Organised outdoor activities

The Pierhouse Hotel is perfectly placed for you to enjoy the great outdoors - whatever your passion. There's an extensive range of adventure activities provided by specialist companies throughout the year which we will be pleased to arrange for you upon request. Take a look at the selection here - if your favourite outdoor pursuit isn't featured, just let us know!

Take time to explore the area around Port Appin and see The Great Outdoors section for activity ideas. However you choose to spend your break at The Pierhouse, relax and enjoy!

Explore - things to see and do at The Pierhouse Hotel

Boat tours on Loch Linnhe. Image courtesy www.appinboattours.co.uk

Sea Boat Tours

High adventure and close encounters with Scotland's magnificent sealife and coastal scenery.

Boat tours: wildlife, whirlpools, scenery and history

Enjoy a unique combination of high adventure and the thrill of close encounters with Scotland's magnificent sealife and coastal scenery. There are fast exhilarating boat tours and more leisurely scenic tours - the choice is yours.

With the outstanding natural beauty of the Lynn of Lorn on our very doorstep, we can team up with a number of local operators who will show you the sights and wildlife of local waters and further afield including the opportunity to swim with basking sharks.

Scenic Tours by RIB with Coastal Connections

Making the islands and lochs more accessible than ever - from the end of our pier! Wildlife and scenery trips run out of Oban or arrange a private charter to local excursions.

Coastal Connections website

Basking Shark Scotland

The only basking shark dedicated tours from Oban. The trips are boat based with an in-water swimming experience with basking sharks, combined with wildlife and adventure excursions.

Basking Shark Scotland website

Fast boat wildlife and whirlpool trips with Sea.fari

Oban's original VisitScotland 4* Wildlife Experience operate a fleet of RIBs (Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats) to the infamous Gulf of Corryvreckan, home of the world's third largest whirlpool.Trips leave from Easdale, isle of Seil.

Sea.fari website

Sea-life wildlife boat trips

The Firth of Lorn Special Area of Conservation offers outstanding natural beauty, uninhabited islands, dramatic sea cliffs and rich feeding grounds for whales, dolphins, porpoises as well as excellent sightings of seals, otters, deer, wild goats, eagles, buzzards and falcons. Wildlife trips start from Balvicar, Isle of Seil, on a 900hp Porpoise II charter day boat.

Sea Life Adventures website

The Pierhouse makes the ideal base for sailing

Sailing & Windsurfing

Sailing and windsurfing at local Linnhe Marina, plus bareboat charter at Craobh Haven.

Sailing & Windsurfing

The Pierhouse Hotel has a great sailing tradition. As well as offering facilities for visiting yachtsmen, we're also able to arrange sailing and windsurfing for those without their own craft, based at local Linnhe Marina.

Starting from a sheltered local bay onto Loch Linnhe, explore the beautiful islands, castles and deserted bays of Loch Linnhe, Lismore and Shuna or head down towards Mull.

Linnhe Marina website

In conjunction with Sail Swallow, The Pierhouse Hotel can also arrange bareboat charter of a Harmony 34 yacht for those suitably qualified. Based at Craobh Marina to the south of Oban, the yacht Swallow offers quality accommodation for up to six crew although she can be handled with just two.

A fine and balanced underwater hull makes the Harmony 34 fast and pleasant to sail in all types of weather, ideal whether you are a couple looking for an intimate romantic getaway or a group of friends or family looking for adventure in what are widely regarded as some of the finest cruising waters in the world.

Sail Swallow website

Fishing

The Pierhouse is a great base for fishermen and women, with loch, river & sea fishing available.

Loch, river & sea fishing

The Pierhouse Hotel is a great base for visiting fishermen and women. Just half an hour away is the superb Inverawe fly-fishing centre with four stocked lochs and two miles of salmon river offering a quite unique fishing experience. The lochs are stocked daily with prime hard fighting fish to give a good day's sport for everyone and the mile and a half of water on the River Awe provides some excellent salmon and sea trout fishing.

In addition Inverawe also boasts a comprehensive Angling School for beginners and intermediate fishers. You can learn the wonderful art of fly-fishing from scratch or brush up on your technique if you are feeling a little rusty. Rod and net hire is available on site.

Inverawe Fisheries website

The Pierhouse is also perfectly placed to arrange sea fishing trips - reel in your own catch of the day! Depending on the time of year, we can arrange family mackerel fishing trips - a 2 hour evening trip amidst the stunningly beautiful scenery of Loch Etive.

More ambitiously, we can also arrange general or skate fishing trips - a full 8 hour day trip expedition, fishing in Loch Linnhe, the Sound of Mull or Loch Etive, for a maximum of 8-12 people. The trips fish for catches of pollock, luing, dogfish, rays, conger eels, mackerel and coal fish, or skate, dogfish, whiting and thornback rays. These are very popular days out so book early to avoid disappointment!

Sea Kayaking

The west coast of Scotland is a world class sea kayaking destination

Sea kayaking

The west coast of Scotland is a world class sea kayaking destination. More and more visitors are discovering the unique pleasures of this growing sport, with its breathtaking locations, amazing scenery and wildlife experienced close up in its natural environment.

The Pierhouse Hotel is perfectly placed as a sea kayaking centre, with its own beach on the shores of Loch Linnhe. With a great mix of gentle and more testing waters all around, we can arrange sea kayaking adventures through a selection of local operators, whatever your experience level.

Breathtaking locations, amazing scenery with Rockhopper

We can arrange tailor-made guided half or full day sea kayaking expeditions led by a fully qualified guide. No experience required, all equipment provided.

Rockhopper website

Sea Kayak Oban with National Kayak School

Operating from Oban bay, enjoy a day's sea kayaking with stunning scenery, great coaching and lots of enjoyment. White water kayak courses also available.

Sea Kayak Oban website

Mountain Biking

Gentle local cycling, or visit some of the top Scottish MTB locations.

Mountain biking

The last few years has seen Scotland take its rightful place as a major mountain biking destination. With some of the top Scottish MTB locations just a short drive away, and some great gentle cycles close by, ever more cyclists are coming to The Pierhouse for a cycling based break to remember.

The newly built cycle track along Loch Creran side brings the gentle and moderate mountain biking trails of the Forestry Commission's Sutherland's Grove within an easy no-main-roads cycle of The Pierhouse. For those seeking a greater challenge, the downhill course and superb cycling at Nevis Range is just under an hour's drive away, and Wolftrax is within easy driving reach.

But don't miss out on the joys of our local cycling on quiet single track roads, meandering through fantastic scenery. Whether you choose a gentle cycle through Appin, or take your bikes on the passenger ferry from our own pier over to Lismore, you can be sure of a memorable day out. And if you haven't got your own bikes - then why not take advantage of The Pierhouse's own all-terrain mountain bikes?

Nevis Range MTB website
Glencoe Mountain MTB website
Laggan Wolftrax website

Scuba Diving

A new experience awaits you while travelling through inner space.

Scuba diving

A new experience awaits you while travelling through inner space. A feeling of effortless, weightlessness and the exhilaration of breathing and moving underwater. It really is a whole new exciting world! "Try-A-Dive" with Puffin Dive Centre, in Oban is an experience of being fully underwater and taking a shallow dive with the confidence of being with an experienced instructor guide with an absolute feeling of safety and enjoyment.

Just 45 minutes drive from The Pierhouse, it's the ideal way to begin your underwater adventure.

Puffin Dive Centre website

Canyoning and white water rafting within easy reach of The Pierhouse Hotel

Canyoning & Funyaking

The ultimate adventure for every extremist! Group or solo trips.

Canyoning & Funyaking

The ultimate adventure for every extremist. Group or solo trips offer a choice of canyoning - jumping, sliding, abseiling off waterfalls, swimming through pools - or funyaking - a unique and exciting way of discovering Scotland's rivers, paddling down Class 3 rapids. No experience required, tuition provided and suitable for all age groups. All activities take 2-4 hours and head to toe thermal neoprene suits and specialist canyoning equipment provided.

It's the ideal activity for the occasional wet day, and it's just a short drive away from The Pierhouse - there's really no excuse!

Vertical Descents website

Pony Trekking

Pony trekking lessons, with beach rides or longer hacks for more experienced riders.

Pony Trekking

If you're interested in pony trekking or horse riding, our near neighbours Lettershuna Riding Centre offer pony trekking lessons, with beach rides or longer hacks for more experienced riders.

Stunning outings to Castle Stalker beach or the woodlands and forests around the Appin area make this a day out to remember. This is a beautiful environment for outdoor hacks, for all levels of ability from beginners to advanced. Lettershuna also offer lessons.

Lettershuna Riding Centre

Deer Stalking

Deer stalking is a fascinating way to discover Scotland's landscape.

Deer Stalking

Deer stalking is a fascinating way to discover Scotland's landscape. Working with local neighbouring estates, The Pierhouse can offer stalking experiences at all levels, whether you have never picked up a rifle before or are an expert looking for a challenging day on the hill.

The stag season commences in late August and runs through to the 20th October, whilst the hind season runs from the 21st October to the 15th February. The cull of stags and hinds is selective and the numbers taken depend on the views of the Stalker, the Annual Spring Count and the annual habitat assessments. Transport is arranged from The Pierhouse to local neighbouring estates.

Clay Pigeon Shooting

An exciting day's clay pigeon shooting in the beautiful grounds of a local estate.

Clay Pigeon Shooting

We can arrange an exciting day's clay pigeon shooting in the beautiful grounds of a local neighbouring estate. You will be equipped with high quality 12 or 20 bore Beretta shotguns.

Auto sporter clay traps are used which offer a range of targets and disciplines to suit all levels - with clays suitable for beginners to challenging shots for experts.

Ice and rock climbing based at The Pierhouse Hotel

Rock & Ice Climbing

Just half an hour's drive from some of the best indoor and outdoor climbing in the UK.

Rock & Ice Climbing

The Pierhouse Hotel is located just half an hour's drive from some of the best indoor and outdoor climbing to be had in the UK.

The Ice Factor is the perfect venue to practice, train and learn every conceivable mountaineering skill. It offers the biggest indoor ice climbing facility in the world (850m sq), features the UK's largest articulated rock climbing wall (1200m sq), and a dedicated instruction facility and competition bouldering area. Daily beginners sessions for adults, children and groups. Full instruction and equipment available. Half hour taster sessions through to a multi day mountain adventure where you are guided through some of Scotland's classic mountains by fully qualified instructors. Courses include Introduction to Rock Climbing, Classic Rock Improvers, Classic Scrambles, Hit the Ice, Mountaincraft, Advanced Mountaincraft and an Introduction to Snow and Ice Climbing.

Just around the corner from the Ice Factor, with a unique combination of history, tradition and stunning scenery, Glen Coe is synonymous with Scottish rock and ice climbing. Catering for every level, Glen Coe offers the chance for experts to try hard traditional routes or attempt new ones; for those wishing an easier experience, multi-pitch classics abound. Just 30 minutes away, The Pierhouse provides a great way to combine your climbing adventures with luxury and comfort in our unique setting.

Ice Factor website

And afterwards...relax

Relax in our Finnish sauna or enjoy therapeutic, aromatherapy or sports massage treatments in your own room.

Massage & Aromatherapy

Wherever you go, whatever you do through the day, afterwards take advantage of one of our excellent relaxation, therapeutic, aromatherapy or sports massage treatments in the comfort of your own room or just relax in our Finnish sauna. Ask our Reservations team for booking details.

Massage & treatements page

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