I remember in the late ’70’s when the smokehouse was first set up in Achiltibuie. It was originally established alongside the Summer Isles Hotel by Keith Dunbar and Robert Irvine &, at that time it was a small cottage industry mainly supplying produce for the hotel.

Much like the Hydroponicum (previous story here) both ventures went on to become much larger scale operations which existed as businesses in their own rights. Wherever I go now I come across produce from the Achiltibuie Smokehouse – branded Summer Isles Foods.

The smokehouse moved to it’s present site in Altandhu with (I think) the aid of some enterprise grants and has since gone from strength to strength. In spite of being on larger premises it retains the cottage industry feel and the owners are keen to emphasise the ‘non – industrial’ nature of production with the vast majority of the work done by hand. Visitors to Altandhu can see the preparation of kippers, cheeses and smoked salmon through a viewing window and there is a small shop on site.  Summer Isles Foods also have a mail-order service – or you could just go looking in the finest fish shops and delicatessens around the country..

(I found a nice article on the Smokehouse and interview with Keith Dunbar here)