Loch Leven Holidays Blog

Happy 2012!

2012-01-12T12:05:00.003Z

Happy New Year to everyone, hope 2012 will be a very happy and healthy one!

It's been a few weeks since we posted anything on our blog (just getting over the festivities!). It was a fairly quiet Christmas on the site, with not many bookings over Christmas, although it did get busier for New Year. Everyone who stayed seemed to have a good time, the only thing that spoiled it was the weather! It has been very wet and windy for a few weeks now, with a couple of major storms which have brought their own problems.
Several people went out for Hogmany and enjoyed the local entertainment, with some heading to the Clachaig www.clachaig.com where a good night was had by all. We had some guests who ate at the Holly tree and enjoyed it and some headed for the McDonald in Kinlochleven, where there was a party night www.macdonaldhotel.co.uk.

Now its over for another year we can look forward to 2012 and all that it may bring. We have decided to open this January, so if you are looking for a escape for a few days, maybe to try and get in some winter walking or skiing www.glencoemountain.com, we have some short break offers. Mon-Fri is only £205 and Fri-Mon only £185, so give us a ring if you want more information. It is expected that this weekend it will drop cold and we will get some fresh snow!

We have been busy with the clean up after the big storm on the 8th Dec., we lost 2 roofs, several trees and a few dustbins (which we still haven't found)!!! Our laundry and out building lost its roof completely and our big storage shed is half missing. Several trees have fallen and some need to be taken down because they are dangerous. We were very lucky because all the chalets and houses escaped without damage.
It is quite unusual to get such bad storms in December, normally we get stormy weather in January but it seems to have hit the whole country this year.

This is the laundry roof which has been partly protected just waiting for the tiles etc to be put on!

I am just looking at some weather statistics for Nov. and Dec. and I will post them over the next few days. Needless to say its not telling us anything we didn't know. WET & WINDY!!!

Christmas & New Year

2011-11-02T15:43:00.005Z

The site is now closed until Thurs.22nd Dec., when we re-open for Christmas and New Year.
We still have plenty of availability if you fancy an escape to the stunning surroundings of Loch Leven. We can do short breaks or full weeks whatever suits you, a 4 night break over Christmas would cost £375 and £475 over New Year for the chalets and £750 for the cottage over Christmas, inclusive of bed linen, heating, electricity and wi-fi access.

Give us a ring on 01855 821272 or email enquiries@glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

It is a gorgeous time to visit the area, the weather is normally quite dry, bright and cold with lots of snow on the mountains, it is very picturesque!

There is plenty going on in the area over the festive period. The Clachaig in Glencoe has some good entertainment and Christmas Parties http://www.clachaig.com/p/v/whats-on/december/

You can also enjoy fantastic views at The Holly Tree Hotel, where they are doing Christmas lunches and a fantastic Hogmany dinner http://www.hollytreehotel.co.uk/newyear.html

The local hotel The loch Leven has live music on over Christmas and Hogmany: Friday 23rd December & Saturday 24th December 2011 | Live Music from the fantastic Brocken Spectre
Sunday 1st January 2012 | Live Music and Ceilidh the night away to Dodgy Ground. http://www.lochlevenhotel.co.uk/

We also have the wonderful Loch Leven Seafood Cafe just a few minutes walk from the site, where you can enjoy fantastic fresh seafood. don't worry if your not a fan of fish because they always have other alternatives on the menu. http://www.lochlevenseafoodcafe.co.uk/

There is no need to worry about getting about if you fancy a little tipple, there are several local taxi firms happy to ferry you around. Taxi Service -. Glencoe Taxis Tel: 01855 811764. Robertson's Private Hire Tel: 01855 821428 http://www.alis-taxis.co.uk/ and Rob Roy Taxi:01855 831320.

Great Video of Lochaber

2011-10-28T11:27:00.002+01:00

Outdoor Capital: 'Wish Ye Were Here'
by Cut Media plus

http://vimeo.com/30428583

Created for Visit Scotland & The Outdoor Capital for the Adventure Tourism Trade Association 2011 Summit in Mexico.

OutdoorCapital.co.uk

CutMedia.com

Written & Composed by: Scot Reid

Season Update

2011-10-12T13:34:00.002+01:00

Who can believe its nearly the middle of October???? I know everyone says time goes quicker the older you get but it seems to have gone extremely quick this year.
It's been a mixed year for bookings April/May were good, lots of people around for the six day trial, the weather was lovely too, which is a bonus! We decided to offer our guests wi-fi free of charge and we put a new router in to improve the signal, so it even reaches pinemarten chalet.
June and July (particularly) were quieter than normal, with many families saying to us they weren't managing a holiday this year or they were cutting it short. Many more people ate in the chalets rather than going out, a sign that there isn't much money about. It was good because July was a lovely month for weather and we had some nice sunny days and evenings, so many people enjoying realxing on the balconies.
The grounds are looking lovely with lots of new heathers and plants.

August was good with nearly 100% occupancy, although the weather was poor this month being wet and windy not ideal for summer particularly cause the midges like it when it's warm and wet. Although talking of those annoying little pests, they don't seem to have been as bad this year, maybe the very cold winter got rid of a few!!
Most of our foreign visitors have come from Germany and the Netherlands, with a few from Spain and France.
We spent a lot of time in August painting the exterior of the chalets, so they look really nice.

September was mixed a little quieter than normal, many of those 2nd holidays, people just can't afford at the moment. The area seems to have quietened down quite quickly. September has also been a poor month weather wise!!

And so we are into Oct. which has been very much quieter than previous years and not even the half term holiday has brought in many bookings. We have noticed less families visiting this October. Even special offers and short breaks haven't made a huge difference.

Many guests who have stayed with us over the years have complained about Fort William and the lack of facilities and shops in the High St.,
it seems to be quite a problem and many are thinking of not returning to the area because of this. We have 1 of the most famous landmarks
in the UK (Ben Nevis) which draws 1000's to the area but we do not offer them a town we can be proud of.

If you have visited the area recently, please ler us know what you think and if you have stayed with us or elsewhere we would be happy to hear your comments.

Summer nearly over!

2011-08-19T11:47:00.006+01:00

The main summer season is nearly over, just another couple of weeks (I know its very scary how quickly the time passes), the Scottish kids are back at school and the nights are not quite as light. We've had a great July weather wise, with lots of warm sunny days, August not so good with quite a bit of rain so far. Business was slow to pick up over July but August has been very busy, with lots of people around.

We've been out and about trying to take as many pictures as possible so you can see what's going on in the area. We headed up to Glenfinnan and saw the Jacobite Steam Train going over the viaduct, it looks fantastic!

We also had a trip over to the Buriel Island (Eilean Munde) on Loch Leven, this island set in Loch Leven was the burial place for the MacDonald Cameron And Stewart Clans from the local area. Some of the gravestones can be seen.

We have been busy painting the outside of the chalets and they are looking great, can't believe they are nearly 30 years old, but still going strong! We've also put some new flat screen TVs in all the chalets and cottage, the old ones have done well but they were starting to look a bit old fashioned.

We still have plenty of availability for Sept. and Oct., so give us a ring if you fancy getting away from it all, this is a great time to visit, the area is a bit quieter and the weather is usually quite good.

Summer in the Highlands

2011-07-04T12:11:00.007+01:00

With the longest day now past we are into our summer. The weather has been much better the last couple of weeks with lovely sunny days and long light nights, lets hope it continues!

The area seems a bit quieter than normal at this time of year, there seems to be still some availability in the area, which is quite unusual for this time of year.
If you are not going on holiday this year, please let us know why.
There seems to be several reasons people are staying at home, mostly due to money, worries about jobs and the price of petrol are just a few.

Even though the area is quieter there is still plenty going on, many of the hotels and pubs have entertainment on. The Clachaig is a favorite with a great atmosphere www.clachaig.com and there is always something going on at the Loch Leven Hotel just down the road from us www.lochlevenhotel.co.uk
Dragons Tooth Golf Course offers not only golf for non members, but trips on their new Segway Personal Transporters, which are great fun! Have a look on their website for full details
www.dragonstooth.co.uk
We had the Glencoe boat race on Loch Leven a couple of weeks ago, which was great. All the boats looked fantastic on the Loch, here's a picture.

Here are some other pictures taken in the last couple of weeks. There have been some lovely sunsets and cracking views.

Extreme Weather

2011-05-27T13:56:00.008+01:00

It seems I am constantly talking about the weather on this blog but it has been a talking point over the last few weeks.

While the south is basking in sunshine and screaming out for rain, here in the West coast of Scotland it has been very different. We have had constant rain for the last 3 weeks, fresh snow on the hills last week and an horrendous storm on Monday.

Air pressure dropped to 988mb with air temperature most of the day of 9 degrees. We had 28 mm of rain and from 12 noon to 6pm the average wind speed was 28mph, with gusts of 58 mph at regular intervals, the highest gust being 68 mph!!
Around the site every oak tree was damaged and 8 trees in total all fell. The force of the wind and the fact the trees were all heavy with leaves caused the many casualties!

We were very lucky and had no other damage apart from our sign at the entrance being blown off and broken in half.

On another more positive note the area is teaming with wildlife, the otters are ut and about and one was even up under one of the chalets the other day. The pine martens are out every night getting fed by our guests and we have had Roe Deer on the shore front over the last few days. Obviously the weather isn't putting them off!!

Latest Happenings!

2011-04-27T11:17:00.007+01:00

There's been loads going on at the site over the last few weeks, that's my excuse for not writing the blog sooner!!

The chalets have been filling up nicely, although a bit slower than last year but I think people are generally worried about money and many are not going very far this year. Hopefully we will get some last minute bookings.

Easter has been busy and the weather fantastic, lots of warm sunny days, stretching to at least 9pm at night. The long winter is now truly forgotten. All the local activity providers like Paddle Lochaber have plenty going on, sea kayaking a favorite. Take a look at their site for full timetable details www.paddlelochaber.co.uk

We have been busy here getting the new dam and pipe work finished! Sunday was the grand opening and filling of the new dam, it all went well and looks very impressive. Well Done Ian & Craig!! Hopefully no more frozen pipes or if we have a very dry spell, no running out of water! It has been an epic and expensive job but fingers crossed all done now! This picture was taken just before we filled it.

Grass cutting has started again (it comes round quicker every year), we have tidied up the front beach area and put a picnic bench down there. It's lovely to sit and watch the Loch, looking for the Otter.

The Pine Martens are out and about, many of our guests have seen them and they have been enjoying their nightly visits to the chalets, where they are fed bread and jam or peanut butter!! They are getting quite fussy, they like the jam off first, then come back later and eat the centre of the bread and then if they are really hungry, will return to eat the crusts!!!

We went on the cycle path the other day to The Holly Tree restaurant for dinner www.hollytreehotel.co.uk it was a lovely meal, the only problem was having to cycle back!! The cycle path is a brilliant way to see the area, hopefully the new stretch towards Oban will be finished soon! this picture was taken from the Holly Tree, it was a gorgeous night.

Give us a ring or email for any special offers we may have on!

Weather in the Highlands

2011-03-17T11:51:00.005Z

The weather is such a big talking point and here in the UK we do love to moan about it but just think of the poor people in Japan. We might get rain, wind, cold and not so great summers but at least our houses and families remain intact. Our thoughts are with all those in Japan who have lost loved ones, homes and businesses.

So what has the weather been like here over the past 3 months??

Temperatures:
December 2010 - average temperature was -4 degrees, it only went above freezing on the 30th Dec. and 1st Jan. before it dropped back to freezing, then rising in mid Jan. to +3 degrees on average.
We had a warmer spell for a few days around the 14th Jan., when it was over 10 degrees.

February 2011 - very consistent at around -3 degrees in the day and dropping to freezing at night, by the end of Feb. it had risen to an average of 8 degrees and only dropped below freezing on 2 nights in the last 3 weeks.

Wind:
Wind in contrast to the temperature has been very consistent, with only 2 windy spells lasting for a couple of days. Even then, by normal winter standards was not much, the average sped of 18 mph, with the occasional gust of up to 35-50 mph.

Rain & Snow:
We started Dec. with a very dry period with snow on the 20th which stayed on the ground for over a month, although we didn't have it nearly as bad as other areas at the beg. of Dec.
There were 2 more significant falls in the 2nd & 3rd weeks of Jan. Then as the temperature climbed the snow turned to rain at sea level and was only falling as snow above 400 metres.
So on the clear days we had lovely alpine weather, not many see! Scotland at its very best!!
The rest of Feb. and early March have been quite dry with heavy showers when it did rain. Ave 105 mm of rain in the last 30 days, most falling in 7 of those days. Jan. was wetter at 169mm but generally it felt drier due, I think, to the snowfall.

Sunshine:
Sunshine was not to be seen much during the cold snap but now the nights are getting longer, its light till 6.30pm and the clocks go forward soon, its seems much brighter.
We have had some very sunny days even thought the BBC says we haven't!
Don't always believe the forecast!!!!

January News

2011-01-26T09:55:00.006Z

With all the festivities well and truely over and the weather looking a bit easier to deal with, its time to look forward and plan for 2011!
Ian and I can't believe we are going into our 9th season! It was a quiet end to 2010 because of the weather, we had to cancel some of our Christmas and New Year bookings, which was very disappointing. The bookings are coming in for the coming year but much slower than normal. We think its going to be a tough year for everyone, the price of petrol being a big concern for most people!

The area is very quiet at the moment with many establishments closed until March/April. The Nevis Range is still open with several of the runs operating

http://snowsports.nevisrange.co.uk/ and the Clachaig is still very much open with a special Burns Night Supper on Sat.29th January www.clachaig.com

The site is closed until Sat.19th Feb., where we still have some availability. Special offers and short breaks are available, so give us a ring!

We are currently tidying up the site, Ian has just built a new wood shed to clear the wood pile away from the front of Stag. It looks great, a lot neater and somewhere for him to sleep if we fall out!!!!

Some of the fence panels in front of Tiranui Cottage need repaired or replaced, we haven't had much wind but what we have has been quite strong. They haven't lasted very well at all, we only put them up about 6 years ago!

Ian has tidied up some of the trees on the shore and behind the chalets, taking some of the stray branches off.

We are doing a deep clean on all the chalets, steam cleaning the carpets and sofas, replacing some of the bedding and generally getting them ready for February.

There is still some work to do on the new dam but we are slowly getting there and hopefully by the time the season starts it should be finished, so no more water problems, well as long as it doesn't get seriously cold again!!

Here are some pictures of various things which have happened over the last few weeks. Hope to see you all this year!

Rannoch Moor Sunrise

2010-12-20T20:10:00.013Z

The weather is a popular point of discussion at the moment, lots of people struggling to get around, with many trying to get away for the Festive Season.
We have quite a lot of snow in the area but all the roads are clear, so if you are heading up this way you should be fine. The main thing to watch out for is ice and freezing fog, it got down to -11 degrees last night and is expected to be lower tonight! Also, there are loads of stags on the road, as the come down off the hills to lick the salt from the roads, so be very careful as there are some big uns!!!!

The snowy weather makes for some stunning pictures as you can see from these, taken by Ian this morning. He headed up the Glen to Rannoch Moor and watched the sun rise! The scenery is simply stunning at this time of year and it was a beautiful morning!

Take a look at Glencoe Ski Resort and Nevis Ski Centre for all the latest news on what runs are open and the conditions.
www.nevisrange.co.uk
www.glencoemountain.com

My Cottage Holiday Award Winners

2010-12-14T20:01:00.002Z

We are so pleased to announce we have won a Highly Commended Award from My Cottage Holiday website.

The website is based on comments of reviewers. The MyCottageHoliday Excellence Awards recognise those properties and owners who provide the best possible self-catering holiday accommodation experience to their guests.   

They believe that owners who add their properties to MyCottageHoliday, and who encourage their guests to add impartial reviews, are demonstrating a commitment to accountability and excellence, so the qualification criteria for a property to be considered for one of the awards is a minimum of five guest reviews on MyCottageHoliday.co.uk in the previous 12 months.   

39 holiday properties in the UK were shortlisted out of 5000 in 2010. 12 of those received commendations, one of those was us Loch Leven Chalets!

We are very grateful to our guests who have put lovely comments on there, and we would love many more, so if you have stayed with us and wish to add a comment please go to the website

Take a look at all the winners on the website!

End of Season

2010-11-05T15:30:00.007Z

Can't believe it's that time of year again, we closed the chalets on Sat.30th October until Sat.18th December. Winter is certainly on its way, with the nights closing in and the trees changing colour.

It has been a very quick year, (I know a sign of getting old!!). The season has been a mixed one, with a good Easter and reasonably good summer, it dipped quite considerably Sept.& Oct. Not sure all the reasons for this, but the economic climate at the moment played a big part, we think? The weather was poor through the summer with a lot of rain and dull days, although we did have a really nice March/April.

We are still getting a lot of our repeat guests back again and again, which proves we must be doing something right! Thank you to them and all who stayed with us this year (although it's not quite finished yet). We are open for Christmas and New Year, so if you fancy a break in the stunning highlands give us a ring or email. We are doing short breaks of 4 nights for £350 for Christmas week or £450 for New Year week.
It is a fantastic time to visit with lots of bright, cold days and spectacular winter scenery.

Here are some new aerial pictures which were taken for us, it gives you some perspective of how the land and accommodation
lies.

Stunning Photographs

2010-10-04T11:33:00.009+01:00

Here are some photographs recently taken by Ian (on his new camera!!!).
We went for a walk on Sunday afternoon up to Glenachulish, it was a bit dull but dry and still surprisingly warm for this time of year.
All the trees are changing colour and there was lots of water in the river, making the waterfalls fantastic and the scenery stunning.
Looking up Glenachulish you can see the mountains of Sgorr Dhonuill and Beinn A Bheithir.

From the top of the path we look in the opposite direction and can see right over to Onich and Loch Linnhe. The skies are very moody with clouds skirting the tops of the hills.

Then looking to the right you can see Bishops Bay and Loch Leven, the views are stunning! It's well worth the short walk and on a brighter day worth going a bit further up.

Autumn's Here!

2010-09-17T15:30:00.003+01:00

Well with the children well and truly back at school, the summer is officially over! Although it wasn't much of a summer weather wise, we had the odd nice sunny day but nothing to get excited about.

The swifts which were nesting on our house have decided its getting too cold for them and have moved back to warmer climes.
The trees are starting to look at their best as more autumn colours appear and the lights evenings are getting shorter.
The temperatures are becoming cooler with it only getting to 10 degrees today, although it has been quite bright and sunny. Ben Nevis received its first fall of snow last week!

Many more of our visitors seem to have discovered the joys of canoeing and being able to go straight from the chalets. Many of them have brought their own boats and paddles and enjoyed exploring the loch.
Fishing has also been popular with some good sea trout being caught in the last few weeks.

This year the otter had a pup which has not been the least bit camera shy and those who have been up and about early have had a good time watching their antics.

The end of the midge season is here and outdoor activities are now much more enjoyable! Also the chance to BBQ without being eaten is proving popular.

Work on our new water system is progressing with the foundations for the new dam going in last week. This is part of a major upgrade to enable us to ensure a constant supply in the times when it is very dry. I know its hard to believe but is some time!!!

Day Out for the child in all of us!!

2010-08-19T12:16:00.005+01:00

The start of the Great Glen, Neptunes Staircase, Fairy wood and the Commando Memorial

Half Day Trip or a Full day with Picnic and Walks

This is a pleasant and easy half day drive, not far away from us, with walks and picnic opportunities, showing some of the best views of Ben Nevis in the distance from the banks of the Caledonian canal.
You can marvel at the work of Thomas Telford and William Jessop (www.scottishcanals.co.uk) along this route you follow the canal to Loch Lochy.

Take the A82 into Fort William travel through the town and take the A830 in the direction of Mallaig, drive just over a mile across the swing bridge over the canal, and take the next right on the B8004, signed to Neptunes Stair Case, Banavie. On you right, in a short way, is the car park for Neptunes Stair Case, a set of locks taking boats up into the higher reach of the canal, the views here are stunning, back across to Ben Nevis, Anoch Mor and beyond.

Re trace your steps and leave the car park turning right onto the B8004, this single track road offers spectacular views over the mountains beyond, travel 6 miles to the Gairloch turn off, keeping left straight onto B8005 to Achnacary, where their is the Clan Cameron Museum.

If you are want to go on a short walk into the enchanting FAIRY WOOD, a must for children of all ages, KIDS LOVE THIS, you travel about a mile after the junction, LOOKING out for a bridge across a burn which has a WOODEN DECK. When you cross this park immediately on the right or left,(there are off road parking places. Go through the large high wooden gate on the right of the road, and walk down the path, towards the loch side.
LOOK OUT for a pile of peebles and some bird feathers arranged on the ground at the end of a path on your right, walking still towards the loch, turn onto this path. You will come to a larger path crossing, yours go across this and slightly to your right, IF you really want to you WILL have found the entrance to the secret wood, known mainly to local people only and full of SURPRISES.

The wood was laid out by a local lady to cheer up children, the wood is a good place to take a picnic by the shore of the LOCH LOCHY

From here time permitting you can either carry on up the valley and see EAS CAIG-AIG waterfall, made famous as a location in the film Rob Roy, and is a dead end and you come back the same way, carry onto the side of LOCH ARKAIG

The way back is to retrace you steps back to the road junction at GAIRLOCHY turn left B8004 back over the bridge single track swing bridge at GAIRLOCHY in the direction of SPEAN BRIDGE, the lock side area is good to watch the boats on the canal and there are some picnic tables here.
Carry on the road towards Spean Bridge and the COMMANDO MEMORIAL, which is at the junction of the A82, turn right here back through Spean Bridge Back to Fort William

There are fantastic views over the mountains on this drive don't forget the camera its one of the best ways to see BEN NEVIS as you are far enough away to see the whole mountain range.

Cycle Path

2010-07-23T12:40:00.005+01:00

If you fancy a bit of exercise while you are up on holiday, you can't beat a leisurely cycle on the new path from Glencoe to Kentallen.
Ian and I went yesterday and we had a great time, approx. 7 miles from Glencoe village to the Holly Tree. The scenery is stunning, part of the track goes along the old railway line and along the coast of Loch Linnhe.

We started out in Glencoe village at the Glencoe Cafe www.facebook.com/pages/Glencoe-Cafe we thought we would fuel up before we went!!! A lovely cafe, which does great home cooked food and yummy cakes.

If you don't have your own bikes you can hire them in Glencoe village from www.crankitupgear.com , great for all types of advice on bikes, repairs etc.

So fueled up and ready to go we headed off, it was a cracking warm and sunny day. We travelled all the way to the Holly Tree in Kentallen and it took us about 40 mins, its a fairly easy run. You pass the Ballachulish Golf club known as the Dragon's Tooth Golf Club, where if you fancy a drink or lunch is well worth stopping.www.dragonstooth.co.uk

You can also get a lovely meal at the Holly Tree Hotel, the setting is beautiful, right on the edge of Loch Linnhe looking out towards Ardmamurchan Penisular. We stopped here for a coffee and sat outside on the decking, www.hollytreehotel.co.uk

If you are feeling very energetic you could always stop at the Isles of Glencoe on your way back and have a swim. They do an offer if you have your lunch there, you can get a free swim, but don't worry for those not that energetic there is a sauna and jacuzzi!!! www.islesofglencoe.com

The cycle path is a great way to get around and see a bit of the area without going in the car. You can stop often and get plenty of drink breaks if you need them!!

Pap of Glencoe

2010-07-09T10:12:00.006+01:00

The Pap of Glencoe or known in Gaelic as "Sgorr na Ciche" is perhaps one of the best known landmarks in this area of Lochaber. A distinctive conical shape, it is a reasonably straightforward but quite hard walk from Glencoe village. It is not a very long walk, about 5 miles (not a Munro)779 metres but the ascent is quite steep and rocky, it can take anything from 3 hours to 6 hours but the views of Glencoe, The Mamore hills and Loch Leven are spectacular, well worth the hike!

This picture is take of the Pap from the site, as you can see it's very impressive rising straight out of the Loch.

As you can see from this picture taken by the Lewis Family last week, who all climbed the mountain and said the views were fantastic! You can see the chalet park www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk and it shows how high the mountains are behind the site.

For all the details on where to start the walk etc go to the Walk Highlands website, which is a great site for many walks in the area. It gives you loads of information on distance, time, level of walk etc www.walkhighlands.co.uk

Midges!!!!

2010-06-21T16:07:00.002+01:00

For those that saw the report on midges on the BBC on the 17th June you will know the report didn't paint a very good picture of the area and the "Dreaded Midge"!!!! Glencoe and the surrounding area is one of the most beautiful in the world and we would hate to see people not visiting because of midges.

The report says that they are on the increase, is this true? We don't think so, we have been here 8 years and if anything they are getting less. We have tried to improve the site by putting in 2 midge machines and this seems to have helped quite considerably. We always recommend our guests to try Avon Skin So Soft, which seems to work much better than any of the midge repellants.

We have put midge screens on the bedrooms windows of the chalets so they can still be opened.

Certain weather conditions are worse than others. For example warm and damp weather they like but bright sunshine they don't.

Apart from all this, not everyone is bothered by them and it is a very personal thing, the report makes the midge bite sound much worse that, for most, it actually is. A lot of people, if they do get a bite it is just a little red dot that goes away quickly.

There is no denying that they can be a pest and for those who have reactions to them then very uncomfortable but aren't there lots of biting insects in lots of countries??

Weather Statistics

2010-06-03T13:47:00.002+01:00

For those of you who are interested in what the weather has been doing here in the last few months, here are a few statistics for your info.

These are collected by Ian using our very "high tec" weather station here at Loch Leven Holidays www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk!!!! These figures are for the last 3 months.

Rainfall: 100mm March Driest Spring for 70 years

126mm April

97mm May

Temperature (Avg): 6 degrees March Highest Temp: 26 degrees April

11 degrees April Lowest Temp: -2 degrees March

13 degrees May

Wind: Has been very steady over the last 3 months, at an average speed of 5 mph, 60% of the wind is from South or South West. The other 40% has been a mixed bag most of it East or North.

Air Pressure: Has remained quite high through the 3 month period, at an average of 1014m bar. The highest pressure was 1032m bar and the lowest on 27th March at 986 m bar.

After a very cold winter, we have had very dry spring. The plants in the gardens and the trees round about, are approx. 4 weeks behind the normal flowering times. Leaves have only just opened on the deciduous trees.

Here's hoping we have a nice sunny summer!!

Scottish Six Day Trial 2010

2010-05-14T12:24:00.006+01:00

The Scottish Six Day Motorbike Trials are over for another year and unlike last year the weather was fantastic, with several sunny days.

There are many elements that when combined make the Scottish Six Days Trial such a unique and respected event, but perhaps the most significant is the sheer scale of each individual day, the riders are faced with various challenges from jumping over large rocks to scaling fast flowing rivers. They come form all over the world to compete in this event and it has become one of the best in the world. Take a look at the official website for all the details www.ssdt.org

The winner this year was 20 year old Alex Wigg from Aylesbury in Bucks, he was riding a Beta and finished on 15 points. Local boy Gary MacDonald did very well and he finished in 5th place on 35 points. Well done to them!!

One of the next major sporting events coming to the area is the Mountain Bike Worldcup which takes place at Anoch Mor on the 4th - 6th June. This is just a amazing as the Motorbikes and well worth a visit. The Nevis Range Ski Area is taken over by the World Cup on these days and access to the World Cup Village and the event is by ticket only, available in advance or on arrival. Have a look at this site if you wish to purchase tickets http://www.fwwctickets.co.uk/acatalog/

On the Saturday night, the action moves from the World Cup site at Nevis Range to the Party in the Fort in Fort William. Have a look at this site for all the details fortwilliamworldcup.co.uk

A Holiday at Loch Leven

2010-04-22T10:02:00.006+01:00

Here is a typical week on holiday at Loch Leven Chalets, this is the diary of the Shea Family who stayed for a week at the beg. of April.

We had a lovely time here, the chalet had everything we needed and a beautiful view!

Arrived on Saturday, unpacked and had a drive to Kinlochleven, went to the shop and enjoyed a chip supper from Riverside Chip Shop. Jamie & Taylor investigated the beach!

On Sunday we went to Glencoe Visitor Centre and had a walk round the forest, into the exhibition and had lunch in the cafe www.glencoe-nts.org.uk

On Monday we climbed the Pap of Glencoe, this is the mountain you can look at from the chalets. It was a lovely dry day. Jim & Taylor climbed all the way to the top, the views were amazing!! Well worth the climb!

On Tuesday we went to the Scottish Sealife Sanctuary nr Oban www.sealsanctuary.co.uk but they had a power cut!! So we went to Oban and had a walk along the front, it was lovely.

On Wednesday we went to the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven, only 5 miles form the chalets www.ice-factor.co.uk Jim, Jamie & Taylor did the half day rock climbing and ice wall climbing - they really enjoyed it. Shona and Max (the dog) went for a walk along the start of the West Highland Way www.west-highland-way.co.uk

On Thursday we went back to the Sealife Sanctuary, it wasn't that good and was quite pricey!! Had a drive into Fort William.

On Friday we went back to Glencoe Visitor Centre so Jamie & Taylor could do the Easter Egg Trail. In the afternoon went back to the Ice Factor for Jim, Jamie & Taylor to do the High Level Rope Course

www.ice-factor.co.uk/facilities/air.html

We had a great week, had sun, rain and snow, the scenery is fantastic! Enjoyed family time in the evening playing Pictionary and waiting for the Pinemartens to come and eat their jam & bread (it's their favorite)!!!

Definitely would recommend the chalets. Thanks!

Jim, Shona, Jamie, Taylor and Max the dog x

Last Day of Winter

2010-03-24T13:40:00.004Z

Sunday 21st March was officially the last day of winter, and what a winter we had! Very bright and sunny but extremely cold. Well all the snow is just about gone now and the temperatures have risen to a balmy 9 & 10 degrees!! With the warmer temps has brought some rain, the first heavy rain we have had for a while, hopefully it won't last too long and we may get some Spring sunshine.
The cold weather has had an impact on the grounds and plants with the grass very mushy and brown and no sign of the daffodils blooming just yet. This time last year we were enjoying warm, sunny weather and the daffodils were out in force.
Ian took a trip up to Blackwater Dam on Sunday and as you can see by these pictures the sky is very grey and the snow is all but gone. This area just above Kinlochleven is lovely for a walk, the circuit explores the very beautiful and peaceful Glen Leven, including a visit to the bleak Blackwater Dam.
Good paths and tracks for most of the walk. There are a few boggy sections and the section of the walk below the dam is pathless and rough. www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam There are several walks close by, varying in difficulty have a look at the Walk Highlands website for lots of ideas.

The area is slowly starting to get busier and over the next week we expect to see more people out and about. We are very busy over Easter with only 1 chalet left www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk take a look at our website for full details.
There is loads going on in the area if you are planning a trip up, from The Annual Easter Ale Festival at the Grog & Gruel Pub in Fort William to an Easter Egg Hunt in Glencoe to live music in the Clachaig in Glencoe. Have a look at all the details on the Outdoor Capital website www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/events There is something for everyone!

Half Term Holidays

2010-02-25T15:45:00.004Z

All our guests who stayed last week for half term had a fantastic week of weather. The skies were clear and very sunny with lots of snow still around. Several people visited the ski slopes and 2 of our guests learned to ski at Anoch Mor in perfect conditions.www.nevisrange.co.uk Glencoe ski centre is also having a good year after worries it may have to close down due to lack of visitors.www.glencoemountain.co.uk It's great to visit the ski centres, even if you don't want to go skiing, both centres have great cafes and the views are stunning!!

The temperatures reached -9 on Thursday night which led to one of our main water pipes freezing!! So we had no water on Thurs. night/Fri. morning. Ian spent the whole day on Friday trying to find the problem and unfreeze the pipe, which he did. Thanks to all our guests who were very patient and understanding. The joys of a private water supply!!

We took the Corran ferry across to Ardgour on Sunday for a bike ride. the weather was gorgeous so we thought we would make the most of it. We rode for about 6 miles along Loch Linnhe and then turned up to Cona glen, a beautiful track which runs for about 8 miles. We took the following picture of the river Scaddle, which you can see is completely frozen.
The sun was bright in the sky but it was very cold as we followed the River Cona up the Glen, many of the burns running into the river were frozen solid! We saw 4 Hinds grazing near the river, they come down low at this time of year, as the sub zero temperatures are even too cold for them!!

There are some pictures here, looking back over to Ben Nevis from Ardgour. It looks absolutely stunning!

Re-opening 2010

2010-02-02T12:23:00.005Z

Well it's not long now until we re-open for the new 2010 season (Sat.13th Feb.)! We have had an eventful winter so far, as lots of people have. The water seems to be fine now after it freezing up in the stream and in the pipes to the chalets. Hopefully no more really cold weather!! Although the skiing is still doing well with fresh snow falls yesterday and Sunday. www.nevisrange.co.uk/ It is a bright and sunny day today, so ideal conditions!

We went out for a bike ride on Sunday around the shores of Loch Linnhe, we started out in blue sky at lunch time and ended up in a blizzard in the afternoon,just shows how quickly the weather can change.

It was a beautiful afternoon and the views to the mountains and over to the Ben was just breath taking.

Bishops Bay just down the road at North Ballachulish, the tide was well out and its not often you can walk out to the small island, this is due to the spring tides brought on by the full moon. This picture shows the view over the bay to Glencoe.

We are fully booked for the week beg.Sat.13th Feb.2010 but have plenty of availability after then. Easter is nearly full so if you are thinking of taking a trip then, get in touch for availability www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Hogmany in the Highlands!

2010-01-07T15:29:00.002Z

Happy New Year to everyone! We hope you have a very Happy & Healthy 2010!

Our guests who stayed with us over Hogmany and into the New Year had some stunning weather, bright blue skies and snow covered mountains. Here are some pictures of some guests actually fishing in the Loch.

As you can see by these pictures it is very clear but very cold! The temperatures haven't got above freezing for about 3 weeks now and we are starting to see the consequences with frozen pipes and the risk of running out of water is getting closer. The stream where we get our water from is freezing up, most of our neighbours who are on a private water supply have also ran out! It is not expected to get any better over the next few weeks.
Everyone around the country seems to be suffering and I think compared to some areas, particularly the East coast we have come off quite lightly. Although there is a lot of snow on the ground most of that has been frozen for a couple of weeks and we have not had much new snow, so the main roads are clear.

Some people very happy about the weather conditions are the Ski centres, Nevis Range reporting a great ski season so far www.nevisrange.co.uk Have a look at their site for all the details of the conditions and various runs.

Hope everyone keeps warm and we look forward to seeing many of you in the coming year.

Christmas Greetings!

2009-12-20T10:50:00.005Z

Hello Everyone!
Hope things aren't too stressful in the run up to Christmas! We re-open the chalets today (20th Dec.) for the Festive period. We have been closed for 6 weeks and managed to get a little holiday ourselves within that time but it was soon time to come home and get organised for our guests arriving.

Here are some pictures taken last night at dusk and then some from behind the chalets taken this morning. It just looks stunning!

Well for those making the journey to the West coast today it will be a cold and snowy one, so take it easy! We woke up this morning to several inches of "white stuff" and nice blue skies. Ian is outside as I type this, clearing the drive and chalet paths.

If you fancy doing some skiing when you are up, go to the Nevis Range website for all the details and what runs are open. We expect more snow over the next few days and they say some of the runs should be open tomorrow www.nevisrange.co.uk

It's been a fairly busy year at Loch Leven Holidays, with the wet summer not putting too many people off! We would like to thank everyone who has stayed with us in 2009 and look forward to seeing many of you next year. We wish all our guests a very Happy Christmas and Healthy 2010!

We close the chalets on Sun.3rd Jan.2010 and re-open on Sat.13th Feb.2010, give us a ring if you fancy a winter break away next Feb/March 01855 821272. www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Fisher Family Photos

2009-11-05T10:09:00.003Z

We had the Fisher and Reed famililies from Sussex staying in the chalets last week, it is there 2nd visit and they said they would be back next year! They had a great week and they took some photographs for us to display. These 2 are of Glen Etive, showing very moody skies.

These are of Loch Leven, with the chalet park in the distance.

The next picture is of Signal rock forest in Glencoe and some cheeky Pinemarten on the chalet balcony!

The final picture is of Glencoe Lochan, showing stunning views and clear skies.

Thanks to Lewis Fisher for taking these pictures, they are fantastic and show the area at its best. Whether its sunny, wet, dull or bright, the scenery is spectacular
and there is always plenty to do and see.

Give us a ring (01855 821272) or check or website for information www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

A Day Out To Mull

2009-10-22T10:55:00.005+01:00

Now that the area is getting quieter we decided to have a day out to Mull, we love going to Mull, it's easy to get to and lovely for a walk and a bit of Eagle watching. We set off on Monday morning and the weather was fantastic, bright and cold! We caught the Corran Ferry across to Ardgour http://www.lochabertransport.org.uk and then travelled to Lochaline on Ardnamurchan, this takes about 45 mins from Ardgour. This is an easier and cheaper option than going from Oban, the ferry then only takes about 15 mins to get to Fishnish on Mull. www.calmac.co.uk

When we arrived it was nearly lunch time so we thought we would visit Mull Pottery http://www.mullpottery.com/ which has a lovely cafe just outside Tobermory. Fishnish is about 20 mins from Tobermory. We enjoyed a fabulous homemade bowl of soup which set us up for the afternoon. We then had a walk around Tobermory watching the boats come in and out of the harbour. The weather had changed a bit and was cold and wet but this didn't put us off.

We headed North West through Dervaig onto the rugged West Coast where there are magnificent views looking out to The Trishnish Islands, Coll and Staffa. The road hugs the coastline and the scenery is fantastic. We drove through Calgary where there is a superb picnic spot on a sandy beach, to the right you can see Gometra and the Ulva Islands.
A stop at Eas Fors waterfall is a must, the water plummets 100s of feet and is only a short walk from the road. Continuing on to Grulin and then to Salen takes you back to the ferry at Fishnish.
This route is ideal for spotting the Sea Eagles, unfortunately this time we didn't spot any, although we did see a pair of Eagles on our way back to the ferry. They are stunning birds and we watched the for ages!!

We had a lovely day and Mull is well worth a visit if you are ever in the area.

Recent Pictures

2009-09-21T13:05:00.003+01:00

There is always something to photograph in and around Loch Leven Holidays, so here are a few recent ones.

We had a lovely walk around the Glencoe Lochan one evening last week, the day had been bright and sunny and the sun was just starting to go down, as you can see from these pictures. The water was flat calm and there was a lovely reflection of the Pap of Glencoe mountain.
The pictures of Loch Leven and Tiranui Cottage were also taken that evening as the sun was setting.

The pinemarten pictures were taken by one of our guests from inside the chalet, they said the pinemarten was very tame and even ate some bread from his hand. As you can see in one picture it is enjoying some cornflakes and in another some jam & bread!

The weather has become more Autumnil in the last few days and the light for photographs is fantastic. We are starting to see the leaves come off the trees and its getting darker earlier in the evening. It is a lovely time to visit the area, with the children back at school it is quieter round and about.
Why not give us a ring if you fancy a short break 01855 821272 www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

The Weather!!!

2009-09-07T12:35:00.005+01:00

What would us Brits do if we didn't have the weather to talk and moan about?? Is the weather in the UK and particularly the West Coast of Scotland as bad as we are lead to believe.

Well in a word YES, it has been the last couple of months.
Here are a few of the statistics we collected at Loch Leven Holidays from our "very professional" weather monitoring station!!!

The monthly rainfall from last October to the end of August is as follows in millimetres:

Oct.08 - 282mm
Nov.08 - 168mm
Dec.08 - 172mm
Jan.09 - 101mm
Feb.09 - 155mm
Mar.09 - 138mm
Apr.09 - 151mm
May 09 - 107mm
Jun.09 - 101mm
Jul.09 - 166mm
Aug.09 - 282mm !!!!!!!!!

Well as you can see August was very wet and July wasn't great either. The August figure is double what it was for last August. May & June were lovely months with not much rain and some glorious sunny days.

The 30th of June 09 gave us our hottest day of the year with the temperatures reaching a scorching 30.1 degrees.
In comparison, the average day time temperature in August was only 16 degrees and the night time temp dropped to 11.8 degrees.
The average for the summer (June/July & August) only reached a very poor 15.2 degrees!!

The coldest day in the last 12 months was on the 30th November 2008 and tempertures dropped to -5.9 degrees. A bit of a surprise to us, as we expected it to be colder in Jan or Feb.

And so what about the winds!!!

Based on the Beaufort Scale 1 = 0 - 4.6 miles per hour
2 = 4.6- 8.1 mph
3 = 8.1-12.7 mph
4 = 12.7-18.4 mph
5 = 18.4-25.3 mph

48.9% of the winds from Oct.08 to Aug.09 were a 1 (0-4.6 mph)
19.4% were a 2
7.6% were a 3
3.1% were a 4
0.6% were a 5

So is it true the Seasons are changing and we are getting much wetter and warmer weather. Not sure about the warmer but certainly wetter this summer! The good weather seems to be arriving earlier in the year April/May June and we are getting more Autumnial weather in the traditional summer months. So it may be we need to take our holidays a bit earlier www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

It will be interesting to see what the next few months bring, and wether we get an Indian summer!!

Poem by Katie Unsworth

2009-08-10T10:54:00.002+01:00

This is a poem written by 12 year old Katie who stayed with us last week. Her and her family are regular visitors.

To Ian & Sharon,
I have written you a poem to tell you what a good holiday I had!!

Thank you, thank you very much,
here to stay and that's for good,

With the Pinemartens scary to touch,
nipping in and out of the wood,
keeping look out day and night,
you never know what you will see,
oh thank goodness they didn't fight
under the stone there is their tea.

Ian is a busy bee,
and when it is raining he works away,
new places to go and people to see
all day working and no time to play,

Night is quiet and very calm,
do watch out when the midges bite.
Sharon kind and never harms,
home from home is the sight,
and there is Bill he is my friend,

Round the roads I will miss,
oh I drive you all round the bend,
Never ever had a holiday like this!!!

Thank you very much
Katie xxx

Upgrades to Kinlochleven Village Centre

2009-07-21T10:45:00.004+01:00

The picture shows the pipeline in Kinlochleven.

You may start to see a difference the next time you visit us and venture down to Kinlochleven.
Kinlochleven Community Trust are extremely pleased to announce that funding application was recently approved on 22nd June 2009 which means that the centre of Kinlochleven will be transformed.
The start date of 17th August 2009 has been confirmed with the contractors and you will see a bit of activity early that week when the contractors put up the security/safety fencing on site. The work is expected to last 12/14 weeks.

Funding was sought to carry out landscaping works and regeneration of a large piece of derelict land within the centre of Kinlochleven. The overall aim is to provide a community space available to all which will create a welcoming space in the village centre which will promote the village and its facilities.

The area will provide a focal point for community activity and present a better impression for residents and visitors.

The KCT have been working hard to improve the village, many business and locals have also been supporting the Hanging Basket Scheme. Special thanks are due to all of the children in Kinlochleven Primary and Nursery for planting the hanging baskets and planters for the 2009 season. The children worked really hard and were really pleased with their results! www.kinlochleven.co.uk

If you are planning to visit the area and fancy going to one of the many Highland Games, there are several on just in Lochaber. Highland Games are a great day out. With activities ranging from Highland Dancing, Athletics - including several "heavyweight events", Piping competitions and marching, stalls and guest appearances make it a memorable day.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Glengarry Highland Games - Saturday 4 July 2009
Arisaig Highland Games - Wednesday 29 July 2009
The Lochaber Highland Games (Fort William) - Saturday 25 July 2009
Mallaig & Morar Highland Games - Sunday 2th August 2009
Glenfinnan Highland Games - Saturday 15 August 2009

More info can be found at Lochaber.com website www.lochaber.com/whatson/index.htm

Many local businesses have been saying how it has been a busy year so far for visitors and here at Loch Leven Holidays we have found the same. We have no chalets available until Sat.29th August, although we still have some rooms available in our Bed & Breakfast, and it is filling up fast for Sept. and Oct. If you usually come to stay with us at this time of year it might be worth giving us a ring to check availability, especially if you have a preferred chalet.
The same goes for the popular weeks next year, these seem to be getting booked up quickly also. www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Local Networking Site

2009-06-24T13:19:00.002+01:00

In a world that now seems obsessed with blogs, social network sites, review sites etc we here in Glencoe are not to be outdone. The people at The Clachaig Inn in Glencoe have come up with the Glencoe Scotland Social Network http://glencoescotland.ning.com this is a networking site for all those who are interested in the famous Glen. Whether you are a regular visitor, live here or dream of visiting one day, it is an ideal place to post your comments, pictures or just talk to others who share you interest in the stunning surroundings.
Why not go on the site and sign up and find out what's going on!!

Another new site that we here at Loch Leven Holidays have signed up for is http://mycottageholiday.co.uk this is a review site like Tripadvisor for self catering accommodation. It lets guests post their comments on places they have stayed and also look for holiday accommodation. It is still quite new so there aren't that many places on it yet, but it is getting more popular all the time. So if you have stayed with us in the past www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk
and we like to air your views, good or bad, please do. We would love to hear what you had to say about us and it may help others decide where to stay in the future.

We are getting very technical here at Loch Leven Holidays, we now have a Wi-Fi hotspot on site. So for those who can't live without checking their emails or those who just have no choice and need to check them, then you can now do it here!! The Wi-Fi facility is not available in all the chalets so to make it easier we have designated a hotspot in the laundry area. You can go in there at any time and get online. Because of where we are situated here, we are miles away from the exchange, so our connection speed is not always great, so we ask that our guests respect that and don't spend hours surfing the net. The more people that use it at once the slower it will get! A small price to pay for living and holidaying in such a fantastic place!

Also, next week we should be getting our digital televison system fitted, this will give us a much better TV picture and also several more channels. Unfortunately, for those mad on sport it is simply Freeview and not Sky so no Sky Sports I am afraid, but a much better system than we have currently.

Day Out to Ardnamurchan!

2009-06-02T11:10:00.004+01:00

With the weather being so good we decided the painting and bookwork could wait!!!!

We would take advantage of the glorious weather and take a trip over to Ardtoe Beach on Ardnamurchan.
Arnamurchan Penisular, for those who have never visited, is situated on the remote West Coast of Scotland due west of Fort William. Ardnamurchan is a long, narrow peninsula along the shores of Loch Sunart and marks the most westerly tip of the British Mainland. It has some of the best beaches in the country, with clear blue water and white sand.
So we packed a picnic and a little disposable BBQ and headed off. We decided to go the long way round through Fort William to get some shopping in town. We headed to Fort William and then on to Glenfinnan on the A830, the road to the isles,(you can stop here for a coffee and a comfort break, if necessary!!) www.nts.org.uk
Follow the road until you come to a sign for the A861 and this takes you onto Ardnamurchan and towards Acharacle round Loch Moidart and Loch Ailert. You will go throught some of the best scenery in Scotland. There really isn't much in the way of cafes etc before you get to Acharacle so you are best to pack some food to take with you.

Near Kinlochmoidart you will see "The Seven Men of Moidart" These are 5 beech trees (originally 7) planted about 200 years ago to commemorate the seven men who accompanied Bonnie Prince Charlie on his way to raise his standard at Glenfinnan in 1745.www.moidart.org.uk
Carryin on we headed for Acharacle where there is a shop, tea room, hotel and public toilets. The turning for Ardtoe is just before the village centre signposted to Kentra (B8044), carry on this single track road for about 3 1/2 miles and you will come to the end of the road. There is a tiny little car park which costs 50p and you can park there.
We stayed there for several hours enjoying the sunshine and even had a swim in the sea, very cold as it was!!!!

Heading home we decided to go back the other way, which takes you through Acharacle towards Strontian about 12 miles. A lovely place to stop, just before Strontian, is Sunart Woodland,you can take in the breathtaking views of the loch and watch for seals and otters. www.forestry.gov.uk

We stopped again a bit further on at the Strontian hotel www.strontianhotel.co.uk for a refreshing drink and decided although the menu looked nice we were still full from our BBQ!!! Heading to Ardgour we picked up the Corran Ferry which takes you over Loch Linnhe (costs £6.40 for a car and only takes 5 minutes). You are then back on the A82 and you can go left to Fort William or right for us, home! www.lochabertransport.org.uk/corranferry

We had a fantastic day and arrived back about 8pm, having seen some great views, stunning weather and lots of wildlife!!

Six Day Trial!

2009-05-13T14:32:00.003+01:00

Well done to Dougie Lampkin, who won the 2009 Scottish 6 Day motorbike Trials. It was a great achievment considering the weather was so bad. It was wet and windy all week even resulting in fresh snow on the hills. The trial route had to be changed last Thurs. because the ground was so wet!!!! And well done to all the people who stood and cheered the riders on, that can't have been very pleasant in those conditions.

Typically the weather has been fabulous this week and we have had glorious sunshine and warm temperatures, here's hoping it continues for a while!!

Sticking to 2 wheels, the UCI mountain Bike World Cup comes to Fort William and the scenic Scottish Highlands on the 6th-7th June.

In addition to the ‘Gravity Gathering’, a showcase of world-class Downhill and 4Cross biking competition, this year’s event also features two brand new elements set to wow the crowds and give them a taste of the action.

Now in its eighth year, the event is expected to attract more than 400 competitors and up to 20,000 spectators, and has been voted best mountain bike event in the world three years running. It is a great weeked away for those who love bikes or just love the thrill of watching people do amazing things on bikes!!

Tickets for the event go on sale on the 23rd March. For more information on this year’s programme, tickets, the course and competitors as well as travelling to the event and accommodation in the local area please visit: www.fortwilliamworldcup.co.uk

Other news from the area: Dragons Tooth Golf Course, Ballachulish is up and running again, the lovely 9 hole course is just on the edge of Loch Linnhe and it enjoys stunning views. You can simply go along and pay and play, it opens at 8am till 10pm. you can enjoy a great game of golf in fantastic surroundings then enjoy a meal or just a drink in The Gathering Place Cafe. It's well worth a visit!! email: dragonstooth@live.co.uk for more details.

What's Happening??

2009-04-16T11:50:00.012+01:00

Well, with just about all of the snow gone from the hills, Nevis Ski Resort are reporting an increase of 5757 visitors to the slopes just in the month of February. So that must be good news for the area, you might not be able to ski now but you can visit Nevis range and have a go on the gondola and take in the breath taking views from the top. http://www.nevisrange.co.uk

This week our guests have been enjoying lovely bright sunny weather with some of the kids even venturing into the Loch!!!! Very brave!! Or temperatures have hit a mighty 18 degrees, not bad for April.

Not only are the guests out and about but the wildlife seems to be making an appearance, the Pinemarten has been seeking out his favourite jam and bread and was photographed on the balconies just the other night, he has also been in our wheelie bins, scattering rubbish everywhere!
The red squirrel has been enjoying the warmer weather and feasting on our nut feeders.

The area is starting to get busy now and we are well and truly up and running for the season. There is plenty going on in and around Loch Leven Holidays
http://www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Dragons Tooth Golf Course is re-opening, after being bought over, with an open day on Sun.19th April. You can have a game of golf and then enjoy the free BBQ on offer. The golf course which is in an amazing setting is perfect to while away a few houres email them at dragonstooth@live.co.uk for more info.

We also have the Scottish Six Day trials in a couple of weeks which is on in and around Fort William with a couple of days in Kinlochleven. Even if you aren't into Motor Bikes it is a great day out and you will be amazed at what can be done on those bikes. This takes place from Monday 4th May to Saturday 9th May, starting and finishing in Fort William's West End Car Park each day.
There is also the Pre 65 event which takes place on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd May 2009, based in and around Kinlochleven. This features older bikes and is equally exciting. Check out the website for more details
http://www.ssdt.org

We still have availability for the week beg. Sat.2nd May so give us a ring 01855 821272 or email enquiries@glencoeselfcatering.co.uk for more information.

Spring has Sprung!!!

2009-03-23T15:38:00.002Z

Well what a week of weather we had last week, the first day of Spring was certainly a good one! We had several days of clear blue skies and sunshine and it actually got quite warm
The daffodils are coming out in force and we have even seen some lambs in the area.

The following pictures were taken round the site and as you can see lots of the plants coming alive after a cold winter, we will need to start cutting the grass soon!!!!!!

It has dropped a bit colder again this week and we have even had some snowy showers, so perhaps it was to early to celebrate the coming of Spring!!

Whats going on at Loch Leven Holidays?

2009-03-09T11:27:00.005Z

Well we now have our very own "Brokeback Mountain"!!!!! Unfortunately Ian had an accident 4 weeks ago and has broken his back, he was up the back of the chalets when a tree was felled on his head, he was on a slight hill (not quite a mountain!!!!!!). He was very lucky, in that he had all his safety equipment on and his helmet took a lot of the impact, however he has broken a bone in his back and will be out of action for at least 12 weeks!

We managed to get some of the painting we had planned done before his accident, so
Tiranui Cottage bathroom is finished and one of the chalet bathrooms has been done and the laundry has been re-decorated with new flooring and worktops.

We had a quite a busy February with several repeat customers visiting and enjoying the snow, which there was plenty of! However, the cold weather has not put off the wildlife with the Pinemarten making a few visits to the chalets for his bread and honey.
The Woodpecker, although very shy, has been seen on several occasions on some of the nut feeders which are dotted about the site. A beautiful bird with amazing colours, it commands a lot of respect from other birds. They all disappear when he arrives!

The Red Squirrel has been less obvious, only really windy, cold or wet weather keeps the squirrels tucked away in their nests, but if the weather stays bad for a few days they will have to come out and search for food anyway. So they must have been out and about but we have missed them. Squirrels are most active first thing in the morning - one or two hours after dawn is the best time to see them!

The days are starting to get a bit lighter so you have more chance of seeing the fabulous wildlife that is about the site. Take a look at our website there is a wildlife page which tells you more about what you can find when you visit www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Snow in the Highlands

2009-02-06T13:23:00.003Z

Here are some pictures taken over the last few days, the 1st one is the grave yard at Blackwater dam where it was -5 degrees.
The 2nd picture is looking over the frozen loch to Caolsnacon narrows near Kinlochleven and the 3rd picture was taken just today of the chalets after a heavy snow fall.

I am sure most people are sick of hearing about the weather and all wishing for Spring to arrive. Well we haven't escaped the snow up here in the Western Highlands, although I don't think it has been as bad as other parts of the country.

The only consolation is our ski slopes have been having a great season and it looks to continue for a while yet! If skiing is not something you have tried it is great fun and the scenery from the tops at Anoch Mor & Glencoe are stunning. Have a look at their websites for weather conditions, prices etc. http://www.nevisrange.co.uk http://www.glencoemountain.com Here at Loch Leven Holidays we are situated just about in the middle of both ski ranges approx. 25 minutes driving time from each. With the schools off next week the area will get a bit busier with lots of people taking the chance to ski, ice climb, walk etc in the wintery conditions. It is a beautiful time of year to visit the area, with lots of bright , cold, sunny days!!!

Happy New Year 2009

2009-01-07T16:32:00.003Z

Happy New Year to all our past and future guests to Loch Leven Holidays, we hope 2009 is a very happy and healthy one!

So did you all have a good Christmas or did the credit crunch put a dampner on things! We had a busy festive fortnight with several guests commenting on the fact they normally go abroad but decided to stay at home this year because it was cheaper. Although we have noticed not many of our guests went out for meals etc. deciding to cook in the chalets and save some money - the benefit of self catering!!!
With the pound doing so badly against the Euro and Dollar it may make more people think the same in this coming year and it may bring more foreign visitors to the country - here's hoping!!

We had a great time here at Loch Leven Holidays with our guests making the most of the great weather, we had nearly 2 weeks of dry sunny weather, if not a bit chilly. There was quite a bit of snow on the tops so the hardy amongst our guests could do a bit of ice climbing Many of them taking the chance to do a bit of walking, biking and general exploring. A great time to visit Anoch Mor and have a go on the gondola www.nevisrange.co.uk The views are stunning from up there and you can also enjoy a nice warm cup of coffee if it gets too cold!

We celebrated Hogmany and welcomed in 2009 with several of our guests letting off fireworks on the shore, it was a great night and everyone had fun. It is an ideal spot to bring the family over the festive season, you can eat, drink and be merry in fantastic surroundings and if you do feel like treating yourselves to a meal out, we have the delicious Loch Leven Seafood cafe www.lochlevenseafoodcafe.co.uk just next door, so no need to drive!!!
Give us a ring 01855 821272, email enquiries@glencoeselfcatering.co.uk or have a look at our website www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk for full details on breaks any time of the year.

First Snow of the Year!

2008-10-22T13:04:00.005+01:00

Well it seems to come round quicker and quicker each year, we have had the first snow fall and I am sure there will be much more to come. As you can see from the picture, which was taken from the shoreline just in front of the chalets, we have a small covering on the top of the hills at Glenachullish, which means there will be much more on top of the Ben in Fort William!!
The temperature over the last few days has certainly dropped and we are well and truly into Autumn. All the leaves are changing colour and looking fabulous, with many of them beng blown off all together. The area has quiten down considerably and we all now go into hibernation (only kidding it just feels like that sometimes)!! We hope to have a good winter with plenty of snow to bring all the skiiers to the area and keep us going until next year.

We close the chalets on the 1st November and re-open on the 20th December for Christmas and New Year. We the close again and re-open on the 7th February 2009.
We still have chalets available for Christmas and New Year so please give us a phone 01855 821272 or email enquiries@glencoeselfcatering.co.uk for details. www.glenoceselfcatering.co.uk

It has been quite a good year for us at Loch Leven Holidays, we have been fairly busy with only a short lull at the end of September. The credit crunch hasn't really affected us so far, so fingers crossed that will continue. Hopefully people will decide just to holiday at home next year and with the price of petrol finally coming down this may make a difference.

We have been busy re-roofing the chalets, which has been a big job and taken several months but it is finally finished and the roofs will probably outlast us now!!!!
Ian has been busy outside doing some new rockeries and heather beds so we may see those taking next year and he will continue to manage the trees so all the chalets have great views.

We are just waiting for the bits to replace the jetty which, as some of our regular customers know, has been out of action due to bad storms at the beginning of the year, so it should be fixed soon and our guests can enjoy fishing again.

Some of our plans for next January are to upgrade the 2 bathrooms in Tiranui Cottage, putting a new shower cubicle upstairs. We also hope to decorate the chalet bathrooms, paintng them and putting some new lighting and cabinets etc in. The laundrette will get a bit of a face lift too, with a paint and some new carpet and counter top. There is always plenty to do and we really appreciate all the comments and suggestions from our guests and try to act on points they bring to our attention.

We thank all our customers who have stayed with us this year ad we look forward to welcoming some of them back again next year and look forward to meeting some new ones!

Fishing in the area !

2008-09-24T11:03:00.006+01:00

If fishing either Sea or Fresh Water is your thing then in and around Loch Leven Holidays (www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk) is the place to be!

Only a couple of hundred yards from the chalets and you are on the edge of Loch Leven a sea loch, where you can find Mackerel, Sea trout and amongst other things Conger Eels!
One of our regular guests who comes fishing to the area for 2 weeks every year caught several congers from Loch Leven, many into double figure size.

One of the best places to find them is at the slipway just under the Ballachulish Bridge on the Oban road. This is where Loch Leven meets the sea, the narrow area is highly tidal and very shallow, there are some good fish living in the kelp.

He uses fish bait like mackerel and squid and a strong beachcaster or even better a 30lb class boat rod. You may have quite a fight on your hands to get it landed but it is worth it! The above picture is Kelvin with his prize catch!

If Fresh water fishing is more your thing then you don't need to go far, Glencoe Lochan in Glencoe is an ideal spot, particularly for Trout fishing. You can get all the tackle and permits you require from the Hardware store (www.glencoetourism.co.uk) in Ballachulish, where Simon will be able to give you lots of help and tips on the best place to go.

The local rivers are popular for fly fishing and hold stocks of salmon and sea trout. Loch fishing takes place in hill and forestry lochs, like the Glencoe Lochan, for brown trout, char, and pike. Sea angling charters can be arranged and large skate, mackerel and conger eel are often caught.
The other picture above shows our friend Kelvin with a Skate.

No matter what your level of expertise there is some fishing for everyone and you know you can enjoy it in fantastic surroundings with amazing scenery!!

Fisher Family Diary 2nd-15th August 2008

2008-08-15T15:13:00.004+01:00

Here is the diary of the Fisher family who stayed with us at Loch Leven Holidays (www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk) for 2 weeks.

We've had a fantastic 2 weeks here! From the start it felt like home and we really don't want to leave. Ian & Sharon are so friendly and we felt that Ian was our 'Guru holiday guide', with his advice on where to go and the best cakes shops to visit!! We've now put on a few pounds.

We have visited some geat places - Landmark nr Aviemore (www.landmark-centre.co.uk), a bit of a drive but worth it and great fun. Ben Nevis Distillery, Anoch mor cable car & chairlift - fantastic views. We drove to Glenfinnan and then on to Arisaig on the coastal route and we discovered the golden sands and empty beaches.
We drove down to Mamore lodge and parked in their car park (£3 for all day)and walked up to see fantastic views of the valley with the Pap of Glencoe and the Loch -beautiful!
We visited Robins Nest Tea rooms in Taynuilt and then drove up through Glen Orchy where the waterfalls are amazing.

We went on the National Trust (www.glencoe-nts.org.uk) Landrover Safari from Glencoe (you have to book in advance). The kids loved this and Scott our driver was so full of tips and information about the history of Glencoe. He took us off track and on old roads it was great.

We have seen loads of buzzards, seals in the loch, red squirrels on the bird feeders, a weasel who popped his head up to say hello on the beach and midgies. Well they weren' too bad thanks to Ian & Sharon's Midge Magnet.

The seafood restaurant next door is out of this world (www.lochlevenseafoodcafe.co.uk), Cafe Chardon (next to the Rod & Gun shop in Fort William), Glen Nevis restaurant, the cafe at the Gondola (nice soup)!!

Weather was good considering the forcast wasn't......Everything was perfect, we are definitely coming back...... Thank you.

This picture was taken by the Fisher family looking down the Loch towards Ballachulsh Bridge.

Weather!!!

2008-07-12T15:04:00.005+01:00

Have you ever wondered if the weather in the West Highlands of Scotland is as bad as you thought or are you trying to decide whether its worth a trip to the West Highlands.

Well thanks to our on site weather station here at Loch Leven Holidays www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk we can give you some facts about the sun, rain, wind etc over the last few months.

We had one of the driest springs on record, our statistics tells us from the 11th March to 11th May, a 3 month period we only had 110mm of rain. From the 11th May to 10th June we say 24 mm giving and average of 33 mm of rain per month, only a quarter of the normal rain fall for that period.
From the 11th June to the 10th of July, however, it has been wetter, showing a monthly total of 134 mm, which is average for this time of year but unusually the rain fell in heavy, short, sharp showers, which has continued the trend of the feeling of good weather.

From an average daily temp of 6 degrees in March, we climbed to a average high of 18 degrees throughout May, dropping back to 16 degrees for June & July so far.

During this 5 month period 67% of the wind has been below 4.6 miles per hour and we have only experienced 2 windy days, where the average speed has hit 25 miles an hour, force 5 of the Beaufort Scale.

Although our weather station does not keep sunshine records (as yet), we have experienced very bright clear weather as unusually
2/3s of the wind has been from the East, keeping the Atlantic cloud away.

Well hopefully this has made you realise you can't believe everything you hear on the BBC weather forecast!!!!

Special Offer 20% off!!

2008-06-10T11:32:00.003+01:00

Tiranui Cottage

If all this talk of a credit crunch is making you a bit nervous about money, why not come and stay with us and we will give you a fantastic 20% off our luxury cottage.

Tiranui Cottage sleeps up to 8 people but is still very comfortable and cosy if there are only 2 of you! It has 1 double ensuite room, 1 double and 2 twin rooms with another bathroom and toilet. It is fully fitted to a high standard and enjoys exceptional views of Loch Leven and the Glencoe mountains beyond.

It is available for the weeks beg. Sat.21st & 28th June, 5th, 12th & 19th July 2008. Normal price for June is £780 but is now £624 saving £156 and July is normally £950 is now £760 saving £190.

Why not give us a ring 01855 821272 or send us an email enquiries@glencoeselfcatering.co.uk we will be happy to answer any questions you may have. You can have alook at the cottage on our website, where there is a virtual tour and lots of pics! www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Sea Plane

2008-05-27T13:02:00.003+01:00

Last week Ian & I went on the Loch Lomond Sea Plane from Oban to Glasgow, it was a fantastic Christmas present from my Mum.
What an amazing trip!!!! It is highly recommended, we left Oban at 12 noon although it normally leaves at 10am. You get a boat out of Oban Bay to the plane. The weather was perfect bright and sunny and there were only 3 passengers including us onboard.
As we took off and left Oban there was a big cruise ship moored in the bay, so we flew over that, it was brillant!!!
The captain asked us if we minded landing on Loch Lomond to refuel, what a question!!!! It was a brillant bonus taking off and landing twice and the views over Loch Lomond on such a stunning day were out of this world. We landed on the River Clyde in Glasgow just about 1pm. We decided we would stay the night in Glasgow and return the next day but you can do it all in one day if you wish.

Coming back was just as amazing although it was a bit duller but it didn't spoil the trip. We had another bonus on the way back, there were 2 passengers going to Tobermory in Mull so the captain decided to go there first then back to Oban. Coming into Tobermory Bay was fantastic with all the coloured houses, it gives you a completely different perspective on somewhere. So another take off and we were on our way back to Oban.

The experience was something you would never forget, it costs £149 for a return ticket per adult & £110 per child, it is well worth saving your pennies to do! You get such a different view form the sky! http://www.lochlomondseaplanes.com

Lovely Weather!!

2008-04-22T19:18:00.003+01:00

The weather has been fantastic the last couple of weeks, with bright blue skies and sunshine, we have been spoiled!!! It has been quite cold with still a lot of snow about on the hills and the skiing at Glencoe and Anoch Mor
(http://www.nevisrange.co.uk) resorts has been some of the best in 10 years. The scenery has been spectacular with plenty of lovely daffodils cheering us all up. Still no sign of any leaves on the trees but it is sure to start warming up and they will appear soon.

This is a lovely time to visit the area with the fields full of new lambs and the light nights stretching to about 8.30pm, it gives you plenty to look at and the time to do it. The wildlife is out and about around the site with the Pinemarten making a few appearances on the balconies to get his bread and honey and the Red Squirrel making the most of the full nut feeders.
(http://www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk)

Ian has been busy building a new rockery in front of Salmon chalet, so hopefully by next year the heathers and schrubs will start to flourish. He is also busy putting new roof tiles on all the chalets, so thats keeping him busy!!!

This season looks as if it is going to be a busy one with the diary filling up quickly, so if you are thinking of coming for a visit give us a ring, email at enquiries@glencoeselfcatering.co.uk or check the website for details on availability
we would love to see you!

Happy Customers!!

2008-02-20T15:16:00.002Z

We have just finished reviewing all our Customer comments from the comment cards which are completed each week by our guests for 2007.

The results are fantastic with 100% of the guests who completed the forms happy with their stay at Loch Leven Holidays and met or exceeded their expectations. Customers felt our attitude was very friendly & helpful and the welcome on arrival was excellent.

They said the accommodation was very clean, comfortable, spacious and homely. A few people commented on the need for a more powerful shower, sky tv and internet access but on the whole most people were more than satisfied with the facilities and understood that the location ie. private water supply sometimes limited us to what we could provide. Internet access and Sky tv or freeview will be things we will certainly do in the future.

On the whole everyone loved the location and views and agreed we had a 5 star location!

Some other interesting points that arose was the fact that 57% of customers found out about us from the internet that is an increase of 4% from 2006 and only 10% from the Freedom Brochure a decrease of 4% on 2006.

We thank all our customers who completed the comment cards and take on board the positive and negative comments and hopefully we can continue to give them an excellent level of accommodation and service. www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Other information that we have collected over the year shows that there is almost an even split between couples and families staying with us and 30% of our business is from repeat guests (we must be doing something right!).
Approx. 75% of our visitors are from England, with most of our foreign visitors from Germany & The Netherlands.

Mountain Film Festival

2008-01-22T14:24:00.000Z

Chalets re-open 9th Feb.2008

We are now closed until Sat.9th February 2008, but don't worry we are not away sunning ourselves on some foreign beach, this closure lets us thoroughly "spring clean" the chalets and do any maintenance required on them! We are currently replacing the roofs on all the chalets, so we are praying for some dry weather!!!! We are also re-decorating the bedrooms in the cottage and putting new furniture in them, so if you are planning a stay in Tiranui you should see some changes. A new sofa has also been ordered for the living room, hopefully this should come in March some time!

If you feel like a break in February after a dull and depressing January, why not visit us for a short break or even a full week! Short breaks can be enjoyed from as little as £185 for a minimum of 3 nights, depending on availability. We are full from 9th to 16th Feb. but still have availability from 16th!

February can be a great month to visit the Highlands, normally there is snow on the hills and if you enjoy skiing you might be lucky and get a chance to try out the slopes of Anoch Mor or Glencoe Ski resorts. If that is not your thing then relaxing in a cosy chalet looking out at the stunning views might appeal more!!

We have the Mountain Film Festival to look forward to from Fri.15th to Sat.23rd Feb.2008. This is always a brillant event, this year they have the first ever UK Slackmining Masters Contest, kayaking legend Corran Addison, mountaineer Kenton Cool, the Scottish premiere of US mountain biking film Klunkerz and legendery exhibition films. Go to the Website to find out more about the programme and tickets http://www.mountainfestival.co.uk

Give us a ring for more information on accommdation 01855 821272 or drop us an email enquiries@glencoeslefcatering.co.uk

Hope to see you soon!

Christmas break at Loch Leven Holidays

2008-01-09T22:19:00.000Z

These are some of the comments from the Brennan family who spent their 2nd Christmas with us at the chalets.

Emma: 2nd visit back to the chalets and we received the same warm welcome as before! The chalets are so homely and comfortable. The week has been fabulous again, although the weather a bit poorer this time, but even if we had to stay in the chalet all week we would never get bored of the spectacular view of the Loch.
We visited Ardnamurchan point www.ardnamurchan.com and saw many stags on route - magnificent!! We saw our old friend the otter playing in the Loch near his home and several eagles whilst driving up the coast. We will take some beautiful memories of the the Highlands home and hope to return again!

Rose: This is my first holiday for many years and I thank my family for bringing me! We received a lovely warm & friendly welcome, the accommodation is excellent and the views are breathtaking from the chalet.
The Highlands the views, Ben Nevis, the ferry, the drives, waterfalls, the quarry, the marvellous variety of stones, rocks & plants and the birds which are top of my list. The stags so regal & surveying!! I could go on forever about the beautiful memories I will take back home. We also had a lovely Christmas Dinner at the Ballachulish Hotel www.ballachulishhotel.com

Thank you Ian & Sharon. As for the Highlands you know my thoughts!!!!

Jasmine: We received a warm and friendly welcome and we settled in quickly. The weather was clear on arrival, with only a few clouds covering the mountains, the air was refreshing after travelling in a vehicle for so long.
We enjoyed our trip to Ardnamurchan Point (the most westerly point in the British Isles), beware if you go over there are tons of curlew on the roads!!

Festive Entertainment in Lochaber!

2007-12-20T17:03:00.000Z

If you are lucky enough to visit the area over the festive period, then you will probably be looking for things to do, well don't worry there is plenty going on to keep you in the festive spirit!!

CLACHAIG INN GLENCOE http://www.clachaig.com/p/v/whats-on/december/

Fri 28th Dec
Clachaig Boots Bar
Box o' Bananas
They're a slippery bunch promising more fun than your average chimps tea party!

Sat 29 Dec
Clachaig Boots Bar
Bob Stewart
Bob provides yu with his unique brand of folk & pop covers for your enjoyment. Cheeky monkey!

Sun 30 Dec
Clachaig Boots Bar
Dakota
5 piece band from the west coast of Scotland. Varied set which includes songs from 60's and 70's up to current time.

Mon 31st Dec
Clachaig Boots Bar
The Hogmanay Hoolie!
Ghosties
A bit of a coup for us here at Clachaig as these guys are billed as one of the best unsigned bands in Europe!! A blissful blend of guitars, melodic harmonies, thumping drums and chills down the spine. Who ya gonna call?

Bar open through the bells (subject to approval of license).

Free entry.

THE NEVIS CENTRE FORT WILLIAM www.neviscentre.co.uk

Monday 31 Dec 07 - Tuesday 1 Jan 08
Times 0:20 to 0:02
Venue Nevis Centre
Details Lochabers biggest and best hogmanay show with Fergie McDonalds Ceilidh Band & Wonderland bringing in the New Year in the finest tradition
Tickets are available £16 for adults and £11 for juniors.

Lots of hotels locall all doing festive dinner and lunch menus. why not try The Ballachulish Hotel or the Isles of Glencoe details on their website http://www.islesofglencoe.com http://www.ballachulishhotel.com/
or call 0871 2223415

Have a very happy Christmas and prosperous New Year from Ian & Sharon at Loch Leven Holidays!!

Only 49 Days to go!!!!!!!

2007-11-05T14:55:00.000Z

Yes it is hard to believe but it is only 49 days until Christmas 2007. If you can't bare the thought of it and would love to get away from it all why not hire a chalet in the beautiful surroundings of Loch Leven. We are doing a 5 day special break for £375 and you can choose your dates from Sat.22nd to Sat.29th Dec. You can enjoy the peace, quiet and stunning scenery from the comfort of the chalets which are warm and cosy. We decorate the chalets with a Christmas tree, so you don't miss the festive spirit all together!! www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

The chalets sleep 4 so they are ideal for a couple, family or friends and if there are more than 4 we have our larger cottage which sleeps 8. This will cost £600 for the 5 day break, both prices include electricity, heating and bed linen.
If you don't fancy cooking your Christmas dinner, many of the local hotels are doing special festive menus, for example The Isles of Glencoe Hotel and Ballachulish Hotel in Ballachulish both offer excellent food and surroundings www.foliohotels.com

There may be a good chance of seeing some snow, as usually at this time of year, the mountains around us have a covering and you may be lucky and get some skiing in at the Nevis Range ski resort just outside Fort William www.nevisrange.co.uk

Whatever you fancy doing this Christmas, wether it is a quiet getaway or a get together with friends Loch Leven Holidays accommodation is the place to stay!!!

Send us an email on enquiries@glencoeselfcatering.co.uk for more details.

What to do in and around Lochaber!

2007-09-24T11:12:00.000+01:00

If you are still thinking about a holiday in the Highlands but think there won't be much to do in October - THINK AGAIN!!!!

It is starting to quieten down in the area as a lot of the summer tourists have gone home but there is still plenty going on.

If you fancy finding out a bit more about the Wildlife in the area, in particular Glencoe, there is a Wildlife Safari on Tues.2nd Oct.leaving from the National Trust Centre at dusk. It will give you an opportunity to see what lives in the Glen. This is sure to be an exciting trip! www.glencoe-nts.org.uk

If you are one of the many people who have climbed Ben Nevis and are interested in finding out more about this magnificent mountain, The John Muir Trust is giving a talk on Wed.3rd at the National Trust Visitor Centre. They will tell us why this mountain is so special and how they look after it. www.jmt.org

If your thing is more indoors, why not visit the Lime Tree Gallery anytime from Friday 6th Oct. to Sat.3rd Nov. where there is an exhibition from the Scottish Arts Council showing contemporary Scottish Art. This is a colletion of drawings and prints from various artists such as Joan Eardley, John Byrne, Nathan Coley and many others. You can also enjoy a lovely meal in the restaurant while you are there www.limetreegallery.com

From Fri.12th Oct. to Sat.29th Oct. The Royal National Mod comes to Lochaber. Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail (The Royal National Mod) is Scotland's premier festival of the Gaelic language, arts and culture and is held annually in October at a different location in Scotland. The Mod is a competition-based festival which celebrates the Gaelic language and culture through music, dance, drama, arts and literature.
The mod attracts visitors from all around the world and is enjoyed by all! www.lochabermod2007.co.uk

Seath Family Diary 4th-11th August 2007

2007-09-01T14:23:00.000+01:00

Reece (16), Ashleigh (13), Elaine (Mum) & George (Dad)

Arrived on Sat. after a long delay in traffic, we got a great welcome. Went into Fort William to the Indian Garden, the Korma is well recommended. Hope it is sunny tomorrow...............

Spent today in Inverary, went to the , kids loved it, they were enlightened on how hard times were back then and how easy it is today. We went on the dodgems (reliving my youth) and then tried the Fish & chip shop and my god it was good, the fish was HUGE!!!!!
It rained all day, however it didn't stop us ahving a great day out.
www.inveraray-argyll.com

Good morning its Monday its dry but grey, we are planning on doing some archery and clay pigeon shooting, will let you know how it went later.....
WOW I am the greatest ha ha well the archery was great, it was pouring with rain and we were all bitten silly with midges but we had a laugh. I (Mum) got the highest score of 34 I am soooo good!!!!
Not sure whats on the agenda for tomorrow, I'll be back.....

WOW that was great, we went into Kinlochleven to the climbing wall, kids loved it, we got some great photos.. www.ice-factor.co.uk
Then we went to the waterfalls in Inchree, it was a gorgeous day. It was a bit tiring for me(am no spring chicken!)My step daughter had an idea to walk home from there so George (Dad) took the car and Me (Mum), Reece & Ashleigh walked. We ahd walked for about 1hr & 50 mins, only 1 1/2 miles from home when George picked us up, as Ashleigh had done something to her hip. It was 7 miles but it felt like 70 (ha ha) going up the Nevis Range tomorrow.....

Hi back again, what a fantastic time we had at the Nevis range, it was a bit dull when we got up there. We went on the open chair and it was chilly! After a nice hot plate of soup(mmm)we heat up and we are off on the trail to the top of the mountain.
The weather improved, very relieved as me and Reece had shorts on!!! Got some great photos! www.nevisrange.co.uk
Home now to put feet up and relax, not sure whats on the agenda tomorrow, getting sad as its nearing time to go home to sunny Fife, however we are not going home, we are extending our hols till next Tues. We decided to head up to Wick for a few days got "family" there.

We went to Fort William today to get soem gifts and souvenirs, the market was on in the High Street. Had a few tasters and the kids got the biggest candy floss I've ever seen. We then went for a few laps on the go karts. My arms are sore now had to go on twice to get revenge but it never worked. www.racewaykartingfortwilliam.co.uk/
If the midges weren't so darn annoying we'd be playing badminton or tennis but I am fed up getten bitten alive. tomorrow we are meant to bedoing General Wades Walk, hopefully the weather will be dry. Speak to you then.......

Well our last day ended with a blast, we went into Fort William for some last minute shopping, then went to the caravan park at Loch Linnhe. My friend was up with her husband as he had some work here, so we went for a cuppa and a browse. It was really nice, after her hubby turned up we went to Fort William to the Ben Nevis Bar for our dinner www.ben-nevis-inn.co.uk. We all had steak except Reece who had fish, it was really good. We then went back to Ann's caravan and played board games till 11pm. Now we ahve packed cases and tidied up we are off to sleep for the last time here!

Its been fantastic, Ian & Sharon were extremely nice, we will definetly be back. My sister and her daughter and my mum may be coming up next time too!!! www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

I hope this little insight into our holiday helps in some way!
From a very happy family who hope to be back some day soon!!!

Elaine Seath 11th August 2007

Special Offers for Sept./Oct 2007

2007-08-25T17:56:00.000+01:00

Why not enjoy a break in the fabulous surroundings of the Scottish highlands!

We have some special offers at Loch Leven Holidays for Sept./Oct.

A chalet which sleeps 4 people for the week beg. Sat.22nd Sept.and 29th Sept. is normally £350 and is NOW £300 inclusive of bed linen, heating and electricity.

Or if there is a group of you why not rent our cottage for the weeks beg Sat.22nd or 15th Sept. it sleeps 8 people and normally costs £630 but is NOW £550 inclusive of bed linen, heating and electricity.

Why not ahve a look at our website to see the accommodation and fabulous scenery which surrounds us here at Loch Leven Holidays!! www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Outdoor Activities

2007-08-18T15:28:00.000+01:00

The school holidays are in full swing and despite some nasty weather in England, surprisingly, the West coast of the Scottish Highlands has faired better than most areas. Two of our visitors James & Hannah visited Landmark Forest Visitors Centre at Carrbridge near Aviemore www.landmark-centre.co.uk, they enjoyed the "high wire experience" and lived to tell the tale. This is a pleasant hour and thirty minute drive away from Loch Leven Holidays (www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk) through "Monarch of the Glen" country.

The Landmark visitors centre is in the Cairngorm National Park and in and around this area there is a lot of activity based locations which appeal to children, from Waltzing Waters at Newtonmore www.waltzingwaters.co.uk to the Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore for those seeking culture or education www.highlandfolk.com

The area of lochaber is infamous as a location for extreme sports from world class mountain biking at The Nevis Range www.nevisrange.co.uk to water based activities run by Monster Activities at South Laggan www.monsteractivities.com
Here at Loch Leven Holidays not to be out done by these auspicious venues "Spitz" a Sergent in the British Army is here seen practising swimming in the Loch for an up and coming triathlon event!!! Spitz and his wife Sue are regular visitors to the site and use the comfortable chalets as a base for their challenging outdoor activities.

Holidays at Loch Leven!

2007-07-28T15:44:00.000+01:00

This is the diary of the Gudge family who stayed with us 21st-28th July, here is what they had to say:

Hi there,
I am writing this on day 3, the rest of the family are up Ben Nevis and I'm chilling out here in the chalet www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Since the minute we arrived we've felt so "at home" here. The chalet is the most immaculate and cosy place we've ever stayed, and Ian & Sharon have thought of everything we might possibly need to ensure our comfort.

The surrounding are is just so beautiful, clean and uncluttered. We ate in the Clachai Inn, Glencoe on our first night and we all enjoyed our food there. The menu has a mixture of traditional Scottish dishes (haggis, venison, tatties & neeps!!), to Mexican food and great pub grub such as steak and ale pie. Even the "veggies" amongst us had a choice. www.clachaig.com

Yesterday we walked/climbed up Am Bodach, it took 7 1/2 hours in total. My husband, a seasoned hill walker thouroughly enjoyed the challenge, but the children and I whinged all the way up and all the way down. to add insult to injury we got soaked to the skin coming down!! Our waterproofs weren't quite up to a torrential downpour!!

Today is warm and sunny, I've washed all the stinky wet clothes from yesterday, pottered about the chalet and am now enjoying a gin & tonic on the decking. Bliss!!

There's something for everyone here, no matter what your age or how fit you are. Hope you enjoy your visit as much as us!!

P.S. on the last day we did the Pap of Glencoe - stick to the path if you want to get down again on the same day! Last night we ahd 3 visits from the local Pine Martens. They amke a very weird sound and are very nervous creatures, stay very still and whisper only or they run away. Also, a red squirrel visits the tree next to Ian & Sharon's house. We'll be back!!!

Loch Leven Holidays now Hospitality Assured!!

2007-07-02T11:04:00.001+01:00

Here at Loch Leven Holidays we are very proud to say we have achieved the Hospitality Assured Award.
This is a standard set for service and business excellence in hospitality supported by the British Hospitality Association.
Hospitality Assured gives customers the opportunity to choose an organisation where high quality service is guaranteed. We always aim to exceed customers expectations, giving them an unforgetable holiday. We are always trying to improve our service and welcome customers suggestions and opinions.

The process to achieve Hospitality Assured is a rigorous one and the award is not achieved easily. It takes into account customers views and considers all aspects of service form the customers point of view. It is an ongoing process where we continually judge and measure ourselves against set standards.

It is the only standard within the Hospitality industry which focuses on the customers experience!

If you have enjoyed a holiday with us in the past we hope you will agree with us receiving this award and if you haven't had a chance to visit us we hope you will very soon.
We are sure you will have a wonderful holiday, in a home from home environment in stunning surroundings.
www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Blazing June

2007-06-22T20:56:00.000+01:00

Well what a month its been so far!!!

Thanks to all our friends helping out we manage Sharon and I to get a "Saturday Off" for our neighbours wedding, congratulations to Robbie and Nikki, for a long and happy life together. The some of the wedding photos were taken on the loch side at the chalet park, good view of the Pap. It was as it has been most of the month a very pleasant day if not a little breezy.

Sharon and I look much better without the statutory Saturday "Marigolds"....!!

The month has brought out the boats this is the biggest boat I have seen in the loch for some time. It was the local yachting regatta two weekends ago and the loch was buzzing.

This week we have had a gentleman from the south west stay with us www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk. who brought his "Portaboat" in a roof box on his car and proceed to amaze everyone by producing, as if by magic, a rather splendid 10 foot 6HP outboard driven fishing boat, and he caught some!!! Plenty going on in the water too Seals have been playing in the bay, lots of sea birds and plenty of fish, have made it a Loch Leven Spring Watch..

We have just passed the longest day and while some of the British Isles was experiencing high rain fall here we had a fairly good week AGAIN, wow.

The wild life around us is enjoying the abundant food that the early summer has provided. We have at least four new Red Squirrels and two Pinemarten kittens on the site, not to mention the Woodpecker who is becoming more tame by the day.

Well heres hoping the blazing June continues onto a smouldering July!

A Week at Loch Leven!

2007-05-29T16:52:00.000+01:00

We have a guest book in each of our chalets and ask our guests to put their comments in.

This is the diary of Steve & Pauline from Worcestershire, who stayed with us for a week from 12th May 2007.

Saturday 12th May:

Arrived about 7pm after a 400 mile drive. Ian was friendly in his welcome and we felt so at home. This is the 5th time we have been to Scotland but this is without doubt the best setting we have ever stayed in, and the view from the balcony is magnificent! www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Sunday 13th May:

Had a lie in to get over the journey up. Decided on a nice gentle walk to start the week off, so we walked along the road and took the footpath past Callart Cottage, signposted to Kinlochleven, climbed the ridge behind the chalets to find glorious views of the Alt Na Lairige Moir in the glen below. so, we descended down to the West Highland Way and followed down to Kinlochleven, then walked about 5 miles back along the road. so much for a nice gentle walk!!! It took us 7 1/2 hours, must try to read the map properly in future!!!

www.kinlochleven.org

Monday 14th May:

Another lie in, the walk yesterday was worse than the journey up on Saturday!! But the views were well worth it.

Off to glen Etive and the Robbers Falls today. Glen Etive is breathtakingly peaceful and beautiful. The drive down the glen, following the River Etive, with all the Rhodedendrons in flower was fantastic. If you go down there drive slowly and look out for the heards of Deer, it really makes you feel back with nature, the Robbers Falls are about 1 1/2 hours walk from the car park but very pretty!

www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glenetive

Tuesday 15th May:

Weather reports are fine for today, so its our big walk, Buachaille Etive Beag in Glencoe at 3014 ft. Lovely sunny day, we left at 10.45am and returned about 4.30pm. It was fabulous at the top, looking across the peaks, the Ben covered in snow. The descent was quite boggy and hard going, returned to the car and home to the chalet!

www.glencoe-scotland.net

Wednesday 15th May:

Weather changed today, so we drove along Loch Laggan (Monarch of the Glen country). This is quite a long drive but worth the lovely views.

www.monarchcountry.com

Thursday 16th May:

Followed the directions in the book, in the chalet, and went to Mull. Again a very long drive but well worth it. www.holidaymull.org

Friday 17th May:

Shopping today, we drove along the edge of Loch Linnhe to Oban. We saw the falls of Lora at Connell on the way. They are amazing!

We have really enjoyed stopping at Loch Leven Chalets and look forward to our return visit! www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Thanks to Ian & Sharon

May Special Offer!!!!

2007-05-04T11:30:00.000+01:00

25% off a chalet for 1 week from 12th May 2007.

Normal price is £320 now only £240 inclusive of bed linen, heating and electricity. We do not supply personal towels but can hire them to you!

Why not have a look at our website www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk and see for yourself how fantastic the chalets and area are! There is plenty to do and see, we are only 16 miles from Fort William and 6 from Glencoe. Take advantage of the fact the bank holiday is over and it will be a bit quieter around and about.

Pine Marten Paradise!!!

2007-04-28T15:03:00.000+01:00

Pine Martens had almost vanished from most of Britain years ago, but here in Scotland they are once again becoming a familiar sight.

The following pictures were taken by one of our guests from inside the chalet, looking out onto the balcony. As you can see the Pine Marten is digging in to a piece of bread and jam. Its' favourite!!!!!

We get regular visits from the Pine Martens around the chalet park (www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk) and the best time to see them is about half an hour after it gets dark. We encourage our guests to put bread and jam or anything sweet, (they also love honey), on the balconies as it attracts them and hopefully gives our guests a chance to see them up close.

This Pine Marten in the picture is a male, and they are normally about the size of a small domestic cat. Here at the chalets we normally have a breeding pair (male & female) and last year they produced 2 kits (babies). Kits are normally born in early April. The Pine marten has a dark brown coat in summer and a light brown coat in winter.

They are fasinating creatures and truly memorable if you get the chance to see one, if you would like to find out more about Pine Martens go to www.pinemarten.org.uk or if you would like to come and stay in one of our chalets and possibly see a Pine Marten for yourself go to our website www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk for information.

Post Easter Special Offers!!!

2007-04-05T19:46:00.000+01:00

Why not wait till the Easter rush is over and have a few days away in an idyllic loch side location. We are just going into our third week of fantastic dry, sunny weather which is hopefully set to continue.

This morning (5th April) some of our guests set off from our jetty for a canoe down Loch Leven to enjoy the fabulous weather and stunning scenery. Then later on in the evning some children were playing on our beach front like it was a summers day! It is a beautiful time to visit the area, the flowers and trees are just starting to wake up and Spring is in full bloom.

We are have a special offer on a 4 night break for £185 which is the usual price for 3 nights, why not go to our website and check availability www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Another area to visit if you decide to come for a break is the beautiful village of Arisaig which is on the Road to the Isles to Mallaig. www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/arisaig.html We went up there last week and almost forgot we were only a few miles from home. With the clear blue sky, shimmering sea and white sands it was like being on a paradise Island in the Indian Ocean (only not quite as hot)!! We had a lovely long walk along the beach and then for lunch we went to Cafe Rhu in Arisaig and had some gorgeous Cullen Skink. A great day out!!

Hope this weather continues!!!!

Summertime begins on Saturday!!

2007-03-20T12:52:00.000Z

We are only a few days away from British Summertime, when our clocks go forward an hour and the days lengthen. Already there are signs that Easter this year could be one of the best on record for the local Ski centres www.nevisrange.co.uk, www.glencoemountain.com. As you can see from the pictures taken at noon on the 20th March the weather is ideallic with fresh heavy snow on the hills and blue sunny skies, it doesn't get much better than this in the Scottish Highland Mountains. Don't always believe the media!!!!

Easter this year promises to be a good time to visit the Highlands, the area is springing to life with the abundance of flora, fauna and wildlife, already active in the spring like weather. You will not be disappointed in participating in any activity, ranging from sat in a comfortable chair admiring the view, travelling the scenic roads and viewing the passing countryside or being at the top of a glorious mountain surveying the vista below. There is something to do for everybody regardless of age and ability in the West Highlands, to help make your visit a memorable one. To find out what might suit you have a look at the following links:

www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk , www.lochaberinternet.co.uk , www.lochaber.com/whatson

Sunshine, Snow and Daffodils

2007-02-22T21:49:00.000Z

The last 2 weeks has seen the wind in the East, bringing bright cold weather and snow to the mountains. Skiers and winter mountaineers enjoyed near perfect conditions for a few days!! Then the sun came out, the temperatures warmed up, the snow disappeared, the skiers disappeared and the winter mountaineers put away their crampons and wandered the peaks topping up their tans!

Around the sight there is spring like activity, the birds are enjoying the early arrival of the better weather, good job too as the red squirrel population are beating them to their feeders. In the gardens, around the chalets the spring bulbs and early flowering heathers are well in the front of themselves. Today Thursday 22nd February sees the first daffodils open their bright yellow petals to an almost perfect late winter evening. The days are noticably lengthening it is now not dark until nearly 18oo hours, and we are only 4 weeks away from British Summer Time.

The Mountain Film Festival (www.mountainfilmfestival.co.uk)is in full swing and although Fort William is buzzing with activity the area around Lochaber is still peaceful and quiet.

Anyone who has time to visit the Western Highlands in the next few weeks should take advantage of an early spring, and have the place to yourselves.

Mountain Film Festival

2007-01-31T17:08:00.000Z

Forget the Baftas, Oscars or even the Rasberries, The Fort William Mountain Film Festival (info@mountainfestival.co.uk) is where its at!!!

There is a fantastic line up of films, lectures and workshops starting from Fri.16th Feb. with the Festival opening party at the Lime Tree in Fort William. Plus the first viewing of festival light-show on Meall an t-Slamain hillside overlooking Fort William.
The festival runs for 2 weeks and at the end of the first week on the 23rd Feb. thereis a party 2150ft up Aonach Mor at Nevis Range. Free shuttle bus to and from Fort William.
The closing party takes place at the Clachaig on Sat.3rd Feb. but it is not all about partying there is a spectacular range ot things to see and do, have a look at the Festival website www.mountainfestival.co.uk

If you are still looking for accommodation why not give us a ring (01855 821272) for a chalet. We do short breaks from £185 for 3 nights, have a look at our website www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk.

Winter Entertainment!

2007-01-16T10:01:00.000Z

Just because the weather has been bad don't hibernate away!!!! Why not come up to Lochaber and experience some of the diverse activities we have going on in the winter months. There is not much snow at the moment so skiing might be out but you can still venture up the Gondola at the Nevis Range (www.nevisrange.co.uk) for a brisk walk or just a warming coffe in the Snowgoose restaurant. If you are around on the Saturday the 20th Jan. you can see the Torchlight Descent. This is where the instructors and ski patrol descend the mountain by torchlight - fantastic!!!! (Snow dependant).

If that all sounds a bit too energetic how about experiencing some of the UK's best songwriters at the Burnsong Event at the Sunart Centre in Strontian on Saturday 27th January. It will be a unique and entertaining chance for the public to hear their songs. There will be Emily Smith Singer/songwriter and winner of BBC Radio Scotland's Young Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year in 2002, Sophie Bancroft Jazz singer and Glasgow Band Pearlfishers will be represented by David Scott acclaimed songwriter and many more. This will be a great night!! Tickets are available from www.thebooth.co.uk and by post from the Sunart Centre or from the Granite House in Fort William. (enquiries@sunartcentre.org)

The fantastic new Lime Tree Gallery (www.limetreefortwilliam.co.uk) will be showing a selection of artists work until 20th Jan. You can also see or buy a huge range of David Wilson's fantastic prints. Why not visit and enjoy this unique working artists studio or savour the delights of the cafe/restaurant.

This is just a tast of whats going on in Lochaber in January but there is pleanty to keep your mind off the wind and rain of the last few weeks!!!

Britney Spears & Paris Hilton are not Staying!

2006-11-30T12:46:00.000Z

Contrary to popular rumor Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are not booked in with us for a Christmas / Hogmany break: although they could enjoy the party atmosphere of the Highland hospitality, just as you could. We still have Chalets over looking the loch and mountains, which are now snow covered, for the festive season. Why not phone us on 01855 821272 to arrange a last minute deal for a memorable holiday break.

The weather now has turned from the warm calm dry autumn to a wild scene of rain and wind, to snow and sun. Don't believe the BBC weather forecast they are never accurate for the mountain areas of the West Highlands the weather changes by the hour.
You could, as we have done, enjoy watching the bad weather with a glass of wine whilst relaxing, reading or watching TV or a DVD.
On the good days there is nothing better than exploring the surroundings the waterfalls abound and the scenery has a drama to it that is not scene in the summer months. Photographers note some of the best Scottish landscapes are taken at this time of year.
skiing and winter sports are very different here to the norm in the alpine regions of Europe. Glencoe resort has been upgraded for the new season and has already had some good snow, the Anoch Mor ski slopes are probably the best in Scotland and have all the facilities you would expect for a good day on the piste.

Last year the Christmas period was very snowy, so you too could be lucky and enjoy the Scottish Highlands for your festive Break.

Honeymoon at Loch Leven

2006-11-05T10:59:00.000Z

We had Honeymoon couple Paul & Michaela Clark-Carr staying in the chalets last week. They came from West Yorkshire and had got married on Mon.23rd Oct. and then came up to us on the Wed. 25th Oct.2006.
We decided to give them a big welcome and decorate their chalet for them. We put up banners and balloons and got them some champagne, chocolates and flowers to help them celebrate. Michaela said

" Here on our Honeymoon and what a beautiful place to be, our sincere thanks to Ian & Sharon for making our arrival and stay a truly memorable one!!!"

We agree Loch Leven is an idyllic spot to have a romantic getaway. With the days getting shorter at this time of year, the chalets are perfect to come back to for a cosy night in for two. You might even be lucky and see a Pinemarten or two, don't forget the bread and jam (that's their favorite!!!)

Christmas & New Year Breaks 2006

2006-10-23T11:20:00.003+01:00

Why not spend your Christmas or New Year in the idyllic setting of the Western Highlands.
Nestled between snowy peaks and a glistening Loch, Loch Leven Chalets & Cottage are perfect for celebrating the festivities!!!

Our chalets sleep up to 4 people and our cottage up to 8, you can have a romatic break for 2 or bring the whole family!!

PLEASE RING US ON 01855 821272 or email us on enquiries@glencoeselfcatering.co.uk FOR DETAILS ON DATES AND PRICES.

We look forward to seeing you!!

The Weather is still very good!!

2006-10-23T11:20:00.000+01:00

The weather here in the Lochaber area of the Western Highlands has been unseasonally dry and warm, and not as BBC weather forecast would have you believe, wet and windy.!!

The wildlife around the site doesn't know what season it is, the Red Squirrels are not burying any food yet for the winter as it is so warm. The many varieties of birds are trying to nest for a third time, and it will only end in tears as the cold snap will surley be imminent.

The Loch is full of Seals following the last runs of Mackrel, and the Otters are busy swimming up and down the shore line eating the abudance of mussels. Bill Oddie thinks he has all the fun with wildlife but here at Loch Leven Holidays you are sure to encounter some if not more than you would see on a BBC wildlife programme.

The only negative I have found to the prolonged summer is that the grass is still growing and I need to cut it even more than in a normal season, oh well the exercise is good!!!

Glenfinnan & Mallaig

2006-09-26T11:39:00.000+01:00

A couple of our guests recently visited the Glenfinnan Monument and then took the road to Mallaig, this is how they found it.

We climbed the stone steps up to the top of the Battle of Culloden Monument (beware very narrow and winding if you meet someone else going the other way)! Difficult to get out at the top if you aren't svelte! Worth going though, the scenery is amazing. www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/glenfinnan.html

Took the path up out of the Visitor centre to view the Harry Potter film viaduct. Another slippery but outdoor climb. Great views at the top!

Followed the road round to Mallaig, the Jacobite Steam Railway is visible along the side of the road - intend to take the Steam train trip one day from Fort William to Mallaig.
Stopped at Morar sands - lovely if it hadn't been pouring with rain!!!
We returned via A861 to Ardgour and boarded the Corran ferry to return to Loch Leven.

A great day!!!

September Special Offers

2006-09-19T11:04:00.000+01:00

September Specials!!!
We still have some availability in our self catering properties for September, please ring us on 01855 821272 for information or have a look at our website www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

20% off the hire of a chalet/lodge for the weeks beg. Sat.23rd & 30th September. Was £350 Now £280!!!

20% off the hire of our cottage for the weeks beg. Sat.23rd & 30th September. Was £630 Now £500!!!

September is a lovely time to visit the area of Loch Leven, we can get some lovely weather and the midges have just about gone!!! We are in an ideal location for touring the Western Highlands with Fort William (www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk) only 16 miles away and Oban (www.camvista.com/scotland/scenic/oban.php) only 38 miles away, these are only 2 of the great places to visit. Give us a call for last minute availability 01855 821272.

Welcome to the Loch Leven Holidays Blog!

2006-09-18T16:51:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the new blog for Loch Leven Holidays!

We will be adding news and information here from time to time, to keep you informed about what is going on here at Loch Leven Holidays, and in the area around Glencoe, Kinlochleven and Fort William.

To find out more about us, visit the Loch Leven Holidays website.