Author: Highland Club Scotland

While Highland Club Scotland, Fort Augustus and the rest of Scotland are on lockdown, you can still dream now, visit later to the beautiful Abbey we call home.

Many of our guests have re-scheduled their plans to stay with us until later this year or until 2021. We support this by encouraging everyone to contact us if you are unable to visit due to the travel restrictions. We will do our best to help! Dream now, visit later.

Additonally, to help you with your plans and keep your focus on what we are sure is a well deserved break, we have some enjoyable walks for you. These are all within easy reach of Highland Club Scotland.

On a recent trip to Rome, someone told me to eat and drink where the locals go. A valuable piece of advice indeed. So, I advise you to to do the same with walking and hiking during your stay. That way, you can be assured of at least a pleasurable time during your wander. Or as we sometimes say in Scotland, yer wee donder doon the road!

These are just a few of the walks available, but for more Walk Highlands is an excellent site with great hints, tips and information.

Ardachy Road

A particular favourite of mine is Ardachy Road. Easy to reach but take some water with you. And a camera, because you’ll want to take some shots particularly near the end of the route.Don’t be surprised to meet some locals on this one and you’ll likely hear some local lingo in the form of a friendly hello.

Turning left out the Abbey Gates and making your way South, over a narrow bridge which passes over the River Tarff, you’ll soon reach the Loch Ness Trail, or 360 Trail as it is now commonly called. Occassionaly, especially during lambing season, this first field is populated with sheep and lambs. Through one gate and turn right at the next gate, you are now on General Wade’s Road.

General Wade’s Road was built by the British Army after Culloden to allow easy access between Fort George, Fort Augustus and Fort William.

Turning first right will set you off the main road and onto a farm access road. This is a short, sheltered part of the walk and you’ll see plenty of greenery in the fields and trees alike. Passing some private houses, you turn right at the end of the walk and you reach Ardachy Bridge, again going over the River Tarff.

Although this is on a road, its a good opportunity to have a “wee bit gander doon the water”. The River Tarff is windy and bendy so difficult to follow but the sound of the running water is calming.

Next is a short and steep climb, at the top you’ll find a sign for Lady Falls but you’ll turn right here and left at the makeshift scarecrow. This will take you down to the Fort Augustus graveyard. The adventurous can climb over the wall into the graveyard or you can use the gate and go round the perimeter.

Again, you’ll find the River Tarff “doon” the road and follow the road to the main road A82. Turn right and make your way back to the Abbey. Or of course, stop at the Bothy or the Richmond House Hotel for a drink or some lunch. You’ll have been through so many different walking environments, you’re appetite will be encouraging!

Usually, takes between 60 and 90 minutes.

Caledonian Canal Walks

Another popular walk and really good for runners as the ground is a bit softer.

To reach this one, you take the path to the village, cross the road and walk straight up the canal side passing stores and bars on the left.

You can take in the sights of the canal gates, currently being replaced by Scottish Canals. Often, there are boats and kayakers cruising both directions. You’ll find many like to offer a wave and a smile.

The path is over 2 meters wide so handy for social distancing while close enough for a greeting to locals and fellow holidaymakers and explorers.

You pass the golf course on your left, and from here you can look to your right and enjoy the gorgeous view of the Great Glen. When you reach the gate, turn round and come back again. Don’t forget to reward yourself with a drink at the Loch Inn, or a cake and coffee at Cobbs’ Cafe. Or a wee cone at the ice cream shop!

This one is around 3km and mostly flat.

Across to the other side of the canal, this path will take you to Kytra and beyond, around 4 miles by the time you get back to the village. Popular with locals and with cyclists because you can go all the way to Bridge of Oich.

On the way home, you can stop for lunch or a coffee or tea at the Caledonian Canal Centre. If you time it correctly, you’ll see the canal gates opening to allow the boats through.

360 Degree Trail

Previously known as the South Loch Ness Trail, this walk is for serious walkers or for those looking for a leisurely stroll. It starts moments away from the Abbey gates. Head for the Ardachy Road, but just stay on the path.

Near the start, you’ll see the world famous Loch Ness and in following the path there are some spots you can have a sit down just inches from the water. It is peaceful and calming and exhilarating all at once. Some beautiful wee spots for a picnic, there are spots with seclusion and spots in the open area. Take your pick!

For the more serious walkers, you can carry on up the path…and I mean “up”. This part is pretty steep in some parts so beware! You can make your walk as long or as short as you like. After all, it goes all the way to Inverness!

It’s not long before you have simply stunning views of the Abbey, Loch Ness, Fort Augustus and the Great Glen! A photographer’s dream area with the vibrant colours of the Scottish seasons and plantation.

Just don’t forget to come home before you go too far. Its so amazing it is easy to forget oneself and keep walking.

Dream Now, Visit Later

There are many, many more walks for locals and visitors around the village or you can drive to even more. Alt na Criche starts about one mile out of the village, or if you really like adventure the famous Ben Nevis is 50 minutes drive from here.

But while we are taking advantage of the many walks and hikes and their sights, we do not forget our task here at Highland Club Scotland. To make sure you have the most comfortable and enjoyable holiday you can. However, it is important that you are safe. This is why we are currently reviewing our cleaning and check in procedures to comply with the new, expected government guidelines.

Soon, we will be releasing up to date cleaning and check in processes to ensure our guests and our staff are as safe as possible from the spread of COVID19. This will be complete when we know the guidelines and advice from the government.

Our check in processes will change to that of being more safety and social distancing conscious, while our friendly, welcoming and informative check ins will remain firmly in place.

You can always be assured of our best attentions in bringing you to the Abbey we call home. We are proud to look after the largest range of properties with something for every requirement. Check out our properties here.

Dream now, visit later.

From the Highland Club Scotland Team

 

In this blog, during the COVID19 crisis and undoubtedly difficult times, we urge everyone to continue feeling positive and looking to the future. We will come out of this at the other end. And we will all meet and greet each other once again. Mankind has come through some hard periods, and we will come through this.

We must look to the future.

At the time of writing this blog, Scotland is in lockdown. Shops are closed, public transport is limited and public panic as been obvious in the sudden spurt of bulk buying.

But now, other than key and essential workers, we all stay home. We respect each other’s space and concerns. We are following the advice given by the government and our health service. Our country has united in the biggest and toughest battle of our lifetime. The fight we face is against an invisible opponent. One that grows and moves silently, but only with our help.

Evidence is showing and experts are advising our best strategy to beat COVID19 is that we must all stay indoors. We cannot socialise, we cannot go about our normal days, we cannot live as we have in the past.

Across the planet, works are cancelled, flights are cancelled, concerts are cancelled and shops are closed. More people than ever before are working from home and practising social distancing. Where we once would shake hands, we now nod and smile. Banisters and handrails where we once placed our hands, we now avoid touching. Where we would once squeeze past someone on the same pavement, we now cross the road or stand back and create distance. Guests we looked forward to seeing must now cancel or re-schedule their well-deserved holiday to one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

It is without doubt the most unusual and frightening time our planet has collectively faced.

But What’s Next?

Most of our guests remain positive and have re-scheduled their holidays here. Some for later this year, and some as far in advance as 2021. And we will continue to work hard to make this happen as much as we possibly can.

It is clear to us that there will be an end to the crisis we all face and that everyone understands this. The advice from the experts is that there will be an end to this.

You will be able to take the holiday you planned and enjoy the beauty of the Scottish Highlands. You’ll be able to greet friends old and new leaving social distancing in the past where it will belong. Shops will re-open, flights will re-schedule and we will be grateful to touch the handrails again.

With all that said, we wanted to send some positive vibes to everyone. While Nessie hasn’t been around for some time, we can still enjoy the local wildlife around our grounds.

So, hope you like our wee pics, one of a swan waving at us (or that’s what we like to think!) and one of the famous Highland Coo!

Keeping The Positivity

Escaping from the gargantuous global crisis, I thought it prudent to take your minds from it all and remind you of the good times you’ve had or the good times you have in front of you.

Many of you reading this now will have visited in the past. Maybe you can take a moment to look back on that time. No doubt, you had a memorable holiday and perhaps took some pictures. Maybe now is a good time to look back on that holiday and reminisce. Please do feel free to share your special memories onto our social media. Facebook link at the bottom of the page, and Insta @scotlandhighlandclub.

It would be lovely to see you share your memories.

There are many others yet to visit and perhaps have already delayed your visit. Don’t worry, we will still be here for a long time! Please visit our social media! Tell us your story, what did you plan, what have you planned, when are you coming, what are you looking forward to the most during your visit? We want to know and share your story!

Was it eating at the Boat House Restaurant  or The Lock Inn? Or was it using our fabulous facilities? Or maybe you went kayaking with local man Ian MacKinnon from Monster Activities?

Whatever it is, get sharing! Tell us, tell your friends and family, tell everyone! We can all enjoy your stories and spread the positive thoughts!

Getting Us Started

To get us started, here is my favourite pic of Highland Club Scotland! It’s not the world famous Loch Ness, it’s not the time Nessie took my deep fried Mars Bar and can of Irn Bru! It’s one of my many memories of Toothy The Abbey Cat, sadly no longer with us. But did he leave us some fond memories!

He would pretend to be shy when the camera was out, so it was never easy getting a picture of him. That made it all the more fun.

On the odd occassion you would be able to spot him on his adventures outside, you would often see him sitting near the cricket field enjoying the sun and the sound of the birds chirping nearby (the birds wouldn’t get too close to Toothy!)

Don’t Forget!

Remember to dig out your favourite memories or tell us what you look forward to the most when you get here. And always, look to the future.

No Rest For Us!

As we approach Springtime, with what seems like immense speed, we are busy preparing ourselves for what looks like another busy year at Highland Club Scotland. It’s time to book your Loch Ness holiday and take advantage of our hard work!

Sid and Michelle are working hard on maintainence of our beautiful properties, therefore ensuiring our high standard remains in place. Apartments Struan and Fraser, both facing Loch Ness, have been painted throughout giving both apartments a fantastic freshen up. The views from both these apartments are simply stunning! They are unique in that they both have views from three sides. From the West, you look out onto the world famous Loch Ness. To the South, you can see the hills beyond the Loch and to the East you can look to the Cloister Garden and giant Chess set!

Imagine, sitting with your breakfast in the open plan dining and living area, gazing out towards the mysterious waters of Loch Ness. A truly amazing start to your day!

Major’s Apartment

Major’s Apartment in the Moat House building has also been given some tender, loving care at the hands of Sid. The paint has been given a lovely freshen up in anticipation of a busy season. The owner of this special apartment has plans for further development throughout the year.

Major’s Apartment has its name because in the days of the Fort, the Major’s quarters where in this very space. Nowadays, it is a three bedroom apartment capable of comfortably hosting six guests.

The kitchen and living room are on the first floor level while the bedrooms occupy the ground level. The twin bedroom, perfect for kids, is on a ‘walk-through’ from the master bedroom.

This apartment brings repeat guests year after year due to its homely atmosphere and high quality furnishings. And there are more developments to come!

Easter Holidays

There is still availability for Easter Holidays with Highland Club Scotland! We’re seeing a spate of bookings coming in over the last few weeks so availability is diminishing quickly. If you are planning an Easter break in a beautiful location with a unique setting, then get in touch and book the holiday of a lifetime!

The mystery of Loch Ness does not disappoint and neither does the experience of staying in our amazing abbey!

If you are unsure what the Highlands have to offer, check out this link

You will find eveything you need to know to make the most of your Loch Ness holiday!

Brora Cottage

We are thrilled to welcome Brora Cottage back to our range of properties. We are equally proud to say Highland Club Scotland continues to boast the largest range of properties at the Abbey. Our customer service stretches far and beyond the call of duty – or so we’ve been told on numerous occassions! Check the reviews on our Google page to see for yourself. Click here.

But back to Brora Cottage! This delightful two bedroom cottage remains a firm favourite with pet owners. Bring your furry friend along with you!

Sleeping up to four guests in two king size beds, Brora Cottage has been tastefully decorated and is now am incredibly homely and cosy cottage. The log fire and the quality furniture add to the comforts of this popular holiday cottage.

The kitchen equipment has been thoughtfully provided to ensure you really are in a home from home in Brora.

Ten seconds walk to the gym, and one minute to the swimming pool, Brora’s location is perfect for privacy and ease of movement from one place to another.

Updated pictures to come soon!

Loch Ness 360 Challenge

A three day running and cycling challenge takes place for its first time. It follows the 360 South Loch Ness Trail and the Great Glen Way, this new challenge is not to be missed. Spanning over three days, you can choose to tackle three marathons over three days or cycle the 129 km.

We’ve already hosted some guests doing the all-important ‘recce’ to familiarise themselves with the terrain.

This link will provide all the information you need to take part!

Taking part or supporting? Book your accommodation and stay in comfort for your weekend! Get in touch to ask about special offers!

A Little History

Our amazing abbey was built upon a Hanoverian Fort which housed, at one point, 300 British soldiers. The site was later sold to the Lovat Estate and then leased to the St Benedictine Monks who, with donated labour and material, carried out the construction work.

Much of the Fort is not visible but there some ‘crossover’ features. An example of this is along the North Cloister Corridor which is the closest Cloister to the Old School.

Twenty feet below this Cloister Corrider is an original Fort corridor which runs at a slope from the East to the West. In the days of the Fort, soliders would roll barrels down this corridor from the magazine chamber.

The Fort corridor is not accessible to guests, however, along the corridor you can see original arched “windows” which would allow the daylight into the sloping corridor. The monks would later fill these windows and use them as candle holders to light the North Cloister.

Further to the East of the original Fort corridor, and further below, is the location of the dungeons where the Duke of Cumberland reputedly tortured and executed Jacobites.

It is indeed ironic that a place playing a large part in such tumultous times later became a place of peace.

Book Your Loch Ness Holiday!

It is, of course, always better to see our wonderful home for yourself. With availability for Easter and Summer quickly reducing, book your stay with Highland Club Scotland now. Not sure of which property best suits you? Get in touch by email or phone – we’re always happy to hear from you, and even happier to see you!

Our First Blog In A While

We have now come to the end of an incredibly busy eight months at Highland Club Scotland and Loch Ness. Our short quiet period will soon change again though as we welcome guests to the Feis and mid term holiday makers. Hence the reason why there has been no blog. Its certainly not because we have no news because there is always something going on at our beautiful Abbey!

Our business has taken a massive step forward in our development while we continue to provide our normal high level of customer service.

Welcome to the Team!

November 2019 saw a new addition to the team; Elena Ioannou has joined Highland Club Scotland and our sister company Abbey Management Services as Company Director, bringing a host of new ideas and determination to continue bringing guests to the Abbey in Loch Ness!

Elena has a personal connection to the Abbey and has been settling into her new role better than anyone could expect.

We also welcome David and Michelle to the team as essential members of our housekeeping and maintainence team. They are both from the Central Belt of Scotland and have a love of the Highlands and walking outdoors. In a short period, they have proven themselves already to be worthy members of an already hardworking team.

Fèis Gleann Albainn

The Fèis is held in Fort Augustus every February and is a delightful music festival that often brings a magical buzz to the village as we approach Springtime!

Musicians provide music lessons in the local school and then head to the village pubs for live folk music sessions. We welcome musicians and their friends and family, and of course those who just come to enjoy the gigs!

I personally love a few pints and a chat with old and new friends with the steady live music in the background. Indeed, one of my favourite times of year at the Abbey!

The Abbey Food Market

Continuing from 2019, The Abbey Food Market, returns on Sunday 12th April and will run every second Sunday of the month until 11th October.

The Abbey Food Market allows guests, locals and staff to experience high quality produce from local farmers, butchers and fishmongers. You can find freshly pre-prepared meals from local chefs and liquors with a story.

See their FaceBook page here.

 

New Apartments

We are proud to announce two new and very different properties to our range at Highland Club Scotland.

Glen Affric Highland Club Scotland sits on the top floor of the large Chapel building built by the St Benedictine Monks. Within this prestigious apartment, there is original sandstone arches that once were the upper echelons of the Chapel.

The living room and the twin bedroom have a view to the hills of the South Side of Loch Ness, over the River Tarff. The kitchen is stylish and with all the equipment you would expect from this beautiful holiday home.

Additionally, the family bathroom has been given recent renovations resulting in a large shower cubicle complete with wet walls and a rain drop shower head. Showering in here is so relaxing it is difficult to leave. Only the promise of the amazing facilities and stunning countryside can sway you out!

Check it out here.

Inver is also a top floor apartment, however, it sits in the Raven Wing at the opposite end of the Abbey Church. This of course does not provide any less of a stunning view. In fact, Loch Ness is visible from the large patio window in the living room!

The Raven Wing was once the Science block in the days of the Abbey. It has undergone serious development since then with several beautiful holiday homes that will not break the bank.

This one bedroom apartment is perfect for couples looking for a romantic break, or for small families on budget holiday.

Inver is cosy and tastefully decorated throughout and is not to be missed.

You can see Inver by clicking here

Our Heated Swimming Pool

Guests here during certain holiday times will enjoy extended opening times during certain periods. Opening hours will be 7 days a week from 9am to 6pm. The dates below will see the closing time extend to 9pm!

10 – 23 February

23 March – 19 April

8 – 11 May

25 May – 6 September

12 October – 1 November

21 – 23 December

27 – 30 December

These opening hours are an indication of the staff’s dedication to give you the most memorable experience here at Highland Club Scotland!

 

St Benedictine

The Monastery was originally built by St Benedict Monks so there is often talk of their work here and, of course, the name St Benedictine. But who was he and what is his significance to our unique and amazing home?

St Benedict was a famous religious figure around late 400 AD and founded twelve monasteries in Italy. Rumours of miracles he could perform ran around the country. Government officials would offer their sons as monks as St Benendict’s popularity grew. However, St Benedict did not want this attention and at one point lived in a cave as a hermit for 3 years.

A statue of St Benedict sits on the Clock Tower of the Old School here. You can see a raven sitting beside his left foot.

Legend tells us that a priest, jealous of St Benedict’s holiness, would poison the bread served at dinner time. Benedict had been feeding a raven with bread previously and sensing the priest’s betrayal, instructed the raven to take this particular bread and leave it out of harm’s way. Hence, the raven sits at St Benedict’s foot on the statue.

St Benedict school teachers now use this story to emphasise that by doing good and being charitable you will earn God’s favour.

Book Your Holiday With Us Now

Some of the items in here are best seen with your own eyes. We have availability for the whole year, but bookings are coming in fast and the Easter and Summer dates will quickly be spoken for, if our history is anything to go by.

If you would like advice on which property best suits your needs, then please do get in touch. We’re always happy to help!

Highland Club Scotland Team

 

 

Loch Ness and the People

I am sometimes reminded of the friendly nature of the people in Loch Ness and the Scottish Highlands, and indeed all of Scotland for that matter, at the most surprising times. Most recently was on an ill-fated trip to Glasgow. After stopping off at Fort William for some fuel in a borrowed car (not really borrowed but more of a temporary swap). The car cut out about 1/4 mile down the road…at a roundabout….during an increasingly busy spell of traffic……perfect…….

It’s at these times you think along the lines of keeping calm and that it will all blow over. But I didn’t get the chance to do so. Within 30 seconds of the car drawing to a halt, a lovely lady whose name I didn’t catch had stopped her car on the opposite of the road to offer her help. While I was explaining what had happened, another car pulled up in front of me, and a man jumped out to also offer assistance. The next 10 seconds saw a breakdown truck pull in front of him and he also came to help. I really was pleasantly gobsmacked at the nature of these locals who saw a complete stranger in trouble and were prepared to go out of their way to lend a hand.

As it happens, I had mis-fueled the borrowed car (I know a rookie error, right) so had to get the engine drained and never made it to Glasgow. But being offered and given some help from 3 local people, all who happened to chance by at that exact moment, makes me think how lucky we are in Scotland to have such a friendly and helpful nature not only as a country but as a people. It’s no wonder our reputations precede us on an international level.

Monster Activities in Loch Ness

I had the pleasure of being introduced to Iain, another local chap of Fort Augustus. Iain runs Monster Activities providing plenty of activities for families and groups. If you’re an adventurous sort, Iain will take you on a white water rafting tour or an abseiling session. Or if you enjoy calmer activities, why not try clay pigeon shooting, archery or even tomahawk and knife throwing.

Or you can have a guided walk up Ben Nevis or around the Isle of Skye. One thing for certain is that you’re not short of choices!

Click on the link to make contact directly with Iain and mention your holidaying at The Highland Club. He’ll do his best to make sure you have a Scottish holiday to remember.

June in Loch Ness

It’s been an incredibly busy month for us with no signs of it slowing down until after the summer months. A large group from Germany visited us for 7 nights in the middle of the month taking full advantage of Fort Augustus and The Highland Club. Our very own Bridget hosted the whisky tasting night in the Club Lounge. The middle of the week saw the group visit Skye and spend some time in the lovely local village of Fort Augustus. Their last night saw them dining at the Lock Inn, 3 minutes walk from The Highland Club with the night ending on a musical high with some Ceilidh music in the Atrium.

We hope to see Werner next year with another group to experience the Scottish Highlands and the Highland Club.

The last few days of June saw Pat Kane Musical Tours visiting also with a large group for 3 nights. Somehow, managing to squeeze in more than most, Pat and Kathleen arranged dinner and breakfast at the Boat House, a morning cruise around Loch Ness and a Ceilidh at the Boat House.

Pat and Kathleen’s group arrived on the hottest day ever recorded in certain parts of Scotland, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees celcius! An excellent climate for a walk along the nearby Caledonian Canal.

Toothy the Abbey Cat

Toothy the Abbey Cat enjoys the warm weather as much as the rest of us it seems. I’ve spotted him a few times wandering around outside, close to the Moat House. Occasionally, a rabbit will run in the opposite direction when Toothy the Abbey Cat approaches. But we understand Tooth the Abbey Cat is far to busy relaxing and eating and sleeping and relaxing and eating and sleeping to be chasing the local wildlife around.

I caught him outside the Abbey Management and Highland Club Scotland office today. It almost looks like he was stalking me but I took his approach as a form of gentle affection.

Special Highland Club Apartments

I was lucky enough to be helping the housekeeping staff on the hottest day of June in Loch Ness and took full advantage of some quick snaps with my phone while in some apartments.

Some of you may have seen these already on our social media gateways, but nevertheless, I think they’re still worthwhile putting on the blog.

Top of the Fort is very special with its private wraparound terrace. How nice it would be to sitting outside on that patio, eating breakfast in the sun with exceptional views from all around. On one side, you have the grounds of The Highland Club with the hills of the Great Glen Way in the background. To the other side, you look at the waves of Loch Ness itself. It really is a peaceful and gorgeous spot to be in.

Boys Dormitory is another special and unique apartment. Mobile phone pictures simply do not do this amazing apartment any justice. You need to experience it for yourself.

This picture was taken while sitting on the luxurious sofa in the living room. The arched windows looking onto Loch Ness and the Monastery Gardens have the added benefit of an adjustable uplighter making it even more attractive in the evening.

Ceildh at The Boat House

I was lucky enough to be invited down for dinner and a Ceilidh at The Boat House by Pat and Kathleen Kane, who arrange holiday tours from America. The music was provided by live band Kilderkin and Pat instructed us all for the dancing in his own charismatic and charming way way. There are some videos on The Boat House Facebook page. I was clearly too busy having a good time to be taking pictures….

There has indeed been plenty of action at the Highland Club this month, but you must see it for yourself. We still have some availability and if you time it right you could benefit from our Special Offers.

July is looking incredibly busy so I’ll expect to have a few more stories to tell in next month’s blog.

See you all soon.

Simon

After a hectic winter and excellent Easter holiday time, we’re now preparing for an even busier period coming up. Summer holidays in Loch Ness always bring excitement, new and returning guests to the Highland Club. Scottish tourism is once again on the increase and no better way for us to prepare than the recent addition of 2 apartments and 1 cottage to our portfolio of properties and the recent re-opening of the swimming pool and spa. For more details, keep reading.

Swimming pool and spa

The swimming pool, since its re-opening in December, has proven to be as popular as ever. The complex has been fitted with guests’ safety and comfort at the fore. It makes for an extra relaxing and enjoyable time – a summer’s day in the Highland Club can be as active or as relaxing as you want it to be.

Summer holidays in Loch Ness – what to do

On a rare day off, I like a light breakfast and a dip in the pool closely followed by some time in the sauna and steam room. After that, I might think of some lunch at the Boat House Restaurant and then nice walk along the South Loch Ness Trail which you will find within a 1 minute walk of the Highland Club gates. There are some steep climbs along the way but the views of The Highland Club and Loch Ness are worth the effort.

I recently took a short drive up to the Falls of Foyers, a small but stunning and peaceful part of the Highlands that Rabbie Burns once found inspiring enough to pen a poem about. You can read it by clicking this link: – Enjoy Loch Ness.

By the time I come back home I’m ready for some dinner at the Lock Inn where you’re guaranteed some excellent Scottish cuisine. A fine and friendly restaurant and bar.

Book your summer holiday in Loch Ness with Highland Club Scotland and this could all be a small but amazing part of your vacation itinerary.

Summer holidays in Loch Ness – the local wildlife

Yesterday, outside the courtyard cottages I came across some of the resident ducks who were just waddling around. Their friendliness is often surprising no matter how often you see it. They will happily venture up looking for a bit of bread or some seeds and, I like to think to, to say hello.

They will come so close you can kneel down and they will eat out of your hand – just be careful as they can be a little greedy at times.

The widest range of properties at The Highland Club

Highland Club Scotland boasts the widest range of properties at the Highland Club. The arrival of 3 new properties gives our customers an excellent range of choices.

Courtyard Cottage 4 – a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, comfortable and stylishly furnished cottage.

Brothers Wing 1 – a 1 bedroom, 2 bathroom, lower ground apartment. Surprisingly spacious with a sofa bed. Perfect for a budget holiday.

Brothers Wing 7 – a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom first floor apartment. Beautifully decorated and incredibly comfortable.

Photos of these properties are to follow; already return guests are snapping up the available dates to The Highland Club.

Don’t miss out – get booking your Summer holiday in Loch Ness now!

Did you know our website has with Instant Messenger?  So you can get fast answers to any queries you have. Just click on the white envelope icon on the bottom right hand corner of any page on our website.

Hope to hear from you all soon.

 

 

Festive bookings and free Champagne

Book a festive break this year and we will provide a free bottle of Champagne for you on your arrival at the Highland Club – no questions asked! Our welcome pack will include all our normal little extras that make your stay here as comfortable and as convenient as possible, including the shortbread, tea, coffee, sugar and all the bed linen and towels.

We like to make things that little bit extra during the festive season and we think a free bottle of Champagne will do just that!

New Year Ceilidh

We have live band, The Dix and Chick, providing the music so bring your own bottle and enjoy the free nibbles!

Children under 12 are permitted free entry and tickets for over 12’s are £12. We will send you a secure link to book your tickets when you make your booking.

Special Offers

Have you visited our special offers page? Check out Old School 11, Moat House 2, Cottage 2, Cottage 11 and Monastery 10 – you can receive a 10% discount on all remaining December 2017 dates on them!

Facebook and Twitter

Don’t forget to look us up on our social media where you can see all the up to date information on what’s happening at the Abbey!

Facilities

Our fitness suite is currently being upgraded and will be complete very soon with a host of new equipment including free weights, a multi gym, treadmill, exercise bike, cross trainer and rowing machine! Entry to the gym is exclusively for guests and owners at the Highland Club and is free of charge. Maybe you can have that extra piece of shortbread after all, and then burn it off tomorrow!

 

 

 

Welcome and thank you for taking the time to visit our new, updated website!

Over the years, we have learned that to give the best service we can to our guests and owners, it is necessary for us to stay modern, fresh and up to date. Hence, the time for us to radicalize our website and how we work is now.

The new site is easy to read, easy to use and provides an even greater level of security than our previous system. We have incorporated a virtual terminal which means card payments are quick, simple and safe.

Additionally, the integration of a booking agent, allows a fast, simple and clear cut calendar system. During your booking process you will be able to see a range of rates and availability on the one page.

The introduction of our online enquiry form provides the opportunity to ask us anything before you commit to booking. We understand online booking is not for everyone, so we pride ourselves on being as flexible as we possibly can, and are always ready to help! To support our endeavors for this, we have introduced an Instant Messaging system, meaning we can answer your queries quickly.

We have moved our business forward thanks to the continuing support of our customers. Hence, we now show that support back to you by bringing our new website to the fore! Please do take the time to explore our new site and feel free to leave us any comment or thoughts.

                                                                  

Featured property

Each month, there will be a chosen featured property highlighting the specific items of interest relating to that apartment, the history of it and why we think that apartment is so special. There are plenty for us to choose from as every apartment and cottage here has its own story to tell!

We’re very happy to bring the Major’s Apartment, Moat House 2, to your attention!

This apartment has recently moved to new ownership and has had a big part to play in the Abbey’s history. As the name suggests, this is where the Major’s quarters were in the days of the Fort. The family bathroom, on the lower level, was notably the gunpowder store. The pretend window, in place to hide the room’s use, is still there today!

Common belief is that the heavy entrance door was here to deter visitors. Visitors to the Abbey would ring the bell, and often wait up to 5 minutes for a monk to attend. The door would not open, but instead a monk would talk through the small grill on the heavy door. He would ask the visitors business before allowing entry.

The arched passageway you walk through, in the main entrance to the Moat House, was built in the 19th century over the moat as a replacement to the original entrance from the days of the Fort. In monastic times there was a crucifix above the main door.

Today, you can still see rhomboidal keystones above some of the doors in this section. Notably, the symbol of the Redcoat soldier engineers. This tells us they were responsible for building this section.

The monks would use the upper floors of the Moat House to accommodate guests. There was a large room on the first floor that would sometimes be used as a meeting room or even a coffee lounge.

Major’s Apartment, Moat House 2, is a 3-bedroom apartment with 2 bathrooms and 2 entrances over 2 levels. The ground floor entrance leads to the Abbey grounds while the first floor entrance will take you to the Moat House staircase and the Cloisters.

The lower section of this apartment retains some of the original architecture, notably, the arched passageway between the twin bedroom and and the master bedroom.

From the upper level, you can enjoy views of the Abbey grounds. This is an altogether excellent choice for families and friends and it even features on our Special Offers page!

Full details of Major’s Apartment can be viewed by clicking here.