Cam-allt Na Mara
Resort overview

Cam-Allt Na Mara is a self-catering holiday house situated on the south side of Loch Carron on the West Coast of Scotland. The house has amazing views of Loch Carron and the mountains beyond. The large holiday let can sleep 11 making it an ideal destination for a couple of families or a group of outdoor enthusiasts. 

The scenic Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh railway line, made famous by Michael Palin “Great Railway Journeys”, passes in front of the house. The single track line has 3 or 4 trains passing each day, the train driver Donald always appreciates a wave!

Lochcarron is a great destination for those that want to explore the natural beauty either on foot, or by cycle, kayak or car.

Features
Sea Kayaks available for use (bring your own life jackets)
Table tennis table
Drying room
Washing machine and tumble dryer
Easy access to beach
Restaurant / craft shop within easy walking distance
Large garage to store bikes / motorbikes.
Decking overlooking Loch Carron
BBQ available
Well behaved dogs welcome by arrangement
Within cycling distance of the Bealach-Na-Ba
Two fishing rods available for guest use (Fly and Sea rods)
Cot, high chair, steriliser and potty available on request
Log burning stoves including firewood
No smoking

House Details
Downstairs:
Kitchen/Diner - The spacious kitchen is equipped with a dishwasher, electric oven, ceramic hob, toaster, fridge, freezer, bread maker and slow cooker. There is a bench table with a view out over Loch Carron Loch and on a clear day you can see the top of Ben Damph peeking out behind the closest mountains.
Dining Room - Large oak table and chairs to seat 8.
TV lounge - Wood fired stove and supply of logs. Satellite TV and DVD player. Selection of DVD’s also available. Wi-Fi internet connection.
Garden Room - Sit and relax on the rattan furniture set whilst looking at the fabulous scenery. Access to outside decking with picnic tables and bench.
The Snug - Wood fired stove and logs. Bluetooth speakers. Lots of books for both big and small people. Selection of games to play.
Shower Room - Shower, wash hand basin, toilet and shaving point.

Upstairs:
4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. All bedrooms supplied with bedding, towels and hairdryers.
Bedroom 1 – sleeps 2 in king size bed which can be difficult to get out of because of the view overlooking the loch and mountains beyond. Look out for otters on the foreshore.
Upstairs Shower Room - Shared between bedrooms 1 and 2. Walk in shower, wash basin, toilet, shaver point and heated towel rail.
Bedroom 2 – sleeps 2 (double bed)
Bedroom 3 – sleeps 4 (double bed and bunk beds)
Upstairs Bathroom - Shared between bedrooms 3 and 4. Full sized bath, shower over bath, hand basin, toilet, shaver point and heated towel rail.
Bedroom 4 – sleeps 3 (king size bed and single bed)

Garage:
Two single sea kayaks (a Current Designs ‘Sirocco’ and a Valley Aquanaut Club)
One Double sit-on-top with removable seats (Ocean Kayak ‘Malibu Two’)
Drying room for wet clothes/wetsuits
Table tennis table (with bats and balls)
Tumble dryer

Lochcarron village can be seen across the loch and is 5 miles by road (or 2 miles by kayak!). The village has most amenities that you will need, including a well-stocked shop, a 24hr petrol station, a doctors surgery, restaurants and a cafe. It is a 5 minute walk from house to the Carron Pottery and Carron Restaurant for lunch/dinner.

Sea kayaking
There are two sea kayaks and a child-friendly sit-on-top kayak in the garage. Please feel free to use this equipment, although note that you do so at your own risk. You will need to provide your own life jackets and wetsuits.

Kayaking lessons/guides can be found in Applecross and Plockton.
http://www.applecross.uk.com/msg/about-us
http://www.seakayakplockton.co.uk

Cycling
Road cycling - There are some great cycling circuits nearby including the two annual sportif events of Bealach Beag and Bealach Mor, both take you over the 600m Bealach na Ba which is Britain’s longest continuous cycle ascent (featured in Simon Warrens “100 Greatest Cycling Climbs”).

Mountain biking – There are many off-road and mountain biking routes within easy access of the house. Favourites include the track to Ben Dronaig accessed via Attadale and the more challenging single-track classic Coulin circuit to Achnashellach. We have recently teamed up with GO-WHERE who are running a fantastic course based from the house. If you are interested in joining one of their courses check out their website.
http://www.go-where.co.uk

Hill Walking
In addition to many beautiful short coastal and inland walks, there are 9 Munros (peaks over 3,000 feet high) and 8 Corbetts (hills over 2,500 feet high) within a 10 mile radius of Lochcarron. Details can be found in the “Lochcarron Out and About” guide which can be ordered online (there is a copy in the house).

Additionally the Walk Highlands website shows details, gradings and maps of local routes.
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/torridon/lochcarron.shtml

The experienced mountain guide Martin Moran runs mountaineering courses as well as a local guiding service.
http://www.moran-mountain.co.uk/index.html

Fishing
Permits for fishing on the river in front of the house can be obtained from Roddy ‘Butcher’ MacLennan in Lochcarron.

A list of places to fish and rules around the catch can be found at http://www.lochcarron.org.uk

Climbing
There are various crags close by for beginners. The famous multi-pitch climb of Cioch’s Nose is located on the road to Applecross

Sailing
There are some fantastic sailing opportunities close by. For those with a small boat it can be launched on the beach in front of the house. There are two islands in the loch which can be easily explored with a good chance of seeing seals, otters and the two resident Lochcarron dolphins “Gin and Tonic”.

Pony-trekking
There is an excellent, friendly pony-trekking centre at Ratagan (40 minutes by car) which caters for riders of all capability. See www.highlandcarriage.co.uk for more information.

Swimming
For those occasional rainy days there is a swimming pool, steam room, sauna and fitness suite at the Lochalsh Leisure Centre in Kyle of Lochalsh.

Train to Kyle of Lochalsh
The Kyle line is one of the most scenic railway trips in the world, the line passes close to the shore giving passengers the chance to see seals, herons and otters among the many islands scattered off the shore. During the summer the Royal Scotsman and the occasional steam train are visitors on the line. Why not take the train and alight at Duncraig (a request stop so let the driver know) and walk along the footpath to Plockton, then after lunch you can return by train to Strathcarron.

Lochcarron Highland Games
Each year the Lochcarron Highland Games are held at Attadale gardens. They are well worth a visit to see contestants tossing the caber, highland dancing, pipe bands and some local produce. There is also an all-comers hill race.

Places to visit
Pottery
The Carron Pottery, Craft Shop and Gallery located 200m along the road towards Strathcarron, is open Monday-Saturday. The local potter can be seen making the stoneware on site. There is a craft shop and gallery on site. See www.carronpottery.com/index.htm for more information.

Attadale Gardens
Attadale Gardens is further along the road towards Kyle of Lochalsh, it has a sculpture collection, water gardens, sunken garden, Japanese garden, kitchen garden, fern garden, and a DIY tea room. Visit www.attadalegardens.com for more information.

Applecross & Shieldaig
The road to Applecross passes over the Bealch na Ba (pass of the cattle) and boasts impressive views of the Cullin mountains of Skye. Applecross has fantastic beaches and some great places to eat, including the Applecross Inn and the Applecross Walled Garden. Driving north around the Applecross coast road leads you to Shieldaig with its Caledonian Pine trees. The beautiful Shieldaig Island is managed by the National Trust for Scotland.

Plockton
Plockton is a pretty village boasting palm trees on its shores. It was featured in the TV series Hamish MacBeth for those that can remember that far back. It has some great coral beaches, places to eat and is the departure point for Callum's boat trips to see seals.

Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan is an iconic Scottish castle, featured in various films and TV programs and is well worth a visit.

Glen Elg
Glen Elg is the location of some impressive ancient stone Broch’s (Dun Telve and Dun Troddan). Sandaig Bay where Gavin Maxwell wrote “Ring of Bright Water” and a small manual turntable car ferry (takes 6 cars) which crosses the Kylerhea straights to Skye. There is a good chance of seeing seals, otters and possibly a sea eagle.