Kenmore: Cultural Landscape and Routes

Kenmore invites you to consider settlement history and traces in the landscape together. The modern settlement is surrounded by the remains of an extensive crofting settlement; traces of cultivation can be seen to the west. This gives you two specific historical points of reference: the former settlement landscape and the visible signs of cultivated land. If you enjoy looking beyond today’s place names, you’ll find a topic here that unfolds through tangible details.

Traces of an Earlier Settlement

A precise historical reference is provided by the first edition of the six-inch OS map from 1881. It shows a settlement with 25 roofed and two unroofed buildings, as well as two enclosures and some field walls. The layout brings the map to life: alongside the buildings, boundaries and walls also appear as part of the settlement landscape shown. This gives you a concrete way into the history of the place, going beyond a general idea of a crofting settlement. The date, scale and details give the historical picture a clear framework.

Together with the remains of the extensive crofting settlement, the map can be seen as another perspective on Kenmore’s settlement history. The map records a particular depiction from 1881; the visible traces of cultivation west of the modern settlement add another aspect of the landscape to the story. This distinction is precisely what makes the place interesting: settlement remains and traces of cultivation do not tell the same story, but offer different clues to the area’s historical character.

Woodland Remnants at Loch Torridon

The woodland remnants on the protected southwestern shore of Loch Torridon, near Kenmore, offer a natural and landscape-focused perspective. They are associated with the wider North Applecross native woodland planting scheme, established in 2000. So, when exploring the landscape, you’ll encounter both local woodland remnants and a larger planting project with its own historical context. This offers a different focus for choosing what kind of trip you want than the crofting traces and historical map: here, the focus is on woodland and the context of a larger project.

Routes with Different Perspectives

The Applecross Coffin Roads route starts at Clachan Church and ends on the unclassified road at Camas an Eilgan in Kenmore. Its named endpoints provide a clear sense of place and make Kenmore part of the route description. If you’re interested in local history, you can consider this route as a point of reference in its own right, alongside the settlement remains and the map.

The Applecross Duathlon courses also offer different perspectives on the landscape. The running section follows an old route across the Applecross Peninsula to the north coast near the village of Kenmore on Loch Torridon. The cycling section follows the coastal road and offers views of Loch Torridon and, across the Inner Sound, of Raasay and Skye with the Cuillin Hills. The sections have different emphases: the running route focuses on the crossing of the peninsula, while the cycling route focuses on the coastal road and the views described.

When choosing a holiday rental in Kenmore, these topics can help you decide what kind of stay you’re looking for. If you’re especially interested in former settlement patterns and cultivation, the crofting remains, map and traces west of the modern settlement offer relevant points of reference. The woodland remnants and planting project provide a different focus, while the routes differ in their endpoints or in their running and cycling sections. As you decide where to go, consider which of these topics you’d most like to explore on your holiday.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Thurso, Letterfinlay, Munlochy, Dunbeath, Dalwhinnie, Dalchreichart, Onich, Ardersier.

To the main travel overview: Highland.