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WALK 1.3

Armadale

Start/Finish	Clan Donald Visitor Centre, Armadale (NG639045)
Distance	5.5km (3½ miles)
Total ascent	205m (670ft)
Map	OS Explorer 412

You have to pay to do this walk, the price of admission to the Armadale Estate, but in return for consent to explore one of Skye’s beautiful estates it is a small price to pay. After your walk, or maybe before, you should visit the Museum of the Isles in the Visitor Centre to learn something of the history of the Clan Donald over 1,300 years. (Armadale Castle Gardens and Museum of the Isles, Armadale, Sleat, Isle of Skye IV45 8RS; Tel: 01471 844305 or 01471 844227; Fax: 01471 844275; Email: office@clandonald.com; Website: www.clandonald.com). One of the great bonuses of this short walk are the excellent views throughout of the mountains on the Scottish mainland, around Glenelg and Knoydart.

From the car park, walk towards the ticket office, and then follow a broad track to the ruins of Armadale Castle. Pass in front of the castle, and then immediately turn right to follow the Red Trail, which shortly bears left. (Walks through the estate grounds are waymarked, and this walk begins along the Red Trail but later turns onto the Blue Trail).

ARMADALE CASTLE

The Macdonalds arrived in Skye from the Southern Hebrides, in the 15th century, occupying Dunscaith and Knock Castle, both only a few miles from Armadale. By 1650 there were two farmhouses at Armadale, but after 1690 the family moved to Duntulm Castle in the north of Skye. Around 1790 the first Lord Macdonald returned to Armadale to build a new mansion house, part of which remains as the white section of the building seen today.

In 1815 this was extended to form Armadale Castle. In 1855 fire destroyed much of the original house which was partly replaced by the present central block. In 1925 the Macdonald family moved to a smaller house a few miles away, leaving the castle to the wind and rain.

The path passes ancient trees and rhododendron before arriving at a minor junction near a deer gate (the Red Trail turns through the gate, but for now ignore it). Bear right to a path junction a few strides further on, and there turn left (for White Gate). This path leads through agreeable woodland and emerges briefly beside the road. Ascend immediately left to rejoin the Red Trail, now followed through light woodland to another broad trail at a deer gate – White Gate – once more just above the main road.

Turn away from the road, through the gate, and onto a steadily rising track, which until 1823 was the main road linking Sleat with the rest of Skye.

The track climbs initially through trees, and then through a more open landscape to a gate at a bend, where the route swings left to pass a convenient bench with a fabulous view across the Sound of Sleat. Onward the track reaches a gate close by Armadale Home Farm. Immediately through the gate bear right and pass in front of the farm to gain a track (now the Blue Trail) for Armadale Hill. With improving views across to the mainland, the path eventually forks just after a bridge.

Turn right here into a plantation, a little gloomy but short-lived, and soon reach a gate onto open moorland. The small pond on the right was built to supply waterpower for farm machinery.

Onward, a broad track, muddy in places, heads straight for the hill ahead; this is Armadale Hill (Cnoc Armadail), a small outlier of the marginally higher Cnoc an Sgùmain to the south-west. You can leave the track as you reach the base of the hill, and walk easily up to the summit. The view is stunning, taking in the Black and Red Cuillin, the distant hills of Torridon, the mainland from Lochalsh to Knoydart.

Retrace your steps to the path junction near the bridge, and now turn right, heading for the Keeper’s Cottage, a run-down place with steel pens that used to be dog runs. Take care in the vicinity of the cottage not to turn onto the wrong track. Ignore the cottage (and the Woodland Walk) altogether, and, from a signpost, go left, descending through woodland for the Castle Gardens. The descending path crosses a farm access road, and continues ahead to reach the edge of formal gardens near the castle. Turn right to return to the start, but explore the gardens first.