In the 19th century Victorian travellers used to flock to the trains that ran all the way up to the banks of epic Loch Tay and then join the steamers that plied its silvery waters so that they could appreciate the stunning scenery that Highland Perthshire offers in such wild abundance. These days the trains no longer call by the loch and no steamers ply its waters, but a warm welcome still awaits visitors at the Ardeonaig Hotel right on the loch’s wildly remote southern shores.
The warm welcome we received should have been no surprise as for centuries the hotel was an inn that offered shelter to travellers. The bar as you enter still has that cosy inn feel, but the rest of the hotel has moved several notches upwards and its acquisition in 2011 by Adamo, one of Scotland’s most quietly impressive small hotel groups, has improved things further still.
Cottage Suites and Shielings
There are 17 rooms in the main part of the hotel, but we preferred the even more luxurious, and much more exclusive, brace of cottage suites and the quintet of shielings in the grounds. The latter look like a cross between African safari lodge huts and the crannog dwellings that once used to poke out into the waters of Loch Tay.
Our cottage suite was a lovely retreat, all smooth fabrics and calming colours. The bedroom was large and there was a patio with table and chairs outside and the bathroom came replete with a stand alone bath and Molton Brown toiletries.
Sumptuous Local Produce
Food has always been important at Ardeonaig and Adamo have again brought things up a notch with the appointment of ambitious young Scottish chef Ross Miller. The dining space now overlooks the loch so make sure to book a window table.
Local produce features strongly on the menu, though as well as being satisfying the dishes are innovative too. Hay smoked salmon comes with beetroot and cucumber as well as lemon to start alongside a superb steak tartare with the Aberdeen Angus beef from nearby Stirlingshire.
Mains feature Dornoch lamb, with the loin accompanied by a less fashionable cut, the shoulder. Venison receives the same treatment, with the loin accompanied by a slow cooked piece of haunch. Both dishes are elegantly presented at a restaurant where the food is as pleasing on the eye as it is on the tastebuds.
Desserts are superb too. The daring parsnip, honey and walnut works far better than it sound it will, while the chocolate ganache with passion fruit and muscovado is a chocolate lover’s idea of heaven. The cheeseboard features the world class Scottish blue, Lanark Blue, as well as the novelty of frozen grapes, a little tweak that further added to the enjoyment of dining here.
Active Outdoors
Given the tempting nature of the cuisine thankfully there is plenty of opportunity to work off the pounds. You can just grab one of their rods and stroll off down to the loch to try your luck fishing, or set off into the rugged fold of hills and mountains that beckon all round, with a local guide on hand to make sure you get the most out of them and do so safely too. Ardeonaig can also organise hunting as well as the chance to go ‘camera stalking’, where you track deer with the aim of snapping a photo souvenir rather than actually shooting them.
The trains and steamers may be long gone, but Loch Tay is still every bit as breathtaking as it was for those travelling Victorians over a century ago. And with Ardeonaig and its excellent restaurant on hand with a genuine Highland Perthshire warm welcome there has never been a better time to head to the wilds of Loch Tay.
Ardeonaig Hotel, South Loch Tay. Ardeonaig, FK21 8SU. Tel: (0)1567-820400. www.lochtay.co.uk/ardeonaig-hotel
InsiderScotland Rating [effortless-gm address=”[effortless-gm address=”Ardeonaig Hotel, Ardeonaig, FK21 8SU”]
For Families 7/10
For a Romantic Break 9/10
For Food 8/10
For Business People 7/10
InsiderScotland Rating 8/10
