The area’s cultural and religious heritage offers excellent sites of historic and archaeological interest, including an interpretive reconstruction of an Iron Age roundhouse, 2,000 year old broch and hut circles.
You can explore these sites, as well as the Ice House, Hebridean Barns, and the Corn Kiln on the Archaeological Trail which meanders throughout the estate.
Applecross peninsula boasts geology to rival that of the Grand Canyon. It has the oldest known rocks to be found anywhere in Europe – that’s about 3,000 million years old. There are various locations throughout the peninsula that are of specific interest or demonstrate really clear examples of unusual strata formations. These have been included within an information booklet with OS points marked on the map for visitors to explore.
Marine Life
Applecross has and a wealth of marine life. Otters, sea eagles, dolphins and porpoises, curious seals, colourful jellyfish (some stinging!), and all manner of fish can be found around the calm and clear waters of the Inner Sound. Snorkelling, diving, wild swimming and rock pooling is highly recommended but even just on foot, you are likely to spot an otter or seal playing in the water.
Wildlife
The wildlife in Applecross is equally as spectacular. Majestic golden eagles are not a rare sight, and pine martens can often be seen in the evenings scaling the trees or raiding bins. Highland Cattle can be seen around the estate fields, and deer wander freely in the hills and down at the bay. They like to sunbathe at the beach in the summer evenings.
Owls, badgers, foxes and ptarmigan (the latter turn white in the winter months as they wander the Bealach na Ba) can all be spotted in the vicinity. The only thing we don’t have…is rabbits.
Flora and Fauna
There are Sites of Special Scientific Interest on the landscape of the Bealach na Ba, an abundance of rare species of plantlife around Milltown Loch, and an ancient Atlantic hazel wood covered in lichens. Grand old trees frame the estate, from elm and lime to beech, oak, Douglas fir and even monkey puzzle. A leisurely wander along the grassy flats of the bay or the steep trail of the Sand Path can be joyous. The ground is littered with wild flowers of every colour in the summer months, alpines cling to the rocks and orchids litter the trail edges. The scent of gorse fills the air around the bay, and some of the estate fields are set aside for wild flower meadows. It is a plant lover’s paradise.
The Applecross peninsula by its very nature is bordered by coastline dominated by rocky coves and beautiful beaches.
The Bay
The Bay is framed by wild flower grassland, open sandy beach and shallow clear waters. Sea otters and pine martens can be seen here, as well as many sea birds, ducks, resident geese and heron. The deer like to cool down at the beach where the river meets the open water, a magnificent sight of an evening.
Sand Beach
A large expanse of white sand beach, sand dunes and rock pools. Clear shallow waters with great snorkelling and diving, seals are often spotted near the water’s edge. This beach has a gigantic sand dune, great for testing those hill legs.
Coille Ghillie & Ardbain
Breathtaking white coral beaches with clear turquoise waters. Ideal for swimming and snorkelling. There are resident seals all around the coastline here, and it is a great place for exploring the rock pools and all manner of seaweed. There is a lovely trail leading to these beaches (it cannot be reached by road). It passes through woodland, moorland dotted with bog cotton, and opens out onto a bank of coastal grass covered in irises and other wild flowers. One not to be missed.
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