Our freshwater lochs have golden sandy beaches. The BBC says Ardtornish “boasts one of the most spectacular landscapes in the UK.”

With 5,000 acres of native broadleaved woods, over 1,000 acres of certified sustainable forestry, a farm in organic conversion, and some of the most exquisitely designed hydro-electric schemes yet conceived, Ardtornish combines the virtues of a traditional estate with a painstaking approach to the environment. Woodchip boilers are being installed for heat and hot water. Ardtornish is a big place with a tiny footprint.

This is no invented theme park, but somewhere with its roots deep in the past. Members of over a dozen families continue to live and work on the estate, as their fathers, mothers, grandmothers and grandfathers have before them. Community is important to us, as we work with local people to build new houses and bring new enterprise to this remote and much-loved part of Scotland.

Scallops and langoustines, cockles and mussels, pollock and mackerel— all from the sea on your doorstep. Nowhere will you find seafood better than this. With our farm’s lamb and 21-day hung beef, and venison from our hills, you’ll understand why people tend to come back to Ardtornish simply to eat. Our partner business the Whitehouse Restaurant is Restaurant of the Year 2012 in the Highlands & Islands Food and Drink Awards, and a finalist in the Scottish Restaurant of the Year Awards 2013. It is just up the road in the village of Lochaline – and one of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s favourite seaside restaurants.

Our twenty miles of coastline includes wide bays fringed with ancient forests, pink granite and black sand beaches, rocky coves, volcanic cliffs, and the quiet waters of Loch Aline.

Ardtornish
Farm Shop

Purchase Ardtornish-raised meats, fresh wild venison, and delicious homemade meals at our charming farm shop. You can also pre-order a selection of items for your holiday to enjoy quality local produce during your delightful stay with us.

Traditional Winter
Weddings

Searching for an idyllic Winter Wedding venue on Scotland’s West Coast? Exclusive use of 19th Century Ardtornish House provides a secluded retreat for you and your guests, with a backdrop of unparalleled natural beauty.

Ardtornish House
Exclusive Hire

Join us for an unforgettable self-catering holiday in Ardtornish House, a unique Victorian mansion rich in history. Experience the charm of this distinctive retreat, unwind into nature and discover why our guests return year after year