Robin's Nest –01866 822 429
Open for morning
coffee, light lunches and afternoon tea. All the fare is home-made and
wholesome. Try the cinnamon fruit scones and see if you have any fingers left!
In the winter they are open from Thursday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. During the
summer usually everyday until 5 pm (it has a sign in the window). It’s top of
the list, because it’s top of our list! Best tearoom
in Scotland. They also sell local crafts such as wood turnings, paintings, tea
towels etc.
20 minute walk. From Bonawe House walk to the village centre, over the railway and it is on your left.
Inverawe – 01866 822 446
What a place to
sit and watch the world go by - actually you mainly see birds go by. A frequent
visitor in spring is the greater spotted woodpecker. The caramel shortbread and
the carrot cake are rather good. Seating inside and outside, also picnic tables
and children's outside play area (swings and slide). There are more play areas
round the nature trails with adventure courses, hidden slides, a bird hide, and
all sorts.
Don't forget your smoked goodies as presents from the smokery shop. The salmon trimmings are particularly good value at £5 per large pack. There is also a small smokery exhibition where you can see the work going on during weekdays. This was refurbished in 2005, and hopefully will open again for summer 2006.
10 minutes walk. Out of our back gate, 50 yards take the gate on the left. Cross this field diagonally, go across the swing bridge, (it is perfectly safe, but feels very exposed). Then slightly right along the burn straight through the next field, through the gate and up to the road. Head for the wooden building on your left.
Kitchen Garden - Oban
Kitchen Garden is above the delicatessen along the front in Oban. Excellent lunches and scones, but quite a small tea-room which gets very busy at times. Not so easy with young children.
The Chocolate factory – Oban – 01631 566 099 – www.oban-chocolate.com
They serve coffee, tea and hot chocolate with chocolates of course or home baking. Yummie, scrummie.
Tucked out of the way behind the Regatta shop in Oban. As you come into Oban, turn right at the mini roundabout. Before you get to the Oban front it is on your left up a small side street called Craigard Road.
Julie’s Coffee Shop – Oban
Nice home-made fare. Opposite the distillery, again tucked away. Just beyond the turn off for the chocolate factory, it’s the next road left, just as you come onto the Oban front. This is our favourite in Oban.
Ardanaisaig Hotel – 01866 833 333
Rather a grand place, but you can drink tea or coffee here at reasonable prices. Sit by the fire, look over Loch Awe, or just get married there. For the gents only, check out the wallpaper in the little boys room.
30 minutes by car. From Taynuilt turn left onto the A85. After 500 yards turn right signed to Kilchrenan. At Kilchrenan turn left and the hotel is at the end of the road.
Crafts and things Tea Room – Glencoe - 01855 811325
Another wholesome baking tea room (not vegetarian though), with light lunches, and stunning view of Glencoe in the big picture windows. Also a gallery upstairs, selling prints of local artists (JoLoMo being the up and coming style that is bought for investments). Ideal to visit with our recommended circuit drive through Glencoe, although you will then approach it from the opposite direction. Another favourite of ours.
1 hour by car. From Taynuilt drive towards Oban on the A85, turn left at Connel, signed to Fort William and over the Connel Bridge. After about 45 min you come to Ballachulish, turn left at the roundabout, signed to Glencoe. After the village Ballachulish, there is a sign to the right for Tigh Phuirt. Take the next turn right, also signed to Tigh Phuirt and Crafts & Things is opposite.