10 Great Reasons to Visit Arisaig

18/03/2020

With the misery of 2020 almost behind us, we've decided to focus on a post-Coronavirus future, so to get the party started check out our TOP TEN reasons to visit Arisaig in 2021 and beyond...      

1) THERE'S A BILLION BRILLIANT BEACHES

The Arisaig coastline is home to some of the UK's most beautiful and bountiful beaches. We're talking about the pristine, powdery, picture-perfect kind; the Caribbean kind! There's literally hundreds of deserted & dreamlike beaches to be discovered, from tiny coves to ginormous sandy spaces, and what's more, you can usually get one all to yourself, even on the hottest of days!

Okay, so the Arisaig water is definitely not as warm as its Caribbean counterpart, but it's a crystalline DREAM, surrounded by the lushest of GREEN, so save yourself the airfare and take a trip to Arisaig.

2) THERE'S SUMMIT SPECIAL ABOUT ARISAIG

There's no better way to see those beautiful beaches than by getting up high!  Arisaig is surrounded by the most incredible and accessible hills & mountain ranges. From the village's very own Creag Mhor and the nearby Rois-Bheinn Hills to the summits of the Rough Bounds and those spectacular island ridges, every peak in the area offers insanely beautiful views over Arisaig's coastline & lochs. On a clear day, climbers who reach the summit of the UK's tallest mountain, Ben Nevis (30 miles away), will even be treated to fantastic views right out as far as Skye!

So what are you waiting for? Dust off those walking boots and book your trip to Arisaig.

3) FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD 

After all that uphill exertion you're going to be in need of some serious sustenance, and guess what? ARISAIG IS WHERE IT'S AT!  The area surrounding Arisaig is without question blessed with some of the finest natural produce in the world. From hedgerow to hill and tree to sea, the area's unique climate and terrain allows for a whole world of beast to wildly thrive just as nature intended.

Enjoy world-class shellfish landed from local fishermen; artisan cheeses produced from cattle that graze the salty & sweet island machair; the distinctive flavour of game galore who are free to graze & peck the heathery hills and glens; golden chanterelles and fungi from the woods & forests; the juiciest wild berries and the most heavenly honey from bees who can be heard buzzing around Arisaig's growing wildflower population!

And just when we thought things couldn't get any better, Arisaig Gin happened!

4) GET IN THE SEA, ARISAIG STYLEE 

Let's take a peek at what's going on in the briny deep!  Arisaig is Gaelic for 'The Safe Place' due to the fact that the village is super sheltered from the huge Atlantic swells by the Small Isles & Hebrides. The beautifully calm and crystalline waters offer a safe, sound and spectacular seascape for water-sports enthusiasts to embrace their hobbies. From world-class sea kayaking & stand-up paddle boarding to sailing & open water swimming, there is a water-based activity suitable for everyone!  Photo by Road to the Isles Events.

5) DAYS OUT WITH SERIOUS CLOUT 

Although Arisaig is a picture-perfect holiday destination in its own right, if you want to do a bit of exploring, you're in for a treat! Within a short (and ALWAYS breathtakingly beautiful) drive from the village, you can expect to see some of the best sights in Scotland!  Photo by Skye Media.

6) THE JACOBITE IS AN EPIC SIGHT 

The Jacobite Steam Train (or Hogwarts Express) pulls into Arisaig Station at least twice a day from 2nd April - 29th October and we HIGHLY recommend heading up to the UK's most westerly railway station to get a closer look. While it's an amazing experience to board the Jacobite Steam Train and take the 84 mile round trip from Fort William to Mallaig, we reckon the sight and sound of the engine as it chugs its way over SIX viaducts and carves through some of Scotland's most majestic scenery, is even more impressive!  Photo by John Gray.

7) IF YOU'RE INTO THE TUNES, YOU'LL BE OVER THE MOON 

A tiny west coast village it might be, but over the past few years Arisaig has been making some serious [sound]waves on the Scottish live music scene! Between the Astley Hall and the Crofters Rest, the village hosts some epic music festivals such as Feis na Mara, Arisaig Americana Music Festival & School of Dàimh! On top of that, there's live music sessions every Friday night and Sunday afternoon in the pub, plus a whole host of superb bands and musicians lined up throughout the year.

Just in the past two years, we've welcomed Shooglenifty, The Peatbog Faeries, Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5, Sharon Shannon, Niteworks, Talisk, The Elephant Sessions, The Langan Band, Fras, Project Smok, The Vatersay Boys, Croft No.5, The Poozies, The Bevvy Sisters, The Marwills, The White Feather Collective and SO MANY MORE!!!

Live music lovers don't have to head to the big bad cities to catch their favourite bands, just take a trip to Arisaig instead.  Photo by Feis na Mara.

8) IT'S TOTALLY WILD! 

Arisaig is nothing short of a creature seeker's BEST FRIEND! The mountains, coastline and woodland that surround the village combine to create the perfect breeding ground for a huge array of stunning and rare wildlife. From wading birds to whales and sea eagles to stags, those of you who dream of having a close encounter with a wild beast, will be in for a treat in Arisaig.  Photo by Matt Waterston.

9) THE PLACE IS ON FIRE

Anybody who has experienced the reality of an Arisaig sunset will know exactly what we mean when we say this - ARISAIG SUNSETS ARE THE BEST!! One minute, everything seems completely normal, and the next, BOOM! A fiery furnace seemingly rages behind the islands, their pointed peaks transformed into staggering silhouettes as the night sky switches from a muted blue to an ever-changing palette of pinks, oranges, scarlets & golds! Too good!  Photo by Hope Blamire.

10) THE LOCALS ARE TRULY FABULOUS

We had thought about writing about the area's incredible history and culture or maybe the many events hosted in the area every year in this space, but instead we reckon the Arisaig community deserve a bit of a shout out!  In the ordinary world, when everything just sails along quietly, it's very easy to take a community for granted; however, when something crazy like Coronavirus happens you realise just how truly remarkable your neighbours are fellow villagers are! Arisaig has really come into its own over the past year with so many beautiful and kind offers from so many people in the local and wider community.  Feature photo by Arisaig's local photographer, Arthur Campbell.