Kenmore

Kenmore

Kenmore is a picture postcard village of whitewashed cottages with an attractive lochside location. Situated some 6 miles west of Aberfeldy on the A827, Kenmore sits at the eastern end and outlet of Loch Tay, and enjoys wonderful views along the loch.

Kenmore Hotel Loch Tay and Kenmore The Crannog Centre

Most striking is the short main street. At one end is the village church with its elegant clock-tower, at the other the spectacular arched entrance to Taymouth Castle. The castle dates to the early 1800s, when it was built by the Campbells of Glenorchy as the family seat. Its current use is as a private golf club.

Church

Church over Loch Tay

Immediately outside the castle archway, and filling much of the north side of the main street, is Kenmore Hotel, which claims to be descendent of Scotland's oldest inn. Records claim an inn on the site from 1572. Writing on the walls, most notably a Burns poem written here in 1787, can still be seen today. The Kenmore Hotel oozes character with distinctive rooms and a striking front entrance supported by black painted tree trunks.

Kenmore makes much of its waterside location. The opening of the salmon fishing season on the 15th January each year is always celebrated here when visitors can rub shoulders with national celebrities.

Kenmore has plenty to offer both the passing visitor and those wishing to stay awhile. Boats can be rented at various points round the eastern end of the loch and an impressive outdoor pursuits centre, Croft-na-Caber, offers instruction and guidance in a range of outdoor activities from water-skiing to hillwalking.

For those more interested in the hills than the lochs, Kenmore is superbly located, offering convenient access to Glen Lyon, to the hills of Breadalbane and, north, to Schiehallion and beyond. Readily visible from the lochside at Kenmore is Ben Lawers, towering over the north side of Loch Tay, and falling only marginally short of the magic 4000ft mark.

Just out of the village along the south Loch Tay road, is the Scottish Crannog Centre. The key exhibit is an authentic reconstruction of a Bronze Age defensive house - a crannog - perched above the loch on stilts.

Crannogs, from the Gaelic word crann, meaning tree, were built on an artificial rock island with timber posts and struts supporting a hut above high-water level. They were to be found on many lochs, including Loch Awe and Loch Earn as well as Loch Tay, from prehistoric times up to the 1700s.

The Scottish Crannog Centre is open daily from April to October between 10.00am and 5.00pm. Other exhibits include the sheepskin rugs and wooden bowls that the Crannog settlers would have used, and there are interesting demonstrations of Iron Age skills.