The Ardnamurchan Peninsula (Scottish Gaelic: Àird nam Murchan: headland of the great seas) is in the Scottish Highlands. It's the most westerly and remote part of mainland Britain, accessed only by a long, winding single-track lane. For visitor purposes the name generally applies to the entire triangle of land west of Loch Linnhe, north of the Sound of Mull, and south of the A830, taking in Moidart, Sunart, Ardgour and Morvern as well as Ardnamurchan which geographically is just the western tip.
Strontian is the tiny village at the centre of this triangle which gave its name to the element strontium. In 1790 geologists discovered a new mineral in the lead mines here, which they called "strontianite", and within it identified strontium from its distinctive crimson-red flame. It became commercially important in the 19th century in the extraction of sugar from beet, and in the 20th century for the coating of TV cathode-ray tubes; nowadays a major use is for red firework flares. It's chemically similar to calcium and is therefore taken up by bones and other body tissues. The natural isotope is mostly strontium-88, which is non-toxic, radio-stable and not a health concern. It's strontium-90, a radioactive product of nuclear fallout such as of the Chernobyl accident, that causes bone cancer, leukemia and other serious conditions. You're not at heightened risk of these through visiting Strontian.
The nearest railway stations are in Fort William and Oban, and you need a car to get in and around this remote place. The usual approach is by A82 through Glencoe and over Ballachulish Bridge to the little ferry at Corran 📍, then follow the lane south to Strontian, Lochaline and Kilchoan. The ferry, which saves a long detour around Loch Eil, is run by Highland Council. It runs M-Sa 06:30-21:30 every 20 min, Sundays from 08:30 every 30 min, £8.20 per car for the five-minute crossing. No booking, just turn up and queue.
Another route from Fort William is to take A830 west past Glenfinnan, branching south at Loch Ailort. This road leads to Moidart, Acharacle, Salen and Kilchoan. See under Mallaig and Fort William for buses and trains along the Glenfinnan stretch.
There are two Calmac car ferry routes from the island of Mull:
In summer a foot-passenger ferry used to sail across the outlet of Loch Sunart between Drimnin, Kilchoan and Tobermory, but none sailed in 2022.
You need a car. Ardnamurchan's few buses are timed for school run and shopping trips and similar errands to Fort William, with one bus there in the morning and one bus returning mid-afternoon.
Shiel Bus 506 runs n-Sa between Kilchoan and Fort William, via Salen, Acharacle, Strontian and the Corran ferry, taking 2 hr 30 min. The eastbound bus leaves Kilchoan around 08:00, connecting with the ferry from Tobermory. The westbound bus leaves Fort William at 13:50.
Shiel Bus 502 runs M-Sa between Acharacle and Fort William via Moidart, Loch Ailort and Glenfinnan, taking 90 min. It's basically a school bus for Lochaber High School, with the eastbound bus leaving Acharacle around 07:00 and the westbound bus leaving Fort William at 15:30; it doesn't connect with the 506.
Shiel Bus 507 is mostly just a school bus from Drimnin via Lochaline to Strontian. On Thursdays only, it runs from Lochaline at 09:30 via Argour and the Corran ferry to Fort William, taking 80 min, and setting off back at 14:50.
Stock up before you come, there's limited supplies of anything here.
Your best option is the hotel restaurants.
The hotels mostly have public bars.
There are campsites at Strontian, Resipole, Laga and Kilchoan - and, inevitably, yurts at Portuairk near the lighthouse.
Small B&Bs, guesthouses and self-catering cottages are clustered around Strontian, Moidart, Lochaline and Kilchoan.
Strontian Hotel, Acharacle PH36 4HZ (on main road through village), 56.6926°, -5.5681°, +44 1967 402029. Open Feb-Oct, friendly small hotel with a public bar and restaurant. Dog-friendly. B&B double from £80 2018-12-09
Kilcamb Lodge, Strontian PH36 4HY (on A861), 56.692°, -5.575°, +44 1967 402257. Small luxury hotel near Strontian village centre, great dining, dogs welcome. B&B double from £250 2020-05-20
Mingarry Park, Acharacle PH36 4JX (on A861 at foot of Loch Shiel), 56.760°, -5.789°, +44 1967 431202. Stylish rooms and restaurant. Open April-Oct, B&B doubles from £110 2018-12-09
Kingairloch Estate, Ardgour PH33 7AE (by Loch Linnhe), 56.623°, -5.518°, +44 1967 411232. Elegant rooms for B&B or self-catering. Boatman's Bistro open W-Su. Open mid-Feb-Oct, B&B doubles from £100 2018-12-09
Salen Hotel, Acharacle PH36 4JN (jcn of A861 and B8007), 56.719°, -5.777°, +44 1967 431661. Hotel with 3 rooms, cottage, public bar and restaurant. B&B doubles from £100 2018-12-10
Kilchoan House Hotel, Kilchoan PH36 4LH (at jcn with lane to ferry pier), 56.700°, -6.101°, +44 1972 510200. Small family-run hotel. B&B doubles from £100 2018-12-09
Splurge at Mingary Castle, Kilchoan PH36 4LH (just east of village), 56.695°, -6.080°, +44 1972 510715. Luxurious retro-Georgian hotel within 13th-century shell. Open Feb-Oct, B&B doubles from £350, entire castle (sleeps ten) from £1750 2018-12-09
Passable mobile & Wi-Fi coverage in the main settlements. Some dead spots along the roads between, and near zero out on the moors.