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Touring the backcountry: Courtesy of 4x4 Adventures Scotland
“I feel like I’m failing my driver’s test,” I Where to stay: Isle of Eriska occupies a
sigh, furrowing my brow. private 300-acre island near Oban, on
“Well,” one of my shaken and stirred Scotland’s west coast. The handsome
companions pipes up from the back seat, crenelated mansion encompasses 16 bed‐
“we don’t feel like you’re passing it.” rooms, and a variety of cottages and suites
Bradley is a bit kinder in his assess‐ are dotted about the extensive grounds.
ment, as he drops us all off for lunch at 19th century Inverlochy Castle, a grande
The Loch Lomond Arms Hotel and pub af‐ dame with 17 bedrooms and a Gate Lodge,
terwards. “That was excellent,” he assures lies in Fort William, nestled between a pri‐
me. “Psychologically damaging in some vate loch, sheep-filled fields, and Ben
ways, utterly horrifying, but very well Nevis, Scotland’s highest mountain. Cross‐
driven.” basket Castle, which presides over the
That’s Highland praise, indeed. River Calder near Glasgow, has nine bed‐
rooms in the main house and two separate
lodges, although a major expansion—in‐
IF YOU GO cluding more accommodations and an Art
Deco-style dinner-and-dancing venue--is
Luxury Scotland Tours, https://luxu‐ expected to debut in 2024. The most home‐
ryscotlandtours.com, is a subsidiary of MV like hotel of all is the 23-bedroom Grey‐
Luxury Travel, https://mvluxurytravel.com, walls. This Edwardian mansion near
which also offers tours of Ireland and Eng‐ Edinburgh is filled with the owner’s family
land. https://icmi.co.uk/our_properties/ antiques, as well as golf memorabilia—a
luxury nod to Muirfield coastal golf course, which
4x4 Adventures Scotland, http:// lies just outside Greywalls’ back door, on
www.4x4adventures-scotland.com Scotland’s Firth of Forth.
134 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2024
