Sustainable development is our guiding principle at Ardtornish – development that considers the needs of future generations alongside those of our own. Our priorities are to promote social and economic development that is in harmony with the natural world.

We try to use our economic assets productively – hence our separate but complementary enterprises in tourism, energy generation, farming, forestry, fieldsports, and property development. Ardtornish employs around thirty people, and is a dynamic business investing heavily for the future.

In 2011 and 2012, we built 2.2 megawatts of hydro-electricity generating capacity, and in 2015 8 kilowatts more. In 2016 we completed a further 100-kilowatt Archimedes Screw hydropower turbine at Achranich (near the estate office, and now something of a visitor attraction), and in 2017 we commissioned another small hydro scheme feeding into the Rannoch river.

We manage our woodlands and farm with environmental, social, and economic objectives in mind. In 2017 we commissioned a major study into ecological restoration at Ardtornish, and are consulting locally and more widely on how best it should be implemented.

We keep a close eye on our environmental footprint, and like to think that with our deep peat soils, thousands of acres of woodlands, and low-carbon power and heat sources, we sequester (i.e. lock away) a large amount of atmospheric carbon.

Angus Robertson, Hydro Expert

Angus Robertson, Hydro Expert

Angus Robertson started investigating new hydro opportunities in 1986. Our first scheme was built by a local firm, McGillivray Ritchie, in 1996.  It had 700 kW output, and was decommissioned in 2012 to make way for the more efficient scheme.