THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
Room at the Inn
13 December 2003

Lee Mylne

The boot drier in the laundry at Rua Reidh lighthouse is a welcome find; the peat bog has found the chinks in mine and I’m walking in soggy socks.

A cliff-top walk is one of the less strenuous delights of a stay at the lighthouse, one of 97 built around the Scottish coast over 150 years by members of the family who became known as the “lighthouse Stevensons”, their local fame probably eclipsing that of their writer relative Robert Louis Stevenson.

Rua Reidh (pronounced “roo ray”) is at the end of the road about 10 miles from the seaside town of Gairloch, on Scotland’s west coast, looking out across The Minch to the Hebrides. Built in 1912 by David Stevenson, the lighthouse still operates but since automation in 1985 the keeper’s house has been a guesthouse and hostel.

“It seemed like a good idea on the day,” laughs owner Fran Cree of her decision with partner Chris Barrett to move from England to this isolated spot 13 years ago.

Keen for a walk, I get directions: “Keep the cliffs on your left and follow the sheep tracks. You can’t get lost.” My final instruction: send the dog back. Their friendly spaniel Charles wants to come too, but it’s against house rules.

I head across the heather, following the sheep tracks and past the old stone jetty, used until 1962 when road access came to the lighthouse. The coastline is dotted with spectacular “stac” rock formations, pounded by crashing seas.

David Stevenson first proposed a lighthouse for Rua Reidh (Gaelic for “smooth point”) in 1853, but arguments over the cost delayed it for years. The 25 metres high tower is closed to the public. The original light, a paraffin vapour burner, has been replaced by 200-watt sealed beam headlamps, visible for 24 miles.

The guesthouse has eight guest rooms, two lounges with open fireplaces, and a communal kitchen for those who don’t want to sample Fran’s good home cooking in the conservatory-style teahouse. In summer, Chris runs an outdoor centre, providing guided walks, rock climbing and other outdoor activities.

Isolation makes for some good fireside stories. Last winter, with a five-week holiday in England and France planned, the pair were almost snowed in when the road to the nearest settlement became impassable.

“Luckily, a few days before we’d packed up the car and driven it to the end of the road at Melvaig,” laughs Fran. “We had to walk out with the two dogs, the dog bed, our rucksacks and a bike.”

Checklist
Rua Reidh Lighthouse, Melvaig, Gairloch, Ross-shire, IV21 2EA, Scotland. Phone 0011 44 1445 771 263; www.ruareidh.co.uk
Tariff: Double or twin rooms 12 pounds per person per night; twin with ensuite 15 pounds per person per night; family room (sleeps 4) 30 pounds per night, with ensuite 35 pounds per night; hostel bed (share with three or five others) 8 pounds. Breakfast 4.50 pounds, three-course dinner (on request) 12 pounds.
Getting there: A two-and-a-half-hour drive from Inverness. British Airways flies from London’s Gatwick airport to Inverness daily, www.britishairways.com.
Checking in: Backpackers, families, couples. Those on guided hiking trips range from 18 to 72 years, with a fair sprinkling of Americans and Europeans.
Stepping out: Gairloch, the nearest town, has several hotels and restaurants, a nine-hole golf course, and a small heritage museum in which you will find Rua Reidh’s original lamp and foghorn. The famous Inverewe Gardens are four miles away. Walking tours of the Torridon mountains and other local beauty spots are run from the lighthouse.
Brickbats: The water is an unappealing brown, after filtering through the peat, but it is quite drinkable.
Bouquets: A true getaway, with stunning coastal scenery, comfortable beds and hearty home-made food.