Inspiring architecture by a white-sand beach on the unspoilt Ardnamurchan Peninsula, W Scotland (sleeps 2)
Space & setting.
Although only 4 hrs from Glasgow, the last 34 miles of your journey to the end of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula – GB’s most westerly point — are on a single track road, and the nearest supermarket is a ferry ride away. If the sound of this fills you with horror, it’s not for you. If it sends an adventuring thrill along your spine, book in now. It’s a place to be at one with the elements, and away from everything. No news, just gloriously remote, wild views.
Superbly striking in design, the cabin appears to barely touch the ground, as though it might have floated in on high tide. Inside, calm interiors echo that serenity. Bespoke carpentry is warmed by cosy sheepskin rugs from the owners’ croft, whilst floor-to-ceiling windows gaze out to sea, your hot tub, and the burn that flows past your door: Alt Sanna.
Buying fresh lobster and local venison to BBQ, and picking veg from the community gardens, will make you feel deliciously self sufficient; no cafes here. But what you’ll remember most of all is the stunning white-sand beach, just 100m away from the front door. One of the most beautiful in the world, and you’ll have it virtually to yourselves.
Getting here: you’ll need to drive (you can ferry some of the way to shorten the journey)
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Sustainability.
The cabin was built by Echo Living, specialists in creating small, low impact buildings, using sustainable materials. The exterior is larch clad, insulated with sheep’s wool, while the interior is made from untreated renewable spruce panels that create a light, Scandinavian feel, while helping naturally regulate humidity. Solar gain is controlled by the integral blinds in the windows and the principal heat source is a highly efficient ‘Apple π’ stove, fuelled by sustainable eco logs. The waste treatment plant is a completely natural system, using only gravity and a special biological media that treats wastewater to a high level of purity before it flows to a reedbed soakaway.
Surrounds.
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Ardnamurchan Lighthouse © ardnamurchanlighthouse.com -
Mingary Castle -
© ardnamurchanlighthouse.com
- Take a morning dip in Alt Sanna Burn, followed by a dip in the hot tub and a big breakfast. Evening swims in Sanna Bay are equally magical, as the sun sinks below the horizon.
- Sit on the deck watching wildlife; golden eagles, and the majestic royal stag and his followers,who regularly graze on the croft.
- There’s brilliant natural bouldering on the sandy southern bay.
- Walk to Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, the most westerly point of the British mainland, then return via Bay McNeil, for stunning views of Coll to the south and Skye to the north.
- Buy some just-caught lobster or langoustine, and BBQ them for your dinner. Or fish for your own brown trout in the burn
- Enjoy a smoky evening whisky by a smoky evening fire on the beach.
- The Kilchoan Hotel is a typical village inn, with meals served in the evening and with a lively bar (8km).
- Or for something truly memorable, book into the restaurant at 13thC Mingary Castle, on the shore of Loch Sunart. The chef patron, Colin Nicholson, is a rising star in the Scottish cooking scene, and his 6-course tasting menu is exceptional.
- A short ferry to Mull (25 mins) opens all that Tobermory has to offer, from very good seafood restaurants to the Mishnish bar, a favourite of sailors and travellers to Mull, often with live music. Check the times of the last ferry home though!
- Sanna Bay opens on to the Sea of the Hebrides and the Hebridean islands of Rum, Muck and Eigg are within touching distance (well, about 6 miles away by boat)
Specifics.
- Standalone cabin (adults only) on a working croft
- Open-plan interior warmed by a woodburner and underfloor heating
- Ensuite shower bathroom with dryrobe
- Full kitchen with induction hob; basic supplies
- Board games, binoculars, turntable and a selection of vinyl LPs, books, internet radio/smart speaker
- Good broadband
- Red cedar wood-fired hot tub
- Alfresco dining furniture
- Sorry, no dogs
- Drive to shop and pub (8km)
- The owners live 2 mins’ walk away
- Short Term Let licence number: HI-40016-F
- Booking conditions: Winter stays on request only with a 3-night minimum (November through March). 7 night minimum with Saturday changeover in summer (April to October)
- Remember to pack: wellies/walking boots, toiletries, beach towels, fishing rods
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30% deposit, with the balance due 8 weeks prior to stay.
Cancellations permitted 8+ weeks prior to stay, with deposit refunded minus a £30 processing fee.
No refunds if booking cancelled within 8 weeks of stay.
Bookings are subject to a £250 security deposit payable directly to the hideaway.
FAQs.
Check-in is after 4pm, although if we can get things ready sooner we’ll send you a text to let you know! Check-out is at 10am.
The Sanna Hut is on our croft and situated beyond the public road, so please come to our home to collect the keys – we’ll send you directions in advance to help you find us.
You have exclusive use of the grounds surrounding the Sanna Hut. We may pass through from time to time on our tractor, going to and from the sheep, but aside from the sheep and the red deer, you’ll have it to yourself.
The Ferry Stores in Kilchoan is our local shop and post office and it has most things, although fruit and veg tend to go quickly. For a bigger shop, the ferry to Tobermory is your best bet as there is a well stocked Co-op and The Tobermory Stores, which has a wonderful selection of local produce. Local shellfish can often be acquired directly from the Kilchoan fishermen, but needs to be ordered in advance.
Yes, but the grounds around Sanna Bay are fragile and the risk of a grass fire is very high, particularly in the early summer, so we have provided a “mobile fire-pit” – essentially an old weber bbq that nestles down in the rocks around the Hut or can be easily carried to the river or beach. We also provide some logs specifically for use in the firepit. Never light a fire on the machair or in the dunes.
Yes, there’s a Kamado Joe ceramic barbecue that can be used on the deck, giving options for all kinds of amazing slow cooking and smoking as well as traditional grilling. A ‘starter’ fill of charcoal will be provided during the summer months and we can supply more if required. If bringing your own fuel, Lumpwood charcoal is the way to go for best results.
Yes! There is access from just beyond the Hut and also a little further upstream. There are brown trout in the river and sea trout have been caught in the estuary in recent years.
No, although we do provide unlimited high speed wifi should you want to bring your own devices.
There’s a wifi connected Audio Pro hifi with Airplay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth connectivity. We have also provided a turntable with a selection of vinyl lps. While the selection is ‘varied’ it does reflect our own particular listening experiences, so if you’re a fan of, say, 2021 K-pop, please feel free to bring your own (and, with no-one nearby, you can play it as loud as you want!)
The hot tub is made from Canadian cedar and is as pure and simple as the space that surrounds it. It has no lights, bubbles or chemicals and no pump to circulate the water. Instead the water is heated by a large, free-standing and very powerful log burning stove. Through a natural process of convection, the cold water is drawn into the bottom of the stove and rises out the top and back into the tub. The power of the stove is such that, even in the depth of winter, it can get fully up to temperature in 2-3 hrs (1-2 hrs in summer). If you’ve used a wood burner before, there is really nothing to it, you just have to remember to keep and eye on it so it doesn’t go out and give the tub a good ‘stir’ from time to time to keep the circulation going. We will provide detailed instructions, which is vital that you take the time to read or watch, but we will happily walk you through it all when you’re here.
We will provide enough wood and supplies to bring the temperature of the water up to 40c for your first use and, if we’re able to, we can light the stove and fill and tend the hot tub so that it’s ready when you arrive. You can then use it as often as you wish, but as there are no chemicals used, best practice requires you to empty and refill after each use and there will be a small charge (currently £15) to cover the cost of fire wood and water on each occasion.
Yes, there is bed linen and towels for the hut and beach, although if cold water swimming is your thing you might want to bring a bigger beach towel to wrap yourself in!
We tend to lamb quite late here, around the end of April, as that’s when the grass starts to grow again. The lambing field and shed are right by The Hut, so please do come and say hello and meet the new additions. At other times of the year the sheep will be more dispersed, but these are some of the friendliest (ie greedy!) sheep you’ll meet and are always happy to receive a bit of attention.
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