The Pierhouse Hotel is in a lovely spot on the coast of Appin between Oban and Fort William. It’s at the end of a few miles of single-track road so the only way out is the way you went in. However, there is an alternative! It’s the little ferry to the Isle of Lismore but it doesn’t take cars!
On a day like today, however, it is difficult to imagine a more idyllic location to while away a few hours. Also, the Pierhouse has just been awarded Scotland’s Chef of the Year. Cloudless skies, not a breath of wind, and Chef of the Year—what’s not to like? Can you believe that we reviewed this place back in 2015? It seemed perfect then and today it’s as if nothing has changed.
In glorious Spring sunshine, we took our seats on the deck overlooking Loch Linnhe and waited for our coffee and scones to arrive. There were lots of other folk doing the same so we were fortunate to get a table. Some, like us, were just on a day out, others were hotel guests and yet others were killing time waiting for the ferry. 
Accident?
Our scone soon arrived and to say that the presentation was a little surprising would be an understatement. The scone just sat on the plate but by its side, there was what looked like a very generous quenelle of clotted cream covered in a red preserve. Either that or our Chef of the Year had had a serious accident in the kitchen. Anyway, it was great! The scone was perfect. And the cream and jam presentation meant that you could scoop both up at the same time … brilliant—another easy topscone.
Halcyon days
Given that it’s been a decade since our last review of the Pierhouse it’s tempting to look back at what must have been halcyon times compared to now.
In 2015 David Cameron swept to power in the UK. Obama was US President and for the first time, Trump announced he would run for the Republican nomination. Things weren’t perfect but no one had yet envisaged a global pandemic, that Russia would invade Ukraine or that Israel could so graphically demonstrate man’s inhumanity to man. In all of these ten years, this little ferry has quietly gone about its business several times a day every day. It’s always hard to leave this place.
PA38 4DE tel: 01631 730302 Pierhouse Hotel
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Looks absolutely wonderful.Was that your birthday treat?
Kind of. We had planned on being back at the Isle of Coll Hotel for my birthday but couldn’t quite make that work. We are just on the West Coast.
Wonderful spring weather for your outing
Have often thought of taking bikes over to Lismore just for the day but never done it so far
Would be so easy to take that wee passenger ferry
Makes us want to go
Thankyou …. you travel gurus 😀
That’s a great idea Wendy, there’s a nice café at the Heritage Centre https://www.allaboutthescones.com/liosbeag-cafe-again/05/2020/ where we got a scone created by one Kiki McColl … fond memories
Looks an absolutely lovely and idyllic place to put in our bucket list! Thank you both, our personal travel advisors 😀
You are very welcome Ursina
Yes indeed we had a lovely few hours here sitting in the sunshine. The scone with jam & cream looked quite different from any we’ve had before. A lovely wee place to visit.