Applecross peninsula

Applecross is a remote peninsula in Wester Ross, Highland, bounded by Loch Kishorn, Loch Torridon and Glen Shieldaig. Its western shore faces Applecross Bay and the Inner Sound. The land is mountainous and thinly settled, with only two roads linking it to the mainland. One of these climbs the notorious Bealach na Bà, a single-track pass that reaches 626 metres above sea level. Until the early 19th century the only way in was by boat. The peninsula takes its name from the Pictish Aporcrosan, meaning ‘confluence of the river Crossan’. In 672 Saint Máel Ruba founded a monastery here, and a sculptured stone and several carved fragments remain in the churchyard. The district is still called A’ Chomraich, ‘the sanctuary’, and its old boundaries were marked by high crosses. After the Reformation the lands passed to Clan Mackenzie, then to the Duke of Leeds, and later to Lord Middleton and the Wills family before being bought by the Applecross Trust. Visitors find a quiet row of houses called Shore Street, locally known simply as The Street. The Applecross Inn, recognised among the top Highland pubs, stands on this street. A winding coastal road skirts the shore of Loch Torridon and the Inner Sound, passing Shieldaig and Torridon. The peninsula’s wildlife includes red deer, pine martens, otters, eagles and rare Scottish wildcats, while seals, whales and dolphins appear offshore.