Romantic Torridon – it’s magic
Susy Macaulay decided to rediscover the treasures on our doorstep with a weekend trip to Torridon
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WHEN I lived in the central belt, the far north-west of Scotland had the mystique which comes from remoteness.
It took virtually all day to get there, for one thing.
I felt like Alice, shrinking and shrinking as the mountains and trees grew bigger and bigger around us.
With each pit stop, the air sweetened until, finally, at about Achnasheen, it became the soft, scented mist that told me I was nearly there. I would breathe deeply, expelling the dank city air still haunting my lungs, and feel my adventure had begun.
Now living in the north of Scotland, one of the true joys is discovering that the mysterious and exotic reaches of Wester Ross are just over an hour from Inverness, and four from Aberdeen.
There is something irresistible about the thought of leaving the cares and stress of the workplace on a Friday evening and, almost as quickly as Lucy made it into Narnia, finding yourself in a magical and romantic realm.
You could hardly get more magical than The Torridon complex, set at the head of Upper Loch Torridon, lapped by its salty waters and cosseted by 58 acres of garden and parkland.
And romantic. The main hotel is a Victorian shooting lodge originally built for the Earl of Lovelace. No wonder a love-struck couple from England plighted their troth to each other during our stay. But more of that later.
The shooting lodge is more like a miniature stately home. Its presence in this privileged setting was thanks to immense Victorian vision and determination – and coffers, of course – with all the materials being shipped in by boat, including the soil of the luxuriant kitchen garden.
The house is resplendent with features typical of its era – a baronial entrance with roaring log fire, high ceilings and tall windows to allow the landscape to continue drifting into your soul as you move around.
The Torridon has been run by the Gregory family since 1991 and is now in the hands of the latest generation, daughter Rohaise and son-in-law Daniel Rose-Bristow.
The Rose-Bristows say it is their intention to exceed the expectations of all who visit The Torridon. They have set out to infuse just enough contemporary style into the lodge to make it vibrant while retaining the Victorian grandeur which gives it gravitas.
In the drawing room, we settled into deep sofas to admire the views over the gardens to the loch and Liathach mountain beyond.
Daniel brought us tea and a generous wedge of sponge cake, richly yellow from home-grown eggs and stuffed with cream and strawberries from the garden.
This is the life, I thought, as I sank further into the cushions and watched the mist slowly roll over the mountain top and eventually obscure it, as if the great hill had decided to close its eyes and sleep.
In the garden, a young couple learned archery. With unhurried pace, they shot their arrows, pausing to talk and walk between each shot. I thought time had warped into slow motion, but then realised that the absence of rush was how life was not so long ago.
Stillness. No shrilling phones, no roaring traffic, no information superhighway to distract us from living in the moment – and savouring it.
Rain pattered down, so we repaired to the bar and played a game of Scrabble under a glittering gantry of more than 300 whiskies.
Mr Macaulay playing scrabble. The Torridon had managed to exert an amazing mellowing effect on him in a very short space of time.
Our room had a four-poster bed piled with cushions and pillows. I would like to hibernate in it this winter. Mr Mac floated in an immense bath while I built a nest from the cushions and stared out over the long, tree-lined drive to the lodge. At one point, I glimpsed approaching a diminutive figure mounted on a horse led by a rugged chap in a kilt – I think it was Queen Victoria and John Brown – before drifting into a deep and restful doze.
Dinner followed: fish from the loch, beef from The Torridon’s Highland herd, fruit and vegetables from the garden, Scottish cheeses ripened to perfection – exactly what you would expect from two AA rosette chef Kevin John Broome.
The dining-room was all of a flutter next morning at breakfast.
I had an inkling something was afoot because, the evening before, I’d overheard an order being placed for a bottle of champagne to be taken to one of the rooms. I also knew Mr Mac wasn’t responsible for this romantic gesture as he was happy savouring his 1964 Glen Robert, as recommended to us by the gallant and knowledgeable young New Zealander manning the bar.
I had never tasted 44-year-old whisky before. It had become intensely floral and a little spicy, more like brandy. Delicious. I slept like a top as romance unfolded elsewhere in the hotel.
At breakfast, the young couple at the next table were fizzing with excitement. They blurted out to their waitress that they had become engaged, and the young lady flashed an immense sapphire and diamond bagatelle for all to see.
Their joy was infectious, with the waitress reacting as if it was her own best friend who had announced the news.
(I should say that all the waiting staff at The Torridon are so courteous and professional that I would like to send them in advance to every establishment I ever stay in in future so that I am never disappointed again by the service standards in this country).
Such is the romance of the Torridon.
But the hotel is not the only option if you want to stay at The Torridon.
If you like the privacy and seclusion of self-catering, the Rose-Bristows have recently refurbished and renovated the estate’s boathouse, making it into another impossibly romantic and peaceful getaway with its own private road and jetty.
And, wisely catering for all wallets, the Rose-Bristows have recently refurbished the Torridon Inn, created from the lodge’s old stable block and sheds, to make it into a delightful lower budget option.
With 12 contemporary en-suite rooms, it’s comfortable and relaxed, geared for walkers, climbers and families. The bar boasts local real ales and the 50-cover restaurant features fresh local produce.
Once you arrive at The Torridon, you may not feel like getting in a car again for a while. You don’t have to as the hotel offers a wide range of activities right on the doorstep, from walking and climbing to abseiling and gorge-scrambling with resident activity manager Chris Wilson, clay-pigeon shooting, archery, fishing, kayaking and birdwatching.
Alternatively, romance and Scrabble – it’s up to you.
