Duror and Kentallen
Duror And Kentallen are small village settlements located off the Argyll Coastal route leading from Ballachulish to Oban.
Kentallen
Situated on the shores of Loch Linnhe Kentallen was formed around the former Oban to Fort William railway line, in fact The Holly Tree was originally Kentallen railway station! In the mid 1960’s the infamous Dr Beeching, who became the first chairman of the British Railways Board in 1962, closed the line amongst many others. He had the task of reviewing the country’s rail networks, and in particular looking at their financial viability. In his first report he outlined closure of some two thousand rural stations. The result for Kentallen was that the entire line between Fort William and Oban was closed along with all of the stations.
Kentallen also marks the start of the Kentallen to Ballachulish cycle path which is part of the national cycle path network.
Duror
Duror village, another stop on the old railway line, now has a thriving community and offers visitors a variety of amenities including a hotel, guest house and self-catering accommodation and a village shop. It also has the first parliamentary church designed by Thomas Telford!
A short walk from Duror Village is Cuil Bay. With its pebble beach and wonderful views it is just the perfect spot for a stroll on a sunny day.
Further along the A828 you will come across a wonderful vantage point from which to view Castle Stalker. Built in the 1400’s by the Lord of Lorn, Sir John Stewart, you can now visit for a tour around the castle.
This area also boasts the beautiful Kinlochlaich Gardens and Garden Centre which incorporates wonderful walled and ornamental gardens.
This whole area is steeped in the history of the Appin Murder made famous by Robert Louis Stevenson’s book Kidnapped. James Stewart of Appin was wrongly hung for the murder of Colin Campbell nicknamed the “Red Fox”. The Red Fox was shot and killed near Hunter’s Lodge at Lettermore by Kentallen (a forest walk takes you to a cairn). James had an alibi, but was arrested, tried and hung for the murder in 1752. There was no love lost between the pro government Campbells and the pro Jacobite Stewarts and James was clearly “framed”. Locally, it was known who had actually committed the murder and the secret is said to be passed down through one local family. A small stone monument at the south side of Ballachulish Bridge marks where James was hung and his birthplace in Glenduror is also accessible by a forest track. His body was eventually removed from the gallows under the cover of darkness and he was buried at Keil Churchyard at Duror. The story is adapted in the story of “Kidnapped” by Robert Louis Stevenson.
You can follow the Red Fox Trail from Oban to Ballachulish.