Easter 2019 – Glen Carron.

This year Easter is a late one so we have booked the Good Friday week, one week earlier than usual, starting on Saturday on April 13th.

This year sees us return Glen Carron. I made protracted but failed efforts to book what seemed to be a an ideal big house close to Lochcarron and a subsequent attempt to eat together at the village hall found it too busy to accomodate us. So I returned to Legowan Lodge Hotel at Achnasheen where they again kindly allowed me to book the whole Hotel self catering. Taking this with lodges on the Glen Carron Estate eight miles down the Glen means we have a lot of bed-space and at the hotel we can all eat and relax together.

The immediate need is to know whether I have reserved the right amount of accommodation. Essentially we need to occupy a lot of beds to keep the cost reasonable. Less immediate (but important!) is the effect on my personal finances!

So PLEASE let me have a firm commitment very very soon and follow this with a deposit.

I’ve reserved accommodation from Saturday 13^th April to Saturday 20^th April 2019. Please note that this is the NOT the traditional Easter week (i.e. it is the week including Good Friday, not Easter Sunday). 

 

Mountains and other Walks

Mountains

 

Beinn Liath Mhor from Sgorr Ruadh's western end	The Cuilin Forest Hills and Lochs The trek through the Coulin Forest from Achnashellac (just below Carron Lodge) to Glen Torridon offers a couple of routes with fabulous scenery. At the top of the ascent from Glen Carron, a north west track fork takes you between Liath Mhor and Sgurr Ruadh with the option of traversing either or both.. At their western end 1500m of cross-country will join a track to Glen Torridon near to the Corrie Dubh car park to a pre-arranged pick up / car shuffle. Two other fine Munroes can be variously incorporated - Maol Chean Dearg and Fuar Thol. Forking north west treks though the Coulin Estate with its fine views of The Torridon giants as the Glen is approached.	Loch Cuilin and Beinn Eighe
Glenuaig Lodge below Moruisg	South Glen Carron & Glenuaig Munros I considered hiring Glenuaig Lodge which is on the Glen Carron Estate but thought the late-night drive along the pictured track for 7-8 km may not be too popular (especially after wine!). However  this side of Glen Carron has many fine Munros and other hills many of which can be ascended directly from the main glen. If we ask permission of the estate I hope we may be able to drive into wild Glenuaig to access the remote hills of Sgurr a Chaorachain and Maoile Lundaidh	Loch Monar from Maoile Lundaidh

Ben Alligin

Liathac

Ben Eighe

The majestic monsters of Torridon lie less than 20 miles away. Magnificent to climb but equally grand just to walk under their impressive ramparts. Torridon has a host of other smaller mountains - some Corbetts, some Munros, some neither. Amongst the Corbetts Ben Damh (Dave Kee will lead the descent!) and Sgurr Dubh are two of the best known.

Low Level Walks & Cycles

Tourism and Relaxation

Gairloch Marine Wildlife Centre Charleston Harbour, Take a journey from the seashore out to the open sea and discover the huge diversity of wildlife found in the waters around Gairloch.  We have a large viewing window overlooking the harbour where porpoise, otters, seals and many shore birds are often seen, and if you want to get even closer to the wildlife without disturbing it you can zoom in using our remote underwater and shore based cameras all from the comfort of the wildlife centre!  Our cetacean sound booth allows you ‘listen in’ to the porpoise, dolphins and whales communicating with each other. see boat cruise above

Gairloch Heritage Museum "A great little museum of early settlements and life in and around Gairloch." 10 - 5 Monday to Friday, and 11 - 3 Saturday http://www.gairlochheritagemuseum.org/

Inverewe Garden & Estate National Trust for Scotland. A lush, sub-tropical-style, oasis perched on a peninsula at the edge of Loch Ewe amid the rugged landscape of Wester Ross, this world-famous historic garden is one of Scotland’s most popular botanical attractions. It is surrounded by an extensive estate. Visitor Centre & Garden: 10.00 - 17.00 Restaurant: 10.30 - 17.00

Accommodation

Ledgowan Hotel

Ledgowan Hotel is a classically built Scottish Sporting Lodge. The large country lodge is very comfortably appointed, fully central heated and the main public areas are spacious and extremely comfortable with beautiful original features and fittings, gold cornacing, wood panelling and chandleries. It is a fantastic house offering a taste of splendour like the lord and lady did when the house was built.

The big drawing room is lovely with its gold cornicing and large bay windows and open fire and the main hall with its beautiful staircase wood panelling and stags head echo the Victorian splendour of the heritage. The hall is so large it can act as a second sitting room also with a big welcoming open fire.

The bedrooms are traditional and all en suite. There are plenty of rooms and masses of public space so the Lodge is ideal for larger groups. 

I have hired the large function room which will seat up to 48 for dinner. Unfortunately their commercial kitchen cannot be used, I think because of the need to protect their hygene certification.

 

Rooms

Ground Floor:

Large hall with seating and open fire and staircase to first floor. Drawing room. Kitchen. Dining room. 

First Floor:
11 en suite bedrooms. 6 doubles, 1, family (DSS), 2 twins. 2 singles

Equipment

TV with Freeview, TV's in bedrooms, Wifi access

Dishwasher, Freezer,  Fridge, Oven & hobs, Tumble dryer, Washing machine

Included

Heating & electricity 
Linen and towels provided

Open fire - logs

Dogs
None

Glencarron Estate The Glencarron Estate has three lodges of which we have hired two which are within easy reach of the main road. After considering the pre- and post-dinner driving that would be needed we have not hired the third, despite its dual advantages of a stunningly wild location and easy access to a remote walking area. Our lease allows us to have up to 26 people between he two lodges (slightly fewer than the total bed places). They are fairly close to each other and about 8 miles from the hotel along a wide fast road.  Glen Carron Lodge

The stunning 11 bedroom Glencarron Lodge is an original Victorian Shooting Lodge complete with beautiful garden and breath taking Highland views. The elegance and sophistication of the period lodge has lovingly been retained as the owners have sensitively modernised it to include the convenience of modern facilities. (sleeps up to 20)

Glencarron Lodge has a beautiful drawing room with open fire, where everyone can come together to enjoy relaxing evenings or celebrate a special occasion. There is also a large dining room with table to seat up to 18, two games rooms featuring a pool table and table tennis and a handy children's sitting room where the youngsters can watch TV or take advantage of the WiFi. The period style oak kitchen has been sympathetically modernised and includes an oil AGA, as well as separate cooker, two dishwashers, three fridges, and a washing machine and tumble dyer. Finally the lodge has its own very useful drying room and a gun room.

Rooms

Ground Floor:

Drawing room with large open fire (with guard); TV-sitting room;

Dining room with table for 16/18 and side table for others;

Modernised period style kitchen with Aga, + cooker, 2 dishwashers, 3 fridges, washing machine;

Games rooms: 2 (pool + table tennis);

Drying room; Gun room; additional WCs,

Bedrooms: 1 Single

1st Floor	}	A total of 6 bathrooms with one optionally ensuite to the Double+single
Bedrooms: 1 Double+single; 1 Double
Bedrooms: 4 Twins (one with a day bed)
Bedrooms: 1 Single
Top Floor
Bedrooms: 3 Twins

Equipment

Wifi access

2 Dishwashers, Freezer, 3 Fridges, Aga+cooker, Washing machine

Included

Heating & electricity 
Linen and towels provided

Open fire - logs

Dogs
Welcome but details of breed etc needed in advance

West Cottage

Also known as Stag Lodge, is a lovely four bedroom semi-detached cottage sleeping up to eight. The Victorian stone cottage, which is set above the road is warm and spacious, and was tastefully renovated throughout just a few years ago to create a modern home-away-from-home, which never forgets its Scottish roots.  

The cottage has unspoilt view across the hills and estate, which has changed very little since Queen Victoria’s reign. It is the ideal retreat for a relaxing break in the Highlands, with walking, fishing and other outdoor pursuits widely available.

Rooms

Ground Floor:

Lounge with open fire, Kitchen-diner, Utility Room with drying rack and tumble drier,  Double bedroom with large wardrobe, Bathroom (can be used en-suite or more generally)

Second Floor:
3 twin bedrooms with large wardrobes, bathroom

Equipment

Wifi access

Fridge/Freezer, Dishwasher, Microwave, Electric Twin Oven, Electric Hob

Included

Heating & electricity 
Linen and towels provided

Open fire - logs

Dogs
Welcome but details of breed etc needed in advance

Eating Together

The Ledgowan Hotel function roon will still seat 48 and I have hired this along with the Hotel. We can all eat together there.

Cost Estimate

I estimate the cost per head for the week will be: (numbers based on analysis of the 2017 bill)

(in 2018 Accomodation cost was £225 )

In addition to this there is the cost of transport i.e.:

         Hire cars and their fuel

         Fuel for private cars

         Flights /trains etc to Scotland

Decisions and Deposits Please

I paid a little over £1,290 in deposits and I'm trying to persuade Graig at the Hotel to let me send one (their web has the hotel totally booked for our week with almost no other bookings showing). I will pay the balances in early February so I’m looking for a commitment as soon as you can, and sufficient deposits to mostly cover the house booking. It would be good to know your intentions in the next 2 weeks even if your deposit takes a little longer to organise.

Please send deposits of £230 per person (children £115) as soon as you feel able so my bank account feels less exposed! (See the email for sort code and account number in case you wish to use e-banking).