The best way to get over the January blues is to start the year off how you mean to go on, with some travel, which is exactly what we did. We have just returned from a much needed long weekend at the Loch Tay Highland Lodges, part of the Largo Leisure Parks.
The Loch Tay site is situated in the Scottish Highlands, roughly 2 hours further North than Glasgow and Edinburgh and it is completely surrounded by breath taking views of the mountains and the loch itself. We drove over on the Friday from the Wirral which is approximately 5 1/2 hours. We arrived at 5pm, just in time to check in at reception before it closed, and were greeted by some very friendly staff and handed our keys. Unfortunately we were told that the hot tub wouldn’t be ready till the morning which was a little disappointing but it just meant a quick change of plans from hot tub to pub instead!
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We parked up in the designated parking spot for our lodge and let ourselves in. The lodge was lovely, spacious and clean. We stayed in a Signature Lodge 3 bed with hot tub that was also pet friendly.
It had a large living area that consisted of an open plan kitchen complete with all mod cons including a dishwasher and washing machine, a dinning table big enough to seat 6 and a lounge area complete with a large sofa and two large chairs, a tv and an open fire. All with room to spare.
The bedrooms were split in to one double with an ensuite and two twin rooms as well as a main bathroom that had a bath and over head shower.
We were very impressed with the amount of space.
Once unpacked we decided to walk down to the pub and have a drink and try get our bearings. However by now it was very dark so we couldn’t really see much. We were greeted at the pub again by lovely friendly staff and were pleased to find that it was dog friendly (although they do have a 4 bark rule which made me laugh).
Once nicely refreshed we walked back up to our lodge and enjoyed a good nights sleep in the very comfy beds.
The next morning we woke up and opened the curtains only to see the most breath taking views. As we had arrived in the dark we had no idea this was going to be waiting for us in the morning and it was such a lovely sight.
Of course we then wanted to go and explore some more and discovered that no matter where you were on site the views were just truly incredible and Loch Tay itself is also beautiful and tranquil.
We spent most of our second day exploring the nearest village, Killin, before heading back and just relaxing in the hot tub and then playing games round the dining table. The hot tub for this lodge is situated under cover a very short walk behind the lodge and again offers up incredible views.
In the evening we lit the log fire with the provided logs, which was easy to use and it warmed up the lodge beautifully before retiring to bed.
On Sunday we drove out to Aberfeldy, which is about a 30 minute drive though picturesque landscapes. We walked The Birks of Aberfeldy, a circular walk along the Moness Burn and past a waterfall. This took us a couple of hours with a dog and a 5 year old. We stopped a few times on route to play in the water and admire the various waterfalls along the way. It’s absolutely stunning and definitely worth a trip.
On Monday check out time was 10am so after another quick on site walk we loaded up the car and said good bye to one of, if not the most, beautiful places we have ever stayed, before braving the long drive home.
If you are looking for a quiet break away with little distractions and just beautiful views then this is the one. It is beautiful beyond words and I could have happily stayed much longer.
Additional accommodation
Although we stayed in a Scandinavian signature 3 bed hot tub lodge Loch Tay do have lots of other accommodation styes to suit all budgets including
- Cabins
- Exclusive Houses
- Camping Domes
- Pods
On site facilities
As we stayed in January the onsite activities weren’t operating which was fine with us and something we knew in advance. However, if you stay between April and October you will be able to book a number of exciting activities including
- Gorge Walking
- Fishing
- River Tubing
- Paddle Boarding
- and lots more
If we visit again, the kids have made us promise we will go gorge walking, wish me luck!
Top Tips for Loch Tay Highland Lodges
Shop before you arrive – Loch Tay is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, which was perfect for the reset we wanted post Christmas. However, this does mean that the nearest shop ( a small cop op) is 10 minutes by car but the nearest supermarket or town centre is at least 45 minutes away, so go prepared with all the food, drink and necessities you might need for your break and then you can just stay on site and relax. Reception does sell the basics and the pub serves food so if you aren’t prepared it isn’t a massive issue but might be more expensive.
Take a torch– It is obviously very dark in the evenings and we found the site to be pretty dark too which was tricky when walking the dog or venturing down to the pub and back up again, so I would recommend packing a small torch just make things a bit easier.
Wifi – wifi is available at a cost, so if you want to use it but don’t want the added cost make sure you have your own data or can hotspot from someone else. Or use this as a great excuse to put the technology down and just immerse yourself in nature.
Overall I would highly recommend Loch Tay Highland Lodges if you are looking for somewhere quiet, relaxed and surrounded with natural beauty and breath taking views.
