Applecross Inn

About Applecross Inn

The Applecross Inn sits on Shore Street, right on the beach of the Applecross peninsula in Wester Ross. Getting there is part of the experience: the direct route crosses the Bealach na Ba, the highest road pass in Britain, with hairpin bends and a 2,053-foot summit, while the coast road round from Shieldaig is longer but gentler. Either way, arriving at a whitewashed inn facing the sea feels earned.

There are seven en suite bedrooms, six upstairs and one accessible double or twin on the ground floor. Rooms are plain and comfortable rather than designed, with tea and coffee facilities, a radio alarm, hairdryer, bottled water, fresh fruit and free wi-fi. Every room looks across the Inner Sound towards Raasay and Skye, and on a clear evening the sunsets are the reason people book a year ahead. Availability is genuinely tight between April and October.

The bar and restaurant made the inn's reputation. Shellfish comes off boats working the same water, and the menu runs to langoustines, hand-dived scallops, crab, squat lobster and whatever has been landed that day, served without ceremony. There is a serious whisky selection, live music on some evenings, and in summer an ice cream and takeaway hatch outside. The dining room fills quickly, so residents are advised to book a table when they book a room.

Applecross is a walking, wildlife and stargazing place rather than a sightseeing one. Otters, seals, red deer and sea eagles are all seen regularly, and the lack of light pollution makes the night sky exceptional. Coastal paths, the Applecross Heritage Centre and the walled garden are close by, and the North Coast 500 route runs through the village. It suits travellers who do not mind a long single-track drive to reach somewhere genuinely remote, and mobile signal is patchy, so plan ahead.