One of the best things about living in Scotland is being able to head in any direction and stumble upon something great. You’ll find quaint forest walks, famous hills and mountains, beautiful open landscapes, lochs, farms, single track roads and an abundance of animals and wildlife to greet you along the way.
A personal favourite of just about everyone is the gem of the west, Glencoe. Just a couple of short hours drive from Glasgow or Edinburgh, you get to watch the landscape slowly unfold through the car windows like a movie playing all around you. Through tiny villages and the mighty Loch Lomond, the ever changing scenes come to a dramatic finale when you start going uphill and the incredible sights of the snow capped mountains dominate everything in front of you.
There’s no shortage of things to do in Glencoe either. There’s nothing quite like a drive down the famous roads of Glen Etive (James Bond: Skyfall), snapping pictures of the numerous cottages and bothies dotted around area or taking in a hike and visiting a few cairns or waterfalls or maybe even a world famous viaduct (Harry Potter anyone?)
The popular Kingshouse Hotel is a gem of a find for weary travellers or thirsty adventurers, the views from all around the facility are breathtaking, and you might even meet a few new friends. (Be aware you are strictly NOT allowed to feed the deer. Please follow the rules and talk to the staff if you have any concerns)
Great food, lovely accommodation, fantastic prices and of course, a rather decent whisky selection.
Glencoe is always first on my list for people new to my tours, if you’ve not been, you must, if you have… you wont be disappointed on a return visit. I’m still not over it after 30 years!
If you want to experience a little more of Scotland (including here, of course!), or want to get some incredible photos and level up your photography game along the way, let’s have a chat and get out exploring! Email me directly or check out the tours on offer below.
The Kingshouse
After such a successful day we decided to put ourselves up in the Kingshouse Hotel. It’s the first time i’d been back since the rebuild and wondered if it kept the charm of the hold B&B.
Right from the start i was impressed. You can smell the wood burning fire before you enter the main reception and every detail of the place had been well thought out and executed. They even had the days weather forecast displayed at the main desk, a rather nice touch.
Seeing as it was so quiet and we expected to be out all day and night, we went for the bunkhouse. Our room was a 2 bed for ourselves with toilets and showers close by as well as a communal area we where could share a whisky or two before bed.
We spent the night in the restaurant / lounge eating venison pie, drinking Old Fashioned’s and playing Jenga by the fire.
In case you were thinking it couldn’t get any better, Breakfast was included. We sat down and worked our way though an impressive buffet with full Scottish breakfast (haggis included), decent coffee and views across the valley unlike any on earth.
Staying in the bunkhouse saved us a good bit of cash, the room with breakfast included was a very reasonable £45, add on some fuel costs and a couple of days worth of food and drink and you’re looking at a cheaper weekend than a night out in Glasgow without the hangover the next day.
Would you add Glencoe to your list of day trips around Scotland? I’ve got a feeling ill be back again for more pretty soon.
And again, if you’re interested in seeing it for yourself, lets do it!