Loup House

Loup House is a manor house north of Clachan on the Kintyre peninsula in Argyll and Bute. The estate once belonged to the chiefs of Clan MacAlister, who still take the name ‘MacAlester of Loup’. In 1867 Sir William Mackinnon bought the property and gave it its present form. Before the manor stood here, a fortified dwelling occupied the site, though its exact date of construction is unknown. The house sits on gently rolling ground with views across the surrounding countryside. A single-storey wing projects from the main block, giving the building a compact, symmetrical look. The entrance is marked by a simple stone porch with a slate roof. The house remains in private ownership and is not open to the public. It serves as the clan seat for the MacAlisters, linking the modern family to their historical leadership. The name ‘Loup’ is said to come from the Gaelic word for a wolf, reflecting the wild landscape once found here. The estate’s fields and woodlands stretch towards the hills in the distance. Visitors can walk along the quiet country lanes that lead to the house without crossing private land. From the driveway a glimpse of the grey-harled walls can be caught through the trees. Inside, the main rooms retain their Victorian proportions and joinery. A broad staircase rises from the hall to the upper floor. Fireplaces of local stone sit beneath tall windows that let in steady Highland light. The ceilings are plastered and cornicing runs along the edges. Upstairs, smaller chambers open off a narrow corridor lined with family portraits. The view from the rear windows looks across parkland to the distant peaks of the peninsula.