Highland Hotels

Skelbo Castle, Loch Fleet: Seals and More Seals.....

by nickandchris

Ardtoe Campsite: Small and Simple

by nickandchris

I was getting desperate after finding all the camp sites around Arisaig were booked up. Out of sheer luck, I spotted this small campsite, a little further south, on the Scottish camping Guide and was overjoyed after speaking to the owner and being told there was room for us. We booked in for five nights and couldn't wait.

Normally, we wild camp in Scotland, but this year we had our 14 year old son with us so required electric for his games console and laptop!! This little site, although basic, had electric hook-ups so it was perfect. The only other facilities are a chemical disposal point and a tap. Perfect for us.In theory, the site is only allowed 5 units on; during our stay, there were only actually four, until the last night.

Cost for our motorhome and us: £12 a night.

Hugh Mc Pherson, the owner, was very friendly and helpful, having reserved a level pitch for us. Although there are no immediate sea views, at the end of the site, where there are four statics, is the most beautiful sandy beach, with another, even more gorgeous, just along a track. Perfect for boat launching, canoeing etc.

The only minor downside for us was the fact we were surrounded by very young children, who were early, noisy risers!! Definitely not a complaint, just not what we are used to, wild camping on our own!!

For more information on this beautiful area, please look at my Ardtoe page.

Wild Camping: Loch Ailort

by nickandchris

After a day out to the Mallaig and Arisaig areas in the motorhome, and discovering there was absolutely nowhere to free camp around Arisaig, we knew our best bet was to return once again to Loch Ailort for a place to free camp. We knew there were plenty of places to pull off the road along the loch, having passed the loch a few times and we were heading in the right direction for our next port of call, Ardtoe.

We weren't the only ones wild camping along here, but there are quite a few places to pull off so that wasn't a problem. We stopped in a large pull off, with access to a wild, rocky beach and magnificent views to the Ardnish and Morar peninsulas.

A large rock island became a challenge for Philip when the tide had receded and left it dried out. It had to be climbed!! He also did a spot of shooting with the air rifle as there was no-one around.

We watched a small sailing boat look as if it was being swamped by the huge waves but it actually about turned and sailed for another half hour or so. It obviously wasn't in any difficulties, just enjoyed a challenging sea!! Actually, the next day, there was a major disaster not far away when a fishing boat went down in the bad weather anf three of the four crew were drowned

Lovely views and a good spot for one night but we were quite close to the road and the first traffic of the morning went passed us at a fair old lick around 3am!! The van certainly rocked!!

Hotel Inchnacardoch

by Neit

The hotel it's only 2 or 3 km from Fort Augustus. It's a nice stately home with an scottish decoration.

If you read the descriptions of the web and look the photos you will think that the hotel is in the shore of Loch Ness, but it isn't. There's about 200 or 300 meters away, with a little forest in the middle. Nevertheless, the house is nice and the service too.

Fidden Farm, Fionnphort, Mull.: Mull Camping

by nickandchris

A basic but beautifully located camp site on Mull.

As far as I can gather, this place used to be an area where you were allowed to free camp. Today, it's an official campsite situated above beautiful sandy beaches with direct access.
It's a large, open, grassy site with the more exposed pitches obviously being those by the sea. There are at least three areas with beach frontage and even in Aug. there were plenty of places with sea views.

Facilities are a little limited, being housed in large porta-cabins with showers and toilets for both sexes. They are also not very close to the camping area but fortunately, being self-contained, this wasn't a problem for us (no mad rush for the toilet first thing in the morning!!)

£4 per person per night. I'm not sure if there was a maximum price. If you were a family of four, £16 seemed a little excessive for what was on offer. £8 for us seemed a fair price, as we were enchanted by the place and it gave us some feeling of security as well as somewhere to empty the toiletand fill up with water.
The chemical disposal point was again a long way away which meant we had to up sticks and drive the van to the emptying point to enable us to empty. And there was no rinsing water there. Not ideal.

Simply the location, nestled amongst the glorious beaches and giving us direct access for our boat. There are lots of small islands to boat around where we watched seals basking and even landed on our own desert island. We felt like Robinson Crusoe, the only footprints in the soft, white sand were from birds.
It's also a great spot for walking, bird-watching and general messing about in the water type activities, including fishing and snorkelling.
The fishing was quite good. We caught plenty of mackerel and as I've said, learnt from a Fife man we met here, how to successfully smoke them. Throughout the rest of the holiday, it was big business with us, catching, filleting, salting and then smoking the fish. Then we gave much of it away as we had far too much. We still came home with a fridge full!!!

The campsite is also well placed for visiting Iona, the ferry crossing from Fionnphort literally a couple of miles up the road.

Achnahaird Caravan and Camping: Terrific Site

by nickandchris

What a brilliant site this is! We loved the place, with it's openness and spectacular mountain views.

The main camping area of 6 acres slopes gently down to the sand dunes and beach at the bottom. You can literally camp anywhere so there's plenty of room to escape that hemmed in feeling you so often encounter at other camp sites. The majority of folks were grouped in and around the sand dunes, close to the beach, whether for proximity to the beach or a bit of shelter offered by the dunes or a bit of both. We opted for a levelish bit, about a third of the way down the site, close to the chemical disposal point!!

There are toilets in a couple of porta cabins, but no hot water or showers. Apparently, if you need a shower, they are available at the village hall for a small price. Water tap by the toilets and at the top of the field.

Unfortunately, this site was due to close permanently at the end of October, when the lease expired. Such a shame as it was such a wonderful place.

The lovely views, friendly owners and the location.

Lack of rules and regulations!!!

£8 a night for our motorhome.

Coastal: CL at Skerray

by nickandchris

I couldn't believe it when I found a CL (small campsite, certificated location, that only takes 5 units but you have to belong to the Caravan Club and Camping and Caravanning Club to use these) in the exact location we were looking at.!!

So, for our first two nights on Scotland's very north coast, we stayed at Skerray, a remote village with a small harbour, a thatched roof post office and a few houses.

The site was right by the sea, exposed to the elements, but what a location! From our pitch, we had spectacular views out to the rugged cliffs and rocks in the bay.

Only facilities here are a tap and chemical toilet emptying. But those views!!!!

We had an idea we may have been able to get our boat out but the sea was so wild and the coast so rocky, it was a none starter.

We paid the vast sum of £6 a night.

Can be extremely windy, hence many things are anchored to the ground!

For more info on this area, look at my Bettyhill page.

Laide Caravan and Camping: Coastal Location

by nickandchris

This site fitted the bill perfectly for us, it had everything we required at the right stage of our travelling!! This mainly was to be able to launch our boat and catch fish, which we did.

The site has a few statics with the touring area to the other side of these. The best pitches look out over the beach with further pitching set back on the other side of the access road. It's all reasonably compact and the site tends to fill up towards the end of the day, most people being in motorhomes and touring and then empty out in the mornings.Having said this, there was a family camped next to us in a magnificent tent with a small motorhome and they were there for a couple of weeks and came every year.

Facilities are good, dish washing, laundry, excellent showers, electric hook ups and a nice beach to play on!!

This site certainly filled up in the evening and booking is advisable in peak season, although we just turned up, admittedly early in the day.

Quiet beachside location with beautiful views across Gruinard Bay to the mountains beyond. Superb fishing from the boat as well.

There is even an old ruined chapel and graveyard to wander around.

£12 a night for the two of us without electricity which is more than we would normally pay, but it suited our purposes.

Open April to October.

For more info on our holiday in this area, please look at my Laide page.

Corran Farm: Caravan Club CL On The Kintyre Peninsula

by nickandchris

This is a Caravan Club members only site for five units only. It is on the remote Kintyre peninsula in western Argyll.

We had only intended staying two nights but circumstances led to us staying the entire holiday. It is the only C.L. for miles. It's about quarter of a mile from the farm and a little further to the lochside.
An interesting site with three seperate pitching areas. Unknown to us, we had pitched on the other side of a working quarry (not working when we arrived as it the weekend) so we were disturbed by rock drilling from 8am til 7pm.

Only facilities are water , bin and chemical toilet emptying facilities.
Loch access. Good views of loch and Islay ferries.
If it hadn't have been for the quarry, this would have been so quiet and peaceful. Such a shame.

Stephen, the farmer, was very friendly and helpful. Had a wicked sense of humour telling us no breakdown lorries allowed!!

£5 a night.

For more info on this area, please look at my Campbeltown page.

Applecross: On The Beach At Applecross

by nickandchris

We were fortunate enough to arrive in Applecross in good weather. There were a couple of parking areas further up the coast, away from the beach but we opted for the flat, level, grassy area immediately behind the huge, sandy beach.

Wonderful views (in clear weather) across the bay to the Isles of Rona, Raasay and Skye.

Later that day it rained but we still managed to sit out under the shelter for the information board, until it really poured.

The next night it blew a gale and really POURED. In the morning, I noticed that the tents pitched further round had disappeared but the cars were still there. They must have had a rough night!!

The really good thing about this place was that no matter how much it rained, we didn't get bogged in. The ground just soaked the water up really quickly.

Very handy for the Heritage Centre and old church, situated on the site of a former monastery.

Applecross village (with public toilets and a pub) was probably a good10 min.walk although we used the motorbike.

Be warned, the midges were pretty diabolical here.

Didn't cost us a penny!!

More info on my Applecross page.