Tag Archives: Appin

Pierhouse Hotel

24 March 2025 billpaterson1@me.com 7 Comments

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!

Internal view of the Pierhouse Hotel, Appin — The dining room but everyone is sitting outside

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.

Artist impression of the Pierhouse Hotel, Appin — An artist’s impression of the Pierhouse Hotel

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.

The Appin ferry — The Lismore ferry on a mirror-like Loch Linnhe, We once spent a lovely few days on the island staying with the Abbot of Lismore and his wife

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

///thumb.calms.fats

island, Ordinary, Scones

Liosbeag Café – Again

29 May 2020 billpaterson1@me.com 6 Comments

Okay, we are back to old regurgitated scones … sorry! This one is from 2015 at the Liosbeag Café on Lismore.

With Bojo keeping Dominic Cummings in his job at least we know now for certain that Britain has joined that merry band of countries like the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, N Korea and Kazakhstan which have unelected leaders at the helm. The British are also getting a taste of what it is like to be governed by the shambolic self-interested British. Something many countries have experienced in the past and, of course, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland still do. Anyway, enough depressing stuff, let’s go back five years.

We took the car ferry from Oban to Achnacroish in order to right a wrong. We had never before visited Lismore. Looked at it many times from Mull and Appin and various other places but had never actually set foot on it. This was to be our first time .. exciting. We were guests at Bachuil Country House but before we arrived there we came to the Liosbeag Café at the local Gaelic Heritage Centre. It was just about scone time. As it turns out there is one Kiki McColl who is the manager and responsible for all the baking here. She doesn’t scrimp! The cakes and scones all came in what might be termed ‘man-sized’ portions. Kiki’s raspberry scones looked huge, to begin with, but when they appeared complete with jam and cream they were indeed, something to behold.

All we can say is if you are ever on Lismore you must have one of these Kiki masterpieces. You won’t need much else for the rest of the day. If you fancied something else however there is a whole range of other food on offer, a shop, and a history centre. Well worth a visit. Considering it is the only café on the island it is just as well that it’s a good one. Well done to Kiki and the girls for the friendly welcome and excellent food. We would love to come back!

PA34 5UL tel: 01631 760020 Liosbeag Café

Our hosts on Lismore were Niall and Anita Livingston, perhaps better known as the Baron and Baroness of Bachuil. Niall was also the Abbot of Lismore, Coarb (Successor) of St Moluag and Chief of Clan MacLea. Quite a guy you might think … and you would be right! They made us extremely welcome Niall regaled us with interesting tales about his various titles and this wonderful island. Perhaps most importantly Niall taught us how to eat porridge correctly. One morning however he warned us against the chocolate cake at Liosbeag Café. We thought it a bit strange but next morning on the 4th June it all became clear. Niall and Anita had bought a full chocolate gateau to help celebrate Pat’s birthday. How nice was that?

Pat's Lismore birthday — Pat and the Baron of Bachuil on her birthday

Moving on

We have taken out the contact details because since our visit. Bachuil House has closed. And as far as we can gather Kiki has moved on from the café. We need to revisit the island when all this coronavirus stuff is cleared up. Peculiar to think that it was in the middle of March that we were at Tobermory on the Isle of Mull and since then we have barely been out of the house. We are quite enjoying it now. Hope you all are as well.

LISMORE SHED

A shed at Achnacroich, the capital of Lismore

Scones, Top

The Pierhouse Hotel

7 July 2015 billpaterson1@me.com 1 Comment

We stopped off at Port Appin for a break and of course the Pierhouse Hotel is the place to go for any kind of refreshment. It is a beautiful spot with the little ferry running back and forth to the Isle of Lismore. There is always something going on .. though in a peaceful kind of way. With so many horrendous things going on all over the world this little oasis on the west coast of Scotland seems like it is on another planet. A place where everything is just fine. Grexit, Syria, Tunisia are all far far away.

And yet, even here, little niggles creep in. They tell us that Scotland cannot survive on its own. That we take more than we give to the Union. So why oh why does the party that refuses to subsidise a disabled person’s spare bedroom so desperately want to continue subsidising a whole nation. Perplexing if it wasn’t actually the other way round! You will be happy to hear that this conundrum did little to disturb the relaxed atmosphere on the shores of Loch Linnhe. Our scones were fantastic and came with lots of jam and cream, and a big pot of coffee. The Pierhouse is a few miles off the main road but is well worth the detour. It has a superb seafood restaurant with beautiful views over the loch towards Castle Stalker, Lismore and beyond .. the place just oozes quality.

PA38 4DE tel: 01631 730302 www.pierhousehotel.co.uk

island, Ordinary, Scones

Liosbeag Café

7 June 2015 billpaterson1@me.com 1 Comment

We took the car ferry from Oban to Achnacroish in order to right a wrong. We had never before visited Lismore. We had looked at it many times from Mull and Appin and various other places but had never actually set foot on it. This was to be our first time .. exciting. We were guests at Bachuil Country House but before we arrived there we came on the Liosbeag Café at the local Gaelic Heritage Centre. It was just about scone time. As it turns out there is one Kiki McColl who is manager and responsible for all the baking here. She doesn’t scrimp! The cakes and scones all came in what might be termed ‘man-sized’ portions. Kiki’s raspberry scones looked huge to begin with but when they appeared complete with jam and cream they were indeed, something to behold.

All we can say is if you are ever on Lismore you must have one of these Kiki masterpieces. You won’t need much else for the rest of the day. If you fancied something else however there is a whole range of other food on offer, a shop, and a history centre. Well worth a visit. Considering it is the only café on the island it is just as well that it’s good one. Well done to Kiki and the girls for the friendly welcome and excellent food. We would love to come back!