Doune offers myriad ways to spend your time, from the most energetic to the most restful. We have guests who hike, swim, kayak or mountain bike every day. We also have guests who craft, read, write and go no further than the beach outside their bedroom door.
We live on the quiet side of the peninsula, six miles from the bustle of the village of Inverie with its daily ferry and busy pub. Doune is the best place to experience the true wildness of Knoydart.
Bespoke, Guided Experience Weeks
We offer fully guided Experience Weeks exploring the coast, glens and summits of Knoydart. We use our boat Gripper to provide unequalled access to remote shores and the finest routes the peninsula has to offer.
Opportunities for 2025 start on the 12th April, with further adventures taking place in June, July and August/September.
Click here for further information.
Just Relax
Nestled in Doune Bay on edge of the Sound of Sleat, the view is constantly changing with the state of the tide, clouds drifting across the Skye Cuillin and light playing on the water. Enjoy the panoramic vistas from our terrace or snuggled up in a comfy chair in your room with a good book and a cuppa. As a car free zone, your only interruptions will come from birdsong, or the splash of a curious seal observing you from the sea. If your lucky you might spy one of the local otters, a pod of dolphins cruising up the Sound or the blow of a minke whale.
If you would like to explore further afield we offer excursions on our boat Gripper and options include:
- Loch Hourn – probably the most stunning sea loch in Scotland.
- Tarbet – where in days gone by sailors portaged their boats to the neighbouring Loch Morar.
- Loch Nevis – withe fabulous mountain views and a journey through the narrows leading to remote Camusrory.
In the evening you will enjoy a delicious, locally sourced meal prepared by Rebecca in our cosy dining room. Our communal space offers the opportunity to make new friends, share stories and enjoy a wee dram from out extensive highland whiskey collection.
Hillwalking
Doune offers the opportunity to combine coast with mountains. In Knoydart you will walk unfrequented paths, where you are unlikely to encounter other people, just the occasional wild goat or sea eagle.
Knoydart is home to some of Scotland’s finest peaks, including five Munros as well as a range of Corbetts, Grahams and Marilyns. Use of our boat Gripper II gives unrivalled opportunities for a variety of walks from mountains tops to beautiful coastal paths and drovers tracks. All are within a day trip range and we can find an option to suit all abilities.
Many great walks
We think one of the finest walk on Knoydart is to Ladhar Bheinn (1020m) and Coire Dhorrcail, which is owned and conserved by the John Muir Trust. However, there are many others mountains to climb including Sgurr na Ciche (1040m), Meall Buidhe (946m), and Luinne Bheinn (939m), all Munros. Just a short walk from Doune is Roinn Na Beinne which provides magnificent panoramic views over the Small Isles, Skye and the interior mountains of the peninsula. If you want to walk in ancient footsteps you can follow the tracks and pony paths to Mam Barisdale, Mam Li and Glen Meadail. We can also point you in the direction of the little known route to the remains of an old mica mine, high above the shores of Loch Nevis.
Guests staying in Doune benefit from the flexibility that using our boat Gripper brings – there is no need to retrace your footsteps, simply arrange your drop off and pick up points for an additional charge.
Guided trips
We work closely with a qualified local mountain guide, Lee Anderson. Lee’s knowledge of the terrain of Knoydart is encyclopaedic and he can join you for the whole day, including any time on the boat. Further details are available at https://not-about-the-summit.business.site
Advice on clothing, footwear, routes and weather is always available, and we will help in anyway we can, however you are responsible for your own safety and should approach any excursions adequately prepared.
Boat Adventures
Doune’s guests have near exclusive use of our wonderful wee boat, Gripper which was built here at Doune and which is available for an additional fee per guest.
Using Gripper we can access remote drop offs and you can either walk back to Doune or arrange for hiking a pick up from a different location, so you don’t have to retrace your steps. Often we may need to drop anchor and row you ashore via the dinghy or lay up alongside one of the natural rock piers; however we land, your day gets off to an exciting start!
The Knoydart Munros and Corbetts can all be accessed by boat together with a wide variety of coastal and valley walks.
We can also provide full days out on Loch Hourn or Loch Nevis for guests preferring to see the stunning scenery from the comfort of Gripper, with the option to call for a cuppa at the tea room at Inverie. We can almost guarantee we will encounter gray seals during our outings and if we are lucky we will also see dolphins, sea eagles, whales and otters
We can arrange wildlife and bird watching trips if this is your preference.
Each evening we discuss plans for the following day, taking account of the weather forecast, wind direction and tides. The price list for trips on Gripper are available in the guest book in each room, so you can plan within your budget.
Photography & Widlife
This is a stunning part of the world with a photo opportunity around almost every corner.
Visitors to Doune are fortunate to be in the midst of some of the finest wildlife in the country. Lots of wildlife can be seen simply from the doorstep of your room. Walks along the coast and boat trips up beautiful Loch Hourn, Loch Nevis and Skye also provide great opportunities for wildlife spotting.
What we see varies from month to month and from week to week. Seals, porpoises and deer are always present and easy to watch. Throughout the summer there is the chance of also seeing a whale, otter, eagle or a pod of dolphins.
Our weather is best described as changeable, but this can produce amazing light. When the weather is good, it’s very, very good and contrary to popular belief it does not rain every day on the West Coast.
